Too much wine...

I'm not a doctor - let's be clear. I'm not a medical professional and I've still developed my own opinions about personal health. So, if anything I suggest here doesn't work for you, don't go off and say "well, I read it at 976wine and Beckerjim said...". Following anyone's advice is still your responsibility. Do your own research. Come to your own conclusions. Own your decisions!

Is it possible? Can someone who really loves wine - the flavors, the romanticism, the food pairings, etc, overdo it? Is it possible to enjoy it so much that... well it stops being enjoyable?

I wonder about this from time to time. Alcoholism is serious business. When one's body is unable to metabolize alcohol, the effects are simply deadly.

So, I look to what I've heard and learned from alcoholic friends what to look for; and I turn those insights inward.

For example, I'm told that alcoholics, once they start drinking, cannot stop until they're too drunk to drink. I always make it a point to stop - intentionally to make sure that I CAN stop!

I'm also told that alcoholics, because of their inability to properly metabolize alcohol, get wasted very rapidly... okay - so, I check to see if I'm getting really buzzed on one or two glasses.... and NO, I don't keep drinking until I find my buzzed threshold... (disclaimer - yeah, I've been drunk before - it's no fun... even worse the next day.)

Finally, what's the quality of life outside alcohol? Does alcohol have to be part of every activity? To me, there's a thin line here - for example, I enjoy wine every evening with dinner. It's part of the meal. Conversely, it's very rare (one-two times annually) that I'll have wine with lunch, although it can sometimes work nicely.

Can you just give up drinking for a few days and give your body a break? It can't hurt. Let's say you drink 2 glasses of wine each day. If you go 2 days without wine (i.e. Monday and Tuesday), you've cut your consumption by 28%! If you go 4 days, you've cut consumption by 56% - imagine only having wine on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday....

Or, here's another perspective. Let's say you have 3 glasses every day and cut to 2.... that's a 33% cut.

Then again, it tastes so damn good! Moderation is the key. When moderation becomes increasingly difficult to maintain, try some of the methods I use to start: cut back - replace the wine with a nice glass of ice water or even tea or coffee. If you are able to do this without going through some kind of anxious withdrawal, you're probably okay. If not, well, you may need help.

Finally, get your blood checked now and then - if the liver is functioning normally, that's a positive sign. If it's not...

Like Mr. Eastwood said "A man's gotta know his limits".

Cheers!