Balancing Bourbon & Well-Being

It’s no secret that we love bourbon, but with every vice one must acknowledge its pitfalls. Alcohol is extremely addictive if you’re not careful. While some people simply can’t drink and keep a level head—we all have that friend—even the average drinker can succumb to alcoholism. If you want to continue enjoying fine bourbon and other alcoholic beverages, balance is necessary. The number one motivator to curb your drinking is that you don’t want it to take over your life. When you love craft liquor, there are some things you should do to stay healthy and keep your well-being in mind so you can enjoy good times and good drinks for years to come.

Mind the Frequency

One of the most important parts of remaining a healthy drinker is to mind the frequency. How many times a week do you have a beverage? How often do you get drunk? You should limit these times to keep your body and mind healthy. You’ll also enjoy the times you drink that much more. Having an alcohol tolerance isn’t great for your wallet or your physical form. When you’re drinking too many times per week, it will help you a lot to cut it down. It doesn’t need to be drastic, but the more you drink the less you will enjoy it. Don’t take something as luxurious as fine bourbon for granted.

Eat Well & Exercise

You might ask, “What does this have to do with drinking?” In fact, your diet and exercise do have a lot to do with your drinking habits. Try working out from home. Eating well and exercising regularly provides more room for indulgences in the things you enjoy. Not only will you be able to burn off calories caused by drinking, you will be doing the right thing for your liver. Exercise is a proven strategy to improve fatty liver disease. When you eat clean and exercise regularly, you will be able to enjoy a few beverages on the weekends without guilt and without feeling horrible the next day.

Save it For Special Occasions

Drinking is very celebratory. It is festive. One way you can curb your drinking and still have drinks when there is a wedding, birthday, or another type of celebration is to only do it when the occasion calls for it. This is a great metric for people who want to save the bourbon for when it matters the most. If you love having drinks but want to clean up your act, saving it for special occasions is an effective move. The only thing to do is make sure you don’t make every day a special occasion.

Cut Out the Hard Stuff

While whiskey is obviously a favorite here at Bourbon & Boots, another option to balance your health and love of drinking is to cut out hard alcohol. This will be difficult if you don’t like beer and wine, but you might be surprised how much easier drinking is to handle when you’re not only drinking hard liquor. If you’re not picky and want to be healthier, only drink beer and wine. You will notice a difference.

Take a Break

Another thing you should do every so often is take a break from drinking. Even just a few weeks or a month will do you a lot of good. You will be set back to equilibrium and your body will be in better shape. If you don’t have trouble stopping, that’s great but it isn’t a reason to keep drinking. Sometimes the reason is that you don’t have a reason to take a break.

If, however, you simply can’t stop drinking, you should think about getting treatment for alcoholism. Do you experience withdrawals when you don’t drink? It might be time to look into rehab. It’s also helpful to get away from where you live and the people you like to drink with. If you live in California, find a facility in Arizona. Or, if you live in New York, look into a New Jersey rehabilitation center. When you need to stop drinking, taking a break from the people you drink with is a good idea. While there’s no shame in loving alcoholic beverages, if your drinking has reached the point of addiction it will be time to stop drinking for good.  

Alcohol is a tricky substance. It is widely accepted but very addictive. It can be quite tasty and goes well with food. Drinking is a social custom to drink when there is a celebration. Everyone is different. Whatever your specific situation, it is possible to balance drinking and well-being. Stay healthy and conscious of your alcohol intake. You just may be able to strike that balance that will allow you to indulge in the drinks you love without allowing it to harm your life.