Booze: The good, the bad and the ugly

At Rise, we live by the 80/20 rule, but we also value the truth, toughness, and having real conversations. Today’s topic? Alcohol.

Alcohol is one of the most normalized and celebrated substances in our society. It is ingrained in social traditions, celebrations, and casual relaxation. It is time to be honest and look at the good, the bad, and the ugly truth about alcohol. 

The Big Question: Do I have to give up alcohol entirely? 

You’re not alone in wondering. We will never ask you to stop drinking entirely, but we are here to give you information to make the choice on your own. Regular alcohol consumption has been consistently linked to negative outcomes in three major areas: mental health, sleep quality, and long-term disease risk. 

The Good 

To be honest, there is not much good when it comes to alcohol. One could make an argument for the social connection. Sharing a glass of wine over dinner or having a celebratory toast can create social connection. This can bring joy and balance to your life. 

The Bad

Any amount of alcohol indeed has effects on the body - most of them negative. Our bodies operate a lot like machines, and whatever fuel we choose to put into them will affect how well we operate. 

Alcohol disrupts our body’s natural sleep cycle, which can reduce our overall sleep quality. While a drink may help you relax at the end of the day or appear to help you fall asleep faster, the quality of that sleep will be negatively affected. Alcohol also creates side effects such as daytime fatigue, brain fog, weakened immune system, increased cortisol, heightened risk of anxiety and depression, increased body weight, elevated blood pressure, increased inflammation, and damage to organs.  

The Ugly 

And finally, the part we often don’t want to talk about: according to the American Cancer Society, alcohol is a known carcinogen. It is linked to cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, liver, and colon. 

Again, we are certainly not here to tell you whether you should or shouldn’t drink alcohol, but if we are strictly speaking about doing what’s best for our body for longevity's sake, it’s hard to deny the correct answer. 

Of course, alcohol doesn’t have to be “all or nothing”. If you’re like many people, alcohol might be something that you enjoy partaking in while in certain social settings. And while the healthiest option is no alcohol all together, you can certainly choose to approach it in moderation. Moderation would consist of 2 drinks or less per week, which falls within our “80/20 rule” we preach at Rise.

Alcohol can be a tricky topic since it is so closely correlated with our everyday lives, social gatherings, celebrations, and more. At Rise, we don’t shy away from topics like this. We believe that addressing the tough stuff and setting goals and boundaries around it can be what separates a mediocre life from a thriving life.

If you’d like to chat further about alcohol, nutrition, fitness, or other health-related goals you have for your life, our team would love to sit down with you. To schedule a meeting with one of our coaches to chat about the foundational framework you’re building for your health and how we can help you strengthen it, head here.