Know your limit – Alcohol advice from dearPHARMACIST

When alcohol is drunk within safe recommended limits it doesn’t need to be a problem. However, most people are unaware that drinking more than the recommended limits can lead to many health problems.

To be able to stop getting into this situation it’s important to know your limit!

The key to not damaging your health is to make sure you are not regularly drinking more than the recommended units. For men it’s 3-4 units a day and for women it’s 2-3 units a day.

A unit of alcohol is known as 10mls of pure alcohol. However, as different drinks contain different units, it is very hard to keep to your limit. I have placed a basic guide to help you with this by giving you a guide on common drinks.

•       One pint of ordinary strength beer, lager or cider = 2 units

•       One pint of strong beer, lager or cider = 3 units

•       A small (125ml) glass of wine = 1.5 units

•       A large (175ml) glass of wine = about 2 units

•       A 275ml bottle of alcopops = 1.5 units

•       A 25ml pub measure of spirits = 1 unit

•       A 50ml pub measure of fortified wine such as sherry or port = 1 unit

 

If you always feel like having a drink or you regularly drink more than the recommended limits or if you get into trouble because of your drinking and other people start warning you about how much you drink, you may need help from dearPHARMACIST.

The first step is to be honest with dearPHARMACIST and let me know how much you do drink. You can let me know by simply completing a short form below. If you are unsure of how much you drink, use Drinkaware’s drink diary or click here for the NHS alcohol unit calculator.

It's important to seek advice first, if your body has become dependent of alcohol, stopping overnight can be life-threatening. Contact dearPHARMACIST to help you know your limit.

There is a 24 hour helpline available on 0800 9178282. This is free and confidential. Call Drinkline now to get help, advice and support.

Remember you can always visit dearPHARMACIST at Regent Pharmacy, 19 Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent DA12 1AS. Come and meet dearPHARMACIST today.