Nils Behrens: Cheers?! Why Alcohol Works Against Well-being

The birthday – a celebration of life. It begins with a glass of champagne, perhaps followed by a fine red wine for dinner. While we toast each other and say “Cheers!”, we are actually pouring the opposite: a cell poison that is proven to harm our health.

Sounds drastic? It is. But that's only half the truth, as science journalist and bestselling author Bas Kast explains in our Healthwise Podcast Alcohol is part of normality.

A glass of wine at dinner, the after-work beer to relax – socially accepted and even glorified. “Alcohol is the only drug for which you have to justify yourself if you don't take it,” Kast emphasizes in the conversation. He strikes a chord with that.

A myth falls: The “healthy” glass of wine

We've all heard it: A glass of red wine a day is good for the heart. A myth that persists stubbornly. In fact, wine contains plant compounds like resveratrol, which are said to have anti-inflammatory effects.

But in talking to Kast, it becomes clear: To achieve the scientifically relevant amount of resveratrol, you would have to drink about 12 liters of red wine a day. An absurd thought that shows how little the “healthy glass of wine” has to do with reality.

Kast adds that wine drinkers often fare better in studies because they typically belong to a privileged, more health-conscious class. The wine itself is not the "elixir of life," but a statistical coincidence. And the alcohol? Scientifically proven, it is harmful in any dose - no matter how much we romanticize it.

© Nils Behrens

Nils Behrens is the Chief Brand Officer of Sunday Natural.

I find it ironic that we say "Cheers" even though alcohol tends to make us feel unwell. A British study compares the effect of alcohol to cigarettes: a bottle of wine per week increases the risk of cancer for women as much as ten cigarettes, for men it is about five cigarettes. Particularly affected are breast cancer in women and colon cancer in men.

Why we drink alcohol anyway

But why do we persistently cling to our glass? Bas Kast gets to the point: Alcohol is convenient. It quickly and effortlessly solves problems - it relaxes, eases social situations and makes the stress of the day disappear.

This is where the dilemma lies. This quick effect comes at a high price. "Having a glass of wine doesn't require any effort. Jumping into a cold lake or doing a round of sports does - but that's exactly what offers real enjoyment in the long term," explains Kast.

I can also confirm this: When ice bathing, I feel this groundless "good mood" after an hour, which alcohol could never provide. The effort pays off without negative side effects.

Nils Behrens' podcast HEALTHWISE is dedicated to exploring what health means today, covering a wide range of topics including medicine and therapy, exercise and recovery, nutrition, and emotional health.

The social dilemma: A trick for events and celebrations

One of the biggest obstacles to giving up alcohol is the social environment. At many parties, alcohol seems to be the ticket to sociability. Often the impression arises that one is the "personified bad conscience" as soon as one declines the glass.

One trick that has worked for me is to have a glass poured without drinking it. This saves any discussion. Kast understands this approach, but also sees it as a sign of how ingrained alcohol is in our society. "It would be nice if it were perfectly normal to say: No, thank you - just like with a cigarette," he explained in Healthwise.

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Small steps towards big changes

So how can you at least reduce your alcohol consumption? Kast suggests a simple starting point: the "Dry January." A month without alcohol can be the beginning of a new body feeling.

"After a few weeks, you notice what you gain: better sleep, more energy, clearer thinking," says Kast. But the most important thing is to honestly ask yourself: What problem does alcohol solve for me? Is it relaxation? Then perhaps sports, yoga or meditation could be a more sustainable solution. Is it social pressure? Then perhaps consciously establishing new rituals could help.

Conclusion:

Maybe at the next birthday, we should ask ourselves if the "Cheers" really serves our well-being. Talking to Bas Kast made it clear: abstaining from alcohol is not a loss, but a gain - for health, freedom, and enjoyment.

Nils Behrensis the Chief Brand Officer at Sunday Natural and host of the HEALTHWISE podcast. Additionally, the sought-after health expert teaches as a lecturer at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences. Previously, Behrens worked for over 12 years as the Chief Marketing Officer of the Lanserhof Group and host of the successful 'Forever Young' podcast.