The conversation usually starts like this… ‘So, I am assuming you think alcohol is bad, right?’ No, not at all I reply, but that depends on why you are drinking and how much you are consuming. There will always be new studies that suggest that alcohol has been linked to some benefit or another, but really, this isn’t why we drink it. We don’t generally consume red wine because it has been found to be good for your heart, we drink red wine because we like it and we justify the habit based on the purported advantage to our bodies. Either way, I don’t have a problem with an occasional glass of red wine, but I will cringe if you tell me that it is the only way you can get to sleep, put up with your husband or is happening one bottle at a time… on your own.
The important thing about alcohol is moderation. In this context, I define moderation as no more than 4 glasses per week, no more than 2 at a time.
Shocked? Do a self-inventory of when and why you drink. Challenge yourself to remove or decrease the amount you are drinking and see what effect it has on your body, mind and spirit.
2013 health goal, Day 9: Stay within the definition of moderate alcohol consumption.
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