Moderating alcohol consumption improves your health, your energy and your budget.

For healthy men, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol related disease or injury.

To test your knowledge about the healthy impacts of alcohol go to the CHECK section.

Your GP is a great person to speak to if you would like to find out whether the amount of alcohol you are consuming is safe.

Remember: alcohol may have a negative interaction with any medications you are taking. 

10 tips on safe drinking

To ensure that you drink safely and stay healthy:

1. Try not to mix your alcoholic drinks
2. Aim for two alcohol free days per week
3. Eat before and while you drink to fill your stomach and reduce the amount of drinks you consume - avoid salty foods as these will only make you thirsty
4. Make your first drink non alcoholic to quench your thirst
5. Finish each drink before you have another - avoid top ups
6. Alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of water
7. Remember your limits - set a limit for yourself and stick to it
8. Know when you have had enough and be able to say so - listen to your body
9. Try consuming drinks with a lower alcohol content - light / mid strength beer etc.
   
10. Spread drinking your alcoholic drinks over several hours
    

References

• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2009, Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, Commonwealth of Australia
• Queensland Government, Drinking Responsibly: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au