Think when you drink!

I didn't post yesterday because I didn't follow my own advice. There is a lot of talk about drinking responsibly. I heartily support this! If you don't use moderation when drinking any alcoholic beverage, you not only affect yourself, but others around you as well. But it's not always just about overconsumption. You have to take a lot of things into consideration when you decide to have a drink. One drink will affect you differently depending on other factors going on at the time. This is where I come into the scenario. I have been sick all week with a cold. When you are sick food and drink affect you differently than when you are well. I decided to have a beer after work. Being sick was strike one. I hadn't eaten very much earlier in the day. There's strike two. If you decide to have a drink, you should make sure you don't do it on an empty stomach. Alcohol affects you much differently when you have nothing in your stomach at the time. It is also a good idea to eat while you have your drink. You should also drink a large glass of water between drinks. This not only counteracts the alcohol you are taking in, but will fill you up so that you actually drink less. Overall diet will also have a bearing on how alcohol affects you. I recently decided to get back into a healthy lifestyle, which has meant a dietary change. Strike three. I'm out! That same beer on another occasion, without those factors playing a role, would have had no affect on me. In fact, there was no immediate affect after I had the beer. However, later on, I found myself not feeling well. Instead of sitting with my wife watching a movie or some TV, I was destined for an early night to bed. Before you reach for that beer or other alcoholic beverage, take a mental inventory of your current bodily condition. Not feeling well? Haven't eaten very much that day? Had recent dietary changes? It may be better to hold off on that drink for now. Plan ahead and take steps so that you can enjoy your drink, and not regret it. Remember to think when you drink!