There's a doctor who writes a weekly column in my local paper, and in this week's one he's writing all about alcohol and all the ill effects it has on people and our society.
It's full of lines like; "I doubt that alcohol would ever be allowed to be licensed for use if an application were to be made now" and "It has been estimated that a sixth of all adults are drinking excessively to the point of having physical and mental negative effects" and "there are definite links between alcohol and bowel cancer in men and women" and "alcohol has a significant effect on our cultural behaviour: driving, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, suicide and all manner of injuries and deaths". You can read the full article here. There's not a lot of light with his shade.
He also says; "it has been said that young people should not touch alcohol at all before the age of 18 because their brains are still maturing and damage can occur."Well holy shit-balls I started boozing enthusiastically at 15... maybe that's why I didn't get an A+ for my thesis!!
My lovely nurse friend down country also sent me an article written on a doctors website where this rural doctor writes about how he asks all his patients how much they drink and says "It is the sheer volume of daily consumption that some ordinary patients regard as normal (and by implication, harmless) that has staggered me." A bottle of wine a night, he says, is what a lot of people drink regularly and consider totally fine. It's not. Women should not have any more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than two in any one day. Men should have no more than 15 standard drinks in a week and in any one session no more than three drinks (so says the doctor).
And check your pours.. I was gobsmacked when I measured out the official 'one standard drink' and poured that into my wine glass. What I thought was one wine was actually more like 2 1/2.
I just can't get my head around this world of ours awash with boozers and can't for the life of me imagine this big boozy ship turning itself around. Are we doomed, this human race, of always glug glug glugging our way through life..? Or will there actually be a monumental shift in attitude towards alcohol like their has been towards smoking? It just seems such a widespread and entrenched problem.. and such a murky area (when does normal healthy drinking turn into dysfunctional unhealthy drinking?) that frankly my brain aches.
Perhaps I should stop worrying about all the boozers in the world and just focus on my own sobriety.
On a lighter note we're off on holiday today to our home town. A lovely week spending time with tons of friends and family. My non-drinking is pretty accepted now and my lovely mother-in-law even emailed to check about using alcohol in cooking (she's planning a delicious prawns with fried rice meal for tonight). How great is that! I said use away, it's fine so long as it's cooked down.
Back in a week.
Love, Mrs D xxx
There are so many articles and studies out there about alcohol use and abuse and they are all pretty much in the same light of things. Yup, we tend to overmedicate ourselves, as a whole. If its not booze, it's prescription pills (which I read today kills more people than heroin and cocaine every year), or whatever. It's almost a society norm to be numbing in some way.
ReplyDeleteBut like you said, I can't crusade (not the crusading type - but they are out there and bless them!) about the "evils" of booze. I can only worry about and work on my own recovery. That's about it. I do help others, but that is their journey.
A bottle a day for me was a 1.5L bottle, and then that got to two a day. Then to vodka. Then 1.5L of vodka, etc. I know people who polish of a bottle of wine a day and think nothing of it. I certainly didn't. I don't think they are alcoholics, but they drink more than others, but they don't seem to suffer the same way I did. Who knows...I am not their counselor.
Sobering stuff (no pun intended).
And have a wonderful holiday! As for the alcohol burning off:
http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blalcohol12.htm
I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about the percentages - alcohol isn't a major component of most items (even coq au vin has stock, etc), and it's not like we'd be chugging litres of mussels liquid to get at the 35% of 5% alcohol left from 1/4 cup of white wine...lol. BUT for some people they are very sensitive to it, and even the thought of putting something into them that has alcohol, even if they don't taste it, can be a "trigger". So to each their own. I don't mind. I used to be very sensitive to putting anything with booze in my mouth (mouthwash, etc) but those days are past. As long as it's not a shot of something straight up to an uncooked desert / cold appetizer, etc. then I am ok. To each their own.
Have a wonderful trip!
Paul
Have a good time on vacay! I'm blown away by how much ppl drink and consider normal now as well. I have friends that post almost daily about drinking on fb alone..always in a ha ha way. My brain screams "be careful!", but I keep it to myself as to not be a wet blanket. Even my Zumba instructor would mention drinking wine most nights before she got pregnant. How many people REALLY drink 4-5 oz of wine and call it good? Not many IMO.
ReplyDeleteYou raise a very interesting point my friend. But here in the U.S. Prohibition was a colassal failure and I would imagine it would be again if alcohol were outlawed. We have enough trouble with illegal drugs and the crime it generates, if we add alcohol to the mix I'm afraid things would REALLY get out of control! (More so than they are with all the boozers.)
ReplyDeleteHave fun on vacay! I cook with alcohol all the time. The taste wasn't why I drank so to flavor my food with it is just fine. The reason I drank is cooked off in the process. (In case you haven't noticed I'm not very hard core about AA principles.)
Sherry
Yes, I also measured the recommended amount and poured it into my huge wine glass. Looked like just a sip to me! I quickly put that article away and continued on my merry way. Now I have no desire to have even that small sip. Love sobriety! Hope this campaign eventually reaches the masses! Hugs to all!
ReplyDeleteHave a great time on holiday, Mrs. D! We say "vacation" here in the states, but I much prefer "on holiday"--it just sounds so cool.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wouldn't worry so much what others are doing. Can't change 'em anyway. Just focus on yourself and being the wonderful and amazing lady that you are.
You are loved!
Christy
I hope you're having a wonderful time on holiday. You know I avoided articles like that like the plague when I was drinking even though they weren't telling me anything I didn't already know.
ReplyDeleteDitto to what Kary May wrote. I would just call it a couple of glasses and try to forget about it. Hopefully, my poor body will forgive me.
ReplyDeleteHave fun on your vacation!
i read this post and count myself lucky that your blog is way more interesting than any medical crap i'm too bored to read.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your well deserved break, my genius friend!
I think the effects of alcohol can vary on people, and the doctor might sum up a little thesis ideas because of some research they did. But, some people to do perform great with alcohol, but some do not. So, it just prove to show that every people have their own opinion on it.
ReplyDelete