Your Guide to Having a Safe and Healthy New Year’s Eve

When celebrating New Year’s Eve, many Canadians opt to go out and ring in the New Year with friends – which usually means alcohol and unhealthy food. However, it’s important to ensure not just your own safety, but the safety of those around you. In order to do that, Vancouver physician, Dr. Ali Ghahary, shares tips on how to stay healthy and avoid some common dangers.

If you do plan on drinking alcohol, Dr. Ali Ghahary recommends limiting your intake to just 1 or 2 drinks. You’ll also want to drink it slowly – this is because our bodies tend to absorb alcohol much quicker than they can metabolize it, meaning you’ll get drunk quicker as well as wake up with a bad hangover the next morning. January 1st also tends to be the date with the highest percentage of alcohol-related to deaths, so if you do plan on drinking make sure you’re not getting behind the wheel of a vehicle and either have a designated driver or opt for public transportation. TransLink is offering extended service along with free fare until 5 A.M. on New Year’s Day. Also be wary of other potentially impaired drivers and call 911 if you notice anything suspicious.

When drinking alcohol it’s also important to know what you should and should not mix. While people will often drink different types of alcohol throughout the night (i.e. mixing beer and wine), this can actually make you quite sick and you may wind up with an even worse hangover. Many medications can also interact with alcohol – such as increase certain side effects like nausea and fatigue. While it may be safe to have 1 drink while taking certain medications, always make sure you check with your doctor or pharmacist prior to consuming any alcoholic beverages. As an alternative, many grocery stores offer non-alcohol sparkling ciders. They are just as good and you’ll avoid any serious health problems, which is for the better.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, weight loss is the biggest goal amongst Canadians going into the New Year. As such, people will often try to consume as much sugary, fatty foods on New Year’s Eve. However, instead of opting for eating healthier once a new year rolls around, Dr. Ali Ghahary recommends making healthy eating a part of your daily routine – even on New Year’s Eve. You can find many healthy eating options by clicking here.

Have a safe and happy new year!