Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health

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A world-renowned authority on the science of alcohol exposes its influence on our health, mood, sleep, emotions, and productivity -- and what we can and should do to moderate our intake. Professor Nutt does a much better job of citing some psychological aspects of why people drink, i.e., the self-help portion of the book. [Read the section on "Is Your Booze Buzz in Your Head?"] Later on he cites one study that "...showed that people drank lager 60 percent more slowly out of straight glasses than out of outward-curving (pilsner type) ones." Now that's interesting, don't you think? He also does a better job in this half of the book delineating when he is discussing fact or logic and not just opinion. Drinking has become your hobby or the only way you socialize. This often happens with retirees or expats." Nutt helps the reader self-assess the level you may be at, and gives tips and advice for how to limit your drinking, and how to talk to others about their drinking. He also discusses talking to your children about drinking. Tell them:

Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health

Alcohol affects more than 200 different diseases. Alcohol is one of the top five causes of disability and disease in Europe. In the UK alcohol is a leading cause of death of men between 16-54. Now Drink? isn't only a book bashing the safety of alcohol. What I most enjoyed about the book was learning the interactions of the ethanol molecule on the brain. Did you know there is over 400 variations of the ethanol molecule that can lead to the difference in highs between drinks like wine, beer, and spirits? In my opinion this may be the reason there is so many wild stories around tequila in particular. Read the introduction; it contains some of the 'truths' about alcohol. "Marketing has altered our perception," "...its's absurd that coming of age should still be about alcohol," and "Would you take a new drug if you were told it would increase your risk of cancer, dementia, heart disease, or that it would shorten your life?" I also questioned some of his assertions like, "...there are wards full of these kids," while talking about "acute alcoholic hepatitis" in young binge drinkers. Then he goes on to say, "However bingeing is not the reason behind most cases of alcoholic hepatitis...." He also provided no citation regarding the number of kids or the number of wards. There were also some judgmental statements peppered throughout the book. In one instance, Nutt says that he doesn't think people seeing their doctors for hypertension are being asked about their alcohol use, "...perhaps because many doctors drink too much themselves?" If that's not just a judgment, then where's the citation?The British perspective came through a few times. For instance, in the section, "Major Ways Alcohol Affects Your Length of Life," I had to look up Professor Nutt's reference to Damien Hirst's sharks and cows with regards to Nutt's mention of formaldehyde. However, I was pleased that Professor Nutt was inclusive and did include science references to Asia and Africa along with Europe, the UK, and the USA.

Drink? : The New Science of Alcohol and Health - Google Books

Kinda wish this focused more on psychosocial vs physical aspects. Also wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style but did learn some things which is always good. I think that some further information on counterfactual opportunity cost, based on time/money spent related to alcohol, could have been a helpful addition to this book, albeit difficult to acquire overly didactic data on such factors. This was very British. And felt extremely careful. Like the writer had in mind his audience of football hooligans. Maybe that was true. Binge drinking, or getting "wasted" is very bad for you, much better to limit how much you do this. Nutt identifies alcohol as one of the most, if not the most harmful drug (legal or illegal) in common use.Finally this book finishes up with a section on how to identify if you or a loved one has a problem with alcohol and what tactics and tools you can use to beat addiction. The book also contains insight into the work that goes into shaping government policy around alcohol. The difficulty for politicians to balance their electability vs public health, and the powerful influence of the alcohol industry lobby on the UK parliament’s decision making around these policies (they are really the true pusherman). It’s by far the most harmful food product in the grocery store. And that’s really saying something. Whilst I take a break from alcohol I wanted to read something dispassionate and informative. Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health is exactly what I was looking for. Professor David J. Nutt provides the science combined with a very non-judgemental tone. It's information that everyone should be given early in life to allow rational and informed decision making. Alcohol is a subject that should receive more attention in our culture. As David Nutt states, if you want to drink less here in the UK it's as if you've decided to stop gambling yet have to live in a Las Vegas hotel.