Stop Drinking Now - Medication For Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

Treatment for alcohol dependency typically includes education and family/friends support to stop drinking, medications to reduce potential withdrawal symptoms and stop alcohol cravings, and finally professional counseling to work through relationship issues. Recently introduced to the marketplace is a drug which can help alcoholics quit. It includes a brand name chemical named ReVia [formerly called Trexan], Vivitrolnaltrexone. Vivitrol is taken monthly as an injection into the muscles. Naltrexone is also available in tablet form.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that interferes with the part of the brain involved in producing the pleasure you get from drinking alcohol or other drugs. Basically, Naltrexone is used to reduce the pleasurable effects received from alcohol. This drug can be used alone or it can be combined with other medicines to treat alcohol dependence.

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Naltrexone works best to help you stop drinking if you also get counseling.1 Most studies show that naltrexone significantly reduces your chance for relapse after you have stopped drinking. But it might not be effective in treating men with severe, ongoing alcohol dependence. Some side effects of Naltrexone include nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. It can also cause headaches and make you feel anxious, sleepy, or nervous.

You might develop liver damage if you have existing liver disease (such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure) and take too much naltrexone. If you are addicted to narcotics taking this medicine will cause withdrawal symptoms. To effectively prevent relapse you might need to take naltrexone for several months. Vivitrol, a once-a-month injection of this medicine, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat drinking problems. This form of naltrexone can be useful for people who have a hard time deciding whether or not to take the medicine each day.

Stop Drinking Now - Medication For Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Drinking Alcohol and Women

The impact of alcohol consumption is not equal among the sexes. Women may drink less alcohol than their male counterparts and still suffer a greater negative effect on their bodies. Why? Basically most women are smaller in weight and height than men. Thus, when they drink there is less fluid for dilution, less enzyme production for alcohol breakdown by the liver, and available alcohol can readily hide in fat cells which are more abundant in females that in their male counterparts.

How does this translate for women's alcohol intake? The Dietary Guidelines for America recommend that alcoholic beverages be consumed sensibly and in moderation. The alcohol intake guidelines suggest one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Abstention is an important option, for the hazards of heavy alcohol consumption are well known. Moderation is considered within the standard definition of one drink; which is 12 fluid ounces of regular beer, 5 fluid ounces of wine, or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits.

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What do women need to know? I have heard from my patients that drinking, especially drinking red wine, is good for their hearts. The Nurses Health Study suggests that if women consumed one to three drinks a day, there could be a significant reduction in heart disease mortality. This benefit may be for those already at risk for cardiovascular disease. The supposed benefit of moderate drinking appears to disappear in the absence of underlying risk factors for heart disease. Meanwhile, alcohol consumption increases estrogen levels, which can be associated with increased breast cancer risk. So the question for women becomes will increasing your alcohol intake reduce mortality from heart disease but increase your cancer risk?

Cancer - Naomi Allen, the lead author of the women, alcohol and cancer study states, "These findings suggest that even low levels of drinking increase a woman's risk of developing cancer of the breast, liver and rectum and in smokers, cancer of the mouth and throat." 1 The study surveyed women visiting breast cancer screening clinics, with a seven year follow up, and found that regularly consuming alcoholic drinks increased their risk for cancer. Even one drink of alcohol daily may increase cancer risk in women.

Alcoholic Liver Disease - Women tend to develop alcoholic liver disease faster than men and with a smaller amount of alcohol consumed. Inflammation of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis) occurs more readily in women, which can lead to death from cirrhosis.

Brain Disease - Heavy drinking is often associated with loss of brain function, atrophy, and reduction in mental ability. Sellers' study, "Unique Effects of Alcoholism in Women," describes how the impact of alcohol on the brain is similar for both genders but less time of exposure is needed for damage in females. She cites how changes in the brain's sensory, motor, and intellectual functions are more pronounced in females with less alcohol exposure than in their male counterparts.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can increase the risk of congenital damage to the developing fetus. Infants born to heavy alcohol exposed mothers are at risk for growth deficiencies, facial abnormalities, and neurological conditions. Low birth weight and an increase in spontaneous miscarriage are also noted with alcohol exposure during pregnancy.

The Bottom Line - More research is required to fully understand the impact of alcohol in women. Our current knowledge of the female body physiology and the loud signals from research studies suggest that the health consequences of alcohol in women can pose significant problems. We can no longer assume that a long history of repeated intoxication is the only requirement for organ damage. I strongly urge women to look at their risk factors for illness, their family histories and then discuss these issues honestly with their health providers. Health survival is PREVENTION.

1 Allen N, et al, Moderate Alcohol Intake and Cancer Incidence in Women, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2009, 101: 296-305.

Drinking Alcohol and Women

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Some Reasons For Quitting Drinking

Drinking alcohol kills too many people, and some of the drinkers get the heart attack. And the alcoholic is the problem of our society. Alcoholism has a catastrophic impact on society. an alcoholic will always have an impact on those around the drinkers. Being a victim of alcoholism has serious consequences.

A report published in the British Medical Journal indicates that men who have five drinks a day are twice as likely to die from stroke as non drinkers. Those men who drank an average of only two drinks a day had a higher risk of dying from all causes, compared with men who consumed fewer alcoholic beverages.

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The overall association between alcohol consumption and death is unfavorable for men drinking over 11 drinks a week and does not support the promotion of increased drinking for reasons of health.

Alcohol use represents an important modifiable risk factor for hypertension. Hypertension can cause stroke, heart disease and kidney failure. Many research demonstrated that even very low alcohol consumption can be a health risk for almost one in every four Americans. Drinking causes more than 17,000 people die each year from high blood pressure complications in the U.S. and almost one in four Americans has high blood pressure. Even Small Amounts Can Increase Hypertension Even modest alcohol consumption can cause blood pressure to increase. More than 30 percent of drinkers developed hypertension with the risk of developing hypertension higher for both men and women who drank, even those who drank less than 23 grams daily.

Drinking excessively can reduce judgment. An alcoholic will behave inappropriately often leading to criminal charges such as public disorder and driving under the influence.

The financial implications of drinking will alter your life. You spent too much money on alcohol, but you got so less even got a suffering of your health. You may lose your house, and because of your addiction to alcohol you will find getting another job impossible.

Some research for women who drink. Women who drink get drunk quicker than men, even taking into account the difference in body weight. But there is also evidence that they become addicted faster than men and suffer the consequences of abuse-related illnesses sooner than their male counterparts. Women develop alcoholic liver disease, particularly alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis, after a shorter period of time than men.

Recent studies have shown that 95% of families who bring alcohol into a family relationship always end up with a dysfunctional family. Everyone knows your relationship with anyone should be well looked after, and nurtured all the time, but when alcohol get thrown into the mix it's a different ball game. It will do seriously jeopardize your healthy relationship with your family. This negative behavior will drive away those closest to an alcoholic, such as family and friends; the altered behavior can damage the alcoholic's children's development leaving deep emotional scars.

Do you notice these serious consequences of drinking? Then, from now on, make a strong decision to quit drinking!

Some Reasons For Quitting Drinking

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Pump Life Into Your Liver, Stop Drinking

Although some contemporary research suggests that the moderate consumption of alcohol can do wonders for the body, anything in excess is always bad. There have been several cases of people drinking themselves to death. And indeed it does happen, with some of the most usual alcohol-related diseases being liver diseases. Liver failure is absolutely no laughing matter. So it's always best to watch your drinking anytime you're partying and never, ever go on alcohol binges when you're depressed. These can severely shorten your lifespan.

Liver failure is a road with many segments. And from the excessive ingestion of alcohol stems the problem of fatty change. Otherwise known as steatosis, this is the accumulation of fat in liver cells. These can be seen as fatty globules under the microscope. Alcoholism can cause really large fat globules. This can lead to alcoholic hepatitis. Acute hepatitis is an inflammatory reaction to the cells affected by fatty change. And this reaction probably predisposes to liver fibrosis.

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Liver fibrosis itself is asymptomatic but its progression can really give people problems as cirrhosis is one of the worst conditions an alcoholic can get. Cirrhosis is a late stage liver disease that is marked by fibrosis and a totally altered liver architecture. It is so dangerous it can lead to liver failure if not treated properly. Late complications of this condition would include portal hypertension, coagulation disorders, ascites, and others including hepatic encephalopathy and hepatorenal syndrome.

The later stage of fibrosis and cirrhosis are probably irreversible although they can be maintained with effort for a long period of time. This is unlike fatty change and alcoholic hepatitis, which you can pull yourself out from with the proper balance of fasting and effort. Becoming an alcoholic can severely endanger your liver and your life.

Pump Life Into Your Liver, Stop Drinking

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You Can Stop Drinking Alcohol Too

The effects of taking Alcohol while on medication with even the smallest of amounts can lead to aggravating the condition. There are up to 150 different medicaments which will worsen a health condition when taken under the effects of alcohol. One example is antihistamine, whereby the consumption of alcohol will increase the sedative effect hindering the ability to drive or handle machinery.

If alcohol is consumed while on painkillers such as Tylenol, you could end up damaging your liver. Those of us who tend to self-medicate drugs and take them indiscriminately with alcohol are opening themselves up to a whole range of health problems. You should always consult your doctor about the possibility of drinking alcohol with any prescribed drug.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Alcohol addiction can create both legal and social problems and especially for the heavier drinkers. It could lead to disputes in the work place, on the domestic front, possibly with your closest of friends and even with complete strangers. Alcoholics tend to oversleep due to hangovers resulting in arriving late for work or sometimes not even getting there at all. Their work effectiveness is greatly reduced leading to a possible job loss.

Pregnant women who consume alcohol are risking their baby's' health as they may contract a whole number of congenital defects. Alcoholic mothers' children are prone to both behavioral problems and learning difficulties. They might even suffer from fatal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which can produce critical mental and physical conditions.

Drinking alcohol can also lead to serious long-term health problems such as liver or heart disease and some types of cancer. These conditions are not immediately noticeable but will come to light after a long time of consuming alcohol. Women are actually more likely to suffer from alcohol related diseases even by drinking less than men.

Millions of people round the world suffer from serious liver complaints such as hepatitis or inflammation due to alcoholic drinks which can in certain cases through complication lead to death. On average around 15% of heavy drinkers will develop alcoholic cirrhosis or scarring of liver hepatitis C virus-HCV-infection who may then require a liver transplant. Alcoholism can also lead to getting hepatitis C virus-HCV-infection resulting in a higher chance of contracting cancer of the liver.

Heavy alcohol consumption can also have a serious impact on the nervous system by depressing the central nervous system. Having initially stimulated the mind, alcohol will turn to causing sedation with continual consumption. Alcohol can also diminish the immunity system and will also produce changes in our logical way of thinking, emotional behavior and judgment. It can also lead to speech difficulties and problems with muscle coordination. All this and more could lead to an alcoholic eventually falling into a coma.

Alcohol consumption is a serious risk for diabetics; as alcohol prevents glucose being released from the liver, increasing the risk of getting hypoglycaemia which caused by a low blood sugar count. This can be life threatening when combined with the intake of insulin, used in regulating the blood sugar level.

The pancreas is also at high risk from alcohol consumption as it produces insulin for regulating the blood sugar level. The alcohol can also effect the production of very important hormones used in controlling the metabolism. The pancreas also produces very important enzymes vital for the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates. Long term drinking will cause pancreatitis and an acute pancreatitis can cause severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss which could be fatal. So quit drinking alcohol now.

You Can Stop Drinking Alcohol Too

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Alcoholic Spouse - What Happens When Only One Spouse Decides to Quit Drinking Alcohol?

It is very bad luck for a child to be born into an alcoholic family that has one alcoholic parent. However, it is truly the worst luck to have two alcoholic parents.

alcoholics anonymous big book 1st edition

As a psychiatrist that specializes in addiction, this is not an uncommon scenario. Not only are their children at twice the genetic risk of developing an alcohol problem, the chance of both alcoholic parents remaining clean and sober is not very high.

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Here is a case from my psychiatric practice:

M.F. and S.V. met in college. At that time, every one around them was drinking and using drugs so that their drug and alcohol use did not stand out. However, they are both thirty years old now and have a son in 8th grade and a daughter in 4th grade. M.F. and his wife S.V. have continued drinking excessively with no significant periods of sobriety (except S.V. during her pregnancies).

M.F. is a successful entrepreneur and his wife is a stay at home mom. They go out with friends almost every night and basically use and abuse alcohol. M.F. decided to get a psychiatric evaluation because he feels depressed and anxious over his financial difficulties. His formerly successful business took a downturn during the tough economic times of the last several years.

I prescribed a medication to prevent alcohol withdrawal and explained that an antidepressant would not work for his depression if he continued his alcohol abuse. I explained that alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and actually causes depression.

He committed to staying clean and sober for 8 weeks, but would not agree to go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He just wanted to try to quit drinking alcohol for several months to see if he could do it.

M.F.'s mood improved significantly after 4 weeks on an antidepressant medication. He had minimal cravings for alcohol (I put him on an anti craving medication as well). He was much more much effective at work and faced problems as they arose. He said he felt on top of his game.

However, his home life was stained. He no longer drank alcohol when he and his wife went out to dinner with friends. His alcoholic wife continued to get drunk right in front of him. Many times, he often left early without her or chose to stay at home with their children.

His alcoholic wife continued her alcoholic behavior. She drank nightly with friends and slept a good part of the day. On several occasions when he was out with her, he almost had an alcohol relapse. He felt angry and resentful watching her drink.

M.F. tells me he is very judgmental toward his alcoholic wife even though he has had a significant alcohol problem himself for so many years. Now that he is clean and sober, he realizes that his wife spends her time either abusing alcohol or suffering the effects of alcohol. She barely participates in the family other than getting their children to and from school. The children have essentially been raising themselves.

Conversely, his alcoholic wife complains to him that he is acting self- righteous about quitting drinking alcohol even though he has been clean and sober for such a short time. M.F. confides in me he is thinking about divorce unless his wife chooses to quit drinking alcohol.

This case illustrates the strain on an alcoholic family when either the alcoholic husband or alcoholic wife begins recovery before the other one follows suit. The spouse in alcoholic recovery quickly sees the tremendous impact of alcoholic behavior on the family and is no longer as tolerant or supportive of his/her addicted spouse.

In my 21 years of practice, the best scenario is for both alcoholic spouses to be recovery together. If one of the alcoholic spouses refuses to quit drinking alcohol or will not consider any alcohol treatment options the chance of the alcoholic family staying together is very slim. Families Anonymous is an excellent 12 step program to help alcoholic families.

Alcoholic Spouse - What Happens When Only One Spouse Decides to Quit Drinking Alcohol?

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Drinking Too Much Beer Makes You Easily Get Some Diseases

During the hot summer days, people all like to drink some beer at the dinner table. Many people think that drinking a few bottles of beer has no harm to their body. In fact, it is very dangerous to drink too much beer. It will make people easily get some diseases.

First, acute gastroenteritis:
Drinking a lot of beer during a short period will dilute the gastric juice and damage the acid environment in the intestines and stomach, so it will reduce the immunity of the digestive tract and make it susceptible to pathogens, thereby causing bacillary dysentery and acute gastroenteritis. At the same time, too much beer will increase the rate of gastrointestinal motility, speed up the excretion of food, which will easily lead to abdominal distension and diarrhea.

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Second, alcoholic liver:
Beer itself is very nutritious and can produce a large amount of heat. And most of its nutrients contained can be absorbed by human body. However, as the metabolism of alcohol should be through liver, so if you keep drinking alcohol for a long time, it may lead to alcoholic hepatitis.

Third, cardiovascular disease:
Too much beer will increase blood volume in a short term, and increase the burden on the heart and blood vessels, thus bringing damage to the heart, kidneys, liver, lung and other organs. Sometimes it may cause dizziness, increase the blood pressure, accelerate the heart rate, and may even lead to the attack of cardiovascular disease.

Fourth, calculus:
Beer wort is an essential substance in the brewing of beer. Beer wort not only contains calcium and oxalic acid, but also contains a lot of purine. If you drink too much beer, it will generate excessive heat and increase the production of uric acid, thereby promoting the occurrence of calculus.

Fifth, cold:
Drinking plenty of frozen beer may make you feel very refreshing, but a large number of frozen beer will make the pores shrink because of the sudden cold, so the pores will stop sweating, which will inhibit the heat dissipation of the body, thereby inducing diseases such as cold.

Sixth, aggravate the side effects of the medicines:
If you are taking the following medicines, you should not drink beer. These medicines include antiepileptic drugs, hypoglycemic agents, antidepressants, sedatives, antibiotics, hemostatics and so on, because alcohol will increase the toxicity of these medicines.

Last but not the least, adults should not drink more than 300 ml of beer every time. The best drinking temperature is around 8 degrees Celsius. What's more, when you drink beer, you should not eat the smoked and salted foods.

Drinking Too Much Beer Makes You Easily Get Some Diseases

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Why Begging Your Alcoholic Spouse to Quit Drinking Alcohol Never Works

As a psychiatrist that specializes in treating addiction, I witness people married to an alcoholic elicit promises from their partner to stop drinking alcohol. People will nag, plead, and beg their alcoholic husband or alcoholic wife to quit drinking alcohol. Sometimes, their partner will "cave in" under the pressure and stop drinking alcohol for one or two days only to have an alcohol relapse. Then the vicious cycle repeats itself.

alcoholics anonymous first edition

Here is an example of a case from my practice:

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S.L. is 55 years old and has been married for 22 years. Her husband started drinking early on in their marriage. 10 years ago, after thousands of broken promises, S.L. threatened to leave her alcoholic husband. He was so shaken by this, that he got help and remained clean and sober for 7 years. However, he started drinking again and his alcohol consumption increased over time. S.L. and her husband fought about his drinking on a daily basis. He would get angry and defensive with her, but usually would agree to "cut back". He broke promise after promise. She left him for a short time, but the problem continued. This case is a typical example. She actually returned to her marriage. NOTHING has changed for the better and her husband continues to drink.

Why would your alcoholic spouse break a promise to you that is more important to you than anything else in your life? Here are 5 reasons why your alcoholic spouse breaks his/her promise to you to stop drinking alcohol:

Your alcoholic spouse experiences alcohol withdrawal symptoms because his/her brain has become alcohol dependent. Your alcoholic spouse has strong alcohol cravings.These alcohol cravings produce a strong primal drive to drink more alcohol. He/she may have started drinking in the first place to avoid facing problems such as sexual trauma as a child, an inability to face adult responsibilities, job pressures etc. Your alcoholic spouse may be self-medicating anxiety or depression. Your alcoholic spouse is not making the life style changes that are necessary to maintain sobriety such as being surrounded by sober friends at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, getting a sponsor for the 12-step meetings, seeing a psychiatrist and/or therapist, and learning coping skills to manage stress.

Alcoholism is a chronic progressive disease. Your spouses' brain is dependent on a substance which makes him/her feel hostage to alcohol. You, on the other hand, feel like a victim of the disease as well because you are suffering the consequences of his/her substance dependence. You are part of an alcoholic family meaning that every one who cares about the alcoholic is affected at a deep level. For this reason, alcoholism is known as a family disease.

Why Begging Your Alcoholic Spouse to Quit Drinking Alcohol Never Works

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Stop Drinking Alcohol

You might be under the impression that alcohol taken in moderate quantities is wholesome for health. It may be true in some cases, but not in most of the cases. So stop drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol even in small quantities may affect your driving ability. Blood alcohol concentrates as low as 0,02 percent can considerably impede your driving skills.

Alcohol with Medication

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Even minor quantities of alcohol taken along with certain medicines can aggravate their adverse impact. There are as many as 150 medicines which when taken with alcohol may prove detrimental to the health of the drinker. For example, if you take alcohol with antihistamines for cold and allergies, the sedative effect of the medication will increase. This can impair your ability to handle the machinery or drive a car.

If you take alcohol with painkillers like Tylenol, you run the risk of damaging your liver. Most of us who quite often buy over-the-counter medicines and take them indiscriminately with alcohol can become vulnerable to numerous health problems. It is advisable to check with your doctor about the advisability of drinking alcohol while you are on medication.

Social and Legal Problems

Addiction to alcohol may create many social and legal problems especially for heavy drinkers. You may fall out with your colleagues at your workplace, with your spouse at home and friends and even strangers. Alcohol addicts are likely to get up late in the morning due to the hangover from drinking in the previous evening. They may reach their office or workplace late. In some cases they may not even reach their office at all. Their productivity may be affected. They may lose their jobs.

Alcohol-Related Birth Defects

If pregnant ladies take alcohol, their children may become prone to a range of congenital defects. Children born of alcoholic mothers may contract life long learning and behavioral problems. They may suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome-FAS- leading to serious physical and mental problems.

Long-Term Health Problems

Drinking alcohol may cause liver problems, heart diseases and certain forms of cancer. These problems may not appear immediately but over a long time of drinking. Women are more prone to alcohol related problems than men even if they drink lesser than men.

Alcohol Related Liver Complications

Millions of people across the world contract liver diseases such as hepatitis or inflammation due to alcoholic drinks. Complications born out of alcoholic hepatitis can sometimes lead even to death. Around 10 to 20 percent of the heavy drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis or scarring of liver requiring in some cases liver transplants. Some heavy drinkers may also contract hepatitis C virus-HCV-infection which may cause liver cancer.

Nervous System

Alcohol drinking may seriously impact the nervous system in some case. It may depress the central nervous system. Though alcohol may stimulate the mind initially, it may lead to sedation after a continuous use. Alcohol impairs your immune system. It may affect your logical thinking, emotions and judgment. It may affect your speech and muscle coordination. It may even cause life threatening state of coma.

Problems with Diabetics

Alcohol impedes the release of glucose from the liver which can increase the risk of low blood sugar causing a disease called hypoglycaemia. This disease can prove dangerous to your life if you are already taking insulin to regulate the level of your blood sugar.

Pancreatitis

Pancreas produces insulin that regulates the blood sugar level in your body. Drinking alcohol may also endanger your pancreas that produces hormones to control you metabolism. Pancreas produces enzymes that help in digesting the proteins and carbohydrates. Long time drinking of alcohol may cause pancreatitis or the inflammation of the pancreas. Acute pancreatitis may cause severe abdominal pain that can be fatal at times. It can also cause diarrhea and weight loss. So stop drinking alcohol.

Stop Drinking Alcohol

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

The Healthiest Alcoholic Beverage - Drinking While Watching Your Diet

Everything is good in moderation say the experts, but which drink is best? This article takes a different approach to drinking alcohol while dieting.

alcoholic whipped cream

Most people who choose to drink alcohol while watching their diet will drink in addition to their diet because the drinks they choose won't actually benefit their bodies. I'm suggesting you turn this theory around, and consume drinks which compliment your diet . That way you can drink alcohol, and stay healthy without compromise.

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The first thing I want to highlight is that calories aren't bad! Calories are what make your body work, so trying to determine which drink is healthiest by counting calories is a terrible way to find the answer to this question.

If you are an overweight individual trying to lose excess fat, you should be exercising and you should still be eating healthy foods. You can reduce your daily calorie intake to help cut quickly, but you should always exercise while maintaining a healthy diet! If you want to drink some alcohol, it's best to choose a drink which compliments your diet rather than a drink which contains as few calories or carbs as possible.

Don't try to consume as few calories as possible, instead replace part of your daily diet with a drink. Include the calories from your drink in your calorie count, and remove something else. Because I guarantee the drink I am going to tell you about, will replace the calories you cut out with the best possible combination of ingredients that will give you all the benefits of your regular diet, with the added bonus of letting you drink a little alcohol.

If you are a fit and healthy person, why would you want to compromise your health for a bit of alcohol when you don't have to? You can drink, and still fill your body with the good stuff.

Let me start with the worst drinks. Anything creamy means saturated fats, and we definitely don't want saturated fats. Eggnog is easily the least healthy; closely followed by Irish Coffee, so if a healthy drink is important to you, avoid these.

What about the lowest calorie drink? Well, water naturally, but this article is focused on adding a little spice to your life while staying healthy, so I will only discuss tasty drinks. A classic favourite is gin and tonic. Gin is a Diuretic, Tonic is said to protect against malaria, and lime contains vitamin C. But you are still getting a lot of calories which really aren't doing anything for you.

Let me highlight this point Why consume useless or bad calories if you don't have to?

Gin and Tonic is only considered to be a healthier (notice I didn't say healthy, only healthier) if you use Diet Gin, but fake sweeteners are not healthy, regardless of calorie content.

So what do you we suggest as the healthiest drink? What about a delicious sangria recipe? Low carbs, Low fats, lots of vitamins and minerals!

One glass of sangria only contains about 150 calories, but almost every single calorie is doing good things for you. The most obvious are the vitamins and minerals contained in the orange juice and fruits, then there are the benefits from a good red wine, and finally, the fact that together, all the ingredients fill you with a rather complete range of nutrients which your body needs.

If you drink sangria, you are filling your body with an excellent range of vitamins and minerals. Including Vitamins A, C and B6, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Manganese, Copper, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Some dietary fiber and protein.

You also get a nice range of amino acids, and some of the nutrients are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidants.

Sangria is filling and nutritious but you also feel full quicker, from less. But what you do consume is very good for you.

Healthy people watch what they eat; people who are trying to improve their health watch what they eat, but a point which really needs to be highlighted is:

If you are going to drink alcohol anyway, make every calorie a good calorie.

Sangria is very east to make, and tastes fantastic!

The Healthiest Alcoholic Beverage - Drinking While Watching Your Diet

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Conducting an Alcoholic Intervention - Drinking Addiction Help and Strategies

There is no one way to do an alcoholic intervention, but despite the different formats, everyone says that love and care is the most important factor. It's easy to get angry when you see someone's life going down the tubes and it's natural to want to try to shake them to face reality. Though an intervention has a firmness to it, it works best when compassion and concern (without enabling) is the dominant factor.

alcoholics anonymous first edition

In an intervention, usually four to ten people who are close with the drinker will hold a meeting and let him know where they think his condition has become. Each person usually has also prepared a one page letter they read. This is very effective, since when you write a letter to someone, you reflect on their qualities, history and often highlight ther potential. Also there is often an absence of rage when we write a letter and more kindness can come through.

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The goal is to assist the person in beginning a rehab treatment program for alcohol abuse. Those organize the intervention will have had to meet with a facility director to set up a possible admission so this can go smoothly. You don't want to first start with making phone calls after the intervention as this can bring up excuses from the drinker and second thoughts.

In the meeting, each person will show their concern for the alcoholic and help him to see the level his life can become. Showing him that you know he has fear in making a lifestyle change is helpful. Expect every type of denial, excuse and postponement possible. It is natural when someone feels cornered. But let your love shine through and your belief in his inner change.

Conducting an Alcoholic Intervention - Drinking Addiction Help and Strategies

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