Durban – The festive season and its excesses are still fresh in the memories of most and many people remember a party or two leaving them man – or woman – down the next day.
But few have any idea why they felt as though they had been hit by a truck.
Brothers Chris and Luke Muller also had no clue what alcohol was doing to their bodies – until Chris’s reaction to alcohol – a flushed face commonly known as bar rash – sparked a desire to find out more… and ultimately led to the publication of a fun and factual book, Drink This In – Uncorking the World of Alcohol .
“In my early twenties, I noticed that, from time to time, I would get a flushed face and shortness of breath when I drank alcohol and I didn’t know why,” said Chris, 26, who lives in Cape Town.
His episodes of bar rash, mostly brought on by excessive drinking, made him self-conscious.
He learnt that his symptoms resembled alcohol flush reaction (AFR) and that his body was reacting to a toxin produced during the metabolism of alcohol.
“This was a game changer. I suddenly realised how little I knew about this substance I had been ingesting for years. The more I discovered, the more questions I had and I also found that a lot of the information out there was inaccurate.
“The literature was limited and not aimed at the average consumer, but more to alcoholism and anti-alcohol organisations.”
Durban-based Luke, 31, also became fascinated with alcohol, which he had been enjoying socially, and its effects on the body and brain, and came on board with researching and writing.
Chris was finishing a masters degree in economics and Luke worked full-time as an economist so this was a part-time project that involved piecing together information from books, journals, articles and discussions, and it certainly kept them out of the bar.
“We thought it would take eight months, but it turned into a 230-pager and took two years to complete,” said Chris.
Everything you want to know about alcohol is in this user-friendly book, written in an upbeat style that will appeal to their young target market.
From ancient brews to the latest findings in neurochemistry, it gives an overview of alcohol, the good the bad and the simply factual.
Lively characters are introduced to personalise the information – we meet teetotaller Terry, Conservative Claire, Social Simon, rampaging Robyn and Dependent Dennis, among others, and every reader will identify with one of them.
The book shows how alcohol affects the body and mind, the truth behind hangovers, why prevention is better than cure, the economics and policies of alcohol and much more.
It does not take the moral high ground, but presents well-researched facts, giving the pros and cons of drinking. There is an extensive bibliography as well as useful website links.
In their foreword they write: “Drink This In includes information from both sides of the coin. If you dislike alcohol, try not to focus only on the negatives, and if you enjoy liquor, try not to focus only on the positives. Read the material with an open mind.”
Because they wanted to experience abstinence, they allocated a month to it.
“That taught us a lot and we have new respect for people who abstain,” said Luke. “It takes 28 days of not drinking alcohol to reset the brain and we wanted to see how alcohol affected us afterwards.
“After a month, our tolerance to alcohol was lower. Our social habits were different – it felt strange ordering non-alcoholic drinks at parties and we realised how much pressure there is on teetotallers who are often made to feel different.”
So, how much is too much?
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in America sets the threshold for moderate consumption at no more than 14 drinks a week for men and no more than seven a week for women. Research shows that if you stay within these limits, generally, alcohol is not harmful.
The Pros: Low to moderate drinking can be safe and enjoyable. It’s a social lubricant, a relaxant and a confidence booster. Many do business over a glass or two and some people become more creative. Sir Winston Churchill, William Faulkner, Mark Twain, Ludwig van Beethoven and Vincent van Gogh are all known to have mixed alcohol consumption with work – alcohol relaxes the inhibiting self-criticising part of the brain which is why it is sometimes suggested: “Write drunk, edit sober.”
Heath-wise, studies point to significant benefits: increased longevity, reduced risks of coronary heart disease and ischaemic stroke, type 2 diabetes and dementia to name a few.
The Cons: This is the longest chapter as drinking carries many potential risks. In pregnancy it can cause foetal alcohol syndrome, it can interact adversely with pharmaceutical drugs, cause AFR and binge drinking is linked to social, economic and health problems.
Hangovers can take place after just one episode of drinking and last up to 20 hours after drinking stops. Excessive drinking can cause dehydration, disturbed sleep and memory loss – as anyone who cannot remember the night before will testify.
The cost of drinking is also examined and many people who are frugal in other areas rack up hefty bar bills.
Alcohol is one of the most widely-used recreational drugs in the world, with sales estimated to be about a trillion dollars and growing steadily – the global food bill is about 4 trillion dollars.
“Every drinker has a different lifestyle and physical and mental make-up and the book aims to provide readers with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions should you wish to consume alcohol. We are also adamant that people should not drink and drive – it is not difficult to do and if you are over the limit, there are taxis, drive-home services and friends are happy to help out.”
The eye-catching cover picture of Chris drinking a pint with a straight arm was shot by photographer Sarah Goodman.
With all this knowledge, do the brothers still drink?
“Yes, we do. But we drink differently,” they say.
Drink This In – Uncorking the World of Alcohol by Chris and Luke Muller is available at Adams Bookstore, Musgrave Centre, Durban, or www.takealot.com for R180. The e-book is available at amazon.com
They have created a Drink This In smartphone app that calculates your blood alcohol content as you drink and can be downloaded free to Apple and Android devices.
Visit: www.drinkthisin.com or e-mail [email protected]
How to limit the negative side effects of drinking:
1. Eat – Larger meals take longer to process so the larger the meal before drinking, the more effective the body is at processing alcohol.
2. Drink non- or low-alcohol drinks – These dilute alcohol content, either in the beverage itself or in the drinker’s system.
3. Hydrate – Alcohol is a diuretic causing the body to lose liquid. Drink water during the evening and when you get home.
4. Eat foods rich in antioxidants and electrolytes – The body can better deal with the negative effects of alcohol if it is well stocked with antioxidants and electrolytes.
5. Prevention is better than cure.
Fast facts:
The WHO estimates that the world drank 6.2 litres of pure alcohol per adult in 2010. That is the equivalent of 340ml of beer every day.
Consumption varies across countries with large Muslim populations tending to drink very little. However, for every country that drinks very little, there is another that pushes up the global average. (South Africa is not one of them.)
Alcohol is one of the oldest recreational drugs used by mankind – fermented beverages were discovered before the wheel, which was invented more than 5 000 years ago.
Snow Beer is the most commonly consumed beer in the world. It is sold almost exclusively in China.