I would have said alcohol…all day long

I grew up seeing alcohol as a no go. I never heard of someone’s life being transformed for the good by alcohol.

So a few weeks ago as I was having lunch with a friend from college he shared with me some fascinating data.

Frank:

Hey Jared, you know that data about Gen Z being the drivers of the non-alcohol movement? Everyone says they must be smarter or healthier than other generations because of it?

Me:

Yeah, I’ve heard that. It’s amazing — I figure they just finally saw all the research at the right time on how alcohol does more harm than good.

Frank:

Yeah… well, it’s not what it seems.

We’ve been reviewing national health data at our life-insurance company — and as an executive, I get to see some of the comprehensive datasets.

Me:

Oh yea like… what are you seeing?

Frank:

In some ways, they’re actually the most unhealthy generation. Sure, some have swapped alcohol for CBD or marijuana, but that’s not the real story.

The real problem is that they’re more isolated. They’re lonely.

They aren’t avoiding alcohol because they’re wiser or healthier — they’re simply not socializing as much.

Ask parents of sixteen-year-olds: many aren’t rushing to get their driver’s license anymore because they’re perfectly content on their phones. No need to drive somewhere, meet friends, or — gasp — even go on a date.

They’ve got every dopamine dealer they could ever want right there in their pocket — games, endless scrolling, porn — all keeping them isolated.

And from our data, that isolation is leading to worse health outcomes across the board.

It got me thinking: which is truly more dangerous—alcohol, or the silent epidemic nobody talks about?

Scott Galloway recently said,

Based on what I’m hearing and reading - The data backs him up in many ways.

Here’s the Evidence

• Loneliness increases risk of early death by 26–32%, similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day — or drinking heavily.¹

• Social isolation raises cortisol and inflammation, weakening immune and cardiovascular systems.²

• Teen depression has doubled since 2012, tracking precisely with smartphone and social media use.³

• The U.S. Surgeon General has called loneliness a “public health crisis as dangerous as obesity or substance abuse.”⁴

Alcohol can damage the liver.

Loneliness corrodes everything.

A Daily Ritual to Reverse It

Because connection isn’t just social — it’s biological. Here’s a simple practice that starts rewiring your brain and lowering stress hormones in minutes:

1. Text or voice-note one person you’ve lost touch with. I was going to say leave a voicemail but I’m told that’s so last year. Don’t overthink it. Just say, “Hey, thinking of you.”

2. Look people in the eye — cashier, neighbor, stranger. Your vagus nerve (the body’s social switch) activates through real-world contact and even more through eye contact.

3. End your day with gratitude: Write one line in your journal or notes or text someone ideally and say thank you - The prompt — “Who made me feel seen today?”

Try it for a week. Track your HRV, your sleep, or simply your mood. You’ll feel it.

Why This is So Serious!

I think this is impacting far more than just the younger whipper snappers. Humans - in real life - regulate each other’s nervous systems. A face, a hug, a laugh — each releases oxytocin, which lowers cortisol and blood pressure.

Screens don’t do that.

Likes don’t lower cortisol.

Laughter does.

When you replace artificial connection with authentic contact, your biology remembers what safety feels like.

We built rehab centers for alcoholics — but handed the lonely a smartphone. We literally traded the potential harms of bad social habits for the most deadly drug dealer in history - the smartphone.

The real detox our society needs isn’t from alcohol.

It’s from isolation. 

Some Additional Links for the Curious

• U.S. Surgeon General Report: Our Epidemic of Loneliness

• Meta-Analysis: Loneliness as Deadly as Smoking

• Stanford Medicine: Social Connection and Immune Function

I’d love to hear your thoughts. 👋

I write this newsletter each week because I feel my best when my body, mind and soul are all healthy. I want the same for you. If you feel like you’ve seen something valuable here, please do me a favor and forward this newsletter to a friend or let me know what you think by replying or texting me - (310) 879-8441

I think happy couples make the world go round. I also believe men can do more to lead and love in their lives. In light of that, I have found the following four books to be the 4 books every man should read and every woman should want their man to read.

• Good Energy - What makes for a Healthy Body and Mind?

• The Masculine in Relationship - How to Win the Trust, Lust and Devotion of a Strong Woman

• The Man’s Guide to Women - The Science of Happy Relationships

• The Desire of Ages - Leadership in a World of Cowards

Here are a few other links to things that have changed my life:

Whoop - Track your HRV and REM Sleep

Function Health - Optimize Your Health via 100+ BioMarkers

Here are a few topics I think you’ll love if you haven’t checked them out before:

How to Breathe for Better Health

How to Supercharge Your Sleep

The Power of the Sauna

-Jared

P.S. - This newsletter does not provide medical advice. The content, such as graphics, images, text, and all other materials, is provided for reference and educational purposes only. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any specific individual's medical condition.