How much should you drink?

[sgeeeee]

The subject of who drinks and how much came up several months ago. Here's an interesting article about a recent study.

http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/c...130/117769.htm

Cheers.

[laurence]

4 drinks? Awesome! I can get my buzz on without feeling guilty!

[califdreamer]

I just read sg's post after starting a poll regarding drinking habits under the Health category. I hope I didn't duplicate something done here recently

I've often heard recommendations of having 2 drinks/day (for men) but 4 seems a wee much. Maybe I'm more moderate than I give myself credit for

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Good post.

The ever-increasing information on alcohol and longevity presents somewhat of a problem for health advice: alcohol causes so much damage to so many people that no one wants to advise that we increase our intake. Yet for those with no damage, no alcoholism, etc. it is likely that the proverbial 1-1.5 servings for men, about 2/3 that for women per day is probably beneficial.

DW and I split a bottle of wine maybe 3 times a week, maybe 60/40 in my favor (asset allocation). Slowly, with dinner and lingering conversation. It is delightful and very much part of our ritual.

Total per week: probably 9 drinks for me, maybe 6 for her. Sometimes much less, rarely more at a weekend nondriving party. Been doing it for years, since the nest emptied. We avoided this with kids at home to circumvent the appearance of hypocrisy of drinking while we told them not to.

Probably wouldn't want to go higher, but so far it is all good.

[cube_rat]

I was a major wino wine connoisseur and found that indulging a little too much elevated my blood pressure (150-160 over 80-90). It's been almost a year without wine or alcohol of any kind and my BP now averages 105-110 over 60-70.

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cube_rat I was a major wino wine connoisseur and found that indulging a little too much elevated my blood pressure (150-160 over 80-90). It's been almost a year without wine or alcohol of any kind and my BP now averages 105-110 over 60-70.

Yeah, Cube, too bad if it's something you enjoyed.

Some studies indicate that up to 10-12% of all cases of hypertension are due to alcohol, and it doesn't have to be alot of alcohol in susceptible people. You may be able to experiment and find the amount above which your BP goes up, but the safest course is just to abstain as you suggest.

[lowflyer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cube_rat I was a major wino wine connoisseur and found that indulging a little too much elevated my blood pressure (150-160 over 80-90). It's been almost a year without wine or alcohol of any kind and my BP now averages 105-110 over 60-70.

I'm not totally sure the alcohol caused my elevated BP years ago, but along with too much booze came a lousy lifestyle and no exercise. That all changed.....about 14 years ago. BP and health....much better now. Gee, I wonder if there was a connection?

[Khan]

I think some of the advantage might be that having a glass (or two) of wine with dinner means you actually took the time and trouble to 'dine' instead of just stuffing in some food.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan I think some of the advantage might be that having a glass (or two) of wine with dinner means you actually took the time and trouble to 'dine' instead of just stuffing in some food.

The drawback is that after two beers I can't stay awake after dinner, I sleep crappy that night, and I'm hung over the next morning... it just doesn't mix with 3x martial-arts evenings a week, either.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I am really interested in the cabernet and chocolate diet.

I remember the old pope who attributed his long life (what, 40 years at the time? ) to drinking a bottle of wine every night, except when he was ill. Then it was two bottles.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed_The_Gypsy I remember the old pope who attributed his long life (what, 40 years at the time? ) to drinking a bottle of wine every night, except when he was ill. Then it was two bottles.

After a few years of that pickling process, how could they tell he was dead?

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by califdreamer I just read sg's post after starting a poll regarding drinking habits under the Health category. I hope I didn't duplicate something done here recently I've often heard recommendations of having 2 drinks/day (for men) but 4 seems a wee much. Maybe I'm more moderate than I give myself credit for

Four drinks usuallly makes me "wee" much... :P

[Eagle43]

Two glasses of red wine nightly, with my evening meal. Hopefully, it increases longevity, but even if it doesn't, two glasses are about right.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I had two glasses of wine last night. Unfortunately I was using the same water glass I was drinking water out of earlier in the evening.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

The drawback is that after two beers I can't stay awake after dinner, I sleep crappy that night, and I'm hung over the next morning...

Think lunch.

[rs0460a]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cute 'n Fuzzy Bunny I was using the same water glass I was drinking water out of earlier in the evening.

Wow - changing water into wine :

Hasen't been done in a couple of thousand years...

- Ron

[TromboneAl]

I used to be a bit of a wine conno-sewer, but consider this: DW bought a 4 liter bottle of Carlo Rossi burgundy because they were out of the smaller 1 liter bottles. So I've been working my way through this stuff, and it tastes significantly worse than when I first opened it.

And here's the interesting part (whispering): I'm developing a taste for bad oxidized wine.

[Robert the Red]

There is a Polish story about a king that "regretfully" refused an invitation from the Pope to go on a Crusade, since there was said to be no beer available in the Holy Land and the king needed beer every day to live. So drinking can improve your life span.

[califdreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl And here's the interesting part (whispering): I'm developing a taste for bad oxidized wine.

DBYM

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl And here's the interesting part (whispering): I'm developing a taste for bad oxidized wine.

You've achieved Nirvana Al...you've dumbed down your palate. Now go buy yourself a case lot of two buck chuck, which will taste nothing less than delicious! When that starts tasting weird, grab a box of franzia vintners select. At least that wont oxidize.