Most heavy drinkers are not alcoholics, U.S. study finds

[Cleita]

60. When I lived in Chile, we drank beer or wine at every meal and there

was a daily cocktail hour, whether a cocktail party or scotch or martinis served at tea time, for those who didn't want just tea. Also, various wines were served at the meals with each course with brandy or cordials after. By all the wisdom of the day, everyone should have gotten liver transplants because of the frequency and amount of alcohol served, yet most people remained healthy and sober.

I spent a lot of time pondering the differences of both cultures considering a streak of alcoholism with the accompanying diseases that ran in my USA family. My Chilean family did not have the alcoholism or the diseases yet they drank. I finally realized it was because the drinking in Chile always accompanied meals. I believe the food probably absorbed the toxins in the alcohol. Here in the USA I noticed that people spent hours drinking before having a meal or even instead of a meal.

I know this isn't scientific, but it seems that Mediterranean cultures in Europe have similar outcomes. Maybe it's something that should be studied. I myself have adopted a hybrid approach, where I drink socially but otherwise don't so I may go months without even a glass of beer and I always make sure that I eat before such an evening or at least during. I'm almost 75 and my liver, heart and BP are fine.