I love a good beer (or glass of wine). But I’ve been thinking about going on a beer and wine fast. Why? Alcohol and I don’t get along anymore.
Pumpkin Ale = Yummy
I’ll be 31 on November 6th and I feel old; especially when I look back on my days at Chico State. Going to late night parties and getting up super early for class and/or work were part of my daily routine. Ohhh how times have changed. Now I go to bed early, get up early and am much more concerned about my health.
After 1 glass of wine or beer, I end up with a headache the next day and don’t sleep very well. Even Michael Pollan and Dumb Little Man talk about the advantages of having a glass of wine every night. I guess those benefits don’t apply to me.
Have any of you given up alcohol as a result of your simple living philosophy or health?
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I haven’t given up alcohol, but I know that it makes me feel pretty rotten the next day, so it has to be a special occasion in order for me to even consider drinking it. But it’s not like I think that’s a problem or anything — I have no problem being silly without any alcohol in my system.
By the way, thanks for linking to me today!
I’m with ya Christine. I don’t need alcohol to have fun, but I love a good glass of beer or wine (minus the headaches). Have a great day and thanks for reading.
No, I haven’t given it up, but I should. I want it to be a rare indulgence – not a several-times-a-week thing.
Have you tried sulfite-free wines? If so, does that make a difference?
Just wondering if your headache is due to another ingredient rather than the alcohol.
Thanks for the suggestion Matt.
It’s weird because I don’t drink a lot. I have 1 to 2 glasses or wine and/or beer on the weekends and always get a headache the next day. It’s such a bummer too! I love a good glass of wine with pasta dishes.
Drinking has never been a part of my daily routine, I probably drink 1-2 times a year. And since I don’t drink beer or wine it’s been easy for me to maintain. Chris, my husband, drinks about as often as I do so he’s not bringing anything home either.
Part of it is a result of minimizing expenses but another part of me wonders what the point of buying alcohol is. Most people say they want to drink to relax but all I need is a bubble bath and a good book for that.
@Hayden – Good for you! I’m impressed.
I don’t drink to relax. I like the taste of a good glass of wine or beer, with a yummy meal. But it just doesn’t make sense to drink, especially if it’s effecting my health negatively. Also, I’ve read that alcohol is a stimulant, so if I want to relax I do yoga, read or take a walk.
Tammy- I stopped drinking when I was fortyish for much the same reasons as you listed. I can honestly say that I haven’t missed it much. I’m 51 now and probably haven’t consumed 2 drinks total during those 11 years. If the urge hits, I take a sip of someone else’s. I never cared much for wine but always taste ours whenever we make a new batch. (Our homemade blackberry wine rocks!!!)
Normally headaches after a night of drinking is because of dehydration (due to the alcohol), but since you get it from only one glass that seems unlikely… Weird.
I go back and forth with it – for months on end I’ll be fine with a beer each night, then for a little while I feel like I have to power through a beer and don’t feel well. One beer? Come on!
I did stop drinking for a whole year in college. I still don’t know how I managed that.
Sometimes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. A fast of something now and then can make you appreciate it more.
@Katie – LOL! I’m a sad case aren’t I? 1 beer and I’m done. Maybe a tiny fast would be good for me? Absence does make the heart grow fonder….
I can’t believe you gave up booze for one year in college. Now that’s impressive.
Hugs to ya…
Hey Tammy!
I work at a health food store so here are some things I would look out for:
– if your headaches only come when you drink beer, then you could be allergic to the wheat protien that’s in the beer(celiac), if that’s the case then you’ll probably notice some discomfort when you eat bread or wheat pasta.
– if you get it after you drink anything alcoholic it could be that you are either allergic to something else in it or it could also be that your liver is just having a hard time processing the alcohol anymore. if that’s the case, get yourself a good vitamin B complex like a stress B – 100 with vitamin C. Those B vitamins will feed your liver and also flush out your kidneys, blood, and lymph systems. Plus you’ll get lots of energy. I usually take 1 or 2 about a half hour before I have a drink and it helps to keep the hangover at bay
Hope that helps!
I haven’t given up beer, and won’t. BUT I now limit myself to 3 on Friday night when I head to the outside cafe for wings , beer and music. Beer and a good cheeseburger go hand in hand…it’s a 40 year habit with me, and I don’t see any reason to change it now……..20 bucks well spent !!
When I was in Vilnius in Lithuania recently they had this place called Beer House (Alus house in Lithuanian I think) and they had over 300 beers you could try. Just kept picking another random one of the menu completely unsure about what I was going to get. It was really good and some of the beers were very different to anything I had tried before.
@Andreas – sounds yummy! I’m sure I would love the Beer House.
Tammy,
Actually, since we’ve moved to The Little House, I’ve gotten into the habit of having one beer or one glass of wine before bed. One helps me sleep better, but like you, if I go to a neighbor’s and have dinner and have two beers, I have a headache the next day.
I don’t know why this happens now, but I try to listen to my body. One is ok, but two, not so much! Given that alcoholism runs in my family, I’m just glad I know I’ll never have to deal with that.
1. 31 one isn’t old (says she who turned 31 a few months ago), though it does feel that way sometimes.
2. No way I’m giving up alcohol for health reasons. It’s the only vice I have left.
Not that I drink every day or anything. But if one drink made me feel bad, I’d probably give it up too. Luckily it doesn’t.