Xmas: the best-ever excuse to drink too much

So who was the greatest footballer ever?

Men's Health Forum president Ian Banks poses that question in the foreword to a new history of the Men's Health Forum to be be published next year. Ok, it's a good question but what's this got to do with Christmas drinking?

Well, the history has been commissioned to celebrate the Forum's fifteenth birthday. We were born in 1994. And it's as teenagers that many of us start drinking.

Ian has a special insight into the question that football fans have asked each other ever since God was a promising wing half at Accrington Stanley boys. He had the chance (Ian not God), back in 1999 to ask the question of the Brazilian legend Pele.

'So, Pele,' Ian asked. 'Who was the greatest ever? You or George Best?'

After some reflection Pele replied: Me, but George could drink better.

As Ian writes in the new MHF history, George Best was born in 1946. He died in 2005, not yet 60 years old. On the 15th birthday of the Mens Health Forum, men in some deprived areas of the UK will never reach even Bests needlessly short life span. In 2009 the World Health Organisation announced, to a universal lack of interest from both media and politicians, an average life expectancy of 54 years for East Glasgow males.

Drink killed George Best - just as it no doubt kills many of those Glaswegian men who die before they're even 55. Alcohol is probably the most dangerous drug on the planet and that includes cigarettes or any illegal or legal concoction you care to name. Why? Because it doesn't just affect the people who use it but everyone around them and, most importantly, it is possible for most people to use it safely.

Why is widespread safe use such a problem?

Widespread safe-use is a problem because seeing everyone else drinking makes it so much more difficult to admit that you personally can't use it safely. Unsafe drinking can affect you at any time- you might have been happilly socially drinking for years and then suddenly for some reason perhaps related to the circumstances of your life but not necessarilly find that you like it too much. Not your fault - it just happens. It's tough to admit to yourself or anyone else but admit it you must or alcohol wll kill you as surely as it killed the finest footballer ever to have come out of the British Isles.

You can tackle the problem

In an article on this website, Professor Roger Williams who was George Best's liver-disease consultant right up until Georgeâ€™s death says: 'I have many, many patients who have successfully dealt with their problem, are remaining in good health and living a happy life. Tackle the problem now - it won't go away.' He gives his advice on what you can do.

There's much more on malehealth too that can help you to understand alcohol better and manage your relationship wih it better. If you're someone who uses Christmas as a good excuse to drink to your heart's content, it's worth reading. Your heart might not be quite as content as you think.

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