Take it from me...

Having a drink with friends and family is one of life's shared pleasures. Research shows that responsible drinking can be part of a healthy lifestyle – for some people, moderate consumption combined with a good diet and exercise can deliver health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease and lowering cholesterol.

However, drink too much and too often and you run the risk of harming your health.

So here's a few tips so you can enjoy alcohol without going overboard.

• Drink moderately and enjoy it.
• Think about having 1 or 2 alcohol-free days a week.
• Eat when you drink to slow down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream.
• Drink water and other non alcoholic beverages too.
• Be aware of how much alcohol you're consuming and how fast you are drinking it.
• And look out for your mates.

Further information can be found at the Australian Government's information site for alcohol: www.alcohol.gov.au

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