While most of us don't need any additional excuses to drink more beer
or alcohol, it sure doesn't hurt. The best reason out there to tip a
few back is certainly the added health benefits. Knowing that there are
studies out there linking booze to healthy living can instill a sense of
confidence in our imbibing. Our knowledge of these benefits can also be
a great weapon to have in our arsenal in case we should happen upon the
occasional anti drinking trumpeter.
The latter scenario is why we
will delve into a few of these health benefits, and refer to studies to
back up our claims with references. Think of this article as a guide,
we are teaching the art of removing sobriety preachers from their high
horse.
The New England Journal of Medicine conducted a study in
November of 1999 on the link between drinking beer and strokes. Their
findings were quite astounding. The research showed that drinking beer
in low to moderate levels decreases the chance of suffering a stroke by a
whopping 20%. Another finding in this same study stated that a beer a
day is just as healthy as a beer a week. So the next time someone looks
down their nose at you for drinking on a daily basis, refer to this
study and tell them to put it in their pipe and smoke it.
We have
established that drinkers have less of a chance of having a stroke but
we aren't stopping there. Let us add Coronary Heart disease to the list
of health advantages we drinkers have over non-drinkers. The University
Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas found that moderate beer
drinking will reduce the risk of Coronary Heart disease by 30-40% in
comparison to people who do not drink at all. If someone should ask why
you feel the need to drink every day, simply explain to them that you
are getting the polyphenols you need for a healthy heart.
Organs
are not the only part of the body receiving a boost from brew. A Tufts
University study concluded that downing one or two beers a day will
result in higher bone density. It seems silicone is instrumental in
increasing bone density and it just so happens that our beloved beer is
high in silicone. On a side note, Pale Ale drinkers can take added stock
in this study. Their choice of beer was found to have the highest
levels of silicone, with light beers having the least. This amounts to
another reason to stick to the craft beers... darker beer = stronger
bones.
While the aforementioned health benefits are amazing in
their own right, we saved the best for last. A 2005 study published in
the New England Journal of Medicine found that drinking moderately
lowers the risk of mental decline by 20%. The best part of this
particular study though, has to be that it showed that older women who
have a drink a day average about 18 months "younger" than their actual
age on mental skills tests when compared to non-drinkers.
In
conclusion it seems as though it is a no brainer to keep on drinking.
Although, maybe it is only obvious to us drinkers since we aren't
mentally declining at near the rate of our sober brethren. We aren't
sure about you, but this article sure is making us thirsty.
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