I’m Quitting Alcohol Cold Turkey

Last week, I had a rude awakening during my annual blood test. My triglycerides level was through the roof, clocking in at a whopping 1200 mg/dL. My doctor, bless her heart, interrogated me like a detective trying to solve a cold case. After some probing, she concluded that my recent wine binges were the culprit. Talk about a reality check! I knew alcohol raised triglyceride levels, but I completely forgot about it.

My problem with triglycerides started over 20 years ago. I drank beer and wine much more often in my younger days. Portland was at the forefront of the microbrewery movement when I moved here in the 90s. There were great breweries in every neighborhood. I loved the IPA at Bridgeport Brewery in NW Portland. It was bitter, citrusy, and flavorful. That was a revelation for someone who only had cheap light beers in college. I loved it. I went out with friends to sample new beers all the time. It was a lot of fun. However, I stopped hitting the pubs and microbreweries when my triglycerides problem was detected. Since then, I had a few alcoholic drinks per month.

However, I’ve been drinking more often this year. A few drinks per month turned into a few drinks per week. This would be reasonable for most people, but probably too much for someone with a triglycerides problem. I blame Mrs. RB40 for this. Recently, she has been indulging more often than usual. I think she is going through a little midlife crisis. Perimenopause is tough! Of course, I joined in because I like wine too. (Not perimenopause. That is not fun at all.) I forgot alcohol can cause a problem for me.

Anyway, I’m quitting alcohol cold turkey. My doctor told me no alcohol for 3 days before the next blood test, but I’m going cold turkey. It seems my body doesn’t respond well to alcohol. I might as well avoid it completely and join my blogging buddy Jim @ Route to Retire. He also stopped drinking alcohol earlier this year.

I’m scheduled to have another blood test next week. Hopefully, my triglycerides will come back down to a reasonable level. I’m over 50 and health is very important at this age. I want to enjoy a long healthy life with Mrs. RB40 now that we are wealthy. She said she’ll cut back along with me. It shouldn’t be too difficult. I’m the one in charge of restocking the wine cabinet. If I don’t buy anything, we’ll run out soon. Wish me luck.

Have you ever faced similar health challenges? Do you have any tips for quitting alcohol? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comment below.

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Joe started Retire by 40 in 2010 to figure out how to retire early. After 16 years of investing and saving, he achieved financial independence and retired at 38.

Passive income is the key to early retirement. This year, Joe is investing in commercial real estate with CrowdStreet. They have many projects across the USA so check them out!

Joe also highly recommends Personal Capital for DIY investors. They have many useful tools that will help you reach financial independence.