Between Christmas dinner toasts and New Year’s Eve champagne, there are a lot of opportunities to indulge in alcohol over the holidays. While your focus may be on the festivities, remember that excessive drinking is a widespread problem that presents a high risk of alcohol poisoning and drunk driving. To help you and your loved ones avoid the need for emergency care from a doctor, here are a few ways you can keep your drinking to a minimum as you celebrate this holiday season.

5 Ways to Drink Responsibly This Holiday Season

1. Make Non-Alcoholic Beverages Available

If you’re thirsty, don’t automatically reach for an alcoholic drink — choose a soft beverage such as water or soda. Pace yourself by consuming a non-alcoholic beverage after one serving of wine, liquor, or beer. If you’re hosting a party, help others avoid excessive drinking by providing a wide range of non-alcoholic options and keeping available alcohol quantities to a minimum.

2. Don’t Forget Food

Drinking on an empty stomach can cause your body to process the alcohol at a faster rate, causing you to become more intoxicated than you may have expected. As such, it’s important to eat while consuming alcohol. If you’re throwing a gathering this holiday season, provide a wide variety of snacks to help balance out the food-to-alcohol ratio.

3. Know Your Limits

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drinking in moderation is limited to one drink per day for women and two per day for men. To avoid the risk of over-intoxication, stick to this guideline. If you have trouble with moderation, it may be time to talk to a doctor about treating a potential alcohol abuse problem.

4. Mind Your Medications

When combined with alcohol, many prescribed medications can trigger bad reactions that cause you to become ill or even more intoxicated. If you take any prescription drugs, heed any warnings that caution against drinking. If you’re unsure about the risk of your medications with alcohol, ask your prescribing doctor before consuming alcoholic drinks.

5. Get a Designated Driver

If you plan on drinking, have a designated driver ready to take you home safely. Another option is to use a rideshare or taxi to ensure you won’t have access to your car or need to drive yourself home. Taking these precautions will help you avoid drunk-driving accidents and the risk of a DUI.

Are you concerned about your alcohol consumption habits? If so, the caring staff at Patients First Medical Clinic can help. Serving the Anchorage, AK, community, this urgent and primary care facility is equipped to address both minor and major health problems, including alcohol and substance abuse. If necessary, this team will help you explore options to limit your drinking or work toward sobriety. Visit their medical clinic online to learn more about their services, or call (907) 333-7425 to schedule an appointment with a doctor.