Alcohol…Yea or Nay?

August 19, 2019

In the Blue Zones, the areas of the world where people live the longest, the daily consumption of alcohol --typically red wine -- is commonplace.  But we're also told that alcohol is detrimental to health.  So which is it?

Alcohol in moderation does have some proven benefits -- antioxidants, polyphenols, etc..  It helps people relax and is a most enjoyable addition to a meal or social gathering.  I think the main reason that alcohol is a staple in many of the Blue Zones is that the inhabitants tend not to overindulge.  They enjoy a glass or two of red wine with a healthy meal (they also have very little stress, close knit families and communities and a high quality of life with lots of time spent outside).

Most of us, however, do not live in Blue Zones.  We're stressed, our diets are less than perfect, we don't sleep enough, we spend most of our days sitting and we rarely get out into nature.  We also tend to drink too much and too often, so when you compound that with all of the other things we're not great at, the positive points of alcohol aren't quite as positive.

I'm certainly not anti-alcohol, but I do think a temporary fast can be beneficial, if only to see if you notice a difference or not.  An alcohol break can also be helpful for several other reasons as well:

- you'll sleep better
- you might drop a few pounds
- you might notice some improvements in your digestion and your skin
- you'll help regulate your blood sugar
- you'll probably have more energy

But most importantly, you'll figure out if you have an addiction or not, which is valuable info, even if you choose not to do anything about it.