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28

Dec 2017

What Leads To Alcoholism?

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Beginning with a perplexing question- what is alcoholism? In simplest terms the answer is that ‘alcoholism’ is the severest form of alcohol abuse, it is an individual’s dependency on alcohol to an extent that going through day to day life sends the chilliest shivers down the spine, when the mind and body cannot function without gulping down those glasses of alcohol. If your life centers around alcohol, it is a sign that alcohol is slowly consuming and reigning your life. It is also the time for a wake-up call to buckle up and see it for what it truly is- alcohol addiction.

Drinking in moderation is one thing but giving in to alcoholism is altogether a different matter. Alcohol as a substance abuse is a serious problem which has inflicted the world irrespective of the caste, creed, gender or age. Now, what leads to alcoholism, one may wonder. There is not one factor that can be branded as a culprit, multifarious factors play a collective role in influencing a person’s drinking habit.

Nobody is a born alcoholic, right? Well science says there is a genetic connection to it but again, let’s not blame any single mean gene here. There is a concerted group of genes in our DNA which acts as predisposed trigger leading to alcoholism. However, an individual wouldn’t be justified in taking to alcohol addiction because the parents and forefathers were alcoholics. The reason being that hereditary alcoholism is avoidable. It has been observed that hereditary risk factor leading to alcoholism may be prevented and curbed to a considerable extent provided that a person’s environment is good. So, wait before you blame your inherited genes for your addiction because genetic factor is only one half of the entire picture as there are a host of other social and environmental factors which impact an individual’s drinking habit. These factors include stress, peer pressure and social acceptance, coping with personal or financial loss, need for feel-good factor.

Alcohol is a known depressant which affects the central nervous system by slowing it down and many people drink alcohol to ease out stress or anxiety. It may seem like a perfectly soothing stress buster initially, however alcohol never really solves the purpose in the long run. It only acts as a short-term coping mechanism by suppressing the other underlying emotional and psychological causes temporarily.

The stimulant in alcohol is what draws people to it like moths to flame. If taken in moderate to small doses, the stimulants in alcohol give an initial boost to central nervous system, which people identify as the ‘happy buzz’ or the ‘feel good factor’. The effect however doesn’t last for very long because alcohol as a drug type belongs to depressant class.

Peer pressure is a massive pain which has pushed many people to take to alcohol especially at the young and tender age. The need for ‘social acceptance’ plays a nasty role here. For many teenagers, this may be only a phase which gradually fades but some get stuck in the addictive cycle of severe alcohol abuse.

Alcoholism has destroyed many families and relationships and it adversely affects our mental, emotional and physical health. As enticing as the intoxication of alcohol may appear to be, it isn’t really the best remedy for the mind, body or soul. It must be observed and deeply absorbed that neither is alcohol an ‘escape route’ to a pain-free life, nor is it a secret ‘mantra’ for a ‘blissful’ life and it most definitely doesn’t make one the coolest person around! It is only an intoxicating substance which seems to provide a temporary and elusive ‘escape’. As they say, ‘moderation’ is the magical key which provides solution to most of human woes in the world. So, let’s be mindful and add ‘drinking in moderation’ to that list. Remember, ‘alcoholism’ is a weighty concern and whether you let alcohol consume you or not is always a choice which lies with ‘you’.

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27

Dec 2017

Warm Non-Alcoholic Drinks To Try These Winters

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Winters are here, so is the holiday season. As Christmas and New Year’s come knocking at your door with high spirits, maybe it’s time you take a break from the traditional ‘spirits’ and try out some of these amazing hot non-alcoholic beverages instead. Loaded with health benefits aplenty, they are sure to keep you healthy, warm and all fuzzy these winters.

Kahwa

Kahwa is a traditional green tea beverage consumed in regions of Afghanistan, Central Asia, Pakistan and Kashmir region of northern India. It is essentially made from exotic tea leaves with dried fruits and nuts and aromatic spices including saffron. The nuts and aromatic spices add to the distinct flavor of this traditional drink.

Besides keeping one warm in winters, Kahwa has various health benefits too. It has great antioxidant properties, improves digestion, helps in burning fat, helps in stress reduction and improves immunity. This flavorful drink rejuvenates your mind and body and it works wonders for skin too.

Herbal Tea

Over the years herbal tea has gained tremendous popularity across the world. Loaded with health benefits, it has become a popular choice of beverage among the fitness freaks too. As the name suggests, herbal tea is a beverage made from decoction of herbs and spices with water.

Herbal teas are known to have diverse health benefits as they are rich in antioxidants, antibacterial and antiviral properties. For hundreds of years, they have been used as traditional remedies to various ailments such as sleep disorders, nausea, common cold, cramps, digestive disorders, they also help in keeping cholesterol levels under check. Chamomile tea is known to help relieve stress, manage blood sugar, blood lipid and insulin levels. Peppermint, hibiscus, rosehip, sage are some other popular varieties of herbal teas.

Modern science also correlates many healing properties of herbal teas.

Spiced Hot Apple Cider

As the saying goes, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, this drink is going to make your heart, body and mind rejoice. Spiced Hot Apple Cider is a simple yet a perfect non-alcoholic, healthy drink to keep you warm these winters. It is a decoction of apple cider, water, sugar (brown sugar is a healthier option) and spices are added to this flavorful beverage.

Apple cider is an unpasteurized and unsweetened beverage made from apples with strands called as ‘mother’ of protein, enzymes and friendly bacteria. It is rich in antioxidants, regulates blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, enhances weight loss, improves skin health, reduces blood pressure and keeps your gut healthy too.

Hot dark chocolate

Chocolate lovers say yay to the joy of curling up in bed and enjoying that sinfully delightful cup of hot dark chocolate! This classic drink is a perfect blend of bittersweet dark chocolate, cream and sugar in milk, often spiced up with nutmeg or cinnamon for that added flavor.

Dark chocolate has great nutritional value, it is known to be rich in antioxidant, improves heart health, regulates blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Mixed Spiced Tea (Masala Chai)

As the name suggests, mixed spiced tea is a flavored beverage which is made by mixing aromatic Indian spices and herbs to the base tea which is usually brewed black tea. Traditional mixed spiced tea is brewed with spices in varied proportions. The spice mixture called as ‘karha’ uses a base of ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom pods. The simplest and traditional method of preparing masala chai is through decoction, by actively simmering or boiling a mixture of milk and water with loose leaf tea, sweeteners, and whole spices. (Wikipedia)

Vegetable Soup

The wonders of vegetables come in a bowlful of homemade steaming soup! Besides being a healthful option, making homemade vegetable soup is also an economically viable. You may add seasonal vegetables to up the nutritional value. Aromatic spices such as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon enhance the flavor of the soup and sprinkled black pepper adds sharp taste. Served with croutons makes it a wholesome and healthy meal option.

And you thought you couldn’t get through the winters without alcohol! You can replace that oozing glass of rum with these healthful non-alcoholic alternatives to beat the winter chill. And here goes- Happy holidays!

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19

Dec 2017

Foods To Avoid With Alcohol

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They say that it is wise not to consume alcohol on empty stomach and that one should eat in between the drinks, do you know why? Here’s why…a tummy-full of food leads to slower absorption of alcohol in your body. Excessive alcohol messes up your system in multiple ways which include physical, mental, emotional and social after-effects. It is safe to say that binge drinking is directly proportional to binge eating. Picture this- waking up with a terrible hangover and now imagine the after effects of outrageously bad food pairing with alcohol! We bet that it is something you wouldn’t possibly want to experience, now would you? Once again, we come flying wearing our cape of good Samaritans to your rescue.  We’ve made a short list of food you must avoid pairing with alcohol.

Salt Isn’t So Good

Alcohol consumption in excess leads to dehydration as it is diuretic. It simply means that consumption of alcohol leads to a decreased production of anti-diuretic hormone which is used by our body to reabsorb water, thus leading to loss of fluid through excessive urination. Salty snacks make you feel thirsty and unless you are opting for a glass of water in between your many drinks, you’re in the danger zone because you’d be left dehydrated even more. Avoid pairing salty snacks with alcohol and give your bladder a break!

Honey, Watch The Sugar Rush!

Sugar and alcohol aren’t the best combination for your blood sugar levels. Plus, combining sweets with alcohol tends to aggravate the intoxication caused by alcohol and makes you feel dehydrated.

Talking about sugar, let’s divert to sugar in aerated drinks. We know that alcohol affects your blood sugar level by altering it negatively. So even though you might love that bourbon with aerated drink or love to enjoy your rum with cola, it ain’t helping you much besides making your blood sugar level go into a maddening overdrive and adding unwanted kilos to your weight.

Ditch the Dairy Products

Why, you ask? Because it’s a myth that dairy products act as coating to your stomach lining to avoid getting drunk. Most of the alcohol is consumed through small intestine so consuming dairy products won’t help you much. On the contrary, combining alcohol with dairy products is likely to give you heartburn and cause indigestion because they’re difficult to digest.

Go Easy On Spicy-Greasy

Again, eating spicy-greasy foods is not going to make you the cleverest of Toms in town. Combining alcohol with such foods can cause reflux and severe gastritis. Alcohol disturbs the digestive system and acts as an irritant to lower esophagus by relaxing it which causes acidity from stomach to reflux. Next time, when you feel the urge to place an order for that bucket of spicy chicken wings with beer- think twice, think thrice.

We part ways with you with few more words of wisdom, drink responsibly and ‘be mindful’ of what you drink and what you eat.

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19

Dec 2017

Withdrawal Symptoms of Alcohol

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If you’ve landed up on this page, chances are that you’re either contemplating quitting alcohol or you must’ve already. Kudos to you, let’s begin by giving you a little pat on your back for taking this first brave step towards alcohol-free life. Another scenario may be that you’re reading it to help your loved one who’s going through bouts of alcohol addiction and wants to quit or experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Great job done by you dear good Samaritan, for making efforts to help someone by offering encouragement and support. Apart from a strong will, a person also needs a strong support system, such as you, to get rid of alcohol dependency. Now assuming, that you’ve done a thorough research on the subject, more glory to you! But, if you’re running around like a headless chicken, breathe easy we say, we’ve got some useful information to share with you.

Let’s get a clearer picture of few basics here. To what degree would you get alcohol withdrawal symptoms depends on the question whether you are a moderate or social drinker or are you heavily addicted to alcohol.

Moderate drinking is consumption of alcohol within the prescribed limits of guidelines which are not more than 2 units per day for women, no more than 3 units per day for men. It also specifies the per week consumption of maximum 14 drinks for men and 7 drinks for women. Social drinking is a commonly accepted norm in various cultures across the world. To say that a person is a social drinker, it usually means that the individual only drinks occasionally in the company of others and usually drinks within the prescribed limits. Moving to heavy drinking, as per the guidelines, for women it means consuming alcohol more than 8 drinks per week and for men it is alcohol consumption of more than 15 units per week. Heavy drinking falls in the high-risk category. When an individual is a heavy drinker and reduces the consumption of alcohol significantly, or suddenly stops drinking altogether, there are varied withdrawal symptoms he/she would experience.

Alcohol is known to affect a part of brain known an ‘amygdala’ which triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response. The conflicting fight or flight response is initiated when this part of brain cannot form a correct distinction between a real and a perceived threat. Alcohol suppresses the ‘fight or flight’ responses thus making one feel more relaxed. When heavy drinkers quit drinking alcohol, it alters the chemicals in the brain and the ‘amygdala’ gets into a hyper active mode. So, these withdrawal symptoms are caused by the way our brain responds to heavy consumption of alcohol.

The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may appear anywhere ranging from six hours to a few days after the last drink consumed. They may worsen for over two to three days and may persist for weeks to follow. They are more noticeable when one wakes up with lesser blood alcohol content.

The symptoms include varied mild to moderate emotional and physical symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, nausea etc. They are more severe if an individual is a heavy drinker. But do not be discouraged, if you’ve decided to quit drinking alcohol you must plan it wisely. Another important point to remember is that you must take necessary medical assistance once you decide to get rid of alcohol dependency to keep a better tab on your health. We’ve listed down various symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal.

Psychological and Emotional Symptoms

-Irritation

-Anxiety

-Confusion

-Insomnia

-Agitation

Physical Symptoms

-Feeling of shakiness/ tremors

-Nausea

-Vomiting

-Sweating

-Increased heart rate

-Headache

-High Blood Pressure

In some extreme cases, these symptoms may get aggravated and even cause hallucinations, seizures, high fever. In the worst-case scenario and to an extreme level, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can also potentially turn life-threatening and one must seek immediate medical assistance.

To conclude, we’ll reiterate the words of wisdom for you. Never go cold turkey with alcohol, which means that you mustn’t quit suddenly. Make this a gradual shift because your body and mind need time to adapt. Remember that being brave and being stupid are two different things, please do seek medical assistance to make this brave transition to alcohol-free life. However, do not be discouraged, with appropriate medical assistance and a rock-solid emotional support system, you or your loved one can get rid of this dependency.

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11

Dec 2017

Count Your Many Calories

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Have you ever wondered the amount of calories you’re welcoming as you gulp down that fifth shot right around midnight? Well, its more common than you think. But then we never get around to actually looking for the answers, do we?

Contrary to popular belief, its not just the food or the taste-changers we eat while drinking that give us the belly-guilt. Getting right to the point; let’s look at a wide array of popular alcoholic drinks and dissect their calorie counts.

*We’re dealing with standard volumes i.e. a glass of champagne and wine, a can of beer and a shot of all others.

Champagne:

Why did we start with champagnes when almost every party ends with one? Because we love irony that’s why.

A standard glass of champagne contains 96 CAL, which should bring good news to all such partyholics out there.

Vodka/Gin:

Here’s one which which will grab the most attention given its popularity. We’ve often heard that non-coloured drinks or spirits have the least amount of calories when compared with other kids of alcohol on the market. This is where vodka and gin enter the fray.

A standard shot of vodka/gin contains 96 CAL. Just that! Remember this next time when you refuse to take a shot with somebody whilst settling for the next whiskey-coke peg.

Rum:

Giving some much needed warmth to your body isn’t the only reason why we love rum; especially come winter season.

With an impressive calorie count of 97 per shot, rum with water should be on the top of your priority list right from November to February at least. Why water? Even though rum with coke is clichéd, it is a very high-on-calorie option because of the latter.

Tequila:

Another recommended option is the tequila. Agreed it’s a very occasional option come birthdays or graduation parties, but a calorie count of 104 might change your mind.

Also, its alcohol content per shot is relatively higher than most of the other options readily available. However, do proceed with caution as it tends to hit instantly after a while.

Whiskey & Scotch:

Just like vodka and gin, whiskey and scotch follow the same numbers. With calorie counts of 105 per serving, they’re not too far behind.

Where things go wrong however, is when mixers like coke, red bull or juices are picked. This just takes the calorie count to a whole new level. Not only does the buzz come later, it just dampens the overall taste and gives you carbs that you don’t need.

Wine:

Be it red or white wine, the calorie count ranges between 120-125. The sad thing for wine lovers is the fact that wine-drinking doesn’t involve any mixers.

There’s no option but to drink it neat and it doesn’t hit quickly either. So, if you’re 6-7 glasses down, you can imagine the plight. It truly doesn’t make for good reading. An interesting fact is that white wine on average is carb-lighter than its red counterpart.

Beer:

And last but not the least; here’s the most loved drink internationally – Beer! The calorie count does suggest otherwise though; but I guess the taste is just too enticing.

1 can of beer has about 145 CAL which makes for a pretty high number. What’s worse is its alcohol content; you have to drink more if you want to feel something substantial.

How to handle these calories?

  1. Always go with water as a mixer hands down.
  2. Avoid fizzy cold and sugary drinks.
  3. Better to eat a decent meal at home rather than hogging on starters and tasters whilst drinking.
  4. Don’t just sleep right after you eat.
  5. Limit the amount of alcohol you intake. Don’t go overboard.

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30

Nov 2017

‘A’ for Alcohol, ‘A’ for Avoid!

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Alcohol as an intoxicating substance not only impedes your sense of judgement, it also leads to various physical, psychological and social complications. We bring you a short list of things which you absolutely must avoid combining with alcohol.

Antibiotic Medicines and Alcohol

It is advisable not to consume alcohol if you are under medication. Many antibiotics come with a warning about the side effects of the medicine. The reactive symptoms may result in shortness of breath, skin allergies, headaches, chest pains, nausea and vomiting to name a few. Consuming alcohol may worsen the side effects. Medication and alcohol must not be mixed callously as it can lead to severe health problems. In some extreme cases it can also turn fatal.

Drunk Driving

It cannot be emphasized more, it is an absolute NO. You mustn’t risk your life or put that of others in danger by driving under the influence of alcohol. No matter how confident a driver you are or how sober you think you may be, never try this.

Overconfidence can unfortunately turn fatal in this scenario. Hail a cab, ask a sober friend to drop you home, or crash at that friend’s place you partied with. We don’t want you risking your life over an irrational decision.

Foods To Avoid

Let’s move ahead to discuss how alcohol and food pairing affects you. Going on alcohol spree increases the tendency to binge eat, however there are few vital points one should be mindful of while drinking and eating.

  • – Consumption of alcohol in excess can lead to dehydration. Even though you may crave to opt for salty foods, it is advisable to curb that craving. Salty foods tend to further add to dehydration.
  • – Sugar rush doesn’t make things easier if you crave for those sinfully sweet chocolates or brownies to finish off your drink with. We suggest that you curb that urge as it is likely to leave you dehydrated even more.
  • – Consuming dairy products with alcohol is likely to give you that heartburn and indigestion because they are difficult to digest.
  • – Many people experience reflux and severe acidity after consuming alcohol and spicy-greasy food tend to aggravate the condition even more.

Marijuana

  • – Avoid cross-fading to cut out chances of getting trapped in greening-out effect. Cross fading is a commonly used term which means mixing marijuana and alcohol together. Usage of these two together leads to side effect known as ‘greening out’.
  • – The ‘greening out’ effect is likely to make one feel sweaty, dizzy and nauseous followed by an urgent need to lie down. Rolling that much prized joint after getting drunk may give you a unique high temporarily but it would also leave you feeling uniquely blasted. You wouldn’t want to feel that way, now would you? Besides, it may even turn out to be fatal.
  • – Alcohol is a depressant, it affects the central nervous system by slowing it down. Marijuana slows down your body functions and alcohol blood level leads to faster absorption of THC compound. The concurrent usage of alcohol and marijuana can have severe and fatal results.

Drugs and other Psychosomatic Substances

Alcohol as a depressant combined with drugs such as cocaine or heroin is like waiting for a disaster to occur.

The stimulant in cocaine makes your mind more alert whereas the depressant in alcohol tries to slow it down, it severely affects your brain by pushing it into an overdrive.

Again, the depressant in heroin combined with the depressant in alcohol is bound to slow your mind even further. It is never a wise idea to mix drugs with alcohol.

Drunk Dialing

  • – Consumption of alcohol leads to an impaired judgement. Besides adversely affecting your physical health, it also leads to many socially embarrassing situations. Riding high on alcohol, one such common mistake many people have ended up committing is drunk dialing.
  • – There are many embarrassingly epic situations a lot of us have willfully landed up in because we were too hammered to think straight. Embarrassing situations such as drunk dialing an ex or your boss or someone who you aren’t particularly fond of, the list is quite long.
  • – The repercussions and recollection of such acts may land you in muddy waters of embarrassment the following day. Also, wallowing in regret doesn’t offer much help either, does it?

Caution is the keyword to watch out for while consuming alcohol. We leave you with your better judgement.

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20

Nov 2017

Alcohol and a Glassful of Myths

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Let’s pull the curtain and clear that alcoholic daze a little more- we’ve now donned the hat of a myth buster and have adorned this role quite seriously. The number of myths from across the world can collectively and selectively create a folklore of its own. However, from the many myths surrounding consumption of alcohol, we get you a handful of the most common ones.

Alcohol keeps you warm in winters

A very comfortable myth for the ones who love to get all warmed up over somedrinks in winters. With the onset of winters, it is pertinent to break this warm and fuzzy bubble for you.What alcohol does is, that it dilates the blood vessels and you temporarily feel warm as the blood gushes right under your skin. In actuality, alcohol lowers down your core body temperature. It does not keep you warm for long during winters and it most definitely can’t prevent hypothermia from setting in.

They say- ‘Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear’

No and no – to both! Let’s sum it up here in fewer words that it does not matter which alcoholic beverage you prefer to have first, what matters is the amount of alcohol content that your drink holds.As the common sense goes, we must mention here that mixing your drinks can definitely make your tummy sicker!

 More alcohol means better action in bed

Well, what to say about this one without breaking your heart, your performance under the sheets depends on various other factors and not alcohol. Ever heard of ‘Dutch courage’, yeah it’s simply that! For the uniformed ones, alcohol only gives you a false sense of confidence besides impairing your judgement.It doesn’t matter whether you sip a glass or two of alcohol or even if you guzzle down a barrel, for a better action in bed you might as well learn a new trick or two. Period.

Mixing fruit juices with alcohol reduces the effects of alcohol

It’s a no brainer here, neither fruit juices nor energy drinks can dilute the effects of alcohol. It may alter your taste buds and make you hold your drink for longer but the alcohol content of your drink remains unchanged and so does the hangover effect if you drink like there’s no tomorrow.As you ‘drink’, so shall you reap!

Eating before meal can prevent you from getting drunk

Even though drinking alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach is a very bad idea, eating heavy meals before drinks does not guarantee that one wouldn’t get drunk. Our body absorbs alcohol through small intestine and stomach lining, so if you’ve had your meal before grabbing that drink, it’ll take longer for you to get into that buzz. Eating food beforehand can slow down the process but it can’t stop it altogether.

 Drinking coffee can prevent you from getting drunk

Simply put, coffee is nothing but a trickster here.Neither does it dilute the alcohol content from your body nor does it cure a hangover. What may come to your rescue here is gallons of water, well not quite literally so. Give yourself time and a good amount of water to feel better as it will keep you hydrated.

Check out this space to find out more as we break that glassful of myths for you!

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20

Nov 2017

Sinfully Sweet- Alcohol and Desserts

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What a brilliantly idea it is to gulp down your drink and eat it too? This one’s for the sweet toothed foodies who are also much too in love with their drinks. We’ve found some amazing desserts laced with alcohol.

Baked Alaska with Rum pudding Ice Cream

Source bhg.com

With this classic French dessert, it’s literally raining Rum here! This baked beauty is infused with rum, raisins and cream pound cake on the inside while it has meringue on the outside. Try it on a lazy Sunday brunch, It is bound to take you on a different level of ‘high’.

 Red Wine Velvet cake

Photo bybyGentl&Hyers

Source oprah.com

Impress your beau with this dessert at a special candle light dinner at home. Uncork that bottle of your favourite red wine and bake this strikingly toothsome red velvet cake with vanilla cream frosting. You’re surely going to score that home run.

Spiked Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

Source lemonandmocha.com

Tucked away in the comforts of your bed, this cream rich hot chocolate laced with alcohol is sure to keep you warm and happy during winters. Enough said.

Chocolate Fudge with Brown Sugar

Photo by Michael Graydon Nikole Harriott – Source bonappetit.com

This deliciously glazed boozy fudge with bourbon sugar is sure to leave you asking for more.

Easy Baileys Chocolate Dessert Pots

Photo Source ciaoveggies.com

Preparation 15 mins

Total 15 mins

Author Christine

Yields 4-6 portions

A 3 ingredient, 15 minute Baileys dessert to impress. Rich and flavourful, with a super creamy, luxurious texture similar to chocolate mousse. I pack it with a double shot of Baileys per portion, but it can be made much lighter if you wish!

Ingredients

  • 400g (14oz) can of coconut milk
  • 200mls (3/4 cup + 2 Tblsps) Baileys Irish Cream (This will be very boozy! Reduce for a more subtle result)
  • 200g (7oz) dark chocolate

Instructions

  1. Before you get started, you’ll need to refrigerate the coconut milk in its can overnight, or freeze it for a few hours. This allows the coconut milk to separate.
  2. Open the can of coconut milk and the thick cream should have set on the top. Spoon the cream out into a mixing bowl and discard the water left behind (you can keep this in the fridge and re-use it in a smoothie if you like)
  3. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler, or a microwave, whatever works for you. Set aside.
  4. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the coconut milk on a high speed until it’s silky and airy. It will take a few minutes.
  5. Add the Baileys to the coconut milk very slowly, followed by the melted chocolate, mixing continuously to incorporate them whilst letting as much air in as possible. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula on occasion.
  6. Once all of the ingredients are in, mix on high speed for an extra few moments for good measure.
  7. Portion into ramekins, small glasses or wine glasses.
  8. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours to achieve a silky, pudding-texture, or overnight for a more firm / set result.

Source ciaoveggie.com

Now that we’ve shared this list of boozy drinks with you, it does seem like a happy ending after all.

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31

Oct 2017

Raising awareness among students about the adverse effects of drinking

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Alcohol abuse is on the rise across all ages globally. It has the potential to manifest problems aplenty by adversely affecting physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals. The younger generation is more susceptible to falling prey to this ever increasing alcohol-culture.

How alcohol can adversely affect the lives of those afflicted by its addiction is a grave issue. It needs to be addressed and taught to the youngsters who are more prone to experiment and likely to abuse it as substance, without knowing the degree of the damage it can cause.

“The only thing that is constant is change”, said the Greek philosopher Heraclitus and we couldn’t agree more.We live in the times where social media posts spread like wildfire, they influence the young and the old alike. We cannot deny the power of social media to set trends –both, positive and negative. Being on various social media platforms is essentially the‘in-thing’and the pressure to keep up with the ‘happening party or alcohol culture’ willfully tags along. To say, that the increased exposure to social media and the rise of pub-culture is directly proportional to increased alcohol consumption wouldn’t be fair. However, the overbearing struggle to create a ‘cool image’ and the peer pressure impacts the impressionable minds of the young and the restless.We need to sensitize our approach towards the fragile and highly impressionable minds which are already high on hormonal kick.Keeping up with the changing times, short films and social media as a tool can be utilized to promote awareness about alcohol addiction and its vices besides many other social causes.

Along with sex education, adequate measures should be taken to initiate programs in schools and colleges for the youngsters to raise awareness about harmful effects of alcohol and other substance abuse. Effective and timely measures can prevent early addiction and dependency on alcohol. It begins with harmless intention of experimentation but it can potentially turn out to be an experiment gone horribly wrong.

As it goes,parents are the first teachers and home is the first school where a child learns about behavioural patterns and inculcates those as habits.Hence, the responsibility also lies with the parents to avoid drinking when their kids are around. This conscious step in turn preventsindirectly exposing the kids to alcohol. A point worth remembering for both, parents and teachers is the need to keep the communication channel with kids-students open. In other words, they should be easily approachable to youngsters for any advice and assistance needed without the fear of being reprimanded.

With increased awareness, the youngsters are less likely to fall prey to the vices of alcohol addiction at a tender age. To have a fragile sapling grow into a healthy plant or a tree, we need to nurture it wholeheartedly. It thus becomes a collective responsibility of the society.Taking these carefully measured baby steps leads to a brighter future for these young minds.

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31

Oct 2017

Sensitize it, don’t glamorize it -Movies and binge drinking

Posted by / in Binge Drinking / No comments yet

There are diverse factors which are associated with alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse. These include various social, psychological, economic, biological, environmental factors which collectively play a major role in influencing an individual’s alcohol consumption habits. It has also been observed that movies play a vital role in influencing the social framework and the alcohol culture as portrayed in the movies undeniably influences the masses. An increasing alcohol culture in the movies only endorses the existing evil by glamorizing it.

Various Studies have been conducted to find out the factors which lead to binge drinking and alcoholism. In a recent study it has been observed that adolescents are more prone to being influenced by movies and movie stars. When exposed to drinking in movies, they are at an even greater risk of falling prey to binge drinking and develop other alcohol related problems as adults.

Macroscopically, even though movies do not directly promote alcohol consumption or other substance abuse, however they do impact the minds of the masses by glamorizing the consumption of alcohol. When people see an actor enjoying a drink or two on reel life and portraying the role of a drunkard, the likelihood of people imbibing that habit in real life greatly increases.Society and movies share a necessary symbiotic relationship. Movies draw inspiration from real life and in turn influence the society, both negatively and positively. These stories and our reality share a connection–  some are about the lives we only wish to lead and some are ‘us’, the lives which we lead and we often identify with them and idolize those characters.  Some characters pull those heart strings and their emotional journey within the movie seems very relatable to people.

How often have we sympathized at the plight of that utterly heartbroken man who’s crying rivers and diving in pools of alcohol for the lost love. We have immortalized that ‘tragic hero’ who couldn’t handle the betrayal when his lady love marries another man and eventually he surrenders the reins of his life to alcohol. The level of pathos around the ‘crestfallen lover’ has been glamorized to such a great extent that it has become a norm to address broken hearted lovers by the name of that character. It is not about only one such character, you wouldn’t even have to dig deeper or rake your brains for hours, there are numerous such movie characters, on the home turf and internationally.It is also observed that there has been a gradual yet a massive shift in the portrayal of a ‘strong, fearless, modern woman’ who works hard and parties even harder but not without a glass of alcohol in her hand or that mafia who sips only the finest scotch.Drinking here becomes synonymous with portrayal of strength, freedom, power and fear.

An increased alcohol culture in the movies has turned binge drinking and alcoholism into an ultimate solution to any problem and an obvious extension of human emotions. Consumption of alcohol has been made into a ‘cool’ norm. Celebration, tragedy, losses- of all kinds, you name it and alcohol is the answer to everything under the sun. Last we heard, it can mend broken hearts too!

Cinema as a medium has also inspired path breaking mass-movements by giving voice to many social causes. Movies are capable to revolutionizing an entire generation and many more to come.The captivating world and character portrayals shown on the big screen have always charmed people. Not only do they idolize the movie stars, but people also idolize the on screen characters played by the actors. People are more prone to be influenced to consume alcohol when they see drinking as a ‘norm’ in movies. Thus, there is a greater need to utilize this medium even more responsibly and positively.

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