Summary

Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr's youthful appearance and vibrant lifestyle at 82 are attributed to his sobriety and healthy habits, emphasizing the negative impact of alcohol on aging and well-being.

Abstract

The article discusses the correlation between alcohol consumption and accelerated aging, using Ringo Starr as a prime example of someone who has aged gracefully due to his sobriety. After overcoming addiction in 1988, Ringo has maintained a youthful and active lifestyle, which is evident on his Instagram. The article contrasts Ringo's appearance with that of his fellow Beatle Paul McCartney, suggesting that alcohol contributes to looking older than one's age. It cites the Centers for Disease Control to detail the damaging effects of alcohol on the body, including skin degradation and various health issues. The narrative also touches on the personal journey of the author, who has experienced the worsening effects of alcohol with age. The article concludes by encouraging readers to consider the long-term benefits of a sober lifestyle, inspired by Ringo's example.

Opinions

Ringo Starr's decision to quit alcohol is seen as a key factor in his youthful appearance and active lifestyle at 82.
The author implies that alcohol consumption can significantly accelerate the aging process and detract from one's health and vitality.
There is a suggestion that the negative effects of alcohol on the body become more pronounced with age.
The author admires Ringo's ability to maintain a vibrant life, which includes creating and performing music and following a vegetarian diet.
The article humorously recounts an interaction between Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, highlighting the camaraderie and playful banter between the two, while also underscoring the benefits of sobriety.
The author expresses a personal connection to the topic, sharing their own experiences with alcohol and the positive changes since quitting.
The author encourages readers to make healthier choices, drawing inspiration from Ringo's life choices, and promotes the idea that it's never too late to change one's habits for the better.

You won’t age gracefully if you don’t quit alcohol

If you didn’t know who Ringo Starr was (impossible, I know), you’d probably peg him for closer to 60 years old than 80.

But Ringo knows one of the secrets to aging gracefully: he doesn’t drink alcohol.

The former Beatles drummer went to rehab to kick his drug and alcohol habits in 1988 and he hasn’t looked back.

Take a quick look at the drummer’s Instagram page and you’ll find a vibrant, active, can’t-believe-he’s-82-years-old legend.

I mean, look at this guy. It’s just not fair.

Earlier this month, I came across an interview he did with Rolling Stone Magazine back in 2015.

One dinner interaction, recounted here by Showbiz Cheatsheet, features a sassy quote after Beatles star Paul McCartney tried to get Ringo (whom he knew to be sober) to have a drink.

In the article, Ringo described his struggles with drugs and alcohol like this:

“It gets really lonely, you know? It’s just really cold and lonely. It’s a miserable disease, in the end. There’s a crowd of you, and it’s lonely. Because that’s all you’re doing is getting f***ed, you know? But I haven’t been that lonely since.”

In that Rolling Stone interview, McCartney recounted the burn that only a sober person like Ringo can deliver.

“I was having dinner with (Ringo) recently in LA with Dave Grohl and our wives,” McCartney told Rolling Stone.

“I know Ringo has been sober for years, so I joked, ‘C’mon, Ringo, have a whiskey.’ Ringo looked at me for a second and said, ‘What, and end up looking like you?’ I deserved it.”

Now before you get all up in arms about Paul trying to trip up his sober friend, the Beatles are legendary for taking the piss out of each other.

Plus, had Paul kept his mouth shut, he wouldn’t have lobbed up that softball for Ringo to crank out of the park.

It was a cutting jibe between two good friends, but one that nonetheless speaks volumes.

Alcohol makes you look much older than you are

Put the 80-year-old, former baby faced Paul up against Ringo, who is two years his senior, and they look years apart.

Not that Sir Paul looks washed — he looks pretty good for 80, actually — but Ringo appears to be a much younger man.

Ringo also does other things that keep him looking spry, including continuing to create and perform music and enjoying a vegetarian diet.

But there’s no denying he wouldn’t be where he is now were he pouring poison down his gullet every night for the last 30+ years.

The simple fact of the matter is that excessive alcohol use will eventually make you look a lot older than you actually are.

That’s because of all the wonderful ways it damages and destroys the cells in your body.

Here, from the Centers for Disease Control, are all the ways booze attacks your internal systems:

High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.
Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
Weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick.
Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.
Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.

Meanwhile, the dehydration and inflammation of your skin will leave you looking wrinkly, puffy and just … ill.

This gets worse as you age.

I remember being in my 20s and drinking very heavily but barely feeling the effects the next day (if at all). That’s probably one the reasons I managed to develop a problem with drinking in the first place.

As I approached my 30s, I was introduced to a new experience: hangovers (and bad ones).

Toward the end of my drinking career (I’m 41 now), had I drank the way I did in my 20s, I would have been knocked out for days.

The older we get, the more poorly equipped our bodies are to deal with our abuse.

The Ringo plan

Not being an addict has kept Ringo looking young and vibrant in his 80s, but more importantly, it has given him the freedom and ability to continue to pursue his passions at the pace of a much younger man.

Just as making good health decisions every day will put you on a path to prosperity in every area of your life, making small, bad decisions will negatively compound into a pretty bleak existance in old age — if you make it there.

Ringo seems like a deeply happy, fun-loving, busy guy at 82, and he inspires me to stay on my current, non-drinking path.

I hope this story inspires you too!

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