Celebrate the Holidays Responsibly

(Newswire.net — December 7, 2017) Cheyenne, Wyoming — Holidays are welcomed breaks from the humdrum of everyday life, an escape from boring jobs and endless traffic jams. It’s generally seen as a time to let loose, attend parties or gather for a feast with family and loved ones. But great care must be taken to drink within individual limitations and planning ahead safety measures in the event that one becomes drunk. 

It’s important to note that “while alcohol consumption increases for more regular drinkers, the greatest increase in alcohol consumption during the holidays is by those who rarely drink. These people may misjudge their tolerance and level of impairment,” says the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. “The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that women do not drink more than one drink per day whereas men are advised not to drink more than two drinks per day. This is called moderate drinking.” 

Almost every holiday celebration includes alcohol. During Christmas in the Caribbean, a spiked ruby drink is made called Sorrel or agua de Jamaica, which is a result of brewing tea from the sorrel plant flowers then flavoring it with ginger and white rum. And if that weren’t enough, Sorrel is traditionally had with Christmas Fruit Cakes laden with rum soaked fruits.

Mulled wine is the favored Christmas beverage in Britain, prepared by steeping on heat spices such as cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg and occasionally raisins, in red wine. Meanwhile, during Carnaval de Québec and Festival du Voyageur in Canada, people consume Caribou, a warm sweet mix of red wine, hard liquor (often whisky) and maple syrup/sugar.  

In Germany, the world famous Oktoberfest, originally a held in celebration of Kronprinz Ludwig marrying Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, is now an annual festival devoted to the consumption of beer. It is has become an all out funfair with amusement rides and traditional foods served up alongside the nonstop flow of beer. It has been recorded that 7.7 million liters of beer were served at the 2013 Oktoberfest. 

“Champagne sales spike during the week of New Year’s, such that they are seven times higher than in a typical week. The old myth that people get intoxicated faster while drinking champagne might have some truth, as researchers have found that the alcohol in bubbly champagne is absorbed by the bloodstream quicker than that of flat champagne,” explained Kate Feiner, Research Associate at The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. “This same effect can be found with sparkling wine and other fizzy alcoholic beverages.” 

Understanding how various types of alcohol affect the body and how much is safe to consume is especially critical for nursing mothers. Not to be left out of seasonal merriments, nursing moms should always exercise discretion in drinking and test the alcohol content of their breast milk before resuming feeds. The HealthyWiser™ PureMilk™ Breast Milk Alcohol Test is a quick, accurate and convenient analysis kit that offers a peace of mind that infants will be suckling safely in the aftermath of a drink.