This topic everyone has an opinion on and a solution for. It’s a great 30 mins to spend reviewing your own position on the ethanol spectrum (or is it the slide?). Within Oz which is a heavy alcohol drinking culture it makes it that little bit more challenging, letalone in business when having to celebrate wins or new relationships forged. So my personal confession from reviewing the past year is, I didn’t do it in moderation as much as I’d like and I still have a lipid layer I want to bust. What about on the home front? My kids claim they’ve never seen me drunk, though I think that is more reflective of my default behaviour 🤔🤷♂️ 😜 Social lock downs in Melb did break many a good habit. A sneaky Baileys in a morning coffee while on the dog walk (perhaps to deal with the insane mandated one hour max outdoors!?) or that extra red while on the Nth Teams meet in the afternoon did put that lipid layer on my middle I’m still on the tail end of eliminating. Like parenting, past events need to have a use by date on being blamed. I am on that list of those who want to keep consuming these liquids for the range of feel good reasons and not eliminate fully. But I am very aware it is a toxic substance. Indeed as a major wine maker made a good ironic point to me years ago about so called ‘preservative free’ wines, alcohol itself is one of the best and oldest preservatives because of its toxicity! So in the spirit of cheer and maintaining the working and celebratory life I have grown accustomed to, here’s a few tips I’ve been putting into action and I welcome views and add ons to this: 🍷Drink water (fizzy with lime is my good cover) two out of three glasses of anything consumed. 🍷Take up some other favourite go tos so you’re not always reaching for a regular wine or beer. My latest is a Remedy raspberry kombucha. 🍷Treat drinks at big or commemorative events in a more ‘spiritual’ way to toast, and savour the flavour and the moment, together. 🍷 And use the opportunity of a non drinker (particularly if they are for religious or health reasons) to drink what they are drinking (but avoid the sugary and synthetic options!). Our teams had some very big reasons to celebrate this past year, and there’s quite a bit of that to come…. 🎉🎉 This podcast does a good job of covering the range of views on this topic, not lecturing or judging, as big a challenge for public and mental health as this space is, and a significant work place item to have remain front and centre in leaders and managers minds and actions. #alcohol #addiction #workenvironment #culture #lockdowns #covid #newyeargoals
I took a month off just because I was doing far to much entertainment flying to different cities and checking in on my branches. Every customer wanted to catch up and while it was one night out for them it was every night for me. I like my two brothers don’t get hangovers no matter what I drink so there is no detriment apart to the wallet. What I found interesting was when I stopped drinking the focus on me it was if I was putting others on trial and questioning their choices by my choice not to drink. There was certainly a lot of pressure to just have one. I put into my mind until someone didn’t pressure me to drink in a month to just have one I would stay on soda water and lime. It took over a year before I was seen as the non drinker and not pressured. I did actually find that in many situations I was the instigator to push drinking at the start and that people around me drank a lot less. I also found that I had just as much fun, saved a huge amount of money and didn’t stay out as late as peoples eyes rolled back and the babble talk started it was a lot more fun to leave. I also learnt it wasn’t the last drink that caused the issues but the three before the last drink. Covid I put on 18kg and drank a very good cellar dry.
Alex Serpo
8mo
I believe we need to consider a scientific approach that puts the health of the Australian public first. If the goal of drinkers is to relax, socialize and enjoy consumption, why not get reputable doctors and scientists to design products that meet these needs without the toxic effects of alcohol consumption? Not to mention the weight gain. Considering the pharmacology, alcohol is actually one of the worst solutions to meeting these requirements.
Andy, interesting read. In March 2020, due to my day job, recent Bushfire recovery roles, and access to key eyes-only health information at the start of the pandemic, and my Ag biosecurity protocols knowledge, I knew, Alcohol would not be a part of our lockdown period. I would need to have 24x7 clarity, and a moments notice reaction to assist with important community health decisions, or simply drive to a key location for further action. What it meant was we drank twelve times in that three years - Good Friday, Xmas, NYE & Birthday. This worked for us. It was a conscious decision - to deal with the unknown. We are now intermittent on occasion light drinkers - with a cellar of 80+ bottles of superb Australian wine club wines - looking for a great dinner party, to be gifted towards, in the next year or two. It is interesting it is such a 'topic' of the moment. I certainly hope gambling has this public wave of visible and vocal renaissance towards moderation and elimination - as I am witnessing terrible harms and impacts there.
Rob French
8mo
Samuel Johnson said, "Abstinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult." I'm sure this is true for most of us. Drinking in moderation is so much more difficult than simply not drinking at all. Alcohol is a substance that encourages indulgence while simultaneously lowering will power and resistance. I decided to try and give up alcohol for a year on the 2nd of January. That was in 2022 and still going strong. It was never intended to be a "forever" decision, but I've found it much easier than anticipated. Good luck to anyone else who decides to give it a try.
Mark Hewlett
8mo
Really helpful post Dr Andrew Monk and thanks for sharing your personal views. I’ve decided to go zero alcohol in 2024. Last year I did 62 days straight from Jan 1st, this year I intend to make it through the year. I’ve got a lot to focus on and plenty I want to achieve and I’m not prepared to lose even a day to a hangover. Wish me luck.
Daniel Barber
8mo
Love this. Really hits home.
Joanne Barber
8mo
Thanks for sharing Dr Andrew Monk , this is really interesting and totally relatable. And great to see the next generation aren’t so attracted to alcohol, there is hope.
Andrew Young
8mo
The fourth item is critical. Other than water the options offered for alcohol free at many activities and eateries are invariably fake sugar “sweetened” products.
Rakhesh Martyn
8mo
Great points Dr Andrew Monk. I'm about 10kg heavier now than before the pandemic (which also torched many of my good habits, the biggest one being 'Only drink when there's an occasion, and never alone') started. Some of that weight may be pure muscle given that I am absolutely jacked, but the reality (especially at my age) is that most of it will be fat. I am also keen to reduce my alcohol intake and have started by switching from pints to bottles at social events. My next step will be to alternate every alcoholic beverage with something non-alcoholic (and low/no kcals). Let's compare notes on how ripped we are in three months' time!
Chairman, Investor, Advisor
8moLove it Rakhesh Martyn daunting as it will be to compare in three months with your running start jacked status 😧 Glad we managed to get in a health tonic that included lime juice in those cocktails we clinked last month in Sydney. Here’s to having our celebrations and being ripped too 💪🎉