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America has a drinking problem

theatlantic.com

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Re: America has a drinking problem

#501

Post by bitexploder »

rorykoehler wrote: post #495
bitexploder wrote: post #363

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not like I suddenly break down or something. There are a few factors in my sport. BJJ is mostly cardio so I sweat a lot. I train at or close to my limits most of the time. Recovery isn’t as easy at 41. Alcohol depletes just enough from my body and impedes recovery just enough that the next day, I won’t be 100%, and I’ll feel it. Even one drink in the evening is massively disruptive to sleep processes like REM sl…

OT: Training close to your limits all the time is counter productive. Read up on block periodization for how you get more from your training.

Good point. I don’t periodize my BJJ training, but when I am tired and sore I go light. I like an undulating periodization model for both cardio and strength work. Rest and knowing what the precursors to overtraining are like are huge. My “limit” training is what I can maintain year round. Base training as it were with smart full breaks here and there. I have read way too many books on strength training and running, used to run ultras and lift a lot before embracing martial arts. Undulating periodization basically works out to a few different training intensities and modalities that are cycled through carefully to promote stimulus and avoid overtraining. It’s similar to block periodization in concept to block periodization but the blocks are more flexible and at my age much shorter before I have hit the max benefit of a block and moved on to the next one. The cool thing about undulating periodization is you pick up where you left off in a block.

Re: America has a drinking problem

#502

Post by jasondigitized »

sqqqqrly wrote: post #453
dylan604 wrote: post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi! Nice to meet you. There are weeks when I have 0 drinks per week, and then others where I have lots more. It all depends on mood and activities. Specifically if the smoker is running.

I'm with you brother. Life is too short. My neighbors and I have been doing Friday night happy hours for almost a year, always outside. Many with a fire going and outside movies shown on the side of my RV. The 6 of us look forward to these. Personally, I couldn't care less what others think of this or how "sustainable" this is.

Some might argue life is too short to drink. I personally arrived at that conclusion. To each his own.

Re: America has a drinking problem

#503

Post by kenneth »

ohazi wrote: post #67
leifg wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Genuine question: what do you drink instead? Do you stick to water or do you order any kind of soda/lemonade (or something I’m not thinking about)

Tangentially related anecdote: I went from always ordering a soft drink at restaurants to only drinking water. The swich occurred almost overnight, and I ended up losing about 25 lbs. The reason I did this was entirely social, and it happened by accident. My parents didn't have soft drinks at home, except occasional leftovers after a party, so ordering a soft drink at a restaurant was sort of a "special treat," even…

Similar: one day in 2012 I quit soda cold turkey. It was supposed to be for 4 days as a challenge (I was drinking probably 2L+ a day of full-sugar cola / red bull at that point). I just didn't restart, and haven't had a glass of cola since. Now if I have a sip of Coca-cola it tastes so nasty I'll feel like spitting it out. Originally started drinking it because family didn't, so it was a way of showing my independence (and of doing what schoolmates could).

Re: America has a drinking problem

#504

Post by SilverRed »

Sophistifunk wrote: post #423

People have the cause and effect backwards in my opinion. You know why "binge drinking" isn't a problem in Germany, except for when the Australians turn up for Oktoberfest? It's because you can just buy a beer on the side of the road with your currywurst, and drink it without being hassled. If you act up, you get arrested for acting up. Try openly having a few beers in the park in Australia or the US, you'll be run o…

The public drinking laws are not because the government thinks the average person can't be trusted. It's because the homeless population has a large drinking problem and it often results in people getting assaulted on the street. These laws let the police do something about this before it results in harm.

Re: America has a drinking problem

#505

Post by JamesBarney »

Barrin92 wrote: post #135

Article mirrors my experience. For context I'm German, my wife's French and we've got family in Croatia who own a vineyard so I'm used to being around alcohol and people drinking. My first impression when I spent time was in the US was indeed how bipolar drinking is compared to Europe. We probably drink a hell of a lot more in raw terms than the average American does.Two glasses of wine for dinner, another one in the…

It's my understanding the U.S. drinking culture is more similar to Iceland/Scandinavia/Japan/Korea/China.

It seems that continental Europe is the outlier.

Re: America has a drinking problem

#506

Post by jasondigitized »

azinman2 wrote: post #207

Having lived in the UK and the US, I firmly disagree. I had never seen drinking at the extreme levels until I went to the UK. I seriously doubt the entire articles premise that somehow alcohol binging is unique to the US. There are a lot of counties with a lot of forms of alcohol out there…

I lived in Bermuda which is the crossroads for expats from all over the world. Not sure if it’s an expat thing but the Americans didn’t drink nearly as hard as the Brits, Canadians, Aussies, Kiwis and South Africans.

Re: America has a drinking problem

#507

Post by _jal »

jmcdl wrote: post #295
maya24 wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Alcohol is a harmful drug much worse than some of the other banned drugs on the market.

This is a common refrain but at the same time it seems to be the one substance commonly used across most of the world since ancient times. None of the other supposedly less harmful, banned drugs are so ubiquitous. Perhaps there's a good reason for this (besides varying availability of other substances)?

> None of the other supposedly less harmful, banned drugs are so ubiquitous

You get alcohol when fruit spoils. Our experience with it is quite literally as old as foraging. This doesn't tell us anything about how harmful or not harmful alcohol is.

As far as ubiquity, plant-based substances had to follow migration or trade routes to gain use outside of their native habitats. Alcohol was coextensive with any food .

Re: America has a drinking problem

#508

Post by kenneth »

jasondigitized wrote: post #498
kenneth wrote: post #493

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cannabis is in no way healthier than alcohol. It's hard to quantify the damages done by one vs. the other; but there are very serious social and psychological downsides to regular cannabis use.

Pretty sure alcohol is way harder on your body than edibles or vaping cannabis. Alcoholism has a huge blast radius.

I feel like it's likely a larger proportion of weed-users have it affect their productivity and motivation to grow in life than the proportion of drinkers who become dangerous alcoholics or end up with cirrhosis. I don't have data to back this up though.

I've seen more lives around me hampered by marijuana than by alcohol, despite having a very large amount of heavy drinkers in my circles.

Re: America has a drinking problem

#509

Post by bradleyjg »

kenneth wrote: post #488
bradleyjg wrote: post #389

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I appreciate the response. Mostly I hate throwaways but this is an appropriate use. As I’ve gotten older (I’m 40ish) hangovers have gotten worse and worse. It’s now to the point if I have 4-5 medium beers on Friday night I can write off Saturday. Has your subjective experience of hangovers gotten easier over time?

Not OP, but I drink quite a bit too. I discovered ZBiotics and it's made a very large difference in my experience with hangovers. I was also starting to feel worse hangovers as I aged (from being practically immune in my late teens / early twenties), but using ZB has taken me back to those levels. They're a YC startup, and the product is a GMO probiotic that produces the enzyme to break down acetaldehyde in your dige…

If nothing else, it’s a clever idea. I put in an order and we’ll see how it goes.

Re: America has a drinking problem

#510

Post by TylerE »

FridayoLeary wrote: post #312
azinman2 wrote: post #207

Having lived in the UK and the US, I firmly disagree. I had never seen drinking at the extreme levels until I went to the UK. I seriously doubt the entire articles premise that somehow alcohol binging is unique to the US. There are a lot of counties with a lot of forms of alcohol out there…

Don't really get pubs outside the UK. A pub is basically a place where you can sit and enjoy yourself and chat with mates. Sometimes people can get outrageously drunk. Also in UK you can buy alcohol from 18, (and if you go to the right places younger even...). It seems totally absurd that in the USA even a 20 YO can't buy himself a drink.

I think the age thing in the US is part of the issue. Rather than teaching teens about social drinking in moderation, drinking is something that gets binged on when the adults are away.
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