I'm taking a bit of a detour on my blog topics to save you from yourself on New Year's Eve. Yup, I'm talking about alcohol. Wouldn't it be great if you could enjoy festive adult beverages but wake up on New Year's Day filled with energy and vitality instead of lethargy and brain fog?
Of course you want to enjoy the holidays with champagne, wine, beer, and mixed drinks. But too much alcohol can make you feel yucky the next day and can also be dangerous if you drink and then drive. So start the New Year right with some basic tips that you can use all year long.
Drink Switch.. Every time you drink an alcoholic drink, drink a non-alcoholic drink. Sparkling water, soda, diet soda, juice, and water all make good choices. Add a twist of lime or a cherry to make it festive. Making the switch helps you avoid binge drinking and stay hydrated – and that helps to mitigate the unwanted effects of the alcohol. The last time I went to a New Year's Eve party, which was pre-pandemic, I made a concerted effort to employ this rule. It worked. I had a great time and went for a new year run the next day.
Serving Size Matters! What’s a serving of alcohol? Five ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, and 1 ½ ounces of liquor are the official serving sizes. Don't binge drink! If
you are a woman, that's 4 drinks over 2 hours. For men, that's 5 drinks over 2 hours. Binge drinking can make for risky behaviors, like unsafe sex and dangerous driving. Just one episode of binge drinking can lower your immune function
Go for No-Calorie Mixers. Not only can too much alcohol make you feel bad the next day, but it can also add calories and weight. If you’re a mixed-drink drinker, diet tonic water, seltzer, and diet sodas will lower your calories.
Get a Designated Driver. If you know you’re going to drink too much despite my excellent advice, get a designated driver. Don’t end up a devastating drunk driving statistic.
Don't Push Others to Drink. Some people don't drink at all for a variety of reasons. Don't push drinks on people who either don't have a drink in hand or who are sipping happily on their Shirley Temples. They have their reasons and don't need pressure from the rest of us.
Please feel free to stay in your pajamas on New Year's day and watch cheesy Hallmark movies if they're still on!
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Beth Kitchin PhD RDN