Alcohol Drinking Games shipwrecked star

shipwrecked 2007 star Vodka Vs Water The Russian Roulette of Drinking Games

Unsafe Drinking: Consequences of Sharing Alcohol (College Health Guru)

Drinking games can amp up any party. If you share your beer, though, you’re sharing more than just alcohol – you’re sharing germs too. For more information go to: College.Healthguru.com?yt

Problems Of Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Drinking problems are currently one of the major world burden experienced today because of its great potential of causing many diseases and deaths per annum.One may wonder, the reasons behind the increased number of those who really can handle swallowing multiple bottles in no time, at this age of hard living.Signs that indicate irresistible desire for a drink involve nausea, vomiting, sweating, anxiety, tremors, sleeplessness and neglect of other endeavors in life since lots of time is spent in drinking and recovery process.Addiction problem is not only addressed in terms of the level of consumption but also the drinking patterns.Some come home from worthy jobs and open a bottle of wine, and before they know it, they have finished it off and opening one more to numb their stress.Teenagers will sneak from home with friends during the weekends; they get drunk to test their limits and have fun.The no- brains- for- alcohol drinker fears ever going to parties because after only one or two glasses, they feel either drunk or faintly ill, yet they feel that they need to drink to relax in social gatherings.The binge drinker on the other hand, is not just one who indulges in huge quantities on a weekend, drinking twice the limit recommended limit in any one setting describe them better.The social drinker do not drink alone at home, but will for always join in assembly when they go out with their friends.All the above can be used to describe the patterns many addicts follows to satisfy their drinking desires but what they do not realize is that they loose a lot in life.Take for example that excessive consumption of alcohol by women has a strong link to elevated chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer and risk of tumors stimulated by their reproductive hormones.Alcohol is said to interfere with estrogen metabolism that in turn raises the risk of hormone sensitive disease like breast cancer.The risks of heart attack and abrupt deaths have been associated with drinking problems even some facts that moderate consumption may favor heart functioning.As well, many mental illness, suicidal thoughts and shots, depression and anxiety cases are as a result of drinking.But at times, stressful lifestyle may instigate the excessive alcohol use problem as a way of escaping the reality of an individual life.Cases of stomach ulcers are to some extent believed to be caused by alcohol because it result in heart burns while raising the risk of cancer of food- pipe.Additionally, it interferes with normal absorption process in the gut and raises the conveyance of toxins across the intestinal walls contributing to damage of major organs like the liver.Moving away from drinking and health issues, alcohol is attributable to many of the road accident cases when drivers are under the influence alcohol.Also domestic violence is much worse when both or one spouse drinks excessively and cause unnecessary fights.Another association it has is that of risky sexual habits like premarital and extramarital affairs that may cause serious venereal diseases like HIV/AIDS.As you can see, there is nothing to smile about an extreme drunkard or being close to one and doing nothing to stop it.There is help for these cases, and it is wise to help an addict by giving them all the support you would require if you were in their position!

Understanding Your Blood Alcohol Level

Your blood alcohol level (BAC) identifies the amount of alcohol present in your blood stream. Alcohol gets absorbed directly by your blood, making it relatively easy to test for. It does not get digested first like food does. Whereas it may take several hours for the nutrients in food to be absorbed by your blood stream and distributed to your cells and organs, alcohol can be absorbed and distributed within about 50 minutes.

Your rate of metabolism is a major factor in determining how quickly your body will process and eliminate alcohol from its system. Your liver is responsible for processing alcohol, and it is then expelled through your sweat, breath, and urine. The quicker your metabolism, the quicker your liver will process the alcohol in your system.

On average, most people can process and eliminate one drink per hour. One drink is considered:

Your BAC will start to rise at a rate of .02 for every drink you consume above one an hour. As your BAC rises, your organs become more and more saturated with alcohol, causing you to feel intoxicated.

The breathalyzer machine tests the alcohol level of the air in your lungs. There is a direct ratio of 2100:1 linking the alcohol concentration in your lungs to the alcohol concentration in your blood. In other words, every 2100 milliliters of air has the exact same alcohol content as 1 milliliter of blood.

In order for a breath test to accurately determine your BAC, you will need to supply a continuous breath sample of at least 30 seconds. The passage of time will not necessarily lower your BAC. If you have consumed several alcoholic beverages just prior to getting behind the wheel, your body will continue to process this alcohol over the next hour or two. Therefore, it is possible to have a higher BAC when you reach the police station than you did while driving.

Blood tests are not used as frequently as breath tests because they are considered a more invasive procedure and your blood sample will need to be sent to a lab, causing it to take longer to receive the results. However, blood tests are the method of choice when you are under suspicion of being impaired by drugs.

It is important to understand what is being tested when you are given a blood test. Some labs test whole blood while others test plasma or serum. This will have a big impact on your BAC.

Whole blood is made up of cellular material, plasma, and fibrinogen (a clotting agent). If the solid material is removed, you are left with plasma or serum (plasma without fibrinogen). If the lab is testing your plasma or serum, it will give you an artificially high BAC.

This occurs because when the cellular material is removed by centrifuge, you are left with the same amount of alcohol in a smaller volume of liquid. This will increase the concentration of alcohol in the blood liquid. Serum or plasma BAC measurements are generally about 16% higher than whole blood BAC measurements. This is a big difference.

It is a good idea to ask the lab technician what is being tested. If he is testing plasma or serum, you can expect to be considered more intoxicated than you actually are. This is important information to provide to your DUI attorney.

If you are charged with a DUI, it is important to seek the assistance of an attorney experienced in handling DUI cases. The consequences of a DUI conviction are severe, and can result in serious fines, jail time, loss of license, cancellation of your insurance policy, and potential employment problems. A DUI lawyer can help keep the damage from these charges to a minimum.

If you have been charged with a DUI in the Baltimore, Annapolis, Glen Burnie, or Columbia, Maryland areas, please contact the law offices of Jimeno & Gray, P.A. today to schedule an initial consultation.

Panic Attacks; Alcohol

Alcohol. A glass of wine, a bottle of beer, even a shot of whiskey. These things are all supposed to take the edge off, right?I mean, when you’re out on the weekend or after work doesn’t a glassful of beer or wine make you more laid-back?Sure it does, so how does this synch with panic attacks? On the surface it doesn’t make much sense, but once you understand the underlying issues it all makes sense.We have to take a closer inspection of what alcohol does to the body and to the brain to really make sense of it.  See, alcohol in very small doses for most people doesn’t cause any problems.But, people who drink don’t usually drink in moderate doses, do they? We drink too much and it gets our body and brains out of sync.  It drains your body of precious minerals and vitamins. What does this do?  It drains your bodies ability to feel right and calm because it can’t produce the neurochemicals needed to do so!It impairs your liver too. So, you say, what’s the huge deal?Well, your liver is one of the vital organs responsible for making serotonin, gaba and other neurotransmitters which calm you down and keep you from having panic attacks.  Did you ever notice that when you imbibe alcohol you feel very relaxed but then the next day and for days later you’re having panic attacks.  Now you know why.I used to be a bad drinker. I drank way, way too much and I began having anxiety or panic attacks on a regular basis.  I just couldn’t figure out what they were or why I was having them.It was only when it got really negative that I started doing some research and started working on my self.  Things got better. I stopped drinking so much, started exercising and in general started feeling much, much better.Unfortunately, I was still getting the attacks no matter what I did. So, I dug a little more fiercely.  That’s when I found the one move technique. It’s basicially a cognitve trick that trains your brain to switch from the reasonless midbrain to the rational forebrain area.It’s like magic. It truly works and it’s saved me from having the sweating, nausea, feelings of unreality, trembling, fear of crowds, etc that were making my life down right unfun.  Don’t wait like I did to do something about your panic attacks, alcohol can be easily contained.And when you put in the other pieces of the puzzle….well, it’s like striking gold.

Drug Rehab And Alcohol Treatment Programs Nevada

Ask anyone in the country. Life in Las Vegas rolls high stakes, from the dice shot down the table to a needle in the arm in a late night luxury hotel. With bars and casinos open all night long, the city is known for its sin, but it also has its recovery programs too. In fact, even within the Las Vegas metropolitan area, you can find an effective Nevada Drug Rehab centers. Post graduate interviews indicate that when it comes to drug rehab, Henderson, Nevada centers rank at the top, as more than 75 percent of their graduates go on to living drug-free lives. Ironically, when it comes to alcohol rehab, Nevada ranks higher than many other areas of the nation. You can find a good Nevada drug rehab center simply because Nevada is such a high-stakes-rolling town. They’ve seen the devastation that drug and alcohol problems can wreak on the individual. Where there’s a need, solutions are developed to fill that need. That’s why when it comes to drug rehab, Henderson, Nevada features some of the best programs. They have to; the need is too great to be ignored. For alcohol rehab, Nevada features extensive programs. More than just a 30 day slap on the hand like many programs, your average Nevada drug rehab center goes the full line. Most insurance companies limit treatment to 30 days because that’s as long as they will pay. Rather than a quick fix that inevitably just leads to relapse, you can find programs in Nevada that last until the patient is truly ready for the outside world. For comprehensive drug rehab, Henderson, Nevada programs go full route. You pay a flat fee, and you stay as long as needed. For alcohol rehab, Nevada leads the nation. For drug rehab, Henderson, Nevada programs feature some of the highest recovery rates in the nation. The problem is too great, the consequences too devastating, to allow it to fail. For alcohol rehab, Nevada features the strongest programs because they’ve seen addiction face to face. Don’t hesitate to call a Nevada treatment center. Though Las Vegas is the world of sin, for the best in drug rehab, Henderson, Nevada ranks at the top. If you are truly interested in alcohol rehab, Nevada is a great place to begin. They’ve been treating addiction since the day Las Vegas was built.

Calories in Alcohol – Why Alcohol Can Affect Your Weight

Ever wondered how many calories are in your favourite alcoholic drinks? We have matched the calorie content of alcoholic drinks with a fatty food equivalent and uncovered some shocking results.
Surprisingly, many people would not be able to tell you how many calories are in their drinks, and recent NHS research certainly surprised many by highlighting that alcoholic drinks often contain as many calories as an unhealthy meal.
Below are some of the more surprising calorie comparisons.
Beer & cider
The average beer drinker consumes five pints of medium strength lager a week, which mounts up to around 44,200 calories a year – the equivalent of 221 doughnuts.
One pint of strong lager = 330 calories. Same as a four ounce fillet steak.
One pint of average strength lager = 200 calories. Same as one packet of crisps.
One pint of premium lager = 250 calories. Same as a small chocolate bar.
One pint of cider = 200 calories. Same as one fried chicken drumstick.
Wine
If they don’t work off the calories from their wine, the average wine drinker will put on half a stone per year.
The average wine drinker now consumes 2,000 extra calories a month – the equivalent of 10 bags of crisps
Large glass of medium strength dry white wine = 190 calories. Same as two and a half digestive biscuits.
Bottle of medium strength dry white wine = 570 calories. Same as chicken with cashew nuts and egg fried rice.
A bottle of average strength red wine = 644 calories. Same as 14 Jaffa cakes or McDonald’s cheeseburger and medium fries.
Half a bottle of average strength red wine = 313 calories. Same as a Snickers chocolate bar.
Spirits
One shot (25ml) of vodka or gin = 55 calories. Same as a 25ml serving of single cream
Large Bailey’s (100ml) = 320 calories. Same as a Snickers Bar.
Baring in mind that these comparisons only factor in one alcoholic drink, adding up a total at the end of an evening could leave you clocking up as many calories as a multi-pack of chocolate bars or crisps.
Snack attack
Snacking on crisps while you’re out drinking to tide you over till you get home is all too tempting, and combining this with a drink puts you well on your way to 500 calories – a fifth of the 2500 recommended daily calorie intake for men, and a quarter of a woman’s. After a couple more drinks and maybe a take away on the home, you’re way over the recommended calorie intake.
Burn baby, burn
If you’re starting to feel like you can never drink again without worrying about the calorie content of your drinks, there is a solution. Preparing your body for the night ahead by exercising will help burn up some of the extra calories you are about to consume – even if it’s just a power walk to the pub. Failing that, a good exercise session the next day can really help.
In the bag
Planning ahead a little can help prevent you reaching for the pork scratchings. Try packing a few healthy snacks in your bag beforehand. No doubt you’ll find yourself chatting outside the pub at some point, which gives you the perfect opportunity to have a nibble.
It’s what’s on the inside that counts
Alcohol and calories have been dominating the news stories recently, which highlights that it’s high on people’s list of concerns when they think about the effects of alcohol.
With this being at the forefront of people’s minds when they order a drink, there is a danger that more harmful effects of alcohol, such as damaging organs like the heart and liver may be pushed aside. Stay informed of the effect of alcohol by visiting our health facts area.

Mandatory sale of alcohol code: what does it mean for UK drinkers?

As the Government proposes to call ‘time’ on cut price drinks promotions we provide some need to know facts about the mandatory code.

The Government is currently proposing a new era for the sale of alcohol, with laws prohibiting bars, clubs and pubs from offering alcohol promotions such as “All you can drink” and “ladies drink for free” to drinkers.

At present the proposed changes are open for public consultation, however if enacted the Government hopes the laws will reduce both health and crime problems caused by binge drinking, which is estimated to cost the UK £13 billion a year.

The changes will also affect drinkers hoping to take advantage of alcohol promotions in supermarkets and other retailers, as deals encouraging the sale of large amounts of alcohol would be prohibited.

Other options

Saying goodbye to ‘happy hour’ promotions and cut price drinks is arguably the most notable change the code would bring, however further recommendations would see the introduction of smaller alcohol measures in bars, clubs and pubs.

For example the code states that bars, pubs and clubs would have to abide by the following;

• Offer a choice of smaller alcohol measures to customers, such as 125ml wine glass and single spirit shots.

• Make free glasses of tap water available readily available for customers by law. How can customers be assured that retailers will follow the proposed guidelines?

The Government has stated that failure to follow the code will result in a £20,000 fine, the loss of the landlords licence or six months in prison. Keeping consumers informed Consumers would see the recommendations in action as alcohol promotions in pubs, bars and supermarkets disappear.

The code will support current sensible drinking messages by Drinkaware and the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, which are currently displayed next to alcohol price information in supermarkets. Surprisingly the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) recommendations for a minimum pricing of alcohol will not be featuring in the code.

He argued alcohol should be sold at a minimum of 50p per alcohol unit. However the Prime Minister decided not to act on these recommendations claiming it would “punish the vast majority of responsible drinkers.” Visit the Home Office website to view and have your say on the Government’s ‘Safe. Sensible. Social: Selling Alcohol Responsibly’ consultation.

Alcohol and Weight Gain – The Truth and Lies

There are a lot of misconceptions about alcohol and weight gain. It is absolutely true that alcohol has calories in it. In fact alcohol has a lot of calories in it. One shot of your favorite type of liquor could have as many as 50 calories. Because of this many people, including doctors and dieticians, have come to believe that alcohol should be cut if you want to effectively lose weight.
Unfortunately for them, they are dead wrong.
While alcohol consumption will increase the amount of calories you consume for the day, the type of calories you gain from alcohol will have very little, if any impact on your weight. The reasons for this are not really known. It may have to do with the fact that alcohol will actually increase your metabolic rate. That’s right, consuming alcohol will actual help your metabolism. It could also be that our bodies are not designed to effectively process calories gained from alcohol. Whatever the reason, it is well researched and documented that cutting alcohol will not significantly help you trim your waist line.
Keep in mind here that I am talking about alcohol. Not about the other additives, syrups and sugars that might go into a mixed drink. Certainly if you are doing a low carb diet and you keep drinking beer and sugary mixed drinks you will be sabotaging your weight loss efforts.
From a health standpoint there is not really any reason for the average person, barring any diseases and physical problems that might make alcohol consumption debilitating, to stop drinking in moderation. Moderate consumption of alcohol is actually healthy. It will benefit everything from your heart, circulatory system, and even your immune system. In fact, on average a person who consumes moderate amounts of alcohol per day will outlive someone who either drinks to excess or does not drink at all.
That’s right. Not drinking alcohol will likely shorten your life. People in Europe have believed this for years. It is just in the last 5 – 10 years that science has really found the data to back this up.
The question that you need to answer is what constitutes moderate drinking? If you don’t drink at all you are hurting your health and if you drink too much you will hurt your health even more. The trick is finding the right balance. What that balance is depends a lot on you. Factors like your weight play a significant role in how much you can drink. Generally speaking men should limit themselves to a few drinks per night and women should have only 1 – 2.
Now do not take this article to mean that you should all run out and start drinking. There are a variety of factors involved in this issue that you should talk about with your physician. With that said I do believe that any health and wellness plan that does not factor in the positive effects of alcohol consumption and only considers the negative, is not only out dated, but causing far more health problems than it is solving. So next time you life a glass of wine to everyone’s health, don’t feel too guilty about it because you might just be saving someones life.

8 Myths and Truths About Drinking Alcohol

I did some rounds on the internet today trying to find as many myths about alcohol as I could. Let me be the first to say, there are a lot of them. Some are plausible, some even I thought were true; but most are ones that we grow up with thinking are true. Why? Because that’s what adults had told us when we were young. They tried to keep us away from drinking, at least until we were old enough legally. Well some of us. It’s not their fault though. They were just telling us what they were told or what they saw in movies.

For the past twenty years, many studies have been done, and have shown us that these original thoughts about alcohol consumption are just myth. There might still be some of these myths that you took for the truth down below. So read through these, and educate yourself and your friends.

Below is the most complete list you’re going to find in regards to alcohol myths that would affect you, the drinker. I scoured the internet for hours finding these myths and debunking them. So read on and pay attention. They’re going to surprise you.

(Editors note: As someone who has lost a best friend to alcoholism, these facts are not here to encourage drinking, only to educate you. I have also written an article on the dangers of drinking and alcoholism. Please read it as well.)

1. MYTH

Men and women of the same height and weight can drink the same.

FACT

Gender has nothing to do with getting more drunk or not. It’s all about your body structure. Granted, it has been proven that people with a higher proportion of fat to lean muscle have a lower percentage of body water which gives the alcohol a stronger effect; and women tend to have slightly higher fat to lean muscle proportions.

Women are affected more rapidly because they tend to have a slightly higher proportion of fat to lean muscle tissue, thus concentrating alcohol a little more easily in their lower percentage of body water. They also have less of an enzyme (dehydrogenase) that metabolizes or breaks down alcohol, 9 and hormonal changes during their menstrual cycle might also affect alcohol absorption to some degree.

2. MYTH

Coffee, cold showers, workouts and food help to sober you up a lot faster.

FACT

I think this is a myth because you always see people in the movies drinking coffee to sober up or someone pushing another person into the shower and turning on the cold water.

3. MYTH

Drinking only beer instead of alcohol will not get you as drunk

FACT

While this seems to be proven true, the reality is that people who choose to drink “spirits” can ingest more and in a shorter amount of time. While someone who drinks a beer may take a considerable amount longer; with wine usually taking the longest to drink because a person most often takes their time and sips a glass of wine. There are also different feelings of drunkeness that come from drinking different types of alcohol. Which is another reason people feel that liquor gets them more drunk. Below you can see the different amount of alcohol, but these are all equal. So three shots of liquor will give you the same BAC (blood alcohol level) as three glasses of wine.

1. One can is 12 ounces of regular beer

2. A glass of wine is 5 ounces

3. A shot of liquor is one and a half ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits, either straight or in a mixed drink

4. MYTH

A beer belly is caused by drinking beer.

FACT

A “beer belly” is only caused by eating too much. However, alcohol has been known to slow down the fat burning process. This would lead people to think that alcohol is making them fatter. There are also myths that beer bellies are the result of a fatty or enlarged liver. “While excessive consumption of any alcohol can lead to fatty liver or even irreversible liver damage, this does not cause the fatty paunch associated with a beer belly. While being obese or overweight has its own health risks, neither is indicative of damage to the liver. – Global Oneness”

5. MYTH

Alcohol is the cause of alcoholism.

FACT

As a governmental alcohol agency has explained, “Alcohol no more causes alcoholism than sugar causes diabetes.” The agency points out that if alcohol caused alcoholism then all drinkers would be alcoholics. In fact, a belief common among members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is that people are born alcoholic and are not caused to be alcoholic by alcohol or anything in their experience. They argue that many people are born and die alcoholic without ever having had a sip of alcohol. Of course, a person can’t be a drinking or practicing alcoholic without alcohol.

6. MYTH

Beer before liquor, never been sicker; Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear

TRUTH

The only fact this saying holds true to is that it rhymes. While some people will swear up and down that this is true, it holds no scientific fact. I myself can drink either way and feel just the same time after time. There could be many reasons for people feeling ill after drinking beer prior to liquor. My thought is that when people start with beer and are already intoxicated, they tend to drink liquor more irresponsibly. Thereby ingesting more liquor than they should. until they are eventually so sick that this rhyme applies to them. Also, when people start off drinking liquor, the are taking the amount of alcohol that they are comfortable with, and finish the night off slowly drinking beer. I say slowly, because the more drunk people get, the more they tend to not pay attention to their drinks. Which leads to less ingestion of the beer that they have in their hand….which is now a very warm beer.

7. MYTH

Alcohol makes sex better.

TRUTH

Alcohol does lower your inhibitions in a social situation and makes many things seem more enjoyable. However, the reality is that alcohol can actually keep men from getting or keeping an erection while helping lower a woman’s sex drive. More importantly, alcohol can affect your decision-making ability. You might put yourself in a risky situation; you might think you’re ready to have sex when you’re not or you might forget to use a condom – which can result in pregnancy and/or contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

8. MYTH

When I drink too much, the worst thing that can happen is I pass out.

TRUTH

This is horribly untrue. When you drink alcohol in excess, it can lead to alcohol poisoning which can cause death. Also, drinking excessive alcohol can cause vomiting, which is the first signs of your body being poisoned. What people fail to realize, is that your body treats alcohol as a poison, which it is. Even at the first sip, your body is trying to rid yourself of that poison. The reason you get drunk, is because you are ingesting too much alcohol for your liver and kidneys to de-toxify. When drunk and unconscious, a person may inhale fluids that have been vomited, resulting in death by asphyxiation. Long-term, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction (alcoholism), and can even cause a heart attack or stroke.

These are signs of alcohol poisoning:

So we’ve come to the end of the list that I made. I tried to find ones that affected people like you and me. There are a out of myths out there, but I believe these are the most common ones that can attribute to a better (and safer) drinking nightlife. Remember, you don’t have to “get trashed” to have a good. So drink responsibly, and educate your friends about these common myths and the truths behind them.

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