Eh, I wouldn’t say it’s for accountability but more for support and encouragement. Nothing wrong with having some drinks if you want to. If I wanna drink I’m gonna do it but I am really glad I’ve done this because now I know if I do tie one on that I feel a lot better if I put some distance in between the times I decide to drink instead of just going at it for several consecutive days.
Not sober January but went without alcohol for the first day in at least 1.25 years this past thursday. And I don’t mean just like a couple beers a day I mean like binge drinking almost every day. And before that I was drinking heavy the previous decade. The last 3 days have been incredibly hard, serious withdrawal symptoms, really scary, didn’t sleep for over 50 hours straight. Finally slept 10 hours last night. Feels good to have gotten over the hump. Going to try and go a month and then reassess
Sounds about like how I am. It takes about 3 days to get past all that stuff but it gets way better after that. After this reset my goal is to not binge like I had so I don’t go through those terrible 3 days every time I decide to stop drinking
I think an NA beer might be a good option at a social event or something. But around the house it just gives me the impulse to drink that wouldn’t have otherwise been there and I now have to fight.
I’m starting to find the same thing. I’ll finish these but probably won’t buy more for the house. also mildly annoyed I pay craft beer prices for them.
This was essentially the core of what my wife said. "Do you really need that?" was her actual question, and then she went on telling me about how Dry January is about breaking the cycle, etc. She has since apologized pretty profusely.
I see the rationale on the NA beer and drinking at the house. On the flip side I’ve got my NA beer sitting on top of a case of beer in my beer fridge, I’m proud that I’ve gone straight to the NA beer when the regular beer is right there. Also, with NA beer I literally feel like I can only drink two of them and stop as opposed to 27 beers I would normally drink. The NA beer has helped out tremendously and been good for me to ween off of beer and keep my beer intake to a lot lower. Plus sparkling water has helped too.
This is hard. Feel more stress not drinking. Last night was the hardest mentally. I just tried to keep busy and didn’t even watch football. Think I need to exercise more
just starting my NA craft beer hunt. I’m in San Diego but I was super surprised to find about a dozen craft NA beers at the store. I quit drinking beer a year ago because if I drank too many it jacked up my stomach. Have a feeling the beer will be fine without the alcohol.
Nope Jan1st drank a bit, didn’t plan on starting till Jan2nd Jan12 had two beers out at a show. Jan13 had one seltzer. For better or worse gonna ride out the rest of the month dry Ran 3 miles tonight that helps
This is me, feel off the wagon last week. Wasn't really looking at this as a just 1 month thing though, so I'll pick it up again this week with no drinking. I want this to be lifetime commitment to drinking WAY less so I'm sure this will be a struggle for me for a while.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/...ytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare Spoiler: Even a Little Alcohol Can Harm Your Health Sorry to be a buzz-kill, but that nightly glass or two of wine is not improving your health. After decades of confusing and sometimes contradictory research (too much alcohol is bad for you but a little bit is good; some types of alcohol are better for you than others; just kidding, it’s all bad), the picture is becoming clearer: Even small amounts of alcohol can have health consequences. Research published in November revealed that between 2015 and 2019, excessive alcohol use resulted in roughly 140,000 deaths per year in the United States. About 40 percent of those deaths had acute causes, like car crashes, poisonings and homicides. But the majority were caused by chronic conditions attributed to alcohol, such as liver disease, cancer and heart disease. When experts talk about the dire health consequences linked to excessive alcohol use, people often assume that it’s directed at individuals who have an alcohol use disorder. But the health risks from drinking can come from moderate consumption as well. “Risk starts to go up well below levels where people would think, ‘Oh, that person has an alcohol problem,’” said Dr. Tim Naimi, director of the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research. “Alcohol is harmful to the health starting at very low levels.” U.S. Dietary Guidelines’ recommended daily limits. That’s more than two drinks a day for men and more than one drink a day for women. There is also emerging evidence “that there are risks even within these levels, especially for certain types of cancer and some forms of cardiovascular disease,” said Marissa Esser, who leads the alcohol program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Much is Too Much? Why is alcohol so harmful? Scientists think that the main way alcohol causes health problems is by damaging DNA. When you drink alcohol, your body metabolizes it into acetaldehyde, a chemical that is toxic to cells. Acetaldehyde both “damages your DNA and prevents your body from repairing the damage,” Dr. Esser explained. “Once your DNA is damaged, then a cell can grow out of control and create a cancer tumor.” Alcohol also creates oxidative stress, another form of DNA damage that can be particularly harmful to the cells that line blood vessels. Oxidative stress can lead to stiffened arteries, resulting in higher blood pressure and coronary artery disease. “It fundamentally affects DNA, and that’s why it affects so many organ systems,” Dr. Naimi said. Over the course of a lifetime, chronic consumption “damages tissues over time.” Isn’t alcohol supposed to be good for your heart? Alcohol’s effect on the heart is confusing because some studies have claimed that small amounts of alcohol, particularly red wine, can be beneficial. Past research suggested that alcohol raises HDL, the “good” cholesterol, and that resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes (and red wine), has heart-protective properties. However, said Mariann Piano, a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University, “There’s been a lot of recent evidence that has really challenged the notion of any kind of what we call a cardio-protective or healthy effect of alcohol.” The idea that a low dose of alcohol was heart healthy likely arose from the fact that people who drink small amounts tend to have other healthy habits, such as exercising, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and not smoking. In observational studies, the heart benefits of those behaviors might have been erroneously attributed to alcohol, Dr. Piano said. More recent research has found that even low levels of drinking slightly increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, and the risk goes up dramatically for people who drink excessively. The good news is that when people stop drinking or just cut back, their blood pressure goes down. Alcohol is also linked to an abnormal heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation, which raises the risk of blood clots and stroke. What types of cancer does alcohol increase the risk for? Almost everyone knows about the link between cigarette smoking and cancer, but few people realize that alcohol is also a potent carcinogen. According to researchby the American Cancer Society, alcohol contributes to more than 75,000 cases of cancer per year and nearly 19,000 cancer deaths. Alcohol is known to be a direct cause of seven different cancers: head and neck cancers (oral cavity, pharynx and larynx), esophageal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Research suggests there may be a link between alcohol and other cancers as well, including prostate and pancreatic cancer, although the evidence is less clear-cut. For some cancers, such as liver and colorectal, the risk starts only when people drink excessively. But for breast and esophageal cancer, the risk increases, albeit slightly, with any alcohol consumption. The risks go up the more a person drinks. “If somebody drinks less, they are at a lower risk compared to that person who is a heavy drinker,” said Dr. Farhad Islami, a senior scientific director at the American Cancer Society. “Even two drinks per day, one drink per day, may be associated with a small risk of cancer compared to non-drinkers.” Which condition poses the greatest risk? The most common individual cause of alcohol-related death in the United States is alcoholic liver disease, killing about 22,000 people a year. While the risk rises as people age and alcohol exposure accumulates, more than 5,000 Americans in their 20s, 30s and 40s die from alcoholic liver disease annually. Alcoholic liver disease has three stages: alcoholic fatty liver, when fat accumulates in the organ; alcoholic hepatitis, when inflammation starts to occur; and alcoholic cirrhosis, or scarring of the tissue. The first two stages are reversible if you stop drinking entirely; the third stage is not. Symptoms of alcoholic liver disease include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice — a yellow tinge to the eyes or skin. However, symptoms rarely emerge until the liver has been severely damaged. The risk of developing alcoholic liver disease is greatest in heavy drinkers, but one report stated that five years of drinking just two alcoholic beverages a day can damage the liver. Ninety percent of people who have four drinks a day show signs of alcoholic fatty liver. How do I gauge my personal risk for alcohol-related health issues? Not everyone who drinks will develop these conditions. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and smoking all combine to raise or lower your risk. Also, some of these conditions, such as esophageal cancer, are pretty rare, so increasing your risk slightly won’t have a huge impact. “Every risk factor matters,” Dr. Esser said. “We know in public health that the number of risk factors that one has would go together into an increased risk for a condition.” A pre-existing condition could also interact with alcohol to affect your health. For example, “people who have hypertension probably should not drink or definitely drink at very, very low levels,” Dr. Piano said. Genes play a role, too. For instance, two genetic variants, both of which are more common in people of Asian descent, affect how alcohol and acetaldehyde are metabolized. One gene variant causes alcohol to break down into acetaldehyde faster, flooding the body with the toxin. The other variant slows down acetaldehyde metabolism, meaning the chemical hangs around in the body longer, prolonging the damage. So should I cut back — or stop drinking altogether? You don’t need to go cold turkey to help your health. Even reducing a little bit can be beneficial, especially if you currently drink over the recommended limits. The risk “really accelerates once you’re over a couple of drinks a day,” Dr. Naimi said. “So people who are drinking five or six drinks a day, if they can cut back to three or four, they’re going to do themselves a lot of good.” Light daily drinkers would likely benefit by cutting back a bit, too. Try going a few nights without alcohol: “If you feel better, your body is trying to tell you something,” said George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Notably, none of the experts we spoke to called for abstaining completely, unless you have an alcohol use disorder or are pregnant. “I’m not going to advocate that people completely stop drinking,” Dr. Koob said. “We did prohibition, it didn’t work.” Generally, though, their advice is, “Drink less, live longer,” Dr. Naimi said. “That’s basically what it boils down to.” A More Mindful Approach to Drinking If you consume alcohol, but are looking for a healthier approach to drinking, here are some tips. Consider the Dangers: Heart disease risk increases along with our alcohol consumption. Drinking can also lead to cancer and liver and kidney disease. ‘Go Dry’ for a Month: If you tend to overindulge, one month off from drinking can be an opportunity to examine your alcohol use. Cut Back: You don’t need to abstain to rein in your alcohol consumption. Here are some tips to develop healthier drinking habits. Try Meditation: Mindfulness and strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy can also help you be more intentional about your relationship to drinking. Enjoy Your Drink: Learn to savor that glass of wine the way a connoisseur would — it starts with a shift in perspective and a few best practices.
Feel healthy and awake and sharp today. txt gf last night that I’d probably pickup a 6pack and watch football. She got home from work with a 6pack of Athletic Brewing’s “Run Wild” NA IPA for me . I drank two and watched 3 quarters of Dallas putting Brady into retirement and slept well.
Heard good things about Athletic Brewing. I'm going to pick some up. Does anyone have suggestions on NA wine? I've tried a few and they're garbage. We have a few friends that do wine nights with food pairings so trying to find something to bring that would work or I'll just stick to the NA beer I guess.
Had some Athletic Brewing IPAs over the weekend while grilling and watching football. Definitely helped me out. Over halfway there folks!
Vacationing at Disney. Kept it sober first day. Today though… Maybe stay dry rest of month after today. Shoutout you sexy beasts keeping it going.
Talked to a friend that was a 5-10 drink a day drinker that quit a year ago. One of the things they do instead of NA is drink THC drinks. I can't recall the brand but it's a 2mg THC drink (I wouldn't advise higher if you've never tried edibles/drinks before). She said it works really well where if she drinks with people she slowly starts to get buzzed on THC. The 2mg THC is barely noticeable but if you have 4 or 5 of them over a night you end up with a pretty decent ascending high that won't put you into an uncomfortable state if you're new to THC. I know not everyone has THC legalized but for those that do and have never used before, I'd recommend it giving it a shot. A 2mg THC drink has a similar effect on me as drinking a 4.5 light beer fwiw and I'd consider myself a seasoned user of thc and alcohol. Edit: Cann is the brand she likes https://weedmaps.com/brands/cann/products?isNearby=true
I may try that. Paired NA beer with edibles last night, and it almost felt like the NA beer was responsible for the buzz, which was nice. Just removing a step
Athletic Brewing, imo, tastes exactly like regular IPAs. I tried their stout the other night and it was surprisingly close as well. I'd also be interested in the NA wine question as well, because I've yet to find anything outside of beer that even remotely resembles the real stuff (the NA bourbon I had a week or so ago was pretty disgusting).
the hardest part is when i'm cooking and when i sit down after dinner on the couch to be lazy. i'm also doing no-edibles january as well and i feel like i'm actually sleeping a lot better not taking either booze or pot. i don't think i was doing anything excessive, just a 10mg edible every night around 7pm, and about 2 glasses or so of bourbon a night. only 2weeks or so into it but i'm already down about 7 lbs back to the weight i want to be. going to mexico for a week in about 2 weeks so i imagine i'll be off the train then though
Non-alcoholic: This NA beer is awesome. Same great taste without the alcohol. Alcoholic: What’s the fucking point of a NA beer? Non-alcoholic: I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. Alcoholic: What’s the fucking point of one glass of wine?
It's been a few years, but after trying a few different types of NA wines, we learned that sparkling grape juice was superior...and the kids could imbibe
I wish I could find the comic but it’s basically Smoking is bad for you Alcoholics: Also drinking alcohol is bad for you Alcoholics:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/18/...ytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare Canada’s New Guidelines for Alcohol Say ‘No Amount’ Is Healthy The guidance builds on growing evidence, after decades of sometimes conflicting research, that even small amounts of alcohol can have serious health consequences. A push for the last few days of January
For you TX guys, I tried Nada by Community Brewing. Not sure if they distribute outside of TX though, but great NA beer. I actually liked it more than the Athletic NA IPA. I managed to survive my birthday festivities and I also got laid off this week. In the past I definitely would have justified a binge drinking day if something like that happened. Keep it up guys.
I think in like 50 years there is a chance people will look at alcohol the way we currently look at cigarettes.
That's a bit of a stretch. There's no second hand drunkenness when someone's drinking a beer at a bar
Alcohol inhibits the release of ADH (anti-diuretic hormone), that’s why you piss, sweat, and shit yourself when getting blitzed. Now if cocktails are fine but beer f’s you up it could be crohns/celiac/gluten issues.