CHOOSE TO NOT DRINK

Author Holly Whitaker shows how our culture promotes drinking alcohol: teens getting fake IDs, kegs of beer at frat parties, booze accompanying tailgating and sporting events, champagne toasts at celebrations, happy hours, wine before and during dinner, plus movies, media, and advertising showing drinking as normal behavior.

Our culture used to promote smoking until the public finally realized the danger to health.  No amount of tobacco or alcohol is healthy, but the public still clings to the idea that alcohol use is socially acceptable, a normal way to relax and have fun.

Whitaker lists many effects of drinking alcohol: disrupts sleep, fuels anxiety, impedes detoxification, causes weight gain, interferes with weight loss, causes facial redness and broken capillaries, messes up the brain, raises blood sugar, disrupts hormone function, linked to seven different cancers, causes premature aging, and destroys bacteria in the digestive system.  She goes into more explanation in her book.  

Some will become "heavy drinkers" defined as women drinking more than 8 drinks a week and men drinking more than 15 per week.  Drinkers may like the temporary effects of alcohol, but there are no long-term benefits.  In addition, habits form and addiction can develop.

I have never been a drinker but an observer of our culture.  Holly Whitaker helps readers understand her past lifestyle with alcohol and how she found methods to quit and ways to live and have fun without alcohol.  You can choose to not drink.