Drinking Tips (and how to prevent a hangover!)

As a college student, it isn't really that much of a shock to come across alcohol. I'm not a drinker myself, but I don't judge my friends for what they chose to do. I just encourage safety.

So here are some tips to help you stay safe.

Watch how much you drink.
Try to keep it to one ounce or so of alcohol per hour. That's a 12 oz. beer, 5 oz. glass of wine, or a shot. Pacing yourself is always a good choice.

Mix it up.
To me, alcohol smells like jet fuel. I don't really know how people DON'T mix it, really.
Anyway, mix your drinks up to dilute the amount of alcohol you're taking in. Try to use JUICE, as carbonated beverages speed up absorption.

Ladies, watch out.
With less fluids and more body fat, women have less enzymes to process alcohol than men. Alcohol will affect the finer gender faster even if they weigh the same or drink the same amount.

Eat.
It's not good to drink without other stuff in your body. So snack on some chips, maybe a sandwich or two, and get some food into your system. This helps slow down the absorption. Eat before and during drinking, not after.

Stay happy.
Alcohol is a depressant. Don't drink when you're already feeling under the weather, physically or emotionally. Don't drink your problems away--alcohol will just make it all worse.


There's nothing wrong with having a good time, but always try to stay out of harms way. Go in groups to party (seems obvious, but lots of people go alone), designate a driver, and have a plan. Know when and where to go when you're done.



How to Prevent a Hangover

I know, how strange that a kid that never drinks would know how to prevent a hangover. Give thanks to my human physiology teacher back in high school for this one.

Most people assume that drinking water will help prevent that crazy headache in the morning, but you'll just pee it out with the alcohol and still end up dehydrated.

The key is to take a tablespoon or two of salt! This helps keep the fluids in your kidneys and prevent that nasty dehydrated headache that so many people get.

So try and remain sober enough to remember to get some salt in. But don't forget to drink lots of water, too! That's still important.


Have fun and stay safe everyone! :)