Why (Drink) Moderation is Still Needed
Updated guidelines from the CDC promote a safe status quo
Just in case you thought quarantine had changed anything...
Individual consumption rates of alcohol may have jumped in 2020, but the Center for Disease Control is sticking to its perennial guidance on the number of drinks you should imbibe.
According to the CDC’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published every five years, the suggested number of drinks per day remains two for men, and one for women.
It’s important to note that the CDC advises there isn’t a day-to-day drink rollover plan. For example, if a man has zero drinks from Monday through Friday, that doesn’t mean he should have three on Saturday and Sunday. The math for the weekly limit remains fourteen for men, and seven for women.
Binge drinking, or the consumption of five or more drinks within a two-hour window, is still strongly discouraged. Of the 60% of adult Americans who regularly consume alcohol, 30% say they have engaged in binge drinking within the past month.
Slow and steady wins...every time.
Why does the pace of drinking matter? The answer? It comes down to how your liver works.
Metabolically speaking, your liver can only break down one unit of alcohol per hour. One unit equals one 5-oz glass of wine, one 12-oz beer, or one 1.5-oz serving of spirits. If the pace of drinking exceeds the liver’s ability to keep up, then the adverse effects of drinking start to pile up.
To avoid liver damage and undesirable aftereffects (hangovers), the CDC recommends drinking in moderation, especially in light of possible risks from certain cancers.
One of the many ways you can slow the pace of drinking is by having a meal while drinking, reading a book, or engaging in conversation. The key is to be mindful of time while imbibing, which is critical for giving your liver enough time to process each drink.
Who should avoid drinking?
The CDC recommends that those who do not drink have no reason to start doing so. Furthermore, the guidelines strongly state that women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant shouldn’t drink because of risks associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Additionally, the habit-forming nature of alcohol consumption is a risk to those who have faced substance abuse problems in the past.
Does this mean I shouldn’t have a whole bottle of wine by myself? Even in quarantine?
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Despite hilarious memes about gargantuan “quarantinis” and drinking on Zoom calls, there are some real consequences for drinking heavily every day. Not only does it put extra strain on your body and organs, over-indulging can aggravate emotional disorders such negative self-perception and depression. Not good—especially if you’re spending extra time by yourself. Or struggling through the “new normal”, basically a shrinking social circle due to restrictions on many communities throughout the US.
On the flip side, moderate consumption of alcohol can have some beneficial effects such as subtly reducing blood pressure and promoting a sense of relaxation and wellbeing.
So what’s the takeaway?
If you notice your drink consumption exceeding more than the recommended daily allowance, it’s advisable to cut back as soon as possible. The lasting effects of over-consumption lead to consequences that affect your health, finances, friends, and family.
Find ways to make your next drink an object of study. Invest in higher-quality beverages with fewer additives that put extra strain on your liver.
Treat yourself while being better to your body. Use your next drink as a way to unwind, a kind of reward mechanism to celebrate the successes in your life.
By changing your mindset on when, where, and how much you consume, you can avoid passing the nighttime hours in an unhealthy way.
Who knows what 2021 will hold? The only certainty we have for the future is taking care of ourselves and the most important asset we have—our health.
