Tips for tuning out the tippling

14 January 2016 - 02:18 By Eleanor Steafel

Men across England let out a collective groan recently as their plans to head to the pub straight after work for a guilt-free drink were scuppered by a government announcement that slashed their recommended drinking limit. New advice from the country's chief medical officer, Sally Davies, has brought about a sharp reduction in the maximum amount of units men should consume per week.The guidelines now say men should drink no more than 14 units in a seven-day period, down from 21, which brings the recommended units in line with those for women.This is also the first time official guidance has said there is no safe level of alcohol at all, suggesting that even the occasional weekly pint could raise the risk of disease dramatically.Men reportedly have a 2.1% increased chance of getting bowel cancer and a 1.9% increased chance of oesophagus cancer if they drink more than the revised recommended allowance.Here are some tips for keeping your units down:Avoid drinking in rounds: Turning down a free pint could help keep your units to a minimum.Get a friend to cut down with you. It'll make missing out a lot easier.Don't drink on an empty stomach. Alcohol can affect the parts of the brain associated with impulse control and decision-making.Hide the booze. Is your wine rack the first thing you see when you walk into the kitchen? Remove temptation from your vicinity and you won't be tempted.Alternate a non-alcoholic drink with an alcoholic one. Alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks could reduce your consumption by half.Put the money towards something else. You'll be amazed how much you can put aside simply by buying fewer drinks.©The Daily Telegraph..

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