Is three bottles of wine a week too much?

[PinkOrchidDream]

My husband, not me. Since I've been pregnant, so abstaining from drink altogether, I've been more aware of his drinking. It's by no means a problem judging by his behaviour but I just wondered if this is (obviously a bit unhealthy) but normal for some. It's spread out over the week so he doesn't binge at weekends.

@CobraChicken Yep, mine too!!

@Coldwine75 and @whosappleman I noticed on Little Fires Everywhere that Reece Witherspoon carefully measuring one small glass a night was a sign she is a nasty control freak.

I watched and thought: I do that! Because I don't want 125ml to slip into becoming 175 and then 2 glasses a night. Being health conscious/responsible about drinking was proof she was judgemental and uptight.

I think that about the tv drama’s too. I can be having a cup of tea then see someone drinking wine and it puts it in my head (I’ve been trying to cut down my own drinking). It wouldn’t be acceptable nowadays to see characters chain smoking, so why is it ok to see them constantly drinking? I’m still at the stage where it’s a bit of a struggle to cut down and I find myself trying to avoid these types of shows now as it does make it harder.

To answer your question OP, I do think the 14 units thing is a bit plucked out of thin air. The advice varies so much in different countries. Why is the uk necessarily the ones who are right? But likewise it wouldn’t hurt for him to cut down. But if you were drinking at the same level prior to pregnancy, then it was “normal” for you as a couple, therefore he may not see an issue.

On mumsnet, yes! It’s an obscene amount! In life in general, no. Most wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

@TheKeatingFive

I couldn’t get too worked up about 6 more units a week than the rather conservative guidelines allow.

Most people don’t live optimally ‘healthy’ lives all of the time. If diet, weight and exercise levels are broadly good I wouldn’t be losing any sleep over 2 bottles of wine a week.

This!

@BumCat

On mumsnet, yes! It’s an obscene amount! In life in general, no. Most wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

And 'most' would be wrong

Those regular extra units a week really add up though. It’s about 30 bottles of wine every year on top of what you’re already drinking.

But I'm not advocating bad diets am I, so I'm not sure what your point is.

The point is that, if you’re honest with yourself, you know you’re unlikely to contribute to a thread about nhs recos on saturated fat/processed meat/trans fats with the same persistence and investment as you have on this topic.

Alcohol brings out the crusaders and evangelists the way that other less than optimal behaviours don’t.

@Meruem

I think that about the tv drama’s too. I can be having a cup of tea then see someone drinking wine and it puts it in my head (I’ve been trying to cut down my own drinking). It wouldn’t be acceptable nowadays to see characters chain smoking, so why is it ok to see them constantly drinking? I’m still at the stage where it’s a bit of a struggle to cut down and I find myself trying to avoid these types of shows now as it does make it harder.

To answer your question OP, I do think the 14 units thing is a bit plucked out of thin air. The advice varies so much in different countries. Why is the uk necessarily the ones who are right? But likewise it wouldn’t hurt for him to cut down. But if you were drinking at the same level prior to pregnancy, then it was “normal” for you as a couple, therefore he may not see an issue.

Perhaps the 14 units is plucked out of thin air, but how about this:

The industry knows alcohol is a toxic substance,” says [Professor David] Nutt. “If it were discovered today, it would be illegal as a foodstuff. The safe limit of alcohol, if you apply food standards criteria, would be one glass of wine a year.”

@BumCat

On mumsnet, yes! It’s an obscene amount! In life in general, no. Most wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

Do you not think for yourself and just follow others?

Sorry, there’s a post in between what I was replying to. In case it isn’t clear, it’s this:

I couldn’t get too worked up about 6 more units a week than the rather conservative guidelines allow.

Six extra units a week for fifty two weeks a year is 312 units. One bottle of wine is about 10 so about thirty bottles of wine on top of the recommended consumption. I wonder if people realise it’s that much.

Also, it's not just about cancer, weight gain, liver toxicity. It's about alcohol's promiscuous affect on about 9 neurotransmitters and the fact that alcohol shrinks the brain leading to Alzheimer's and dementia

The industry knows alcohol is a toxic substance,” says [Professor David] Nutt. “If it were discovered today, it would be illegal as a foodstuff. The safe limit of alcohol, if you apply food standards criteria, would be one glass of wine a year.”

I expect exactly the same could be said for sugar.

The point is that, if you’re honest with yourself, you know you’re unlikely to contribute to a thread about nhs recos on saturated fat/processed meat/trans fats with the same persistence and investment as you have on this topic.

Have you ever seen a thread from someone worried that their partner is eating too much bacon every day?

I wonder if people realise it’s that much.

I expect they can do maths, yes

Have you ever seen a thread from someone worried that their partner is eating too much bacon every day?

That’s exactly my point. Terribly unhealthy behaviour, but not moralised the way alcohol consumption is, so not given anything like the headspace.

Yes, three bottles is too much. Either he is drinking every night, which is not recommended. Or he is drinking quite a bit on some nights, which is not recommended.

@TheKeatingFive

The industry knows alcohol is a toxic substance,” says [Professor David] Nutt. “If it were discovered today, it would be illegal as a foodstuff. The safe limit of alcohol, if you apply food standards criteria, would be one glass of wine a year.”

I expect exactly the same could be said for sugar.

Ok, except it hasn't been said about sugar though?

And, this is a thread about alcohol.

No, it's not. If he were French it wouldn't even be a question.

@TheKeatingFive

I wonder if people realise it’s that much.

I expect they can do maths, yes

But do they take the time to do the maths.

Why are you defending alcohol so much?

You’re wasting your time @ohnoohnoohnononononoo

It’s like talking to a walk.

Nobody would go on a thread about eating too much sugar/processed meat/smoking etc and start talking about alcohol.

@PaperbackRider

No, it's not. If he were French it wouldn't even be a question.

French public health is trying to get people to cut their alcohol consumption.

Again, just because something is culturally normal doesn’t make it healthy.

@PaperbackRider

No, it's not. If he were French it wouldn't even be a question.

Not true.

The french have actually reduced their alcohol intake after the government set about with a massive advertising campaign on the dangers.

The french used to have the highest rates of liver cirrhosis and it was dubbed 'the French Disease'. We, in the UK, have overtaken them 5 fold!

What is the point of piling on here and berating people who drink?
Most who do,know the pitfalls.
The stuff is marketed and pushed at us.Look at Motherland as an example, wine as some sort of Mummy rebellion.
Times are hard,people reach for a cheap legal fix.
Nagging is counterproductive.

Why are you defending alcohol so much?

I’m not particularly defending it. I just don’t get the zealous outrage when it’s just one of a number of less than healthy behaviours people indulge in.