We’re right in the middle of summer and now is the time to spend time with friends and family, enjoy barbeques, parties and a fantastic choice of outdoor activities.
And often, a natural extension of these activities seems to be drinking alcohol.
What better than snapping open a beer while eating your favourite BBQ sausages with generous lashings of ketchup or BBQ sauce? Or sipping on that cocktail in the sun?
But sometimes it is easy to lose track of just how much alcohol we are consuming, and with this comes a number of dangers. It is important that we are aware of these risks and dangers to enable us to take measures to protect ourselves and also our loved ones.
Don’t Get in Over your Head
According to the World Health Organisation, 26% of all drownings in Europe are somehow related to or caused by alcohol consumption. In some countries, this figure can go up to 55%!
With alcohol, your judgement is impaired, and you’re also more likely to take risks. This is a dangerous combination for swimmers as they may venture further than they should and be unable to get back to the shore. Even when just sitting around a pool, alcohol can be dangerous as you may slip and fall, or inadvertently dive into the shallow end.
This is also the case for boating, as alcohol can hinder a boater’s judgement, affect his balance and vision and reaction times, meaning that the boater will be less able to respond promptly if problems arise. Passengers who are intoxicated can also suffer falls or slips on deck, and maybe even fall overboard.
Driving Safe
Drinking and driving is always a no-no. Throw into the mix the frayed tempers caused by the summer heat, your kids and possibly a pet jumping up and down on the back seat, and you trying to navigate the back-to back traffic, and this can be a recipe for disaster. So make sure you keep yourself and loved ones safe and NEVER risk driving when you have been drinking. If need be, call someone to come for you, but do not act the hero as you will always underestimate the influence that drink has on your driving abilities.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
During the hot summer months, it is always important to drink water regularly as the higher temperatures mean that we will need to replace liquids that we have sweated. Alcohol will make the situation worse as this dehydrates you further. If you get dehydrated and cannot sweat enough to cool your body, your internal temperature may rise to dangerously high levels, causing heat stroke. So do make sure you drink water to provide your body with the fluids it requires.
Slap it on
Sunburn is a common summer health risk and, with the rising temperatures and UV index, it is ever easier to get burned. Apart from the short-term discomfort that can put a serious damper on your summer, in the long-term, sunburn can lead to skin cancer. And studies suggest that alcohol may reduce the amount of exposure to the sun needed for you to burn. So make sure you slather that sun cream on regularly throughout the day to protect your skin!
What is in your drink?
Many times we may not realise what’s in our drink. It may seem cool to sip on that colourful and tasty cocktail, but you may not realise that there may be one, two or more tots in one cocktail, pushing you very quickly over the limit. Cocktails are also often very high in calories, and if you are working hard to achieve and maintain that summer bod, all your hard work can easily be foiled with a few misplaced cocktails.
And what about the cost? Summer cocktails may often be more expensive than you realise, putting a dent into your finances.
So be aware this summer, so that you can stay safe while enjoying the rest of the glorious summer weeks!
If you are interested in a comprehensive physical screening, do speak to us and we will help guide you to a healthier you.
Contact us today on +356 21221355, 9985 2404 or send an email on info@clinipath.com.mt.
Some additional reading: this booklet is aimed for an American audience but most of the information is applicable to audiences around the world.
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