When is it acceptable to have a drink?

WhiteRoses wrote: »

It depends on the situation. Nothing wrong with having a drink in the evening to unwind but its too much imo if you are getting drunk at home on a regular occurrence.

My mother has alcohol dependency issues and I recognised she had a problem when I realised she was getting drunk 4-5 evenings a week while watching the telly. She wasn't necessarily alone, my dad and siblings were around but that made it even more surreal because she was obviously the only one that was drunk. I was in denial about it until one day we went for lunch after a spot of shopping and she ordered shots of sambuca after she'd eaten. She still denies she has any problem at all :rolleyes:

I don't think this is an easy one to answer. So many other factors come into it when determining how often is too often.

diomed wrote: »

I commented to a relative about their wine drinking. Should I have kept quiet? Their shopping always includes a few bottles of wine, they have wine with meals, wine watching television, and wine if someone visits. They know the price of wine, the types of wine, special offers on wine.

Is it beneficial to drink while you eat? It seems there are a few schools of thought when it comes to drinking while eating and although there may not necessarily be one right way, it is clear there are some things to avoid. Our body’s perform a number of processes while eating and digesting so it’s important to understand and consider each while determining if drinking water while eating is best for us.

• Our mouthes create saliva while eating as it contains digestive enzymes to help break down food. These enzymes are very important in creating a healthy digestive process.
• Our stomachs contain gastric juices that aid in digestion and are instrumental in killing any bacteria we might consume in the food we eat. It is important these juices function properly as they help break down food and allow the stomach to contract and pulverize food into a state that can be pushed to the small intestine.
• The liver is also important as once nutrients are taken from the food we eat they are sent through the bloodstream to the liver. From there, the liver distributes the nutrients to different areas of the body. It determines what to keep for later and what to utilize right away. The liver requires an ample amount of water to function and do its job properly.

To Drink or Not to Drink

The main area of debate is whether or not drinking water during a meal is harmful or beneficial to the digestive process. There is no doubting the fact that drinking too much water during meals can interfere with the natural and necessary levels of bile and stomach acid. This would slow the digestion process and reduce the body’s ability to produce enough digestive enzymes to digest foods properly. Without proper digestion, a build up of toxic waste can occur no matter what you are eating.We can apply the same principles when thinking about other beverages we might consume during a meal. In the case of alcoholic drinks and acidic beverages like soda, they tend to dry up the saliva your glands have produced, making it even more difficult to properly digest food. Drinking water or other beverages while they are cold also slows down digestion and can create cramping in some individuals.

It is clear that drinking water before and after you eat aids the digestive process. The general consensus on this is that drinking water about 30 minutes before you eat will help keep the body hydrated which results in optimal digestion. For the liver, this is also important as overall body hydration aids in optimal liver performance. Drinking water about 30 minutes after can also assist in hydrating the body through the latter parts of digestion and replenish the lost liquids from digestion. It is important to note that drinking water during a meal would be more beneficial than not drinking while eating if you are not properly hydrated before hand. Eating while dehydrated can cause the body to have a very tough time digesting food.

realies wrote: »

Having a glass of wine or beer is quite alright in my book, As has been said already it's when your drinking becomes the one of your must haves when the problems start to arise,IMO.