Is it just me, or am I seeing more chat around abstinence or restrained drinking than normal? Perhaps it’s the run-up to Christmas and the perspective of endless Christmas drinks parties, are folks already warming up for Dry January?  Or perhaps that since the publication of The Drinking Woman’s Diet, I’m looking at more wellness web sites, blogs and podcasts.

I struggle with some of the rather preachy exhortations to give up for good, but I do enjoy comments and tips from people trying keep tabs on and control how much they drink. There are online drinking coaches, web sites and apps and more and more interesting non-alcoholic options. I’m very intrigued by Jukes Cordialities from wine writer Mathew Jukes and will let you know once I’ve tasted them.

Realistically, I’m never going to give up booze. I’m a fervent believer that a little of what I fancy does me good, and as a wine educator, that a little bit of knowledge goes a long way help to help me appreciate what and how much I’m drinking. 

As I try and err on the side of moderation, I am picky about what I drink. I’m not going to waste those precious units on something I don’t like or don’t even notice I’m drinking – so very easy to do! 

To add my 125 mls (small class 1.3 units) to the debate, I have found other lifestyle habits can help. The subtitle for The Drinking Woman’s Diet is ‘a liver friendly lifestyle’. A good level of fitness, a healthy diet, drinking enough water, certain supplements, etc. can help reduce the dreaded hangover. But let’s not kid ourselves; the only way not to have a hangover is …. don’t drink too much. 

The book is not a recipe for how to get away with drinking too much, it clearly addresses the sometimes very serious problems that women can have with alcohol. 

For those of you who haven’t bought your copy of The Drinking Woman’s Diet yet (it’s the perfect stocking filler) here are a few of the tips from the chapter on moderation, motivation, and mindfulness. 

Be informed about sensible drinking limits for you and find some goals that work for you. I try and stick to my rule of two. I work well to rules.

• Two drinks a day

• Two booze free days a week

• Two litres of water a day

Another rule I have is I only drink alcohol if I find it delicious. If I don’t enjoy the glass I have been served I will (usually discreetly) not drink it.

Another ‘trick’ that works for me is if I want a drink, I wait ten minutes – delayed gratification. (This rule works for all sorts of things) Often, in ten minutes, the urge has gone or you can think about why it is that you want a drink (that’s the mindfulness bit).  If you still fancy a drink you will start a little later and the later you start, the less you will drink. Starting later is easier than stopping when you are on a roll.

These ideas might help with delayed gratification:

• Have a glass of water.  This gives you something else to do with your hands in a social situation, rehydrates (anti-hangover) and quenches your thirst so that first drink doesn’t slip down without touching the sides. 

• Have a cup of tea. (I know it’s an English thing) If you are reaching for the wine bottle to refresh your flagging body and/or soul, a quick cuppa does the job. A cup of tea has as many polyphenols as wine, and you won’t feel like a drink straight away afterwards. Job done. 

• Take some exercise. Go for a walk. You’ll be fitter and drink less.

• Schedule a workout right before you expect to drink. Afterwards, you’ll want to reach for something refreshing and hydrating, like water or coconut water—not something dehydrating, like alcohol.

• Or schedule an early morning workout. Knowing you have to get up and exercise in the morning is a great motivator for not drinking too much the night before. You know how much it will hurt. An accountability partner the next morning, someone you don’t want to let down, will help.

• Breathe. This slows down your heart rate, relaxes you, and gives you time to think and to hang on for another ten minutes.

• Check Facebook. Ha! How many times does a self-help literature tell you to do that? This doesn’t work if your FB feed is full of pictures of what your friends are drinking (Like mine).

• Phone a friend. Drinking on the phone still counts as drinking alone!

• Clean your teeth. Carry mints or breath strips. A minty mouth cuts the craving for just about everything alcoholic and wine in particular.

• Have a bath. If you are reaching for a glass to relax, this works. Throw in some Epsom salts and detox at the same time. This doesn’t work if you’re at the party already. 

Drinking less in company is tricky. Those of us who work in the wine business have the advantage of being able to taste and then spit out—not exactly a polite social habit or acceptable dinner party behaviour. Peer pressure is a powerful thing, good friends should be supportive but a lack of support might not be about you. You cutting back might shine a light on a friend’s own issues with drinking. Choose your friends as carefully as you choose your wine. We become the people we surround ourselves with. 

Little white lies can be a way of resisting peer pressure, such as, “I’m on antibiotics,” or, “I have a hangover from last night.” You can also say ” I’m driving” or “I’m watching my weight” (not necessarily a lie). Some friends may relate to this more easily than to controlling units. If they say, “You don’t need to lose weight,” just answer, “Well, exactly. Limiting my booze is why!”

There are many more ideas in The Drinking Woman’s Diet, but I hope this will leave you with some inspiration to enjoy the festive season, have some fabulous wines and spirits and enjoy them to the full, and still remember just how delicious they were the morning after.

Happy Christmas.

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