Coffee and Alcohol, good or bad for us

Alcohol, good or bad for us

Some of us drink because it’s a habit, others because it tuns on pleasure chemicals or endorphins and is socially lubricating, others attach to the proposed heart healthy benefits located in the presence of antioxidants and blood thinning agents found in alcohol.

 A new study which focused on drinking patterns and the life expectancy of more than half a million people from 19 different countries, found that anything over 5 drinks a week is linked with shorter life expectancy and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.   German research has revealed that red wine consumption leads to a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s in men but just the opposite in women.  White wine lead to memory decline for both sexes

 While consuming five drinks or less would not be harmful according to the above research the problem with drinking alcohol regularly is the addictive nature of this beverage.   This would make it more difficult for those of us who sail above the five-drink limit to reign in our potentially unhealthy practice.  Alcohol might elicit positive emotions in the short term but it can also give rise to anxiety and depression, possibly because it generates chemical poisons which derail the brain biochemistry that underpins stable and healthy emotional responses. 

Coffee, good or bad for us

We’ve been drinking coffee since 800 A.D. because it makes as more alert and gives us a jolt of energy and a feeling of wellbeing.  Here is the upside and downside of this timeless beverage.

Harms:

  • Boiled and unfiltered coffee, the kind we get from our morning barista increases cholesterol and triglycerides.
  • It may shrink the pineal where melatonin is made and cause insomnia later in life.
  • It has diuretic effects and can deplete the body of vital minerals like zinc, magnesium and calcium.
  • It increases the risk of fractures in women.

Benefits:

  • Drinking 3-5 cups daily can make us live longer.
  • Drinking 3-5 cups daily decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
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