I've never been a drinker. The odd cocktail on holiday and at xmas and that's it.
It appears that that's a healthy choice. The evidence is getting pretty damning.
I'm kicking around the idea of going "California sober".
Syl said
Dec 19 1:19 AM, 2025
I have wine with eveneng meal, the odd glass of Champagne or Prosecco...never touch spirits or beer...maybe the odd lager on a hot day.
I like it, won't give it up, and I think people should monitor themselves and face any consequences accordingly.
Anonymous said
Dec 19 8:08 AM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
I need to do more walking. The old knee is giving me issues.
I know you like to talk about how much weight you can lift, but it can give you knee problems. Maybe stop for a while and, yes, try a bit of gentle walking. Nobody wants to see you hurt yourself trying to be the strong man. With age should come wisdom, and that includes knowing your own limitations, and not pushing boundaries at all costs.
Maddog said
Dec 19 5:33 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
I have wine with eveneng meal, the odd glass of Champagne or Prosecco...never touch spirits or beer...maybe the odd lager on a hot day.
I like it, won't give it up, and I think people should monitor themselves and face any consequences accordingly.
It probably isn't impacting your health too much and you enjoy it. We just need to know that it's a toxin and accept that it's definitely not good for us..
I don't know how much it's impacting me. I know alcohol causes inflammation and I have issues with that.
Syl said
Dec 19 6:45 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
I have wine with eveneng meal, the odd glass of Champagne or Prosecco...never touch spirits or beer...maybe the odd lager on a hot day.
I like it, won't give it up, and I think people should monitor themselves and face any consequences accordingly.
It probably isn't impacting your health too much and you enjoy it. We just need to know that it's a toxin and accept that it's definitely not good for us..
I don't know how much it's impacting me. I know alcohol causes inflammation and I have issues with that.
I think if anything is causing you real problems, drinking, smoking, sports....whatever, if it's making your health noticeably bad, you have to think hard whether it's worth it or not.
If it is...carry on, we have one life, it's in our own hands how we live it.
I have known two functioning alcoholics, they were obviously killing themselves, but it had gone too far for them to stop, they both died in their early 40's.
Maddog said
Dec 19 7:09 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Maddog wrote:
Syl wrote:
I have wine with eveneng meal, the odd glass of Champagne or Prosecco...never touch spirits or beer...maybe the odd lager on a hot day.
I like it, won't give it up, and I think people should monitor themselves and face any consequences accordingly.
It probably isn't impacting your health too much and you enjoy it. We just need to know that it's a toxin and accept that it's definitely not good for us..
I don't know how much it's impacting me. I know alcohol causes inflammation and I have issues with that.
I think if anything is causing you real problems, drinking, smoking, sports....whatever, if it's making your health noticeably bad, you have to think hard whether it's worth it or not.
If it is...carry on, we have one life, it's in our own hands how we live it.
I have known two functioning alcoholics, they were obviously killing themselves, but it had gone too far for them to stop, they both died in their early 40's.
People need the knowledge about what impacts their health, before they can make informed decisions.
That's why I started this thread..
Syl said
Dec 19 7:26 PM, 2025
Most adults know that too much drinking, smoking, doing little exercise is bad for them surely?
Maddog said
Dec 19 7:26 PM, 2025
Cannabis drinks: How do they compare to alcohol? - Harvard Health https://share.google/ocXo4FGfx9JkvX7nK
Speaking of California sober, I drink these now and again..
Pot is still illegal in Texas and technically in the US, but these are for sale here..
I'm still not 100% sure why except they appear to be derived from hemp, not pot. I guess it requires large amounts of hemp to make enough THC to put in drinks?🤷
Maddog said
Dec 19 7:27 PM, 2025
https://share.google/ocXo4FGfx9JkvX7nK
Maddog said
Dec 19 8:08 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Most adults know that too much drinking, smoking, doing little exercise is bad for them surely?
Yeah, but they don't know a lot about less obvious choices.
There are millions of Americans that don't see any benefit in lifting weights or they think a glass of orange juice is healthy.
I would bet the average American has no idea how much sugar is in much of what they consume and how that sugar has destroyed people's health.
Maddog said
Dec 19 8:26 PM, 2025
"Approximately 38.4 million Americans, or 11.6% of the population, had diabetes in 2021, with about 1.2 million new cases diagnosed annually. Prediabetes affects another 97.6 million adults. Primarily driven by rising rates of obesity and inactivity, type 2 diabetes is a major health crisis, with prevalence highest among American Indian, Black, and Hispanic adults."
Almost half of Americans are diabetic or pre-diabetic now.
Many know why. Many more don't seem to have a clue how they got there because there's so much bad information out there.
Or, they just don't seem to care. Until they are staring down a preventable, premature death or significantly lower quality of life..
Anonymous said
Dec 19 10:06 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
People need the knowledge about what impacts their health, before they can make informed decisions.
That's why I started this thread..
And of course, because you're the one to educate them - you even named the thread after yourself, just to remind us who's calling the shots...
Digger said
Dec 20 12:43 AM, 2025
The anterior mid-cingulate cortex. The AMCC. Neuroscientists calls it "one of the most important discoveries in the history of neuroscience." And it changes everything we thought we knew about willpower.
The AMCC isn't linked to intelligence. It's not about memory.
It might actually be the seat of the will to live.
The AMCC only grows under one condition. When you force yourself to do something you genuinely do not want to do. Not something hard. Not something challenging. Something you actively resist. Something that creates internal friction. That's the trigger.
And it works in reverse too. The moment you stop doing hard things, it shrinks. Almost immediately. Even stranger? If the hard thing becomes enjoyable, the growth stops. Your brain no longer registers it as resistance.
The rule is brutal but simple: If you love your ice bath? No growth. If you love your exercise, running, swimming. No growth. But if you're terrified of cold water but get in anyway? Your AMCC gets bigger. Skip a day or start liking it? It shrinks again.
This explains something scientists couldn't figure out for years. Why do some people seem to have limitless willpower while others collapse at the first obstacle? It's not character. It's not genetics. It's a muscle they've been training. Whether they knew it or not.
Older adults who maintain exceptional memory and cognitive performance (Superagers) tend to have thicker and more connected AMCCs compared to typical peers.
Maddog said
Dec 20 5:35 AM, 2025
Digger wrote:
The anterior mid-cingulate cortex. The AMCC. Neuroscientists calls it "one of the most important discoveries in the history of neuroscience." And it changes everything we thought we knew about willpower.
The AMCC isn't linked to intelligence. It's not about memory.
It might actually be the seat of the will to live.
The AMCC only grows under one condition. When you force yourself to do something you genuinely do not want to do. Not something hard. Not something challenging. Something you actively resist. Something that creates internal friction. That's the trigger.
And it works in reverse too. The moment you stop doing hard things, it shrinks. Almost immediately. Even stranger? If the hard thing becomes enjoyable, the growth stops. Your brain no longer registers it as resistance.
The rule is brutal but simple: If you love your ice bath? No growth. If you love your exercise, running, swimming. No growth. But if you're terrified of cold water but get in anyway? Your AMCC gets bigger. Skip a day or start liking it? It shrinks again.
This explains something scientists couldn't figure out for years. Why do some people seem to have limitless willpower while others collapse at the first obstacle? It's not character. It's not genetics. It's a muscle they've been training. Whether they knew it or not.
Older adults who maintain exceptional memory and cognitive performance (Superagers) tend to have thicker and more connected AMCCs compared to typical peers.
"The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter argues that modern life's excessive comfort is harming our physical and mental health, and proposes that intentionally embracing discomfort is the key to becoming healthier, happier, and more resilient. Through scientific research and personal adventures, including a month-long Alaskan hunting expedition, Easter explores how challenges like cold, hunger, and stress can reconnect us with our "wild" selves, leading to greater well-being. The book offers a "rewilding prescription" for incorporating beneficial discomfort into daily life. "
Syl said
Dec 21 12:24 PM, 2025
I reckon there is something in that.
Up to my 30's life was quite hard, thinking back I was pretty strong and resilient because I had to be.
The last half of my life has been easy in comparison, both personal and financial.
I think I may have lost my inner strength because I doubt I could cope with lifes crap now the way I used to.
She is young and fit, you can do anything when you are that age. I pickaxed the foundations out at the side of my house to make a hole for a double garage....then went inside to cook tea.
She is young and fit, you can do anything when you are that age. I pickaxed the foundations out at the side of my house to make a hole for a double garage....then went inside to cook tea.
True, but I definitely believe there are benefits to all of that hard work.
While the Blue Zones around the world have some dietary similarities I think "work" is the one that they all seem to share..
Being challenged and getting your heart rate up keeps everything working better..
She is young and fit, you can do anything when you are that age. I pickaxed the foundations out at the side of my house to make a hole for a double garage....then went inside to cook tea.
Oh, those were the days. When I was in my early twenties, i had to walk a mile to drop off my kid at nursery then a mile back home to get ready for work then the same mile back into town to work, work for another four hours on my feet all day behind bar, pick up the kid then walk another mile back home, sort out kid, make tea then finally relax. I walked everywhere. And I thought nothing of walking from Southport to Ormskirk and back again. That's a round trip of 17 miles.
I look back and wonder how I did it.
Syl said
Dec 22 1:11 AM, 2025
You did it because you were young and fit....we both were.
Those were the days.
It appears that that's a healthy choice. The evidence is getting pretty damning.
I'm kicking around the idea of going "California sober".
I like it, won't give it up, and I think people should monitor themselves and face any consequences accordingly.
I know you like to talk about how much weight you can lift, but it can give you knee problems. Maybe stop for a while and, yes, try a bit of gentle walking. Nobody wants to see you hurt yourself trying to be the strong man. With age should come wisdom, and that includes knowing your own limitations, and not pushing boundaries at all costs.
It probably isn't impacting your health too much and you enjoy it. We just need to know that it's a toxin and accept that it's definitely not good for us..
I don't know how much it's impacting me. I know alcohol causes inflammation and I have issues with that.
I think if anything is causing you real problems, drinking, smoking, sports....whatever, if it's making your health noticeably bad, you have to think hard whether it's worth it or not.
If it is...carry on, we have one life, it's in our own hands how we live it.
I have known two functioning alcoholics, they were obviously killing themselves, but it had gone too far for them to stop, they both died in their early 40's.
People need the knowledge about what impacts their health, before they can make informed decisions.
That's why I started this thread..
Speaking of California sober, I drink these now and again..
Pot is still illegal in Texas and technically in the US, but these are for sale here..
I'm still not 100% sure why except they appear to be derived from hemp, not pot. I guess it requires large amounts of hemp to make enough THC to put in drinks?🤷
https://share.google/ocXo4FGfx9JkvX7nK
Yeah, but they don't know a lot about less obvious choices.
There are millions of Americans that don't see any benefit in lifting weights or they think a glass of orange juice is healthy.
I would bet the average American has no idea how much sugar is in much of what they consume and how that sugar has destroyed people's health.
"Approximately 38.4 million Americans, or 11.6% of the population, had diabetes in 2021, with about 1.2 million new cases diagnosed annually. Prediabetes affects another 97.6 million adults. Primarily driven by rising rates of obesity and inactivity, type 2 diabetes is a major health crisis, with prevalence highest among American Indian, Black, and Hispanic adults."
Almost half of Americans are diabetic or pre-diabetic now.
Many know why. Many more don't seem to have a clue how they got there because there's so much bad information out there.
Or, they just don't seem to care. Until they are staring down a preventable, premature death or significantly lower quality of life..
And of course, because you're the one to educate them - you even named the thread after yourself, just to remind us who's calling the shots...
The anterior mid-cingulate cortex. The AMCC. Neuroscientists calls it "one of the most important discoveries in the history of neuroscience." And it changes everything we thought we knew about willpower.
The AMCC isn't linked to intelligence. It's not about memory.
It might actually be the seat of the will to live.
The AMCC only grows under one condition. When you force yourself to do something you genuinely do not want to do. Not something hard. Not something challenging. Something you actively resist. Something that creates internal friction. That's the trigger.
And it works in reverse too. The moment you stop doing hard things, it shrinks. Almost immediately. Even stranger? If the hard thing becomes enjoyable, the growth stops. Your brain no longer registers it as resistance.
The rule is brutal but simple: If you love your ice bath? No growth. If you love your exercise, running, swimming. No growth. But if you're terrified of cold water but get in anyway? Your AMCC gets bigger. Skip a day or start liking it? It shrinks again.
This explains something scientists couldn't figure out for years. Why do some people seem to have limitless willpower while others collapse at the first obstacle? It's not character. It's not genetics. It's a muscle they've been training. Whether they knew it or not.
Older adults who maintain exceptional memory and cognitive performance (Superagers) tend to have thicker and more connected AMCCs compared to typical peers.
"The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter argues that modern life's excessive comfort is harming our physical and mental health, and proposes that intentionally embracing discomfort is the key to becoming healthier, happier, and more resilient. Through scientific research and personal adventures, including a month-long Alaskan hunting expedition, Easter explores how challenges like cold, hunger, and stress can reconnect us with our "wild" selves, leading to greater well-being. The book offers a "rewilding prescription" for incorporating beneficial discomfort into daily life. "
Up to my 30's life was quite hard, thinking back I was pretty strong and resilient because I had to be.
The last half of my life has been easy in comparison, both personal and financial.
I think I may have lost my inner strength because I doubt I could cope with lifes crap now the way I used to.
She should live forever..
She is young and fit, you can do anything when you are that age. I pickaxed the foundations out at the side of my house to make a hole for a double garage....then went inside to cook tea.
True, but I definitely believe there are benefits to all of that hard work.
While the Blue Zones around the world have some dietary similarities I think "work" is the one that they all seem to share..
Being challenged and getting your heart rate up keeps everything working better..
Oh, those were the days. When I was in my early twenties, i had to walk a mile to drop off my kid at nursery then a mile back home to get ready for work then the same mile back into town to work, work for another four hours on my feet all day behind bar, pick up the kid then walk another mile back home, sort out kid, make tea then finally relax. I walked everywhere. And I thought nothing of walking from Southport to Ormskirk and back again. That's a round trip of 17 miles.
I look back and wonder how I did it.
Those were the days.