Treatment Initiation

The first stage of alcoholism recovery is getting help. Some people seek out treatment on their own, while others may be forced to seek recovery by the court or through threats that they may lose their family. Regardless, this is where it all begins. Unfortunately, this is also where many people fail because they talk themselves into believing that their drinking problem isn’t as big a problem as they thought. Anyone in this phase must stick to his guns in order to beat this addiction.

Early Abstinence

The first few weeks of abstinence can also be difficult due to withdrawal symptoms. Someone experiencing this may even be tempted to have “just one” beer while hanging out with friends. Thankfully, this is the stage where one will learn tips and strategies for coping with these problems. It’s important to listen to what counselors have to say because this information will be used throughout the recovery process.

Maintaining Abstinence

Roughly three months into the recovery, one will move into the maintaining abstinence stage. If you’re in a treatment facility, you will be released and seen on an outpatient basis. One’s focus is to avoid relapse during this stage and one will learn what it takes to do so. One may find it useful to find support groups to help during this stage.

Advanced Recovery

Last, but not least, the advanced recovery stage is about living a clean and sober life while becoming a more productive member of society. This stage begins around five years after beginning the first stage. During this time, one will pull from the information, tips, and strategies you learned to begin abstinence and prevent relapse. However, this stage is also about fitting back into society and living life to the fullest now that one has finally beat his addiction.

The road to recovery from alcoholism is long and difficult. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible though. Anyone willing to admit they have a problem can seek out treatment and come one step closer to a sober life. You must stick with the program, though; and if you’re a friend or family member, you have to be supportive. “Just one drink” is no longer an option.

We’re still on a safety kick and while we will be the first to share hot recipes, we’re also the first to raise a red flag when we’re concerned about danger. While it’s fine to indulge from time to time, make sure you and your friends are drinking responsibly.

Alcoholism is something that many people hear about, but it can be hard for someone to realize that they or a loved one has the disease. This is why it’s important to understand the signs and symptoms of alcoholism. Then you can determine whether you have a problem and if you should seek help. Let’s take a closer look at the signs and symptoms of alcoholism.

Signs and Symptoms

Many of the signs and symptoms of alcoholism revolve around the need for alcohol. You may find yourself constantly thinking about the next drink or not being able to stop at the normal limit. You may even need to drink more alcohol to feel the affects than you used to receive from a smaller amount. Those with alcoholism may also experience moments they don’t remember. Some may also begin to have family trouble or problems at work. Other signs and symptoms include hiding alcohol, drinking in secret, lying about drinking, and drinking where you shouldn’t be, such as at work or while driving.

Are You an Alcoholic?

If some of these signs and symptoms seem familiar, you may be wondering if you’re an alcoholic. There are questions you can consider to determine if you may be suffering from alcoholism. Some of the first things you can consider are your feelings towards your drinking. Alcoholics often feel guilty about drinking and may think that they are drinking too much. Another thing to consider is your mood. If you become angry at people who mention your drinking or interrupt your scheduled drink, you may have a problem. Lastly, you need to consider how much you drink. If you’re a woman who drinks 4 or more regular drinks per day or a male who drinks 5 or more, you could be an alcoholic.

When to Seek Help

A major problem with alcoholism is that many who suffer from the disease don’t think they have a problem. This is when you need to listen to loved ones and what they’re saying. Instead of getting angry, question yourself and consider your drinking habits carefully. If you feel that you’re drinking too much, visit your doctor. You may not think you have alcoholism, but if you can’t control your drinking, you need to get help.

Alcoholism not only breaks up families, but it can kill you. Consuming too much alcohol can ruin your liver functions and lead to many other health problems. You need to be conscious of your drinking habits and carefully consider if you have a problem. Acceptance in the first key to ending your addiction.

This short video from the Naval Safety Center highlights their Live to Play, Play to Live summer safety campaign. Give it a quick watch and – remember – your ex doesn’t want to be drunk dialed this year!

Side Effects of Alcohol on Swimming Ability

Just like anything else, drinking can affect your swimming ability. You may think that you’re perfectly fine, but drinking can affect a number of your motor skills. First of all, drinking can alter your vision and depth perception. This means that you may think you’re jumping into a deep end of the pool, but you’re actually jumping into less than three feet, which could lead to broken bones or a concussion. Alcohol can also cause you to move more slowly, which can make it hard to make split-second decisions. Another side effect is the body’s inability to stay warm in the water when under the influence of alcohol. Last, but certainly not least, alcohol can induce sleep, which may result in falling asleep on a float and drowning. It’s plain to see that swimming and alcohol does not mix.

Warm Weather Drinking Safety

When the weather is warm it can be easy to consume well more than the advised limit of alcohol, especially when drinking beer. People with alcohol in their system are also more prone to heat stroke. This means you need to wait until the cooler parts of the evening to enjoy a frosty beverage. Until then, it is recommended to drink water and plenty of it. The key is to stay hydrated and alcohol actually leads to dehydration. This is why it needs to be avoided during the hotter parts of the day.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying an ice cold beer, but drinking too much during the hot weather can be deadly, especially when swimming is involved. Not only can alcohol affect your vision and depth perception, but it can also make you sluggish and slow to respond to danger. Not only that, but alcohol can actually lead to dehydration, which makes it much easier to become a victim of heat stroke. Remember to drink responsibly this summer and to never swim when under the influence of alcohol.

Light Pina Coladas

Pina coladas have been a summer favorite for decades. Heck, there’s even a few songs about them. However, they are absolutely loaded with fat and calories. However, this recipe is much healthier for those of you who are counting liquor calories. By substituting the cream of coconut with coconut milk, you’ll save several grams of fat and hundreds of calories.

2 ounces of light rum
2 ounces sweetened coconut milk
2 ounces pineapple juice
1 cup crushed ice

1. Pour the ingredients into a blender and pulse until the desired consistency is reached.
2. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Margaritas

It wouldn’t be summer without a delicious margarita. This classic recipe has been enjoyed for decades in the hot summer weather. There are actually hundreds of alterations on this recipe, but you can’t beat the original frozen margarita.

Lime juice
Coarse salt
2 ounces tequila
3/4 ounce lime juice
1 ounce triple sec
1 cup crushed ice

1. Rim the margarita glass with lime juice and dip in coarse salt.
2. Place the tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and ice in a blender.
3. Pulse until the desired consistency is reached, pour into the glass, and serve.

Strawberry Daquaris

Forget the delicious taste of those jelly beans, real strawberry daquaris not only taste amazing, but can help take the edge off having the kids at home for the thirtieth day in the row. Best of all, it’s easy to make.

6 hulled strawberries
2 ounces light rum
3/4 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 cup crushed ice

1. Place the strawberries in the blender and puree.
2. Add the other ingredients to the blender to pulse until the desired consistency is achieved.
3. Pour into a margarita glass and serve.

There are so many awesome frozen cocktails to choose from. Whether you’re looking for something creamy and decadent or something fruity, you will love these recipes. Just remember to drink responsibility, especially if the weather is hot, and to avoid the water while drinking.

Steak and Other Red Meat

A full-bodied red wine pairs perfectly with steak and other red meats. Whether you’re serving prime rib for the holidays or having a grilled steak for dinner, red wine is an excellent choice. In fact, red meat is the first thing people suggest when discussing red wine.

Red Sauced Pasta Dishes

Lasagna, spaghetti, stuffed shells covered in marinara – they all pair beautifully with red wine. The robust taste of the pasta sauce balances perfectly with a full-bodied red wine. It’s a great way to take an inexpensive pasta dish and turn it into a fancy dinner. Just be sure not to choose a wine that is too light in flavor or it may be lost in the bold flavors of the pasta sauce.

Chocolate

Who doesn’t love chocolate? It doesn’t matter if you enjoy the smooth, creamy taste of milk chocolate or the mellow, sensuous flavor of dark chocolate, red wine is the best choice. A sweet dessert wine with 3-8% sugar would be the perfect match for chocolate dipped strawberries or even a decadent piece of chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache frosting.

Salty Cheeses

Last, but certainly not least, sweet red wines also pair well with salty cheeses. The combination of sweet and salty is perfect when having a small party or after dinner snack. Try combining blue cheese, Parmesan or feta with a Port or Merlot.

Red wine doesn’t have to be reserved for red meat. There are a number of foods that pair well with the characteristics of every variety of red wine. Whether you want a wine to pair with your favorite chocolate cake or hearty lasagna, there’s a red wine that will create a beautiful combination. When it doubt, ask your local wine merchant about which foods pair best with your favorite wine. Chances are they’ll have a list of foods you had never even considered serving with red wine. Best of all, the advice is free.

This video from GalTimeTV proves just that. It compares several drinks and challenges you to guess which is better for you. You’ll probably be a bit surprised!

Seafood

Many types of seafood are light in flavor. Whether you’re serving a shrimp scampi or grilled flounder, white wine is your best bet. The crisp flavor works well with the light flavor and flaky texture of many varieties of seafood. In fact, many seafood dishes are prepared using white wine, in which case you should pair the dish with the wine you used in the cooking process. These types of dishes are great for those who are conscious of food and wine calories, too, as seafood is usually lower in calories than other types of food.

Chicken and Pork

White meat and white wine have been paired for years. It doesn’t matter if you’re serving grilled chicken breasts or turkey medallions. The light flavor of white wine gives the light flavors of white meat the chance to show through. If you were to serve red wine with these dishes, you might find it hard to detect their subtle flavors.

White Sauced Pasta Dishes

Cream based pasta sauces can be high in fat, but still pair well with white wines. The reason is due to the light flavor of many of these sauces. White wine also pairs well with pasta dishes prepared with olive oil based sauces, such as clam Suzette.

Fruit and Cream Based Desserts

When serving fruit or cream based desserts, you’ll want to opt for a white wine. The crisp flavor of the white white cuts through the rich cream based desserts and pairs well with the tart taste of many fruits, such as berries, pineapple or kiwi. You may even want to prepare a drink to go with your dessert using pureed fruit and sparkling white wine.

White wine isn’t a one trick pony. There are a number of foods that pair well with its light, crisp flavor. Whether you’re serving pork chops or shrimp, white wine would be a welcome addition to the meal. If you’re unsure about which white wine pairs best with which dish, ask your local wine merchant. Wine merchants can lead you in the right direction of pairing any wine with any food.

Someone actually thought this was research-worthy?

The university split the men into two groups. Half were given beer and the other half were not. The half that had beer actually did better at the problem solving portion of the study, but did worse at the memory portion.

Go figure.

We don’t recommend you take this study too seriously!

Check it out for yourself on 9News: Study: Drinking beer makes you smarter.

Click to Enlarge
Via: Methods of Healing
View Other Infographics

]]> http://www.healthyliquor.com/2012/top-10-drinking-countries/feed/ 0