By Brianna Dickinson

Aside from the health consequences binge drinking can bring about—excessive drinking can have some pretty unattractive effects on your appearance. Keep reading as we answer the question: How 'cool' does drinking really make you look?

Do I look fat?
Alcohol is fattening because it adds empty non-nutritional calories to your body. Toxins in alcohol contribute to the buildup of cellulite. There are around 125 calories in a medium-sized (175ml) glass of wine; 500+ in a bottle. A vodka and coke or gin and tonic is 120 calories, so imagine the cocktails, ladies!

No more beauty sleep?
Alcohol affects the normal sleep process, so as your body is trying to catch up to deal with daily stresses, the alcohol is making it harder for your body to do so. The deep sleep the body needs is when the body is restoring itself, but alcohol can interfere with this. So, instead of the usual 6-7 cycles of REM sleep, you’ll only have 1-2 and may wake up feeling–and looking–exhausted.

Can't I just wear more make-up?
At least women have the option of make-up to hide the tell-tale hangover signs, right? Only for a while! Research has shown that drinking more than government recommends promotes aging, wrinkles, swelling of the capillaries under the skin, glassy eyes, aggravated acne, a puffy face and Rosacea, a skin disorder. When you abuse alcohol, you tend to be undernourished, which can make your hair dry out, give you cracked lips, and make you feel depressed and tired. Not to mention, alcohol also affects your coordination–something make-up cannot hide.

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists explains: “Alcohol dehydrates your body generally, including the skin, which is your body’s largest organ. This happens every time you drink. Alcohol is also thought to deprive the skin of certain vital vitamins and nutrients,” she concludes.

Even more unattractive?
Speaking of morning-after problems! It is said that drunk and hung-over people don't smell too good because five to ten percent of the alcohol leaves the body straight through your breath, sweat and urine.

Still think drinking is attractive? Think again! Although drinking can have some detrimental effects on your appearance, what it does to your health is a more concerning matter. To learn more about alcohol's affect on your health, visit this article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Brianna Dickinson is an Operation PAR intern and junior at Eckerd College majoring in International Relations Global Affairs with minors in Spanish and Sociology. Brianna is originally from Atlanta and hopes to live in a Latin America country soon through the Peace Corps.

It's that time again–school is out and the kids are bouncing off the walls with boredom. Never fear! There are plenty of ways for kids and teens to stay active and have fun in Pinellas County all summer long!

From free options like volunteering, to summer camps and park programs–there is something for everyone! Check out these ideas for keeping kids and teens busy (and out of trouble!).

Give Back to the Community
Volunteering is a wonderful way for teens to make use of their free time over the summer. They will learn a valuable lesson in helping others and may even earn volunteer hours toward the high school graduation requirement that many schools have. Visit this link to search for volunteer opportunities in Pinellas County.

• VIP: Volunteers in Pinellas

Visit a Park or Volunteer at One
There are so many options for beautiful parks to visit in Pinellas County, but you can volunteer at parks as well. Visit the county's website to learn more.

• Volunteer in Parks

Join the Y
The YMCA of the Suncoast has 10 locations and offers various programs from summer camps to fitness classes, swimming lessons and sports programs for kids and teens of all ages.

• YMCA of the Suncoast

Enroll in a Summer Camp
Summer camps are a great way for kids and teens to stay active, make new friends and continue learning over the summer. There are a variety of summer camp programs in the Pinellas County area, but here are just a few to check out:

• Pinellas County Summer Camps 2012
   
• Tampa Bay Watch Summer Camps

• American Stage 2012 Summer Theater Programs
   
• City of Largo Summer Camp Programs

• Clearwater Marine Aquarium Summer Camp

Whether teens want to make the most of their summer by giving back to their community, making new friends or learning life skills, there are plenty of options in Pinellas County. LiveFree! is an organization focused on educating people about and ending substance abuse in Pinellas County. Our goal is to make the community a better place for us to live in and for our children to grow up in. Learn more about our goals by visiting us online.

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Making the Most of Your Study Session
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Your kids want to be just like you, right? Sometimes parents forget this and may not always set the best examples for their children to live by. You want your children to have positive role models in life, but you might be forgetting that you–their parent–are the most influential role model they have. Make sure you are setting a positive example as your child's role model.

So, what makes a good role model? There are many ways we influence our children, from decision-making skills to self-esteem. Here are 8 tips for making sure you're a  positive influence on your children.

1. Show Your Love
Make sure your children know you love them unconditionally. Even if you are unhappy with their behavior or need to discipline them at times, you should still show that you love them.

2. Stay Involved
Be involved in your children's lives outside of home, whether it is to watch them play sports or act as a member of their school's PTA. Show them that you value education and extracurricular activities.

3. Exude Positive Self-Esteem
Make sure you children know you are proud of who you are and what you do. Be confident and happy about yourself, and your children should feel the same about themselves. Avoid making negative comments or putting yourself down in front of your children.

4. Share Values
We all want to teach our children right from wrong–the best way to do so is to lead by example. Many of our values are learned from our parents and stick with us for life.

5. Share Healthy Habits
If you want your children to have healthy habits, you've got to set the example. Set healthy living habits by going to the doctor and dentist on schedule, cooking and eating healthy, and exercising regularly. Avoid abusing drugs, smoking and other risky behaviors.

6. Drink Responsibly
If you drink alcohol, do it responsibly, don't drink and drive, and never encourage your kids or teens to drink underage.

7. Admit Mistakes
You expect your children to admit when they make a mistake or do something wrong, so show them that even you make mistakes. But reiterate the importance of apologizing.

8. Share Success & Failure
If you appear to be perfect to your children, they will feel regret when they experience a failure. Make sure they know that even Mom and Dad aren't always perfect!

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Prom is something you’re going to remember for the rest of your life; it’s the highlight of your high school career, and YOU make the choice on how you want to remember it. It should be a time when you are surrounded by friends, fun and dancing–an all-around celebration. You are graduating high school and moving on to college, leaving your longtime friends and entering the next big stage of your life. As you invest in YOU and your future, you have an opportunity to make important decisions and evaluate personal choices. Please consider choices that avoid underage drinking, prescription drug use, tobacco use, marijuana use and other drug use.

When alcohol and drugs become involved, prom can also be a dangerous time for teens. Alcohol and drug use can lead to other risky behaviors like driving under the influence, physical or emotional violence, sexual mistakes and accidental overdose. Prom should be a celebration that you remember forever–it should never end in tragedy.

It’s up to you to make healthy decisions this prom and celebrate without drugs or alcohol. When you look back at this memory years down the road, you’ll be proud of yourself and the positive choices you made.

Pledge to make healthy decisions this prom by tweeting to @LiveFreeFL and encourage your friends to do the same. Friends are the most powerful influence over other teens–make sure you are a positive one.

How to Tweet your LiveFree! Prom Pledge

Use our pre-written tweet: @LiveFree: I pledge to have a safe, fun prom, free from alcohol and drugs. #LiveFreeProm

Or create your own, making sure to tweet @LiveFreeFL and include the hashtag #LiveFreeProm