Whiskey is actually good for you

Whiskey is good for you.  There, I said it.  And it’s on the internet, so it must be true.

You are smirking.  I suspect it’s because you either wish that were true, or just are deciding what your spouses response will be when you try and explain it to them.  Well bear with me, after reading this you just might feel more secure in your position.

A few years ago, in 1577, Raphael Hollinshed wrote a book entitled Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland.  In this book (and no, it is not available in audiobook) he said;

“Being moderately taken, it slows the age, cuts phlegm, helps digestion, cures the dropsy, it heals the strangulation, keeps and preserves the head from whirling, the tongue from lisping, the stomach from womblying, the guts from rumbling, the hands from shivering, the bones from aching…and truly it is a sovereign liquor if it be orderly taken.”

Dropsy is basically heart failure.  Strangulation refers to opening blood vessels.  Head whirling, well we all know that.  And stomach womblying cannot be good.  Liquor, even their old garbage, is good for you!

Now before we go too far, like anything, too much is not good.  Whiskey can kill you, harm you, cause divorce, cause pregnancy and in no case should you operate machinery while under its influence.  We are talking moderation folks, no more than 2 drinks a day.  And before you get out the 32oz mug, that’s 2 pours of 1.5 ounces of 80 proof.  If you drink 120 proof, its 1 ounce.  Drink with a calculator. 

But on to the good stuff.  Do not ask what you can do for whiskey, but what whiskey can do for you.

Fight Cancer
We are coming out off the ropes swinging!  Whiskey contains anti-oxidants, mainly ellagic acid, which helps clean bad cells from the body.  And whiskey is the only thing on the entire planet that contains this miracle acid.  (OK, it is in tannin, so things like raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates, walnuts and wine also have it.  But I won’t tell if you don’t).  So drink to prevent cancer.

Weight loss
Whiskey neat is actually very low in calories, low in sugar, no fat and NO CARBS.  Compared to soda, it’s a great choice.  Much better than beer.  Admittedly, water is better, but what’s the fun in that?  So if you are going to drink, drink whiskey to lose, or at least not gain, weight.  BTW, it is gluten free and can help prevent diabetes.

Reduces cold symptoms 
Yes, drinking some whiskey will help dilate your blood vessels, allowing mucus membranes to better fight infections. 

Lowers the risk of dementia 
In 2003 the National Institute of Health said that moderate drinking can help reduce your likelihood of suffering from dementia.  Drink up before you forget why. 

Improve cognitive performance 
Yup, whiskey makes you smarter.  Again, those antioxidants coming to the rescue.  They have been found to improve cognitive function.

Reduced Hangovers 
This is supposed to be true, but it is very anecdotal, and not backed up by science, so take it as you will.

Listen, whiskey is alcohol, which is poison.  Small doses may have some better-than-bad consequences, but it would be hard to say a little is actually better than none.  In fact, it may be true that those who do not overindulge are also being health conscious in the rest of their lives, and that is where the benefits actually come from.  Damn those people.

Or when friends come over and see your wall of bourbon, explain to them it’s basically a gym. 

Your call. 

Be safe!