Most of you who would love a snifter would want the answer to be affirmative. In fact, the moment the answer is given some of you might be wetting your lips on the prospective drink you are about to have. Such is the strong urge for having alcohol.
For a long time in India, from time to time, the idea to ban alcoholic beverages has turned into public movements. However, any attempts to ban it has in fact increased the consumption surreptitiously.
Alcohol is a fascinating and highly addictive substance that should only be taken in moderation, but who pays heed to this fact? When it comes to the medicinal properties of alcohol, do the risks outweigh the benefits or is it the other way round?
Let us dig deeper and find out if alcohol is really good for the heart or not!
Distilled alcohol in Latin is alluded to as aqua vitae, which means water of life. This clearly suggests that alcohol was distilled for medicinal purposes. Ancient medicinal practitioners were well versed with the process of distillation of alcohol. The practice of consuming small amounts of wine during religious ceremonies is quite well known to you all!
Long held beliefs that consuming alcohol in moderation is good for health are researched upon, and we’ll get to the results of that research shortly. First, let us consider the long held beliefs of people that alcohol is good for various reasons. Let us explore those reasons and see if they are scientifically valid or not!
What we believed about alcohol:
There are many online and offline literatures that claim that if one consumes alcohol in moderation, it’s medicinal, and that it cleanses the heart. These literatures are generally followed by rich photographs of people consuming alcohol in a blissful state. This is a lure enough for alcoholics to run straight to the bar or pub only to get wasted!
Many of these literatures claim that moderate consumption of alcohol has “substantial” health benefits and that it varies from individual to individual. They even make the idea sound so lucrative and exciting that even a nonalcoholic would be swayed to have a pint or two!
Let us examine the claims they make. Here is a list of claims made by these alcohol advocates:
● It can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
● It can promote “good” cholesterol.
● Alcohol is an anticoagulant and can cure blood clots.
● It can reduce inflammation.
● It reduces the risk of heart disease.
● It can lengthen your life.
● Consuming alcohol reduces the risk of mortality in “some populations.”
● Red wine is really good for the heart.
● It improves libido!
● It prevents common cold.
● It decreases the risk of dementia.
● It breaks down gallstones.
The list goes on and on! A popular clinic even went about prescribing the correct dosages for consumption.
Beer: 355 ml.
Wine: 148 ml.
Distilled spirits: 44 ml.
Now, there are two schools of thought here. One school claims that alcohol consumed in moderation is in fact good for health, and another one that claims that any amount of alcohol is not good for health.
For a lot of readers, it would be difficult to decide which one is correct. One just decides it by prejudice. For the alcoholic, a mere suggestion that it is good for health is enough to make him/her race for the nearest beverage. For the non-alcoholic, all talk about the health benefits is sacrilege!
To resolve this issue, the best way to go about is considering scientific evidence. After all, even Einstein’s theories were scientifically tested to be believed. As technologically advanced people, we need to take scientific evidence as the correct evidence.
The American Heart Association in a paper told that flavonoids and other antioxidants in red wine may be responsible for reduced risk of heart disease than the red wine itself. Other research even reveals that the lifestyle high in physical activity, diet rich in fruits and vegetables and less in saturated fats may be the actual reason.
However, it even says “No direct comparison trials have been done to determine the specific effect of wine or other alcohol on the risk of developing heart disease or stroke.”
So, how do we decide now?
We have been hearing and reading that moderate consumption of alcohol is good for health. Recent conclusive studies of the World Health Organization seems to decisively close the issue!
Research done by World Health Organization screams that there is a dire risk of cancer with the consumption of alcohol! It also says that no amount of alcohol is safe! Sorry drink lovers, but that’s what research says!
Moreover, the proclaimed benefits of alcohol to heart are only merely modest. Though alcohol has very minor benefits, on a conclusion, since the WHO declared it as a carcinogen, we decide that the risks outweigh the benefits.
Moderation might be good in consumption of alcohol, but we all know that it never stops at just one drink!
If you have an issue with alcoholism and you want to turn your life for the better, you can always consult doctors at Apollo Hospitals in discretion. Book your appointment for online consultation here.
