an estimated 20 per cent of all female drinkers and 30 per cent of all male drinkers report engaging in risky alcohol consumption on at least a monthly basis. Part of the surge could be due to the mixed messages we get about alcohol. The good-for-yourheart red wine diet continues to draw followers, just as winery tours in bucolic surroundings do. But there’s another element.
RISE OF THE “ALCOPOP” It started in the late ’90s, when the alcohol industry was in the doldrums. Beer sales were flat, so women became the target, giving birth to the “alcopop” how to keep industry. Sweet, brightlythe booze at bay coloured rum- or vodkabased drinks hit the Set limits for yourself market, Johnston says. and abide by them. Wines were branded Drink slowly. Have no with women-friendly more than two drinks names or touted as lowin any three hours. calorie beverages. The For every drink of “pinking” of the industry alcohol, have one had begun, Johnston non-alcoholic drink. says. Television shows Find drinks you like like Sex and the City with a low alcohol featured drinking as part content. of a successful woman’s Eat before and while life. It’s no wonder that you are drinking. women bought into a Have complete days lifestyle with a death off from drinking sentence. every week. The “Girls’ Night Out Always consider your Wines” website says: age, body weight and “When women get health problems that together, curious things might suggest lower happen. We talk, we laugh, limits. we eat and we drink, Don’t mix alcohol but we also support, with medication or encourage, applaud and other drugs. share. Whether you’re Avoid drinking before going out to meet with driving, operating your book club, having a machinery and potluck dinner, getting engaging in any ready for a night out on physically risky the town, or staying in to activities. watch a DVD, Girls’ Night Out goes with anything.” And from the “Mommy Juice Wines” website: “Being a mom is a constant juggling act. Whether it’s playdates and homework, diapers and burp cloths, or finding that perfect balance between work and home, Moms everywhere deserve a break. So tuck your kids into
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