St. Patrick's Day Letter to the Editor

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, thoughts of parades, wearing green, music and song, Irish food and drinking green beer come to mind.
As you plan to celebrate, consider your DUI.Q. Do you know how many drinks it takes before you are under the influence? How your weight affects your blood alcohol concentration? Or your gender? Or how many hours you've been drinking?
Find out what your DUI.Q. is by logging on to www.your-duiq.com and learn what your blood alcohol concentration is when you consume different types of alcohol. The amount of alcohol in a person’s body is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood. This is called blood alcohol concentration or BAC.
Alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach and the small intestine, moves into the bloodstream, and throughout the body and brain.
Factors that affect your BAC are…
The number of drinks. The more you drink, the higher the BAC. Take note of the size of the glass or container the drink is in. It may be more than one serving.

Strength of drinks. No drink is “safer” than another. One 12-ounce beer has the same alcohol content as a 5-ounce glass of wine or 1 ¼ ounce shot of 80-proof liquor.

How fast you drink. When alcohol is consumed quickly, you will reach a higher BAC than when it is consumed over a longer period of time. Take small sips of your drink and try alternating drinks with a soda or water.

Your gender. Women generally have less water and more body fat per pound of body weight than men. Alcohol does not go into fat cells as easily as other cells, so more alcohol remains in the blood of women.

Your weight. The more you weigh, the more water is present in your body. This water dilutes the alcohol and lowers the BAC.

Food in your stomach. Absorption will be slowed if you’ve had something to eat. Try eating high protein foods like cheese and peanuts.

Emotional state. When a person is emotional or stressed, their body tends to divert blood away from the stomach and small intestines, and instead moves it to the muscles. This reduced blood flow slows the absorption of alcohol in the body.

Medication. Use alcohol carefully when taking prescription or even over-the-counter medication. Some medications can dramatically increase the effects of alcohol.
Remember…there’s no such thing as “driving a little buzzed.” If you’re “buzzed,” you’re driving under the influence---in other words, you’re drunk!
Before you celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, know your limit, assign a designated driver or make someone your key boss. When you're out with friends, you're not just responsible for yourself. If you suspect that anyone in your group is impaired, join together to keep that person from driving.
Drink as a group, be responsible as a group.

Karla Heeter
Buffalo Hospital Foundation
Safe Communities of Wright County Board Member