I still drink, but way less than I used to. I started gradually to move away from it some two years ago. I love a good red, but more than a glass is a rarity for me these days. Martinis? Mixed drinks? Beer? Love’em all, but I just get plastered so easily with two or more of anything, that, I started wondering, what am I doing this to myself for? I feel better without the levels I used to consume. Better 24/7.
I think the research and connections are coherent. The risk is there, and I think it is better to err on the side of caution all around. Alcohol is a toxin. Plain and simple.
Sooo, after you read the NIH guidelines, what this means is, almost every martini is going to count as two drinks, and, you can bet the farm that any glass of wine you pour yourself at home will count as two drinks. Read on and then ask yourself if you are considered a moderate or heavy drinker? Whaaahahahahaha! 😀 😀
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard alcoholic drink in the United States contains 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in
- 12 ounces of beer
- 8-9 ounces of malt liquor
- 5 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces, or a “shot,” of 80-proof distilled spirits (liquor)
These amounts are used by public health experts in developing health guidelines about alcohol consumption and to provide a way for people to compare the amounts of alcohol they consume. However, they may not reflect the typical serving sizes people may encounter in daily life.
According to the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, individuals who do not drink alcohol should not start drinking for any reason. It recommends that if alcohol is consumed, it should be done in moderation and defines moderate alcohol drinking as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Heavy alcohol drinking is defined as having 4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more drinks per week for women and 5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more drinks per week for men. Binge drinking is defined as consuming 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men in one sitting (typically in about 2 hours).
For the rest of this from the NIH>National Cancer Institute website, click here>