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In This Issue:

} Why Alcohol Misuse Is Dangerous

} Counting Calories in Alcoholic Beverages

} Alcohol and Substance Abuse: Recognizing the Symptoms

Every two minutes, someone dies because of alcohol. In fact, excessive drinking is the third-leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the U.S. Drinking alcohol is linked to more than 60 health issues.When you drink in excess, the effects of alcohol aren’t limited to you. Your drinking can also hurt someone else. Half of all alcohol-related deaths are due to unintentional injuries, such as from car accidents, for example.

Excessive drinking defined

Heavy drinking and binge drinking fall under the category of “excessive drinking.” � Heavy drinking:

• More than one drink per day on average for women.• More than two drinks per day on average for men.

� Binge drinking:• More than four drinks during one occasion (generally in a two-hour period) for women.• More than five drinks during one occasion for men.

One drink is considered:• 12 oz. of beer or a wine cooler• 5 oz. of wine• 1.5 oz. of distilled liquor (for example, vodka, rum or whiskey).

Alcohol AwarenessWhy Alcohol Misuse Is Dangerous Drinking alcohol in excess is a risky behavior that can have lasting effects on your health.

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Alcohol Awareness

A personal problem: how alcohol misuse hurts you

When you drink alcohol, it’s quickly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine and into the bloodstream. The liver can only break down (metabolize) a small amount of alcohol at a time. The rest of the alcohol lingers in the bloodstream and causes you to “feel drunk.” This harms the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which is dangerous because the central nervous system controls all functions of the body. The more alcohol you drink at once, the greater the damage.The immediate effects of alcohol may include:• Impaired judgment and inability to measure risks• Lowered inhibitions• Slower reaction time and reflexes• Loss of coordination and balance• Distorted vision• Lapses in memory

Drinking too much alcohol over time can cause a slew of lasting health problems, such as:• Chronic liver disease• Cancer• Heart disease and stroke• Mental health issues, such as depression

and anxiety• Alcohol addiction• Medical problems in unborn babies if any amount

of alcohol is consumed during pregnancy• Alcohol poisoning, which can be deadly. This can

happen when you drink too much at once.

Alcohol misuse can also impact other areas of your life. It’s linked with:• Domestic abuse and other violent behaviors• Relationship issues• Risky sexual behaviors• Financial problems• Being unproductive at work• Accidents

A public health problem: how alcohol misuse hurts others

Excessive alcohol use hurts us all. It reaches into every aspect of society and has an economic impact as well. Look at the facts:• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of

death of people under the age of 35; alcohol is involved in more than half of these fatal crashes.

• In 2005 alone, there were more than 1.6 million hospitalizations and 4 million emergency room visits for alcohol-related conditions.

• Underage drinking is a huge public health problem.• Approximately 5,000 people under age 21 die

annually from injuries caused by drinking alcohol.

Be responsible

If you are 21 years of age or older and choose to drink, do so in moderation. Women should only have up to one drink per day, and men should only have up to two drinks each day. It is not safe to drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy.Never drink alcohol before or while driving, or when participating in any other activities that require skill or concentration.

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A cocktail before dinner or a glass or two of wine with the meal is so common that some people don’t even give it a second thought. But if you’re trying to watch calories, here is something to think about before you take that next alcoholic drink.This may be news to some, but alcohol has a lot of calories, often more than the dessert you turn down. To boot, having a drink or two before or with a meal may actually stimulate you to eat more and take in more calories. Researchers speculate that alcohol increases the pleasure of eating. While “under the influence,” it’s also more likely that you will lose your inhibitions and indulge in foods that are less nutritious.

Without a doubt, the calories in your alcoholic drink can affect your waistline just as the alcohol can affect your mental functioning and physical health. But you can enjoy small amounts of alcohol and still maintain or even lose weight. The key? Arm yourself with calorie facts and follow the tips below.

How many calories are you drinking?

Weight gain, loss or maintenance depends on how many calories you take in. Most people are completely unaware of how many calories are in certain drinks. It’s easy to go overboard without realizing it.

The calorie amounts listed here are for an average size drink. Many drinks may have even more, depending on how big the tumbler, glass or beer mug is.

Other facts to consider

Here are two more things to keep in mind about alcohol:

� Alcohol can cause dehydration. Make sure to drink plenty of water when you have alcohol. Your body is better able to process fat when it’s properly hydrated.

� Alcohol does not fill you up. Alcohol contains calories but doesn’t typically make you full. This still leaves plenty of room for other indulgences.

Alcohol Awareness

Drink Amount CaloriesBeer (regular) 12 oz. 150Beer (light) 12 oz. 100Daiquiri 10 oz. 300Eggnog 8 oz. 350Kahlua 1.5 oz. 140Long Island iced tea 10 oz. 580Martini 6 oz. 280Margarita 8 oz. 420Pina colada 10 oz. 550Screwdriver 8 oz. 190Shot of liquor (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) 1.5 oz. 100Whiskey sour 8 oz. 375White Russian 8 oz. 500Wine (red or white) 6 oz. 120

Counting Calories in Alcoholic Beverages If you’re counting calories, think before taking that next drink. It could have more calories than your favorite dessert.

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Alcohol Awareness

Alcohol and Substance Abuse: Recognizing the Symptoms Is it time to get help? Here are some ways to tell whether you have a substance abuse problem.

Substance abuse is something nobody likes to talk about. But with millions of Americans wrestling with some form of addiction, there is a need to understand it. After all, substance abuse affects more than just the person addicted. It affects everyone around them, too.Lots of people are substance abusers without even knowing it. But there are ways to tell when your dependence on alcohol or another substance is out of control. If you or a loved one has any of these classic symptoms, it’s time to see a doctor or addiction counselor.

A sense of dependency. Substance abusers often say they need a “pick-me-up” or something to take the edge off. This is another way of saying they’ve become

dependent. Once you become dependent, you feel you can’t get by without a drug or alcohol. You may:• Use it in the morning to get yourself going• Use it at night to fall asleep• Need it throughout the day to steady your nerves• Rely on it to enhance your mood

Inability to quit. You’d like to stop but just can’t seem to do it. You swear to yourself this is the last time, but then it never is. Your efforts to quit always end in failure. This is the case even when your substance abuse makes you unhappy or gets you into trouble. More than likely, a chemical addiction is to blame. Stop beating yourself up and get some help.

Strategies for smart drinking

• Ifyoudrink,dosoonlyinmoderation. This means no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

• Checkwithyourdoctorbeforedrinkingalcoholicbeverages if you take any medicines (over-the-counter or prescription) or if you have any medical problems.

• Payattentiontothecaloriesinalcohol. Know your facts so you can balance your calories for the day.

• Neverdrinkonanemptystomach. This will lead to faster absorption of the alcohol and even more impaired judgment.

• Drinkslowlyandalternateeachbeveragewithwaterorseltzer. This allows you to have something in your hand while spacing out your alcohol intake.

• Dilutealcoholwithwater,iceorseltzer. This avoids the extra calories found in mixers, sodas and juices.

• Tradeahigher-caloriedrinkforalowerone.• Ifyouloveeggnog,lookforlower-calorie

versions in the supermarket.In the end, a smart strategy includes a plan for both eating and drinking. With that in mind, it may be possible to include some alcohol in your meal plan without piling on the pounds.

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Alcohol Awareness

Feelings of guilt or shame. Substance abusers are often embarrassed by their behavior. You may feel guilty and try to conceal it. You also might:• Lie to others about your drinking or drug use• Become angry when someone brings it up• Steal away to use drugs or alcohol in secret

Risky behavior. Substance abuse is risky by itself. But it sometimes leads people to do things they otherwise wouldn’t. For instance, you may find yourself:• Spending more than you can afford on drugs

or alcohol• Consuming them in greater amounts• Driving while intoxicated• Stealing to support your habit• Committing other kinds of crime

Inability to function. Substance abuse hinders success in other ways, too. A person suffering from addiction often:• Gets into trouble at work• Falls behind in school• Has scrapes with the law• Has more money problems• Alienates friends and loved ones• Has marital or relationship problems• Abandons other interests and activities

In short, it becomes hard to function on a daily basis. As a result, you may feel your life is spinning out of control.

Asking For help

It’s important to understand that addiction is a physical illness, not a character flaw. It interferes with the brain’s chemistry, which affects your mood and behavior. Addicts who don’t seek help are not likely to get better without it.Help is readily available, but you have to be proactive. To start, you have to let someone know you need help. Don’t be ashamed to speak up, either for yourself or a loved one. If you think a problem is developing, tell your doctor right away. It may seem like a hard step right now. But in the long run, you’ll be glad you took it.

©2013 United HealthCare Services, Inc.UHCEW634020-000