Have a Happy — and Safe — St. Patrick’s Day

Public Health wishes you a happy and safe St. Patty’s Day 2017. 

If you’re celebrating the Patron Saint of Ireland on March 17 with a pint Green Beer, remember that moderation is key.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, a variety of short- and long-term health risks are associated with alcohol consumption, including motor vehicle crashes, sexual risk behaviors, violence, high blood pressure and various cancers, like breast cancer. 

The more you drink, the higher the risk.

The 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that if you consume alcohol, you do so in moderation — up to one drink per day for women, two drinks per day for men and never for underage persons or pregnant women.

One drink is considered 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor.

Binge drinking — or a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol content to .08 percent or higher — is more than 4 drinks in a single occasion for women or more than 5 drinks for men.

More than half the alcohol consumed by adults in the U.S. is consumed by binge drinking, and binge drinking is associated with many health problems, like unintentional injuries, alcohol poisoning, sexually transmitted diseases, liver disease, unintended pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage and more. 

Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to drive impaired than non-binge drinkers, according to the CDC.

In 2016, nearly 400 impaired drivers were arrested on St. Patrick’s Day in Colorado. In 2017, that number more than 500, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

This year, be safe AND have fun on St. Patrick’s Day. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation. 

Alcohol and Pregnancy . . . Why Take the Risk?

A new Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alcohol and Pregnancy highlights the fact that:

• More than 3 million US women are at risk of exposing their developing baby to alcohol. 
• 3 in 4 women who want to get pregnant as soon as possible report drinking alcohol. 
• 100% Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are completely preventable. 

Why take the risk?

• Women who are pregnant or who might be pregnant should be aware that any level of alcohol use could harm their baby.

• All types of alcohol can be harmful, including all wine and beer.

• The baby’s brain, body, and organs are developing throughout pregnancy and can be affected by alcohol at any time.

• Drinking while pregnant can also increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Read the report, view an infographic with data and learn about prevention.

Cutting Down on Stress to Improve Health

The cat’s out of the bag (even more so than before):  Stress is bad for you! Earlier this month, the American Psychiatric Association released their annual "Stress in America" Survey, which assesses the attitudes and perceptions of stress and identifies its primary causes among the general public. The survey revealed that the primary cause of stress among Americans is money, followed by work, the economy, family responsibilities and personal health concerns.
Although stress is rarely the root cause of disease, it often interacts with our genetics and bodies in ways that can accelerate disease. Because of this, stress is significantly associated with virtually all the major areas of disease. It has been well documented that stress can cause sleep problems, headaches and raise the risks of depression. But increasingly, researchers are uncovering even more ways in which stress can harm our health: 

• Heart health: Stress can lead to increased behaviors such as unhealthy eating, smoking and drinking alcohol, all of which can lead to heart disease. It has also been shown that stress can reduce blood flow to the heart (particularly in women), and has been associated with an increased risk of heart attack in general.
• Diabetes: Stress can cause an increase of the hormone cortisol, which can increase the amount of glucose in the blood. Additionally, with increased adoption of behaviors such as unhealthy eating, smoking and drinking alcohol can lead to decreased exercise, less attention to having glucose levels checked, and less time to plan out healthy meals.
• Alzheimer’s disease: A study published in 2010 by Finnish researchers found that women who had either high blood pressure or higher cortisol levels - both symptoms of stress - were more than three times as likely to develop Alzheimer's, compared with patients who did not have these symptoms.
• Fertility: In May 2014, Kaiser Foundation Study of the Environment and Reproduction reported on a study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility that found stress in men can lead to reduced sperm and semen quality, which may negatively affect fertility.

The battle against stress is a winnable, although not always easy, stress can be managed.  The first step is to recognize the symptoms of stress. Though these vary in each individual, they commonly include difficulty sleeping, fatigue, overeating or under-eating and feelings of depression, anger or irritability. It is also possible for people to turn to smoking or drinking more in an attempt to manage stress, and some people many even engage in drug abuse.

Managing stress is possible, here are some helpful tips:

• Positive self-talk: Turn negative thoughts into positive ones. Instead of saying "I can't do this," say "I'll do the best I can." Negative self-talk increases stress levels;
• Emergency stress stoppers: If you start to feel stressed, count to 10 before you talk, take a few deep breaths or go for a walk;
• Finding pleasure: Engaging in activities you enjoy is a great way to stave off stress. Take up a hobby, watch a movie or have a meal with friends;
• Daily relaxation: Engage in some relaxation techniques. Meditation, yoga and tai chi have all been shown to reduce stress levels.