Alcohol...

[LabR@t]

I nice glass or red or a got if whiskey every night before bed.

 

[Rroff]

Fortunately I've never had an inclination to drink regularly, I've drunk heavily at times when attending parties or nights out but mostly my alcohol intake is sporadic, the odd meal with wine now and again, occasional whiskey, etc. I've never had an inclination to intake it as a regular thing.

Caffeine on the other hand, while I don't drink that much 1-3 cups of tea a day, it is a regular thing - can't even go more than about 16 hours without at least 1 cup of tea without getting a ferocious headache which isn't a good thing.

 

[cheesefest]

I’m not one for going to a pub/bar on Friday or Saturday evening, standing around in a circle with a drink in hand. Never felt comfortable. Always thought why can’t we take turns going to each other’s homes?

I rather drink with a meal. Then have a few bevvies.

Problem is with many people in the UK, they drink first before food. In mainland Europe, it’s the other way round. Hence why you don’t get as many drunks in Europe than the UK.

 

[mostlynice]

I’ll pick up 4 pint cans on a Friday and Saturday night. Occasionally frequent the odd Sunday club. At the ripe old age of 36, it’s starting to hit home that I’m maybe over doing it. It’s pure habit on my part

 

[d_brennen]

I used to drink socially nearly every night of the week. Not falling over ****** drinking, just habitual.

Monday = Monday club, meet the lads after work to complain about it being Monday.

Tuesday = meet the wife for a bite to eat, bottle or two of wine between us, sometimes drinks on the way home.

Wednesday = pitch and putt/snooker/darts with the lads, many pints after.

Thursday = basically Friday, innit?

Friday = wife/family meal, bottle of wine, out for drinks after.

Never been much of a weekend drinker, can't stand loud music and youngsters Except when the football is on, that'd be a few pints too...

Now I only really drink Monday and Wednesday evening, but I can't handle the hangovers so well, slowed right down after my first kid was born

 

[Lysander]

I’m not trying to scare you. But I would just say: you don’t need to be a stereotypical ‘drunk’ or binge drinker or dependent on alcohol or anything like that for alcohol to do you serious damage. Have a good honest count of the units you drink weekly, look at the NHS recommended maximum weekly units. If you regularly exceed it, then I suggest reducing your intake.

Part of the reason why the recommended units are as they are [low] is because it gives the NHS alcohol assistance services to promote and jobs for more staff. Source: I work for the NHS. Things aren't always black and white.

 

[builder22]

not handling the hangovers has been said so many times in this thread...I kind of wonder if you're lucky (or unlucky!) enough to not suffer from hangovers is good or bad

 

[Bassmansam]

The liver is a funny thing, i've actually had mild fatty liver just from being about a stone over weight. I had a constant dull ache around the top right of my abdomen. Last time i got checked it was fine. Due to having a better diet/excercise. So yeah, the liver can give out warning signs even for mild problems.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

I have found the opposite. Maybe its short term but I've dropped a few Kg since limiting my drinking, but then that could also be linked to me snacking more on savory foods whilst drinking (meats and crisps were the main culprits), I definitely have less of an appetite since cutting down.

Something people don't quite get is that drink or beer especially contains a lot of calories and beer belly isn't just from playing too much darts. Times gone past beer was a staple part of the diet along with bread it was something different to do with the grain harvest, it didn't become a social thing until much much later.

 

[Lysander]

Something people don't quite get is that drink or beer especially contains a lot of calories and beer belly isn't just from playing too much darts. Times gone past beer was a staple part of the diet along with bread it was something different to do with the grain harvest, it didn't become a social thing until much much later.

It was to do with water quality. Water had too many contaminants and it was safer to have low alcohol beer during the day than water. At the close of the day, people had their stronger evening beer which was definitely a social occasion.

 

[cheesefest]

One thing the police need to seriously crack down on is the number of lorry drivers from Eastern Europe who drink whilst driving. Watched these motorway and police patrol programmes where they stop and search lorry drivers’ cabs. Full of cans of beer.

A few Wombles have picked from lay-bys used by trucks and picked loads of Polish beer cans.

 

[RossGReds]

I can 'enjoy' 3 drinks at the most. After that it becomes a real choir to get anything else down. Doesn't make much difference if it's lager, cider, vodka and so on. I can push through it and drink more if the occasion calls for it but the consequencial hangover the following day just is not worth it. I'm 31 and it's been this way for at least 7 or 8 years and has led to many an early night as I'm really not interested in standing around a bunch of drunk people talking nonsense all night.

On a side note I'd be interested to hear if anyone else shares the same phenomenon as myself in that trips abroad, and it's irreleveant where, the issue with hangoevers seems to completely disappear and the drinks actually go down a treat. I've just spent two months away and drank more in that period than the previous 3 years combined. It was getting silly actually. Only a handful of days without at least one drink and a few occasions of back to back days of seriously heavy drinking. My body just simply couldn't tolerate that here. I'm kind of grateful things are as they are tbh. Saves my liver and my bank balance.