Drinking alcohol could have an adverse effect on your health, including cancer, heart disease, liver disease. For more information about this, click here.

It can be easy to lose track of how much alcohol you drink. Regularly drinking more than 3-4
units of alcohol a day if you are a man or 2-3 units a day if you are a woman increases the risk
of long-term health harm, such as stroke, heart disease, mouth cancer, liver cancer and breast
cancer. Alcohol also affects your ability to exercise.

Know Your Limits top ten tips for cutting back on the booze:

 Decide on your ultimate goal. Do you want to cut down to a set daily amount? Maybe you want to avoid binge drinking? Or perhaps you would like to give up alcohol altogether?

 Pick a day of the next week to start cutting down. Go for a day when you are less likely to be under pressure, so it's easier to avoid alcohol

 Keep a drink diary. Writing this on a regular basis will help you to work out how much you're drinking

 Work out how you can avoid situations that you know will encourage you to drink. For example, if you're going out with friends suggest the cinema instead of the pub

 Pace yourself. Try drinking each drink more slowly or alternating alcoholic drinks with soft or low alcohol ones

 Find something else to do while you drink, like playing darts or pool, or dancing. This will take your mind off your drinks and help you to slow down

 Get out of the habit of drinking because you are stressed or have nothing else to do. Look for other ways to relax: activities like swimming or going for a walk will make you feel better and don't involve alcohol

 Take stock of your progress and make sure you give yourself credit where it's due for your achievements so far. This will help you keep going to achieve your targets

 Try to have at least two alcohol-free days a week. Choose days when you're less likely to be in situations where you would usually drink alcohol. Always give your body a 48 hour break from booze if you do drink too much in one session

 Don't give up! Changing a habit like drinking takes time and hard work, and sometimes it's difficult to drink less. Focus on what you've achieved so far and reward yourself when you have met your drinking targets. If you do relapse, don't stop, just set a new date to start cutting down again.

If you are concerned about how much alcohol you are drinking visit: www.nhs.uk/drinkcheck

or phone Drinkline on 0800 876 6778 or see your GP.

Other useful links:

 Blood Alcohol Content Calculater

 www.drinkaware.co.uk

 www.nhs.uk/livewell/alcohol