6 Ways Drinking Alcohol Makes You Healthier

6 WAYS DRINKING ALCOHOL MAKES YOU HEALTHIER Merry Christmas FROM US= GOOD NEWS! Moderate drinkers might really be better off health-wise than abstain- ers. For real. Research has shown the following 6 health benefits of being a moderate drinker (versus non-drinkers): 1. HEART HEALTH LOWER RISK 29% of being diagnosed with coronary artery disease. 25% LOWER RISK of dying from a heart attack. LOWER RISK 25% of dying from any heart or blood vessel disease. 13% LOWER RISK of dying from a heart attack. Alcohol raises HDL (good) cholesterol. WHY? THREE It acts as an anticoagulant, making the blood less sticky and less likely to clot. REASONS It reduces inflammation, which plays a role in heart attacks and strokes. 2, BRAIN HEALTH 23% WHY? LESS LIKELY To develop Alzheimer's disease and other It's been suggested that alcohol stresses brain cells, toughening them to cope with major stresses further down the road that could cause dementia. forms of dementia. 3. LONGEVITY WHY? Moderate drinkers tend to Although more research is needed, one theory is a link between abstinence, LIVE LONGER social isolation and ill than non-drinkers. health. 4. TYPE 2 DIABETES 30% WHY? Research suggests that moderate drinking can increase insulin sensitivity. REDUCED RISK of type 2 diabetes 5. MENTAL HEALTH WHY? LOWER LEVELS OF Stress sucks for you. So does anxiety. If a little alcohol assists you with decompressing, then that might be beneficial. (Avoid relying on alcohol for this though). stress, depression and ANXIETY. 6, SOCIAL WHY? DRINKING IS Social connection is an important aspect of wellbeing and is linked to greater longevity, better emotional health and improved cognitive VERY SOCIAL! Socializing is important. function. BE SPIRITED ABOUT YOUR SELECTION : NOT ALL ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ARE EQUAL! CLEAR SPIRITS Clear spirits, such as vodka, gin and tequila, are best because they contain the lowest calories and are lowest in toxins. Keep the mixer simple and sugar free if you want to help your body. Good mixers are kombucha (fermented tea), fresh citrus or low sugar fruits such as melon and berries. WINE Wine isn't the creme de la crop of health as was once thought. Recent studies show that the health benefits above apply equally to other alcohol. Nevertheless, red and white wine (organic please) are okay choices. They contain some beneficial nutrients and possibly beneficial bacteria. BEER Beer isn't great. It contains toxins, moulds and is high in calories (beer belly, anyone?). Beer also contains gluten and yeast - which are problematic for many of us. However, beer has been associated with some health benefits. HACK YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE IN 5 EASY STEPS In the end, we need to be moderate with alcohol to get the benefits. As a ballpark figure, moderate is considered 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. MODERATION (2 Know when you are hitting the bottle and if your purpose can be better served with an honest chat, or a change in lifestyle. Awareness is power. MINDFUL Don't booze when you've got to be at your best the next day. Even in small amounts alcohol affects sleep and performance. STRATEGIC 4 Stay hydrated, and supplement withl-cysteine and vitamin C before and after drinking. AVOID A HANGOVER (5 HAVE DRY DAYS Data suggests that a month off alcohol could help prevent serious illnesses in later life. WEEKS & MONTHS Drinking alcohol can be a healthy habit. However, some of us don't have a healthy relationship with alcohol. GET HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT WHETHER THE WAY YOU USE ALCOHOL IS HEALTHY. IF IT ISN'T, TAKE ACTION. For a comprehensive guide to healthy drinking, including all the sources used to create this infographic, see Art of Wellbeing's A Healthy Person's Guide to Drinking Alcohol http://www.artofwellbeing.com/2015/11/10/a-conscious-persons-guide-to-boozing/ By Art Of Wellbeing Receive practical, actionable wellness advice at artofwellbeing.com