365 days without booze... join me?

[nick_j007]

T40ORA said:

Sadly, yes. And the likes of the Radio (1) DJs who crow about how sick they were through drink.... Doesn't help, eh?

Agreed. Sadly (I'm sounding like an old git) it's like a competition. I've not lived in any other country, but are we not the heaviest drinkers in Europe?

This is interesting. It also looks like the economies would rank alongside, so more income = more beer consumed?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_...

This was interesting also. We're not as drunk in the UK as I thought!

http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/07/alcohol-drinking-...

[T40ORA]

Very interesting.

The pub has always formed an extremely important part of our culture, and there is an ongoing move to make it so again - The Pub is The Hub. This has especially been so in rural areas. And of course responsible drinking is not actually bad for you and again is being encouraged.

Where I choose to drink, in The New Forest, in the main both these things hold true. In the pub I mainly use, the verderers, foresters, agisters etc etc all come to talk aboutthe state of the Forest, price of ponies and so on. And have a couple of beers then depart.

And of course we all know the reason for this being a nation of beer drinkers; healthier than the water at first, then it was recognised to be both hydrating and nourishing for factory/munitions workers (liquid bread!).

So the problem is the binge culture - and as to whether or not that is actually something new, I don't know. Even hundreds of years ago you could get cheap, crappy gin. And my Dad used to tell me about the pubs that sold Old Biddy to the poorest prostitutes.

But there does seem to be some unscrupulous marketing going on by supermarkets selling below cost booze as a lost leader. And bars doing silly Happy Hours for the same end.

There needs to be a serious crack down on the under priced booze and public figures lauding being pissed as a fart. And education about sensible drinking. Not making it a carrot waved at teenagers so that they drink in secret, and think it big to sink vast amounts of alcohol to the point that it becomes a poison....

Rant over!!

PS Today is my 4th day this week with no booze. But tomorrow I SHALL drink, quite a lot and enjoy it. But it is very nice to dry out now and again.

And keep up the good work!

[oldbanger]

3 weeks in and I'm not missing it yet. It's almost easier to have given up for a long period as it puts alcohol completely out of bounds.

I have found that I'm totally shattered and have been since I started. However given how hectic my life has been lately I may have felt even worse with a bit of booze.

[nick_j007]

oldbanger said:

3 weeks in and I'm not missing it yet. It's almost easier to have given up for a long period as it puts alcohol completely out of bounds.

I have found that I'm totally shattered and have been since I started. However given how hectic my life has been lately I may have felt even worse with a bit of booze.

Thanks for the update. I've been meaning to look in myself.

If you're totally shattered you might like to look at some basics such as diet and sleep? I need (yes need) 8-9 hours and sometimes fall short on that as I like late nights (years of training;). If I am good on the sleep front I feel great. I eat quite well I think. I'd like to be exercising more, but I struggle with back issues on and off so that can be a problem.

We all vary, but I can handle a pretty high stress load if I'm well slept, not on the booze and eat well. I invariably stop drinking (2 months and 2 weeks now) because I just know I'm carrying the strain of that with me.

Took me a good month to break free from the worst of the genuine cravings fro a drink and the lifestyle. Stick with it, you'll soon feel better for it mate. Dark chilly nights do not help either. I sometimes stop and think 'God, I was happier when I was drinking', but that's a skewed view of the reality and I know it deep down.

How long you going for?

Nick

[oldbanger]

nick_j007 said:

Thanks for the update. I've been meaning to look in myself.

If you're totally shattered you might like to look at some basics such as diet and sleep? I need (yes need) 8-9 hours and sometimes fall short on that as I like late nights (years of training;). If I am good on the sleep front I feel great. I eat quite well I think. I'd like to be exercising more, but I struggle with back issues on and off so that can be a problem.

We all vary, but I can handle a pretty high stress load if I'm well slept, not on the booze and eat well. I invariably stop drinking (2 months and 2 weeks now) because I just know I'm carrying the strain of that with me.

Took me a good month to break free from the worst of the genuine cravings fro a drink and the lifestyle. Stick with it, you'll soon feel better for it mate. Dark chilly nights do not help either. I sometimes stop and think 'God, I was happier when I was drinking', but that's a skewed view of the reality and I know it deep down.

How long you going for?

Nick

The diet's fine, but I've been getting an average of 5-6 hours a night for about 6 months, when I need more like 7, so it's caught up with me. And work hasn't been easy lately.

I do think that I did have a 2 week downer as well when I first started, as I'd drunk more than usual over the christmas period - almost every day.

I'm aiming for 6 months to start with. I don't know if I'd keep it up longer than that. I probably ought to. I've been dabbling with lay Buddhism for a couple of years, and one of the big messages from that is no "intoxicants" full stop. That's not just booze, but even caffeine, taken seriously.

I gave up caffeine for a few months about 10 years ago. It was a really hard experience, the headaches were amazing. Currently I drink at least 6 cups of full-fat coffee a day, so I can count myself well and truly dependant.

[Mobile Chicane]

I'm currently on the Patrick Holford 9-day liver detox diet thingy, so no:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Wheat
Dairy
Sugar
Meat

I maintain that most people on detox diets feel dreadful initially due to caffeine withdrawal, however there's dreadful, and then there's dreadful.

No energy, poisonous headache, and extremely irritable. I've given up alcohol before with none of these effects, therefore it must be the caffeine. I'm also craving it far more than I ever craved alcohol.

[pete a]

3 weeks 2 days today and my dad had gone into hospital after having a heart attack this morning, boy would I like a scotch, but I am staying with my mum in case she needs taking to the hospital in the night so I have to be good.

[Mobile Chicane]

pete a said:

3 weeks 2 days today and my dad had gone into hospital after having a heart attack this morning, boy would I like a scotch, but I am staying with my mum in case she needs taking to the hospital in the night so I have to be good.

Now there's a thought to hang onto.

For me the major benefit of not drinking is that if I have to drive at any point, I can.

[Digger]

Woah - good Luck with that T. How far are you in and what happens after the ninth day?

[nick_j007]

pete a said:

3 weeks 2 days today and my dad had gone into hospital after having a heart attack this morning, boy would I like a scotch, but I am staying with my mum in case she needs taking to the hospital in the night so I have to be good.

Hope all is ok for you then.
Nick

[nick_j007]

oldbanger said:

The diet's fine, but I've been getting an average of 5-6 hours a night for about 6 months, when I need more like 7, so it's caught up with me. And work hasn't been easy lately.

I do think that I did have a 2 week downer as well when I first started, as I'd drunk more than usual over the christmas period - almost every day.

I'm aiming for 6 months to start with. I don't know if I'd keep it up longer than that. I probably ought to. I've been dabbling with lay Buddhism for a couple of years, and one of the big messages from that is no "intoxicants" full stop. That's not just booze, but even caffeine, taken seriously.

I gave up caffeine for a few months about 10 years ago. It was a really hard experience, the headaches were amazing. Currently I drink at least 6 cups of full-fat coffee a day, so I can count myself well and truly dependant.

Well as I tell myself, the only person that can look after me is me, so do look after yourself Ensure you get your 7 hours! I guard my sleep jealously now. Few people on their death beds wish they spent more time in the office or at work

I love my work and life, but try more than ever to stop and smell the roses. Some would see it as laziness or something. So, day time naps, lie ins, not answering the phone sometimes are all a part of my crafty plan to enjoy myself more and to strike the balance that so many of us lack...due to guilt of not running about at 100mph. Work is over rated, let's face it.

I can relate perfectly well to post Xmas (and holidays) drinking and coming down afterwards. These would be BIG areas to cope with for me and I would often find myself at a big low post breaks whereby I could basically drink more than I ought to.

I too love my coffee and go with the flow on that one. No filter coffee after lunch generally nowadays though if I want to get to sleep at night.

I too share your desire to go deeper in life currently. Buddhism has long attracted me, but I am currently deeply immersed in 'A Course in Miracles'. Not religious, but truly spiritual. I could not consider it if going to bed pissed and then thinking deep thoughts. Lol.

Anyway, to bed to read

Blessings

[T40ORA]

Mobile Chicane said:

I'm currently on the Patrick Holford 9-day liver detox diet thingy, so no:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Wheat
Dairy
Sugar
Meat

I maintain that most people on detox diets feel dreadful initially due to caffeine withdrawal, however there's dreadful, and then there's dreadful.

No energy, poisonous headache, and extremely irritable. I've given up alcohol before with none of these effects, therefore it must be the caffeine. I'm also craving it far more than I ever craved alcohol.

We did that in 2005 when the wife was diagnosed with cancer. Apart from the booze and a little caffeine (green or white tea only, and in the morning only) we have stuck with it. Made a huge difference to our energy levels.

Slipping on the caffeine though does screw the metabolism so I'm aiming to get it out of the diet again soon.

[nick_j007]

T40ORA said:

Mobile Chicane said:

I'm currently on the Patrick Holford 9-day liver detox diet thingy, so no:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Wheat
Dairy
Sugar
Meat

I maintain that most people on detox diets feel dreadful initially due to caffeine withdrawal, however there's dreadful, and then there's dreadful.

No energy, poisonous headache, and extremely irritable. I've given up alcohol before with none of these effects, therefore it must be the caffeine. I'm also craving it far more than I ever craved alcohol.

We did that in 2005 when the wife was diagnosed with cancer. Apart from the booze and a little caffeine (green or white tea only, and in the morning only) we have stuck with it. Made a huge difference to our energy levels.

Slipping on the caffeine though does screw the metabolism so I'm aiming to get it out of the diet again soon.

I like the sound of that detox. Meat and coffee would be missed. Would does it suggest you substitute meat with, soya products?

[T40ORA]

nick_j007 said:

I like the sound of that detox. Meat and coffee would be missed. Would does it suggest you substitute meat with, soya products?

No need. Lots of protein in pulses and stuff. If you search on protein content of food, you can work out daily substitutes. Lentils and rice became a daily standard.

We do eat fish now, so only mammalian meat avoided. Oh, and eggs are obviously high protein. And non bovine dairy (sheep and goat) is much, much better than bovine apparently so we do eat some cheeses now. A bit of a guilty pleasure!

[nick_j007]

T40ORA said:

nick_j007 said:

I like the sound of that detox. Meat and coffee would be missed. Would does it suggest you substitute meat with, soya products?

No need. Lots of protein in pulses and stuff. If you search on protein content of food, you can work out daily substitutes. Lentils and rice became a daily standard.

We do eat fish now, so only mammalian meat avoided. Oh, and eggs are obviously high protein. And non bovine dairy (sheep and goat) is much, much better than bovine apparently so we do eat some cheeses now. A bit of a guilty pleasure!

Oh you. Living on the edge like that !

I've downloaded the free sample on the Kindle and will go from there. Thanks!

[T40ORA]

nick_j007 said:

Oh you. Living on the edge like that !

I've downloaded the free sample on the Kindle and will go from there. Thanks!

Goodness, I really live dangerously! A cup of Yerba Mate tea AND a cup of white tea today!

The Patrick Holford stuff is really good; we use his Optimum Nutrition Bible as a guide.

[LordGrover]

Patrick Holford? Crikey, yours and my opinion of him and his 'books' vary somewhat then.
His 'Nutrition Bible' is nothing more than a thinly veiled advert for his supplements and snake oil, founded on pseudo science and bks. IMO.
Each to their own. If it works for you,

[T40ORA]

LordGrover said:

Patrick Holford? Crikey, yours and my opinion of him and his 'books' vary somewhat then.
His 'Nutrition Bible' is nothing more than a thinly veiled advert for his supplements and snake oil, founded on pseudo science and bks. IMO.
Each to their own. If it works for you,

Really? The oldish version that I have doesn't really flog any of his products IMO. Just talks about the effects of food groups.

Yes, he does promote taking supplements (and I understand his rationale) but I didn't read it as especially pumping his stuff.

Mind you, as I said it is not the most recent edition so maybe the marketing machine has since got to work...

Pseudo science? Maybe, but then medicine isn't exactly a precise science. Ask all the people that have been misdiagnosed for various ailments and look at all the different/contentious view. I think his theories make sense, and a lot of the research that has been done by others cannot be disproven.

As you say though; horses for courses.

[Mobile Chicane]

I personally don't think there's any great 'mystery' to what Holford says. It's also nothing I haven't heard before in some way, shape or form.

Logically, if you're avoiding blood sugar highs/lows, not overloading your body with stimulants, eating healthily and taking moderate exercise, you will feel better than if you didn't.

However, dropping caffeine has been a bit of a revelation for me. After a week of rotten headaches, I do feel better. Curiously I had a better night's sleep last night than I've had in a long time, moreover without the aid of a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

[nick_j007]

Mobile Chicane said:

I personally don't think there's any great 'mystery' to what Holford says. It's also nothing I haven't heard before in some way, shape or form.

Logically, if you're avoiding blood sugar highs/lows, not overloading your body with stimulants, eating healthily and taking moderate exercise, you will feel better than if you didn't.

However, dropping caffeine has been a bit of a revelation for me. After a week of rotten headaches, I do feel better. Curiously I had a better night's sleep last night than I've had in a long time, moreover without the aid of a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Haha. I recall watching a test on TV a while back with regard to caffeine and how it helps us perform. The final outcome was that once you come off the coffee morning hit and go without, your reaction times and feeling awake is just as good as those that need the coffee.