Monday, August 20, 2018

Toastmaster P7 speech : How much is enough ?

Opening
    Jack daniels, black label, double black, royal stag, blenders pride, baccardi, bira, sula. Most of us have heard these brands. And some of us have memories associated with them. Some good and some bad. Some which we keep on trying to deny.

    Good morning toastmasters and fellow guests, today I am not going to talk about the bad effects of alcohol. I am not going to tell you that alcohol may destroy your liver. You all know the ill effects of alcohol. What I am going to talk about is how to control your drinks.

Body

    As per wikipedia, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.03% to 0.06% is enough to get you happy. Whereas a blood alcohol content of 0.2% to 0.3% can lead to nausea and blackout. The permissible legal limit in india for driving is 0.03% which is around 1 drink for someone weighing 73 Kg. And it would take 10 drinks for him to black out.

    I have blacked out multiple times during office parties. I still thank my friends who dropped me home during those difficult times. And I have paid my dues by dropping them home during their difficult times. I still recall a very rare moment when I was drunk and so was my friend. Only difference was that I was standing and he was lying on the footpath. While I was trying to figure out ways to get him home, a sardarji came and said "It is better to not have friends like these". Mind works in miraculous ways when you are drunk. That got me thinking - how much is enough to keep me tipsy and happy and still get me home.
   
    Keeping wikipedia aside, it is important to know your limit. How many drinks can you take before you black out. As some of us know, limits change with age and location. Still, it is important to have a rough idea. Now divide that limit by half. This is how how much is enough for you at an office party. 2/3rd of that limit is enough for you when you are drinking at a friend's place. Because, you know that if you are not dropped home, you can crash at his place. But, if you are at home, you can drink way past that limit.

    Another important tip is to time your drinks. First few drinks are generally fast because you are in a hurry to get high. But later drinks should be spaced out at increasing intervals. If the mathematics turns to be too complex, a simple rule of thumb is to spend 30 minutes or more per drink.

    As per National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - moderate consumption of alcohol is good for health. Moderate consumption means single drink for women and upto 2 drinks for men per day is said to decrease the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Conclusion
    The statistics that we looked at say that 1-2 drinks every day is enough to keep us happy and improve our health. How much do you think is enough is for you to decide. After all, it is your liver and your health. But most important is to avoid those memories which you cannot remember. Drink responsibly, don’t spill it and reach your home on your own two feet.