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Alcohol is getting expensive - and other reasons why you should drink less

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Alcohol is expensive, but there are other reasons to motivate you to cut back.
Alcohol is expensive, but there are other reasons to motivate you to cut back.

The budget speech has just been aired — and it's bad news if you like your drink. The impact of the so-called "sin tax" will cause significant price increases on alcoholic beverages.

Read more about what you can expect to pay on Fin24.

But these price increases might be a little easier to swallow if you can be convinced of the negative effects of alcohol on your health.

Here are a few Health24 stories on the topic:

1. How heavy drinking might boost your appetite for alcohol

According to this study, regular binges and heavy drinking may trigger DNA changes that can make your booze cravings even worse.

"This may help explain why alcoholism is such a powerful addiction, and may one day contribute to new ways to treat alcoholism or help prevent at-risk people from becoming addicted," said study author Dipak Sarkar.

beer

2. Can 1 or 2 drinks really make you live longer?

If you really cannot sacrifice your midweek glass of wine, you can still do it in moderation as a treat. It will be better for your budget if you cut back, and will also benefit your health, according to research.

friends drinking wine

3. How much alcohol is too much alcohol? A nutritionist weighs in

Alcohol will make your wallet thin, but not reduce your waistline. In this article, a nutritionist explains how alcohol can significantly jeopardise your weight-loss efforts.

man with beer belly holding beer

4. I wet my bed after a few drinks – alcohol and urinary incontinence

Alcohol can have unpleasant consequences, and not only for your budget. In the case of urinary incontinence, alcohol can be a cause or a trigger. Waking up with soaked sheets is unpleasant and, quite frankly, embarrassing when you're an adult. But there are numerous people who experience this nasty side effect after a few too many drinks.

Friends drinking beer

5. SEE – why you are drinking more alcohol than you realise

“But I only had four glasses during the course of the entire evening,” we hear you say. It might not sound so bad, but your serving size is probably bigger than you think. Watch the video to find out more.

Drinking and smoking

Take our quiz to find out if you might be drinking too much.

Image credit: iStock

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