If I’ve had a drink I don’t do this

I like having a couple of drinks in the evening; usually, a beer and especially a beer if I’m back from my daily run. I sometimes have a glass of wine too. Not only am I not embarrassed about this little indulgence, but I am also confident that it makes my life better and maybe healthier. I’m very focused on my health, thanks to my passion for running so if I indulge in something it’s in moderation; and if a drink in the evening lets me de-stress and wind down, helping my mental health — what’s there to be embarrassed about?

Over the years, knowing how alcohol affects my body and mind, I arrived at these behaviors:

• Exercising with alcohol, however little, in my body is a taboo. In practice, this means that if I’ve had a single sip of alcohol, I’d not do any exercise during that day; I can only run the following day, after a night’s sleep. I don’t know if there is science behind this habit. I just rely on my intuition. Exercise, despite all of its benefits, creates stress for the body. If the body also has to address the additional stress of a foreign substance in your blood and brain — yikes, seems like a poisonous combination.
• I don’t post on social media. Not that I’m very active on social media but I use it sometimes. There is absolutely no question that alcohol, even if consumed in moderation, moves the boundaries of our social behavior. Some people become aggressive, some nostalgic, some super happy. In my experience whatever I posted after I’ve had a drink felt different the following…