DECATUR - Wise County Messenger
DECATUR - Wise County Messenger
DECATUR - Wise County Messenger
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ALL AROUND WISE, Decatur, Texas, Thursday, December 18, 2008 9<br />
Drink the first glass. Sip<br />
he second slowly. Skip the<br />
hird.<br />
— Attributed to Knute<br />
Rockne, former Notre Dame<br />
football coach<br />
With Christmas and New<br />
Year’s Day cited by health<br />
experts as among the highest-risk<br />
periods for heavy<br />
alcohol consumption, it’s<br />
clear that Christmas trees<br />
aren’t all that tend to be<br />
well lit during the holidays.<br />
Even people who generally<br />
are light drinkers sometimes<br />
overdo it at holiday<br />
parties, according to Mimi<br />
Martinez-McKay of the<br />
Texas Department of State<br />
Health Services.<br />
“The problem isn’t so<br />
much what we think of as<br />
binge drinking,” Martinez-<br />
McKay said. “It’s more a<br />
matter of people consuming<br />
more alcohol than they’re<br />
accustomed to in a concentrated<br />
time period.”<br />
The risks of this spike<br />
in excessive drinking are<br />
obvious: Increases in traffic<br />
accidents, domestic violence<br />
and sexual assaults,<br />
as well as adverse health<br />
effects ranging from simple<br />
hangovers to hospital admissions<br />
for alcohol toxicity<br />
reactions.<br />
If you expect to be present<br />
at parties or other settings<br />
where alcohol will be<br />
served, health experts urge<br />
an advance planning approach<br />
based on limiting<br />
TEXAS HEALTH MATTERS<br />
Moderate approach limits<br />
risks of holiday drinking<br />
consumption and protecting<br />
your safety and that of others<br />
if you do over-indulge.<br />
Keeping holiday drinking<br />
under control is largely a<br />
matter of being aware that<br />
seasonal parties make it<br />
easy for a two-drink-pernight<br />
person to over-imbibe<br />
without really trying.<br />
One key, McKay said, is to<br />
limit the number of holiday<br />
parties you attend. This approach<br />
has the dual benefit<br />
of reducing the total number<br />
of drinks consumed and<br />
lowering the risk of driving<br />
while intoxicated. Even if<br />
you have only one or two<br />
“just to be polite” drinks per<br />
party, the cumulative effect<br />
can be similar to binge<br />
drinking at one party.<br />
Another smart approach<br />
to managing your alcohol<br />
intake is to drink water and<br />
other non-alcoholic beverages<br />
— especially if you already<br />
have consumed two<br />
or more alcoholic drinks.<br />
Smart holiday hosts increasingly<br />
are offering<br />
guests refreshing alcohol-free<br />
drinks, including<br />
non-alcoholic wines, champagnes<br />
and beers. This not<br />
only makes life easier for<br />
those who are trying to<br />
moderate their intake but<br />
also reduces potential social<br />
awkwardness for nondrinkers.<br />
Hosts also should be<br />
aware that pushing drinks<br />
on guests is not only unwise<br />
but inconsiderate to guests<br />
who are trying to take a<br />
smarter approach to getting<br />
in the holiday spirit.<br />
‘How Fast’ and ‘How<br />
Much’ both matter<br />
If you’re blessed with exceptional<br />
will power, a simpler<br />
option exists: decide<br />
upon an absolute limit in<br />
advance and “cut yourself<br />
off” when you reach it. Recognize,<br />
too, that your rate<br />
of consumption matters<br />
just as much as the total<br />
amount you drink. Blood<br />
alcohol concentration is<br />
the key factor in intoxication<br />
level, so downing three<br />
drinks in 20 minutes will<br />
have far greater impact<br />
than if you consume them<br />
at one-hour intervals.<br />
How do you know what<br />
your blood alcohol level is<br />
Hand-held breath analysis<br />
devices are available at<br />
many pharmacies, but they<br />
aren’t always practical to<br />
carry and tend to be less<br />
accurate than those used<br />
by law officers.<br />
An easier approach is<br />
to be aware of the rate at<br />
which alcohol is metabolized.<br />
In general alcohol is<br />
burned off at the average<br />
rate of about one standard<br />
drink (for example, one<br />
flute of champagne) per<br />
hour. Be aware, though,<br />
that total body alcohol concentration<br />
rises faster for<br />
a person with a small body<br />
mass than for a larger individual.<br />
Other key factors in how<br />
quickly alcohol builds up<br />
in your blood include fat<br />
content and gender. Leaner<br />
folks feel intoxicated more<br />
quickly because fat slows<br />
alcohol absorption, and<br />
women metabolize alcohol<br />
differently than men, resulting<br />
in partially metabolized<br />
alcohol staying longer<br />
in the bloodstream.<br />
The result: a man may<br />
take five drinks to reach a<br />
blood alcohol concentration<br />
of .08 while a small woman<br />
may reach that same level<br />
with only two or three<br />
drinks.<br />
It’s smart, then, to limit<br />
total consumption, drink<br />
slowly, adjust consumption<br />
to your body type, and consume<br />
food as well as drink<br />
to further slow alcohol absorption.<br />
Finally, if you do feel<br />
you’ve celebrated a bit too<br />
vigorously, be safe and considerate<br />
by taking a cab<br />
home, asking another person<br />
to drive or even spending<br />
the night in a hotel if<br />
this is an option.<br />
Regardless of how well<br />
you’ve been able to stick to<br />
your party-smart strategy,<br />
it’s never too late to make<br />
decisions you’ll be pleased<br />
with the morning after.<br />
■<br />
Texas Health Matters is<br />
provided by the Texas Health<br />
and Human Services Commission.<br />
The columns focus<br />
on consumer-related issues<br />
dealing with health.<br />
Hole Sponsors<br />
Farmer’s Insurance/ Ronnie Uselton<br />
Comet Cleaners<br />
Cook & McDonald CPAs<br />
Decatur Women’s Health Center<br />
Accent Movers<br />
Angels Care Home Health<br />
Fit-N-<strong>Wise</strong><br />
2K Pawn Shop<br />
Sandy Creek Properties, L.L.C.<br />
<strong>Wise</strong> Electric Cooperative<br />
Woodruff & Wren<br />
Miller & Haney, L.L.P<br />
Slaten Bros Trucking<br />
Smith RV<br />
Floors and More<br />
H. Frank Thornton, CPA<br />
Chris Miller Farmer’s Insurance<br />
Curtis Mortgage Inc.<br />
Decatur Tank Trucks<br />
Decatur Lumber Company<br />
Decatur Tire & Service Center<br />
Double Creek Capital<br />
Sandford Properties<br />
North Central Texas Orthopaedics<br />
Pro Cuts<br />
Stephens, Bastian & Cartwright, LP<br />
Vincent Investment Management<br />
Data Link Payroll Services<br />
Dry Clean Super Center<br />
Garrett Creek Ranch<br />
Edward Surveying<br />
Geary’s Tax Service<br />
Dr. Stockard Sports Medicine<br />
Lori Reeves, Attorney at Law<br />
Ryan Walter, MD<br />
1st Choice Truck Lube<br />
Howell & Moore CPA’s<br />
Beverage Sponsors<br />
“A” Quality Replacement Glass Co.<br />
North Texas Bank, N.A.<br />
FX5 Custom Homes - John Fuller<br />
Simpson, Boyd & Powers<br />
JMT Design<br />
Edward Jones<br />
Jeremy House and Randy Bowker<br />
WrapItUp<br />
You buy the gift and choose<br />
the paper, then we will wrap<br />
it up for you!<br />
Pick Up & Delivery<br />
Available!<br />
Destination Fee may apply<br />
1666 W. Hwy. 114<br />
Next door to Tan Your Hide<br />
940-683-4200<br />
940-393-1485<br />
Decatur Junior<br />
Woman’s Club<br />
would like to THANK everyone that made our<br />
17th annual “Park Classic”<br />
Golf Tournament<br />
a huge success.<br />
Club House Sponsors<br />
<strong>Wise</strong> Liquors<br />
Decatur Academy for Children<br />
DATCU<br />
North Central Texas Orthopaedics<br />
Walters, Balido & Crain, LLP<br />
Raffle Items & Goody Bag Items<br />
North Texas Bank<br />
Platinum Oilfield Services<br />
Excellent Dental - Fred Renfro Jr., DDS<br />
Smith & Green Attorneys<br />
James Wood Motors<br />
Walmart<br />
DATCU<br />
4L Oilfield Services<br />
Radio Shack/<strong>Wise</strong> Wireless<br />
Patti’s Hair Parlor<br />
Karl Klement Ford/Dodge<br />
Decatur Garden Center<br />
Sweetie Pies<br />
Firehouse Gym<br />
Bloomoon Pet Resort<br />
Attention to Detail<br />
The Gift Shop<br />
Century 21 - Sue Ann Denton<br />
Here’s Your Sign<br />
Lowes<br />
State Farm- Cary Bohn<br />
<strong>Wise</strong> Liquors<br />
Riverchase Golf Club<br />
Auction Items<br />
AGvantage<br />
Legend Bank<br />
Portraits by Renitta<br />
Fit-N-<strong>Wise</strong><br />
J-Robs<br />
Bridgeport Country Club<br />
Anissa August<br />
TLC by Stephanie<br />
Lowes<br />
State Farm - Cary Bohn<br />
Food<br />
Platinum Oilfield Services<br />
JAMES WOOD<br />
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And throughout the county line,<br />
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without a subscription,<br />
Losing countless dollars<br />
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Sonata<br />
$<br />
35<br />
for a full year!<br />
<strong>DECATUR</strong><br />
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