Reflections on a month's drinking - #MyJanuary

Simon J Woolf reflects on his alcohol consumption during January. Was it normal, moderate or just plain unhealthy? How does it compare with the wine industry and what are the lessons learned?

If you documented every alcoholic drink you drank for a month, would you be comfortable with the results?

That's what I did during January, as a personal reality check, and also as a reaction to the 'Dry January' initiative, which (as I explained in my previous post) is fundamentally flawed. Being honest about one's own alcohol consumption feels similar to having awkward conversations about money or sex. I see myself as a 'normal', functioning, healthy individual who nonetheless enthusiastically enjoys a range of beverages (wine, craft beer, occasional cocktails or other mixed drinks). Drinking is a part of my everyday social life. it's an activity shared pleasurably with friends, family and partner.

According to this Wikipedia page, recommended alcohol consumption for a male varies from country to country. The Netherlands, where I live, has one of the most extreme optimum recommendations: zero consumption of alcohol. Up to 10gr pure alcohol per day (barely even a small glass of light w…