Alcohol

Woman are more vulnerable to alcohol than men. We have more fat and less water than men, so we absorb more alcohol, get drunk more quickly and are more susceptable to its toxic effects. It's not just hangovers - alcohol affects immunity, making you more prone to infections in the short term, and in the long term raising the risk of breast, bowel, stomach, mouth and liver cancers, high blood pressure, stroke, alcohol-related liver disease and osteoporosis.

Experts say risk is low if you stick to recommended limits. Want (or need) to cut down? 

• Ask for a small glass in wine bars and pubs. Since October 2010, alcohol retailers are obliged by law to offer customers a choice of small measures beer, cider, spirits and wine. So if you want a 125ml glass of wine, that's what you should get.
• Rediscover spritzers or add a mixer to make your drink last longer.
• Go for lower alcohol wines. New World wines (hotter climates) tend to be stronger than those from the cooler climes of Northern Europe. With fizz, northern Italian Proseccos are typically weaker than Champagne.
• Take a break between drinks and have a soft drink or water.
• Only drink with a meal - not before or after you have eaten.
• If you feel like a drink, try having a cup of tea or coffee first - you may not feel like a drink afterwards.
• Have a dry month. It will reduce your tolerance for alcohol when you start drinking again.
• Either confine drinking to the weekend, or have at least three alcohol-free days a week.

Good Housekeeping, April 2014