Here’s to Your Health!

Aside from making you a suddenly spectacular dancer, a fearless and pitch-perfect karaoke star, or a comedian of Seinfeldian proportions, alcoholic beverages (which I will refer to as “alcohol” henceforth) have a significant impact on our bodies.

Health Canada has recently updated its Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines to state that negative health implications begin to surface when weekly consumption of any kind of alcohol (beer, red wine/white wine, spirits, etc.) exceeds two drinks. Yep, that’s right, more than two drinks in a week and you are increasing your risk of developing certain cancers. More than six per week increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.

It’s okay: I have plenty of practice

Not only do you not get better at drinking as you age, but you actually become more of a lightweight. Your decline from Animal House hero is due mainly due to a decrease in muscle mass and total body water percentage, a greater quantity of which in your youth helps to slow the metabolism of alcohol in your blood system.

More concerning is that, in recent years, regular alcohol consumption and binge drinking have increased among those over the age of 55, but they remain more susceptible to the negative effects of inebriation: falls, cardiovascular events, and hangovers. In plain English, you lose your inhibitions without any of the bounce.

A glass a day keeps the …

You may have heard that a glass of red wine each day helps facilitate positive heart health. Well, maybe … and maybe not. The relationship between fitness and alcohol consumption is a funny one. Believe it or not, those who exercise more also tend to drink more.

But we know that health habits tend to cluster—meaning that, if someone practises one healthy habit, they tend to practise more than one. As an example, those who subscribe to “a glass a day” are also more likely to subscribe to the health-conscious Mediterranean diet, exercise multiple times per week, and lead a more active lifestyle.

However, here is a reality not up for debate: alcohol consumption interferes with your body’s ability to synthesize protein. For those striving for a toned physique, this means that not only will your ability to build muscle be stunted, but you’re likely to actually lose some of the muscle tone and strength that you worked so hard for.

Sober curious? You can still experiment as you age.

Sure, it’s fun to tip a few drinks back with your besties at the lake or take the edge off a particularly stressful day with your favourite vino, but knowing what you now know about regular, or even semi-regular alcohol consumption, you might consider cutting back or even going cold turkey. Why?

• You get to avoid feeling like hot garbage for the next three days.
• You get to utilize first-hand memory rather than relying on flattering Facebook pictures.
• You start a continued trajectory toward optimal health and longevity.
• You get to be an excellent health role model for any little ones (or big ones) in your life.

But I don’t want to be Captain Buzzkill

Want to be the most popular person in your friend group? Volunteer to be the designated driver! When was the last time you were upset that someone offered to chauffer you around town while you imbibed? Here are some other strategies to test-drive social sobriety.

• Substitute your dinner drink with an alternative such as “fancy water” (for example, water with a slice of cucumber) or a mocktail from alive’s library of delicious recipes (com). (If you haven’t tried the Melon Fizz, you ain’t livin’!)
• Be honest with your own intentions when you’re going out with friends whose intention it is to binge; better yet, avoid situations where drinking is convention.
• If you use alcohol as a coping mechanism, identify your triggers and substitute drinking with another healthier coping activity (jogging, yoga, hiking, or cycling).
• Still unsure? Test the waters with the #SoberFebruary social movement!