Advice on Coping With Pandemic-related Drinking Behavior
We’ve all gone through the difficulties of isolation, sheltering and distancing for the past four months. Many of us have adapted well, including learning to work remotely. Others have been under considerable stress, whether dealing with unemployment or confronting life-and-death virus cases daily.
And many have found ways to deal with these pandemic times, including increasing our alcohol consumption, significantly for a number of us.
Going forward, as we wend our way back to the new normal (which seems to be redefined and evolving every week), I trust our pandemic drinking habits will subside and revert to the old normal.
This week’s column focuses on drinking advice I’ve espoused in previous columns. Consider it a refresher course as we continue our journey toward some form of guarded normalcy.
Drinking wine in moderation, when exercised responsibly, is beneficial for our minds and bodies. Psychologically, it mellows us, reducing stress and anxiety, resulting in enhanced conviviality. Physiologically, notably with red wine, it promotes cardiovascular health and fights disease.
The key to successfully balancing the positive and negative factors associated with drinking wine is moderation. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, moderate alcoholic drinking is no more than one drink a day for most women and no more than two drinks a day for most men. A standard drink is generally considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.
Here are a number of ways to control the effects of the alcohol you consume and limit your intake.
- Sip, don’t slurp. Consume no more than one drink per hour. This gives your circulatory system the requisite time to process the bulk (but not all) of the alcohol. An added bonus: I find that as long as I have a partially full wine glass in my hand and my lips are frequently touching the glass rim, I can (sometimes) nurse one glass of wine for hours. I still enjoy the wine, but no one is coaxing me for a refill.
- Pre-set your limit – and don’t falter. As a math project, determine your personal limit of alcohol. At a minimum use the government’s guidelines above. Space out your refills over the course of the event you’re attending. As you are nursing your drink, or during the down time between drinks, drink copious amounts of water. My rule of thumb is one glass of water for each comparable glass of wine.
- We’re all sufficiently experienced to know never to drink on an empty stomach. Without food to absorb alcohol, your circulatory system will speed the alcohol much more quickly to your brain.
Make the effort to eat about one hour before you expect to drink. Which foods? Those high in protein slow down the rate of alcohol absorption better than carbohydrates. Protein is fattier and will coat your esophagus and stomach lining, slowing the absorption of alcohol. Aging baby boomers heed this: as you get older, the proportion of body fat to water increases. You can’t drink like you did in 1979 and you can’t party like it’s 1999.
Once you begin drinking, follow a similar regimen: protein-based hors d’oeuvres (pigs in a blanket?), cheeses and nuts work very well. By the way, the old-school maxim to consume two teaspoons of olive oil one hour before you begin drinking actually works fairly well.
- If you can’t follow the first three guidelines, make sure you have a designated driver standing by. (An Uber ride is still a bit iffy for some of us). The younger generation has taken this safety tip to heart. Unfortunately, a number of baby boomers still don’t get it.
We are all social creatures. Wine can bridge the relationship between family, friends and new acquaintances, fuel comraderie and relieve stress. If and when you choose to drink, please do so sensibly and responsibly. Allow wine to enhance your social relationships, not impair them.
Nick Antonaccio is a 40-year Pleasantville resident. For over 25 years, he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. Nick is a member and program director of the Wine Media Guild of wine journalists. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
