Drinking wine each evening

I usually have a glass of wine or two over the course of an evening. Not more though, and I usually have at least two weeks in every five when I don't drink for four (sometimes five) consecutive nights.

I eat very few UPFs, get fresh air and exercise and eat healthily, so I try to keep a balance. No wine would be great, but I love wine, so I drink it like this!

I drink 1 or 2 glasses most nights. I'm a healthy weight, exercise a lot, eat ok, sleep well and feel fine. I don't drink coffee or tea. I also don't have a problem not having one. I have stopped for a month a couple of times - i did miss it, but didn't find it hard - I felt no different and lost no weight!

I naturally don't drink a couple of nights a week as out at various activities. I did drink and eat too much in December so this month I'm only having wine at weekends as would like to lose just a few lb to get back to my normal.

I'd try and have 2 alcohol free nights a week but wouldn't change much else.

@Mamabear2424 Just some thoughts.

You said you buy 3 bottles of wine a week, do you always have wine in at home?

How would you feel if you didn't have any in for some reason, would you go out in pouring rain to get some?

Do you actively avoid events in the evening where you wouldn't be able to drink?

I have a couple of Malibu and cokes per night. Pretty weak ones. I just love the taste.

I don't need them. I sometimes don't finish the second.

I just like them, in the same way I like my morning tea first thing.

If I ever needed one, I would stop.

I agree.

It is rather simple to find out if your drinking is becoming problematic: Stop for, say, three months. If you can do that just fine, you don't have a problem and probably lost weight and feel better. The trick is to find out why you drink. Do you like the taste or are you relying a bit too much on it for winding down?

25 ish units a week is way over the female guidance of 14, so yea not greathttps://www.nhs.uk/better-health/drink-less/

1 glass of red wine can be beneficial (depending on the size, obviously). Sticking to that, he’s probably right.

Chilled white preferred.

Unusual because I usually prefer red - chilled which is against the law.

Love Prosecco too, but after a few evenings of it, I'm back on the red.

I like the taste, and it being chilled. I never drink during the day, but a glass of wine is just right an hour before bed. I like a gin and tonic and a few cocktails, but I wouldn't want one every evening. I feel a need for coffee if I have to get up early - wanting a glass of wine doesn't feel like that.

I think red wine is particularly morish. Perhaps because of the acidity, it can feel as though the flavour doesn't tire.

I can drink way too much red but never crave any other alcoholic drinks. 🍷

There is an excellent episode of Huberman labs on alcohol. It's episode 86.

I would encourage you to listen as lot of the information being given here isn't correct. That way you can decide based on the fact what's best for you.

Isn’t 4 units or in one sitting considered binge drinking for women? You’re drinking at least 5?

if you don’t care what NHS says, alcohol doesn’t affect you adversely in any way what is your question?

people keep quoting that Italians or Spaniards drink loads & it doesn’t affect them. I’ve worked for long periods & that wasn’t my experience. Most people drank a small glass 1/6 of a bottle.

im in my 50s. 2 friends recently were both shocked to discover they have considerable scarring on their liver. No symptoms. Both drank less than you. The issue is you don’t know how alcohol will affect your individual health.

In all honesty (and I fucking LOVE wine OP) I’d try to at least moderate it. So like 2 bottles a week. Have 2 consecutive days per week off.

For perspective, that's 20-25 units. Make your judgement from that.

You’d struggle to get life insurance at standard rates with units per week at the level you consume. It’s considered too high for long term health.

Canada has now declared zero units the guideline.

Alcohol is an inflammatory toxin, 2.5 bottles a week is a lot of work for your body.

My French SIL said her Grandmother drank daily, but 7% wine and maybe 125ml - that’s more like a bottle a week. A glass is not a third of a bottle, which is what you drink.

Drinking with food is better, but days off are even better. You drink too much. I had the same realisation and now drink on holiday, and Saturday night.

In what way does it make you happy?

You say you love it. What do you love about it?

Do you drink red, white, prosecco?

Genuinely interested.

Oh dear Snoozy, that sounds grim after four days. I've not noticed any difference, so I hope that's not going to kick in for me.

I think every night is a bit much, even if it was just three or four nights a week- it's not so bad. Or preferably one or two nights!

I sometimes drink wine or brandy 7 or 8 nights on the trot - but I get sick of it then, and then I'll go a full month without drinking anything. I like to have a good break in between drinking surges if you see what I mean.

I mean, you're bound to get people on here saying, oh, well they drink all the time in Europe... Blah, blah, blah. Although they do, they probably often have one glass of wine, and they don't have it every single day, like some people make out. I know a few people who live in Europe and they certainly do not drink glasses of wine every single day.

Don't you get bored with it @Mamabear2424 ?

'Temperance activitists' are mentioned in that 'study'. No bias at all then?! 😂

Ok, so you asked and my answer is that it's too much. You may not be binge drinking, but you're drinking double the recommended maximum weekly amount.

My suggestion, if you want it, is stop at one glass a night and then cut it out a few times a week.

Along with other health risks, a quick Google search tells me that a bottle of wine has about 625 calories. You're consuming the equivalent of over 6 Mars bars a week.

I get it - I love wine, but it seems a bit of a habit for you and by asking the question, it has been playing on your mind.

I think a glass or two of wine should be something you fancy on occasion and probably a bit of an issue if it’s needed to relax every night.

My dad’s wife is similar to you and claims she can take it or leave it but I’m not so sure. She’s recently been told to stop drinking by the doctors due to a health issue and she has been finding every excuse under the sun to ignore it. As PP’s have said - it’s a slippery slope.

Don't let the neo-temperance lobby scare you. If you're not suffering any ill effects, and don't regularly drink much more than that, then go for it.

There's a good summary of the evidence here - countless studies have found that moderate drinking is associated with better health outcomes overall than temperance, and it's only once you get to 4 or more drinks a day that this changes. https://snowdon.substack.com/p/moderate-drinking-is-still-good-for

Alcohol is a funny old thing. If a Dr handed you a prescription for a neurotoxin that may cause addiction and breast cancer you wouldn't take it.

I probably drink the same amount in total in a week. (2.5 bottles) but drink 3/4 nights a week. So I think I binge drink which is worse?!