Think of damage two ways: calories and liver. I've read some studies that hard liquor is the most damaging and wine the least.

So while I like a lot of different wine, especially red wine, I try to make dry sparkling wines like prosecco my go-to order. They tend to have the lowest alcohol content compared to other wines, and similar calories to other dry wines. Bonus: the bubbles make you feel the alcohol faster, so you feel like you've had more.

Michelob ultra for me, I find it's not toooo bad if I manage to stop at 4-5. Too bad that doesn't always suffice but I try.

This is going to sound crazy but decent / good tequila with club soda. It’s big in the paleo community because it’s not grain based.

Anonymous wrote:I'm loving the spiked seltzers lately. They're only about 100 calories and they're about 5% alcohol. They're cool and refreshing and I don't feel completely dehydrated the next morning because of the 95% water content.

Some folks have issues with the sugar, though. For those folks, my friends recommend vodka/soda.

On another note, a friend recently told me that tequila is actually an upper. I dislike tequila but I was curious if that might be true. We did small shots and I have to say, I had a pretty great night.

The spiked seltzers are very low sugar/carbs. A vodka w/plain soda is zero carbs.

I'm loving the spiked seltzers lately. They're only about 100 calories and they're about 5% alcohol. They're cool and refreshing and I don't feel completely dehydrated the next morning because of the 95% water content.

Some folks have issues with the sugar, though. For those folks, my friends recommend vodka/soda.

On another note, a friend recently told me that tequila is actually an upper. I dislike tequila but I was curious if that might be true. We did small shots and I have to say, I had a pretty great night.

Debbie Downer ACOA PP back.

Yes, I am sober by choice for 20 years. I’m 51, female. First beginning drinking at 15, typical for my crowd - at beer parties, drinking coolers (hey it was the 80s) in parking lots before concerts, with a date. Amped up considerably at college when my binge drinking developed into blackouts.

I was terribly naive and did some truly stupid things under the influence but it was night I woke up in my off campus apartment, naked with a pool of vomit down my wall and no early idea what had transpired. I haven’t been drunk since then, 30 some years ago. I was that terrified of where I was heading.

All future attempts at having a glass of wine or even a beer made me get a migraine or nausea or both. I now consider this a blessing. In the back of my mind was the thought that this drink will begin my alcoholism. That’s a buzz kill.

Also, alcoholism runs deep in my family; at least four consecutive generations. My parent died a horrific, slow death at 82 from complications of alcoholism and never gained sobriety, nor admitted the problem.

I decided that one of the best gifts I could give my children was to have a sober parent.

Likely controversial but more ACOAs should abstain. If alcoholism is a disease (and i don’t believe it is) and the one way you can prevent getting this disease is to abstain, then I’m part of the cure!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think you’ll find a “safe” alcohol. Save imbibing for special occasions only.

Drunks typically love vodka because they think it’s odorless (can’t smell it on their breath) and since it’s clear and easily disguised as water or mixed with anything.

All alcohol will do some damage over time; it’s very dehydrating and does a number on your skin. Besides the extra calories, alcohol will affect your blood sugar levels, causing high and lows. Red wine stains your teeth.

Alcohol is a depressant. Already a bit blue? Prepare to cry into your beer!

Anyway, here’s to you! Enjoy!

- ACOA, living sober for 20 years by choice

what is an ACOA?

I assume it means Adult Child of Alcoholic. They probably had a traumatic childhood and abstain completely out of fear that they will become their parent.

Oh puh-lease! Most ACOAs do not abstain.

Uhhh...but this particular one says that she/he is "living sober for 20 years by choice". That is the person I was referring to. Some ACOAs think like that and the pp appears to be one of them. I can't say that I blame them (him/her) because the trauma they experienced was very real.

I see how you're thinking about it but as an ACOA and a recovering alcoholic I automatically assume that the he/she quit drinking because they're an alcoholic, too. Happens all the time. I was assuming the pp just wasn't clear about it. But then, maybe they did quit because of their traumatic background. Maybe they'll explain.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think you’ll find a “safe” alcohol. Save imbibing for special occasions only.

Drunks typically love vodka because they think it’s odorless (can’t smell it on their breath) and since it’s clear and easily disguised as water or mixed with anything.

All alcohol will do some damage over time; it’s very dehydrating and does a number on your skin. Besides the extra calories, alcohol will affect your blood sugar levels, causing high and lows. Red wine stains your teeth.

Alcohol is a depressant. Already a bit blue? Prepare to cry into your beer!

Anyway, here’s to you! Enjoy!

- ACOA, living sober for 20 years by choice

what is an ACOA?

I assume it means Adult Child of Alcoholic. They probably had a traumatic childhood and abstain completely out of fear that they will become their parent.

Oh puh-lease! Most ACOAs do not abstain.

Uhhh...but this particular one says that she/he is "living sober for 20 years by choice". That is the person I was referring to. Some ACOAs think like that and the pp appears to be one of them. I can't say that I blame them (him/her) because the trauma they experienced was very real.