“Eat healthy foods, drink lots of water, exercise, sleep early, and no alcohol or tobacco And don’t forget your pills.”

You must have heard this bit of advice from your doctor or loved ones so many times you can recite it in your sleep. And they are right except for a little bit of exception – alcohol.

“Alcohol” implies Alcoholic Beverages like beer, wine, and spirits — alcoholic beverages with high ABV (alcohol by volume).

While it is good wisdom to keep away from it, several studies show that one or two glasses per day have health benefits.

Benefits of Alcohol

While alcoholic beverages are not recommended for seniors, a glass or two each day can be good like…

Protection against the common cold:

Alcoholic beverages have long been recommended to treat the common cold, but there is no evidence to support the claim.

Then in 1992 Mellon Carnegie researchers did a study to back or disprove the claim. What they found is that alcohol does increase a person’s resistance to the common cold.

This was backed up by a study done in 2002 involving 4,300 adult Americans. The result, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, showed that those who drink 14 glasses of red wine per week, reduced their risk of getting the common cold by 60%.

The plausible reason given behind it is the antioxidant property of red wine.

Improves libido:

Among men, libido, or sexual desire, starts to decline between the ages of 30 to 40 and continues declining by 1% each year. By the time he reaches 60, all that is left are memories of his promiscuous days.

All is not lost, however. Studies show that men who drink a moderate amount of red wine have greater sex drive than those who don’t. Researchers attribute this to red wine’s ability to increase blood flow.

Lowers the risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CDV):

Studies also show that moderate intake of alcohol, one to two glasses per day, decreases the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, and stroke.

It also improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin — one of the factors that influence blood clotting in the arteries in the heart, neck, and brain.

Reduces the risk of gallstones:

Gallstones are small collections of material, may entirely be of cholesterol or calcium, which forms in the gallbladder.

There is a very thin line separating alcohol consumption and gallstone formation. But a study by researchers of the University of East Anglia, in the U.K., show that two units of alcohol each day reduce the risk of developing gallstones by a third.

Lowers the risk of developing diabetes:

Like the formation of gallstones, there is also a thin line between the amount of alcohol consumed on a regular basis the formation of diabetes.

To be sure, if you are already a diabetic, limit your alcohol to the barest minimum. Moderate quantities of alcohol raise sugar levels. Beyond that can cause serious medical problems.

Wine is the recommended drink against developing diabetes, followed by beer. Keep away from clear spirits like gin and vodka.

Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s:

Volumes of studies show that excessive consumption of alcohol can damage the brain. Moderate consumption, however, may not be so bad. In fact, it may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.

A study done by the Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine shows that moderate drinkers are 23% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other signs of memory problems.

“This study is not the final word, but it does provide the most complete picture out there,” says Michael A. Collins, Ph.D., and author of the study.

Makes you happy:

“Drink and be merry,” is an often-used phrase to tempt people to have a glass or two. And it has some truth in it.

Alcohol releases feel-good chemicals in an area of the brain referred to as the ‘pleasure center.’ This rush of chemicals produce feelings of pleasure and reward.

Makes you live longer:

Excessive drinking almost always leads to an early death. Moderate consumption, on the other hand, has a rosy picture.

A study commissioned by University of California Irvine’s Institute for Memorial Impairments and Neurological Disorders show that moderate drinkers have an 18% drop in risk to an early death – even better than the usual life-preserving practice of exercising.

But just like anything, it has its own caveats.

Seniors who are moderate drinkers must consult their physician if they have existing medical conditions. Some drugs react negatively with alcohol like drugs against blood clots, cough, anti-histamines, or depression. They can make you feel drowsy and sleepy which will be compounded by the alcohol in your system.

Regardless of age, never drink and drive. It can make you sluggish regardless of your intake.

And always remember that too much of a good thing almost always have a bad ending. Figures from the NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), there are about 8 million American seniors who are alcoholics. These are those who couldn’t stick to their limits. Don’t be one of them.

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~oOo~

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