Alcohol

[Dr Robyn]

We get asked a lot about alcohol. And the simple answer is, it’s a toxin. Don’t drink it. Studies of breast cancer have come out saying there is no level of alcohol that is safe. But outside of that, most studies talk about the risks if you drink every day in varying amounts. The people we have met who are interested in moving towards being plant-based aren’t asking if they can drink alcohol every day. But I haven’t seen any research that looks at the risk associated with having a couple of drinks a week or a month.

This 2016 article (https://nutritionstudies.org/alcohol-16-reasons-to-rethink-your-drink/) written by Dr Thomas Campbell (T. Colin Cambell’s son) gives some insight into what “some” alcohol does to be body. The points that just say “alcohol” rather than saying “excess” or saying how many drinks a day are,

Heartburn – Alcohol can hamper the function of the sphincter barrier between the esophagus and stomach, leading to acid reflux and heartburn.[11]
Leaky gut – Alcohol can disrupt the barrier function of the intestine, allowing large molecules that normally couldn’t be absorbed into your body.[11]
Psoriasis – Alcohol may be a trigger for psoriasis exacerbations.[7]

They do not mention hot flashes. But there is some evidence that if you are experiencing hot flashes, eliminating alcohol will help.

All of that leads back to – alcohol is a poison. There is no way around that.

What we do.
We are often asked if we drink alcohol. And while I would rather you make your own choice based on the data and uninfluenced by us, I am willing to share what our choice is.

As of this writing (fall 2019), Russ will have a beer or glass of wine once or twice a week. His limit is two glasses in a sitting. So at most, he has four drinks a week.

I may choose to have a drink once or twice a month and typically only one drink in a sitting. If we are out, Cointreau on the rocks with lime is an easy choice (it’s impossible to mess up). At home on rare occasions Russ and I may split a bottle of white wine. When we do, I always feel it the next day. Two glasses of wine in a night is a lot for me.

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