Alcohol

What is alcohol?

Alcoholic beverages include a wide variety of drinks that are readily available. Some have higher alcohol content than others, but none are safe to drink excessively.

Alcoholic beverages include:

• Beer
• Hard Liquor (Rum, Vodka, Gin, etc.)
• Wine, Wine Coolers, and Champagne
• Liqueurs (Kahlua, Irish Crème, etc.)
• Mixed drinks (Rum and Coke, etc.)
• "Hard" Lemonade & Malt Beverages
• "Non–Alcoholic" Beer (it still contains alcohol)

Consuming Alcohol is risky for women.

• Body structure and chemistry cause women to absorb more alcohol and take longer to break it down and remove it than men. So, the effects of alcohol occur quicker and last longer, which weakens the women’s defenses against alcohol’s long–term effects.
• Drinking alcohol increases the risk of liver disease, infertility, brain shrinkage, heart damage, breast cancer and sexual assault.
• Alcohol suppresses the part of the brain that controls judgment, resulting in a loss of inhibitions, physical coordination, blurred vision, slurred speech and loss of balance.

Excessive drinking has been linked to:

• Vitamin deficiency
• Sexual problems
• Muscle disease
• Obesity
• Infertility
• Skin problems
• Inflammation of the pancreas

Cutting Down

If you think you might be drinking too much, try keeping a "drinking diary" to keep track of how much you drink each week.

Tips for Instructor:
Help participant understand that alcohol (beer, wine, wine coolers, and hard–liquor) impairs the body and can severely disrupt fetal development.