“Moderate drinking”—as defined by the U.S. government—is no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink for women. Wow, that’s pretty lenient, assuming you’re doing that 365 days per year, especially as we age. That sounds like heavy drinking to me. The reality is that when we’re young, our liver and brain are more resilient to the toxic effects of alcohol. But, in our 40s and beyond, alcohol starts to have a mounting physical toll: obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. It increases our risk of cancer and strokes and reduces the quality of our sleep, which is already partially compromised as we age.
In our 60s, people are more likely to lose the enzyme to metabolize alcohol (alcohol dehydrogenase). Plus, the instability that can come from drinking can exacerbate balance or cognitive issues. And, as it becomes a habit, it also can become an emotional crutch, which means that it doesn’t allow you to thoughtfully deal with issues in your life that could use your sober attention.
Now that my radiation is over and, hopefully, my cancer has been abated, I’m going to use this experience of cutting back on alcohol as a long-term guide to living more clearly and vitally. That doesn’t mean I won’t drink. It just means I’ll be a little more sparing when I celebrate with alcohol.
-Chip