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/content/article/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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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...

 

[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]

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]

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]

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

DBYM

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

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.

 

[Dreamer]

I drank a glass of wine each day for a short time, but quit when I was trying to watch my calories. Unfortunately, I prefer white wine to red wine. If I ever get to my target weight, maybe I will start indulging again.

 

[califdreamer]

Most of the time we hear that drinking red wine is more healthy than drinking white wine. Just saw an article that talked about research showing that many or most of the healthy little chemicals (anthocyaninis, flavinoids, etc.) are in the pulp of the grape not just in the seeds and on the skins. Point being that white wines, which are made with much less skin contact than red wines, have about the same health benefits as reds. Interesting but I'm sure it's not the final word.

 

[RAE]

Hmmm.....this is an interesting thread. I love red wine with dinner (1-2 glasses), and until about a year ago that was all the alcohol I had most days (other than an occasional sip of bourbon or brandy), but then my wife took up home beer brewing as a hobby, and now we have lots of very good home-brewed beer around the house most of the time. Of course, I feel obliged to test her different brews now, and most are very good, so now I've added 1-1.5 beers to my nightly ritual. I've always been near my ideal body weight, so weight gain is not a problem, and I feel fine, so should I worry about it? Based on this Italian study, I'm inclined to say no......but maybe that is wishful thinking?

 

[youbet]

should I worry about it?

No, definitely don't worry about it. Worry won't help your health, probably more inclined to be detrimental.

Think about how much alcohol you enjoy. Looks like you're at the 3 - 4 drinks per day level. Then look at the research and see if that amount is considered detrimental or not. Make a decision about your consumption based on the best information you can get and then get on with it! But don't "worry" about it.

Gosh, it's only noon....... five more hours until happy hour........

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

...so now I've added 1-1.5 beers to my nightly ritual. I've always been near my ideal body weight, so weight gain is not a problem, and I feel fine, so should I worry about it? Based on this Italian study, I'm inclined to say no......but maybe that is wishful thinking?

There are some people who genetically are intolerant of 3-4 oz of alcohol per day (probably metabolize alcohol more slowly than others). And there are parallel habits that may add to the risk such as regular acetaminophen use (liver), NSAIDs or aspirin (gastritis) and other issues.

Here is more than you want to know. Bottom line is that for otherwise healthy, nonalcoholic, nonhazardous activity after drinking types, 1-2 drinks a day for men and 1 per day for women is probably quite (if not entirely) safe. More than that and the risks increase albeit slowly until you get to about 3-4 per day when overall risk is gradually higher and higher for drinkers v. nondrinkers.