Always liked a tipple, but mainly at weekends. On a Friday after work the wife & I would open a bottle of fizz, then later more wine with our meal, Saturday would be something similar, perhaps a liquid lunch. Kind of got into a habit, we thought this was nothing out of the ordinary.

Watching a program on telly lately about the hazards of alcohol & to say it was an eye opener, was an under statement. I thought I was pretty well up on the subject & I did know things that was discussed.

NOW! The part that shocked me & it was aimed at drinkers who drank regularly, like every day & not huge amounts either was how the body reacted in the gut with excess alcohol, & apart from the poisons formed, the bodies poop, yes poop, escaped into the blood system.. Now I'm not exactly a medical expert, but this is not good, is it?

Believe it or not, the wife and I have been on a health kick for several weeks & have been alcohol free for some time before we actually viewed this. I'm under the Doc for man trouble & I'm carrying a few more pounds than I should. There are other factors, but I'm off the drink for the foreseeable future.

Anyone thinking along the same lines.....

I've worked in health care for years, I see the effects on almost a daily basis of long term alcohol and excessive alcohol consumption.

I don't not drink at all, but it's not uncommon that I will go weeks without a drink.

Been wondering whether to contribute to this thread because it'll probably end up a bit personal. Oh what the h**l, Think I will.

Smoking and drinking and the impact on your life. I started smoking, literally behind the wood shed, at school when I was around 12/13 years old - All the "bad boys" did it and I wanted to be a "bad boy". Continued until I was 30 smoking about 40 a day towards the end. What stopped me? Constant "nagging" from that treasure in my life who is my wife, shortness of breath - no hope of running for a bus - and the birth of my daughter. I had told my wife I had stopped smoking - but hadn't - and, during the lengthy (she took the best part of a day's labour with all three of our kids) labour with our daughter - 2nd child - I accepted a cigarette from a chap whose child had just been born then went back into the labour room as she'd "started off" again. leant over to give her a kiss and she recoiled, came out from behind the gas and air mask, shocked, saying "Oh No! you've been smoking again! Waiting for her to complete giving birth and later walking down the long corridors to the hospital exit, feeling elated to have a Daughter now as well as my young Son, I thought. YOU PRAT! JUST GIVE UP THE FAGS! As I was leaving the hospital there was a rubbish bin on either side of the main doors and I chucked my half empty packet of Embassy into one and the book of matches into the other. Went through Hell for about two months - boy it was hard - Took about 18 months before I realise I was actually disliking the smell of tobacco smoke. I've never touched one since and feel so well on it.

Booze? The crowd I knocked about with in my mid teens and early twenties did "booze" big time. It featured big from Friday nights to start of work Monday mornings. Mostly beer and whisky for me but I'd "neck" a quite "eclectic" variety if it was free. Once married, in my early 20's, I quietened down a lot but still drank regularly and probably drank considerably too much on occasion. When I hit 50 I stopped earning my living from motor vehicle related activities and went to work for an organisation helping people with learning disabilities (was that a "mid life crisis" reaction or what?) Anyway I needed the driving licence to do it and I was in daily charge of 6 to 8 people, with no immediate physical back up, who were largely dependent on me. I decided to give up the booze. Shortly afterwards I had a serious tummy op which now means I have to watch what I eat too - so "falling off the wagon" is not an option any more. Now a days I only risk the most minute tipple, typically champagne so not "real booze", to welcome in the new year or toast a new bride or baby etc and I don't actually like it! Soft drinks for me all the way! Scotland has a reputation for hard drinking and all through my life I've been aware of people, within and close to, the family with alcohol addiction problems. The devastating effects on entirely innocent family members and the public at large is something we, on both a local and national level, have consistently failed to fully address. I feel so lucky to have personally avoided this and I also now just feel so healthy. At 72 years old I can still, with the aid of my "miracle" artificial knees, walk for hours and climb around and under my cars, motor bikes (at present in the singular, but chasing a Douglas Dragonfly I've heard of which is in boxes!) and other machinery. If I had continued with the smoking and drinking I think I would have been armchair or wheelchair bound, or pushing up the daisies by now. As it is, if the B****y prostate doesn't get me, I think I've got a few good years in me yet!

Now? I don't miss the Fags at all. I don't miss the Whisky at all (is that heresy for a Scot to admit?). I do miss a small tasty beer though and am, cautiously - because of the delicate tummy, exploring the expanding world of alcohol free beers. Most of all though is the freedom which my relative fitness allows me to roll about on the floor, go swimming, and generally engage with my grandchildren which are the greatest joy in my life now!

Moderation.. easy to say.

But lots of these 'lifestyle' choices are just that.

Im lucky that I am one of those people that just burn calories..
But I am also generally active.

Only time I have put on weight is when a circulatory issue slowed me down
(Sure theres a joke in that..)

Gave up drink..as I feel permanently hungover anyway..(sinus issues) but the booze isnt exactly 'hair of the dog'

Having Scots in the family too. That means I am often 'Des' fine by me 95% of the time..

Fags..
As kids.. of about 8 or 9..in the 70's

Some bloke threw a lit ciggy out of a car window onto the green we were playing on

We all had a drag on it.. and a Cough..
Hindsight says I was probably smoking
THE FILTER..!!

but whatever... that was plenty thanks..

Spent the next 30 years on 2.strokes.. so probably no better for my lungs..

As the years click by.. you just get on with it.. and as you say are just glad you are still here capable of something.

2 strokes! I have a very soft spot for them. Whilst at automotive college in London I had several mopeds - when mopeds were mopeds not like today's offerings. A wee Honda with the engine in the back wheel (it was a 4 stroke and pathetically slow). A 2 stroke Raleigh Wisp which was a standard daily rider. A BSA "Dandy" which ran but was never roadworthy - wish now I had persevered with that one! and my favorite toy which was a Mobylette for which I had about 1/2 a dozen spare engines. I learned a lot about full circle cranks, stuffing pistons, tuned exhausts and modifying port shapes without letting the rings slip in! - spent hours in the welding shop at college experimenting with expansion chamber designs. My most successful engine actually let me get away from my friend's Honda cub if the road was level and long enough! It was a real screamer but it blew up quite regularly! I've also owned a D1 Bantam, a 175 trials Bantam "bitza" and a James with a Villiers 2 stroke amongst others. Got an NSU Quickly in the shed right now, which I've owned for years and used to ride regularly but now in dire need of restoration.

I was of an age where 'sports mopeds' were still around.. but 30mph ones were the norm. Had one of each..
now 30-odd years later I have 'projects'
left over..
Based around 49cc Italian motors.. circa 2001..

As you can see this one SHOULD be a 'keeper'.. had such little use.. but time will tell.

Didn't take long for this to go way off topic...

A great friend of mine.. watching me dosing the fuel tank with a shot of oil.. before adding a gallon of unleaded.. said

'Aww blees..does it need medicine'

See back on thread.. well almost

Just so much interesting "stuff" comes up on this forum. I find it difficult not to "follow my nose" off down the "rabbit hole"

I'm gluten intolerant so beer is off the menu unless its silly money gluten free. I'm not that bothered about spirits or wines so can go for weeks without a tipple. These days one drink has an effect so I'm cheap to keep.

Gluten intolerance leads to a "leaky gut" where all sorts of crap (sometimes literally) crosses to the bloodstream. That should get hoovered up by the liver, but it's no surprise that undiagnosed coeliacs often get liver trouble.