One with friends. A drink with the evening series. A toast as part of Sunday lunch, maybe even an aperitif. And then a hundred more opportunities to indulge. Perhaps pleasant, but completely unacceptable for health. “It’s normal not to drink,” says uncompromising geriatrician Eva Topinková in the podcast.
You can find the podcast interview in the audio version here:
Alcohol is actually only one of the substances that as a society we not only tolerate, but also often support each other in their use. But if you avoid it, you might discover one of the magics of longevity. With this plan, according to the expert, addictive substances are completely out of the question.
“Cigarettes, drugs, psychotropic drugs, unless your doctor prescribes them for a good reason. And, of course, alcohol too,” says geriatrician Eva Topinková, head of the Department of Geriatrics and Internal Medicine at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of the University of Prague and the General University Hospital in Prague, in the iReceptář do úda podcast.
As little as possible
You can eliminate it from the game completely, or you can just limit it to clearly defined opportunities that will not occur very often. It is not only about quantity, but also about regularity. And be sure that daily drinking of alcohol, even if it was just the proverbial glass, is 100% harmful to the body.
It’s never too late
Consider it an advantage of advanced age. No one will laugh anymore if you happen to be expecting an addition to the family. Moreover, you are already “adult” enough to decide for yourself that you don’t want something. And they also defended it in front of their family or excited friends.
Giving up alcohol will benefit you in many different ways. You will help not only the heart and blood vessels, but also the brain and overall psyche will be relieved. Not to mention digestion. And it doesn’t matter at all that you hesitated with this step for a long time. “It is proven that if you stop smoking in your 60s, you will extend your life by two years,” says the expert. And of course it is similar with alcohol and other addictive substances.
An exception to the rule
Maybe you can turn it around in the end. Don’t think about when the glass is ready, but when it’s good to enjoy it after all. Without regrets and with taste. “If you go out to hang out with friends once a month, it certainly won’t hurt you,” says Dr. Topinková. On the contrary, it will benefit you to enjoy it in company and thus stimulate not only your health, but also your psyche. That is, if you want at all.
