BermyNet — a blessing or a bind? No need to take your camera out on a Saturday night and great photos until twelve— but thereafter all hell breaks loose. For modern day Cinderellas, sweaty foreheads, smudged mascara and humidity hair all kick in after the stroke of midnight. The problem with having professional photographers mingling with the crowds is that there's evidence of your dishevelled fun and frolics the next day — on the Internet. In a country where everybody knows everybody.

However, last weekend, when on a (hmmm, how do I put this?) lively hen do — and after one or two glasses of champagne — we thought photographs would be a brilliant idea. But come Monday morning, when we realised that BermyNet was monopolised by pictures of our fabulous hen Laura with a blow-up doll and peppermint peckers (really), we weren't so sure.

Amusing? Very. Sensible? Er, maybe not!

There's no getting away from it. Alcohol affects your personality and sense of reality. It's often seen as a good thing as it can help you relax or feel more confident. Yet as most of us know, drinking too much can go beyond amusing — it's also responsible for a lot of poor-judgment and ill-health.

Don't get me wrong, I've had my fair share of toe-curling alcohol-related incidents (in fact, I never want to see an Apple Martini ever again.) However fortunately or unfortunately — I can never decide which — as I have learned more about nutrition and the impact of alcohol on the body, a boozy night out no longer holds quite the same appeal. Because, if I start drinking too much, I know exactly what it's doing to my body and that puts me off.

The worst scenario for me is hangover doom and gloom, because not only do I feel terrible, I also know that of all people, I should know better.

Now, today is "No Alcohol Day", so what better day to start considering seriously the amount of alcohol you drink? In many ways, I wish they wouldn't pick a Friday, especially at the start of Happy Hour season, as I think so many people write off the idea of not drinking anything when they are relaxing after a long week.

Yet it's probably also the day on which we should give it the most serious thought. Because how many of us have too many drinks on a Monday? If you're not into the idea of having no alcohol today, then at least have a think about how much you drink on a weekly basis. The American Heart Association recommends no more than one drink daily for women, or one to two drinks for men.

One drink equates to a 12oz beer, a 4oz glass of wine (that's very small by the way!), 1.5oz of 80-proof spirits or 1oz of 100-proof spirits.

What happens if you drink more? Well aside from accidental BermyNet exposure, you also raise your risks of the following: alcoholism, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide and accidents.

However, if you're like me, then statistical threats don't really make much impact. What makes the difference is understanding exactly how alcohol affects your liver— so do you know exactly what it is that your liver does?

Most people know that the liver "detoxifies" but aren't really sure of the other functions. The liver actually takes nutrients from your digestive tract and uses them for building protein and boosting blood sugar. It makes sure that the cholesterol you eat and the cholesterol your body makes, is used for your benefit (e.g. nurturing nerve and brain cells) rather than becoming harmful. The liver rearranges amino acids so that you have the specific protein you need, takes iron to the bone marrow to make new red blood cells and synthesises hormones.

In addition, it breaks toxins down to safer substances, eliminates them or even stores them if there are too many in the body. And that just scratches the surface.

As a consequence, every part of your body relies to an extent on your liver. This means that if your liver is toxic, or under-functioning, your health will be adversely affected too.

Even though the liver can safely store some toxins, if it has to store too many then it can be damaged and your health will suffer as a result. As well as putting yourself at risk from major diseases and accidents, an overloaded liver can also result in weight gain, imbalanced hormones, poor digestion, suppressed immunity, bad skin, headaches, cellulite and nausea.

Further, alcohol and the byproduct acetaldehyde, are both toxic to the liver and must be broken down using nutrients (especially zinc) that could otherwise be used to benefit your body. Alcohol also increases the amount of fat in your liver — which in itself gives the liver more work to do, but also makes it less able to do its job.

However, the liver is capable of detoxifying some alcohol so it is fine to drink in moderation. Bear in mind though that while the research shows that one or two drinks are okay for most healthy people, this doesn't mean that you can save up your daily allowance and have 14 drinks on a Friday!

Imagine a coastline with a floodwall that can cope with waves two feet high. What happens if 14-foot waves crash in against the wall? Flooding, damage, devastation— you get my point.

I'm sure that many people will participate in No Alcohol Day and BermyNet may well have a quiet weekend as a result. However, I really think that the greatest value here lies in recognising how much you drink on a cumulative basis. Add up the units as you go over the next week and see how much you regularly drink.

For those of you that don't drink, or drink minimally, good on you! For those that drink more, it's time for a reality check.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist. She can be contacted at 291-4725 or clinicalnutrition@gmail.com.