Do the math to stay healthy

[Eve11]

My son hates math and sometimes has a missing assignment because he doesn't want to do the work. We try to give him a math visual.

We tell him "If you had an A (100) and then didn't want to do the work on the next paper and put any answer down but turned the paper in and got an F (60) when the grade is averaged (100+60 divided by 2) you would have an 80...a B.

But if you had an A (100) and didn't want to do the work and the paper went missing and you got 0 points, when you average the grade (100+0 divided by 2) you only get 50 an F.
So why on earth would you want to choose the missing assignment route?

It should be as clear as a bell but somehow he still just doesn't get it.

Are we that way too when it comes to alcohol? We know what we're not supposed to do. Alcohol is a poison that our poor liver tries to break down and get rid of. Too much alcohol can impair us, cause us to make bad choices, ruin our health, endanger our lives or possibly endanger the lives of others.

Maybe we're like my son. It can be pointed out with examples and analogies but sometimes we just don't get it.

This thread is designed to help us visualize how we can and why we need to stay healthy if we choose to drink. It's also designed for lurkers and newbies with questions to initially give basic information on alcohol, effects, etc.

I'll be adding new things weekly and encourage everyone to participate with feedback or new subjects to discuss.

Per The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence drinking for healthy people is one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. This is considered the maximum amount of alcohol consumption to be considered moderate use. :imshocked:

"One and I'm done" as Kid would say however I'm still with Sara at "two and I'm through" and according to the NCADD that's one too many! I'm trying to work on it Sunbeam!!

However, the amount of alcohol that a person can drink safely is highly individual, depending on genetics, age, sex, weight and family history, etc. A drink is considered to be:
? 4-5 ounces of wine
? 10 ounces of wine cooler
? 12 ounces of beer
? 1-1/4 ounces of distilled liquor (80 proof whiskey, vodka, scotch, or rum)

To Drink or Not to Drink?

Moderate use of alcohol can be an enjoyable, safe experience if used with caution. If you do choose to drink, sip each drink slowly, and always consume alcohol with food. Space drinks out to no more than one drink per hour, and consume plenty of water in between drinks. Never drink while pregnant and never drive when intoxicated.

Do the math and be safe when drinking!
Eve11

[DeeBee]

Do the math to stay healthy

Great thread Eve!!

Can I just add that there is a fantastic UK website called DRINK AWARE which I found really usefull for figuring out my true consumption as it takes into account the AL % in different wines as well as the size of the glass etc.
The drinks calculator shows just how much alcohol and how many calories are in your favourite tipple and they also have a drinks diary allows you to keep track over the days and weeks.

Drinkaware - Tips and tools

[gyco]

Do the math to stay healthy

ok here i go,11 its an interesting topic,isn't it odd we compare math with a l c o h o l i s m,to me its a bad comparison,over the years,of stopping and starting,ive also said,its my rite,to drink,is it,the lad isn't poisoning him or herself,just lazy,i beleive life is hard,my son just got his teaching degree,i was amazed when he told me,you cant fail,cant get below 50,and you cant get above 95 percent,most kids don't know how to add and subtract, if your child is good in school,and sees another just,playing around,it must be hard to handle,this is the way in Canada,talk to your child,if you were a hard worker wouldnt you be disgusted if there was a lazy person working beside you, and gloating about it,i wish you well gyco

[j-vo]

Do the math to stay healthy

Eve,
It's threads like these that are paving the way for my successes at modding and being AF many days. Thank you!

[Eve11]

Do the math to stay healthy

Why L-Glutamine works

We hear about taking L-Glutamine to reduce cravings but without knowing why it works it’s difficult to believe that it does work.

I have done extensive research on L-Glut. At first I wasn’t making any headway as everyone kept saying the same thing: That’s it’s a powerful amino acid proven effective in double blind clinical trials to reduce cravings for alcohol. But no-one was explaining WHY it works so it’s been hard for me to believe that it does work.

Then I came across an article by Dr. Patricia Slagle who explains best why L-Glut is effective. First of all:

L-Glut 101:
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in circulation. It is a major fuel source & therefore energy source for the entire body. It is an important fuel for the brain & can provide adequate energy in the absence of glucose (the other major brain fuel). For this reason it is helpful with focus, concentration, memory, intellectual performance, alertness, attentiveness, improving mood and eliminating brain fog & cloudiness. (All the more reason to take it gang!)

This gets too deep medically so in laymen’s terms alcohol may cause exaggerated insulin secretion resulting in severe hypoglycemia (too low blood sugar).

When the blood sugar is low, Glutamine suppresses insulin to stop the further decline of the sugar levels. It also stimulates glycogen (a stored form of glucose) to be released to help increase the blood sugar to normal levels. These blood sugar stabilizing effects may partially explain why it decreases alcohol cravings, as well as sugar cravings. In studies with alcoholics, 2000-3000 mg 3 times daily decreased the desire to drink, decreased anxiety, & improved sleep. It works best given between meals. It has been used for this purpose in daily doses from 6000-15,000 mg in 3 divided doses. Use upon arising, mid-morning & mid-afternoon between meals.

L-Glutamine may be taken on a daily basis, or kept on hand to manage "craving emergencies" in which the powder from half a 1,000 capsule is poured directly under the tongue. Many MWO members have shared this info with each other stating that this works for them when they are undergoing severe cravings.

Giving Glutamine to rats decreased their voluntary alcohol consumption by 34%. When the Glutamine was stopped, their alcohol consumption returned to baseline levels.

Studies using high dose Glutamine have failed to demonstrate toxicity. However Glutamine should be avoided in cases of acute liver failure & kidney failure. Precautions: Glutamine should not be taken by persons with cirrhosis of the liver, kidney problems, Reye's syndrome, or any type of disorder that can result in an accumulation of ammonia in the blood.

Natural sources include whole wheat, carrots, radishes and cabbage.

To our good health and to craving decreases!
p.s. Thanks DeeBee for the DrinkAware info. Very informative!
Eve11

[Eve11]

Do the math to stay healthy

Is it EVER safe to drink and drive?

The Legal Limit
In all 50 states, the legal limit for drunk driving is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08. A 120-pound woman can reach a .08 BAC level after only two drinks and a 180-pound man can be at .08 after only four drinks.

A "drink" is either one shot of liquor, a five-ounce glass of wine or one beer, all of which contain the same amount of alcohol.

At a .08 BAC level, drivers are so impaired that they are 11 times more likely to have a single-vehicle crash than drivers with no alcohol in their system. But 25 years of research has shown that some impairment begins for both males and females even after one drink.

.02 BAC Level
At the .02 blood alcohol concentration level, experiments have demostrated that people exhibit some loss of judgment, begin to relax and feel good. But tests have also shown that drivers at the .02 level experience a decline in visual functions, affecting their ability to track a moving object, and experience a decline in the ability to perform two tasks at the same time.

These changes may be very subtle and barely noticable to the person who has had only one drink, but in an emergency situation while behind the wheel of a vehicle, they could cause the driver to react (or not react) as they would without having had a drink.

.05 BAC Level
At the .05 BAC level, people begin to exhibit exaggerated behavior, experience loss of small-muscle control -- such as being able to focus their eyes quickly -- have impaired judgment, lowered alertness and a release of inhibition.

If someone with a BAC level of .05 gets behind the wheel, they would be operating the vehicle with reduce coordination, a futher diminished ability to track moving objects, more difficulty in steering and a markedly reduced response in emergency situations. (e.g. for my weight and height I would be at this level after 2 drinks!)

.08 BAC Level
When someone drinking is approaching the borderline of legal intoxication, studies show that he or she has poor muscle coordination -- affecting their balance, speech, vision, reaction time and hearing -- find it more difficult to detect danger, and exhibit impaired judgement, self-control, reasoning ability and memory.

A driver with a BAC of .08 will find it more difficult to concentrate, judge the speed of the vehicle, experience reduced information processing capability and exhibit impaired perception.

Slower Reaction Time
For the person who is drinking, the above impairments may be hardly noticeable at the time, but the slow reaction times that they can produce could prove fatal in a emergency driving situation. That's why it is not a good idea to drive no matter how much or how little that you have had to drink.

There is another consideration: Alcohol affects people differently. Some people have a higher response to drinking alcohol than others. In other words, people with a high response to alcohol can experience signs of impairment at the .02 BAC level that others do not experience until the .05 level.

The Safe Limit
For this reason, in some states drivers can be arrested for driving while impaired even if their blood alcohol concentration is lower than the legal limit, if the law enforcement officer believes he has probable cause based on the behavior and reactions of the driver.

It's simply not a wise choice to get behind the wheel no matter how much you have had to drink. The only safe driving limit is .00 percent.

********

[TLC 2]

Do the math to stay healthy

interesting information about the L-Glutamine! is this over the counter and if so where can you purchase it? are they're any known side effects? Thank you

[Sunbeam]

Do the math to stay healthy

I bought some glutamine powder at WalMart.

[Eve11]

Do the math to stay healthy

TLC 2;612684 wrote: interesting information about the L-Glutamine! is this over the counter and if so where can you purchase it? are they're any known side effects? Thank you

It's just an amino acid so no major side effects although in one of the research articles I read there were these precautions as follows:

"Glutamine should not be taken by persons with cirrhosis of the liver, kidney problems, Reye's syndrome, or any type of disorder that can result in an accumulation of ammonia in the blood. For such individuals, taking supplemental glutamine may only cause further damage to the body."

You can purchase at any health food store and thanks Sunbeam for the Wal-Mart tip. They probably have the best prices.

L-Glut actually does a lot more for the body than the article mentions. Great for muscles and working out, great for wound healing. I just focused on the brain aspect and helping to reduce cravings. People swear by it. More info on the Research thread and one of the other MWO members added some interesting info.

To our health!
Eve11