Cooper Center Study on Fitness, Alcohol and longevity

@phoenixpal

I have a glass of wine every single night with dinner and never felt guilty even when I consumed a bourbon after dinner drink on occasion and a cucumber martini at lunch with family. We are all healthy and active and walkers and exercisers and gym goers. The key words are light to moderate. I tend to drink an equal amount of water after any alcohol. Most of my family prefer wine.
It’s the abuse of alcohol that is damaging no matter how active you are because you know what that does to your liver.

I understand the comment about retirement and alcohol. Unless you have an addictive personality there is no correlation. Stay active , healthy and engaged with life and enjoy what you eat and drink in moderation. Amen.😀

FL Mary

@phoenixpal
Perhaps it didn’t alter the mortality of the drinkers but what about the mortality of their victims that are killed and maimed.
Jake

@jakedduck1
I hear you. And you sound as one from experience. I share your anger and grief.
I am speaking from my own experience. I only drink, and only enjoy drinking when I am safely at home and not going anywhere and not interacting with anyone but my dear wife, late in the evening.

@jakedduck1

You are absolutely right. I didn’t take the whole topic of driving under the influence into consideration in my comments. I assumed it was a given that we were talking about drinking at home or when driving as a passenger. Even one glass of any alcoholic drink lowers your driving ability. I think we have all seen public intoxication on the streets…just as dangerous. Thanks for the reminder.
FL Mary

Another side effect of social drinking is the affect it can have on family. Some people turn into real A-holes after a drink or two.

Okay. I have a question. Is there ANY thing that, ultimately, isn’t bad for your body in excess? My mom used to say, “Everything in moderation,” To deny anything that may be bad for you (in excess) is not guaranteeing a long life; just one without much savor.
Let people enjoy what time we have on earth. Geeze.

Whoa! That old Cooper Institute study is definitely not a green light for seniors, or anybody else, to think that their excessive drinking is OK . It does NOT say that if you keep physically fit you can drink to your heart's content. Read it. Read the studies it references. I know alcoholics who are in great shape and exercise religiously, often fooling themselves that by doing so they are warding off alcoholism. Alcoholism is an unfortunate disease in which typically good people have lost power over their ability to drink no matter how fit they are otherwise. They drink way too much because they cannot help themselves in doing so. It is similar to having an allergy. But their lives become unmanageable often slowly over time. The overwhelming, vast majority of drinkers are not alcoholics and will not suffer from the disease. That's absolutely wonderful. But there are some people who do suffer from alcoholism or are on the road to becoming so, and some seniors who are retired may--and I say MAY not WILL--be especially susceptible for a number of reasons including having time on their hands. Yes, everyone should be free to decide how they want to live the rest of their years. For normal (non-alcoholic) seniors (and others), having a few drinks at dinner, at the pool, playing golf or whatever, at a party or reception or just watching a football game on tv at home or at a sports bar, are all fine and dandy and a pleasurable high point of the day or evening that should be enjoyed. Most people don't need to worry about their drinking even at the rare times they may have been "overserved"! But if you're concerned about your drinking and maybe it bothers you, you're not enjoying it so much anymore, or it is having a bad effect on you or others or your or their lives, there's no reason you shouldn't cover it with your doc. Otherwise, "here's to your health!"

@karen22

I think we are getting off the point of what moderation is, which Aristotle first commented on
eons ago. I am not sure I understand your third sentence about denying anything that may be bad for you (inexcess) is not guaranteeing a long life.....just one without savor. I disagree with that in part.

When we talk about moderation, we are talking about extremes..try eating 200 lbs of spinach a day because it is healthy......I think we would die. Try eating only cheesecake every day and nothing else....I think we would die an early death. An infinite amount of anything would not be better for you....diet...exercise...smoking...whatever. Think of quality vs quantity. No one really believes behaving a certain way or eating and drinking a certain way is a guarantee of a long life.
Denying yourself something because you don't think it is good for you or does not agree with you is not taking the savor out of life if that is what makes you happier or feel better. I also think most people enjoy what they consume or do during the course of a day and find their own rhythm.
Oscar Wilde said ....everything in moderation including moderation. He was a big drinker...his choice....Did he enjoy life? Probably......Could he have lived longer? Maybe. But he was not about to deny himself alcohol. Jackie Gleason also comes to mind and he really lived it up.

If you are the personality that does deny yourself and abstain...for health reasons....so be it....if you are happy that way that you create your own savor.

Luckily, I can eat and drink everything...but I would take the joy out of it if I ate or did something excessive....it ceases to be enjoyable. The first bite or sip of anything is the best....the last last bite or sip...not so much and we know that. Hence moderation.

I hope I was somewhat coherent .

FL Mary

@imallears

What is moderation? You'll likely get a different answer from everyone you ask. How many care about how much alcohol is consumed, what's the alcohol content, how many metabolizing enzymes in what's being drank etc.

I guess I don't understand.
So it's all about a persons happiness? If they CHOOSE to be irresponsible and kill nearly 11,000 people and maim another 300,000 every year I suppose it's just a consequence of a drunk's happiness.
Jake

@jakedduck1

Leonard, you know that alcoholism (or drugs or gambling etc.) is an addiction....has not too much to do with that person's happiness.
Once the addiction takes hold it is almost impossible to stop. Alcohol (or drugs or gambling etc)at that point is the main focus in life and, unless there is intervention of some kind, will continue either to that person's demise or to a tragic fatality. Trust me, I know what that is like having lived with an alcoholic for far too many years. It has nothing to do with happiness...it is the be all and the end all of one's existence with no thought of consequences. It is difficult to understand the power of any kind of addiction until you either have lived that life or shared that life with someone. Addiction and consequences or responsibility have no relation to each other.

This is not to excuse but to understand.

FL Mary