 It must be either Week Two of all the President's Day Celebrations or cabin fever or a recent large meta-analysis making news, but we have received a lot of questions regarding alcohol.
I was always fascinated as a kid with the birthday thing on the Today Show. For those unaware, Willard Scott put the face of someone born during the Civil War on a virtual jar of Smucker's. He'd say something like, "Isn't Agnes gorgeous! She turns 103 today and has enjoyed a highball at every lunch since 1947." or "Walter, that handsome devil, just turned 105 and enjoys a finger's worth of spirits before bed every evening". You don't have to be Bryant Gumbel to get the common denominator here. Here are some of our thoughts on alcohol.
1. If you don't drink, don't start. I'll explain why in a minute.
2. Doesn't matter which type - i.e. it doesn't have to be red wine. The cardiovascular risk reduction is from the alcohol. Some studies show a little more cardiovascular benefit in wine than beer, most others show equal benefit - in moderation.
3. "What is moderation?" simply women 1/day and guys up to 2/day show a benefit.
4. "What if I have a busy week and can't drink until Friday night. Can I have 14 that night?" No, but I want to party with you one night. 5. "What's the catch?" Alcohol is not calorie free. For example, if you know you are going to have a glass of wine or two with dinner, you may want to skip your vegetables (kidding - vegetables are huge). Plus, there is a mild increase in breast cancer associated with alcohol. *Ladies please stay on top of your regular screenings.
6. "How does alcohol work to make us healthier?" The exact mechanism is not known, but we do know it increases HDL (good cholesterol) significantly, is anticlotting, and a powerful antioxidant among other things. 7. In addition to the alcohol, red wine has phenols and flavonoids that may help provide the additional benefit (please see #2)
8. This is interesting to me. When the Framingham Heart Study was released to public in 1959, they did not share the most important component of cardiovascular risk reduction with the public - alcohol. If those researchers didn't release this info why are you? 4 reasons. (a) It's not the 1950's anymore. (b)We know something that will reduce your risk by an additional 30%. (c)Walk with a Doc lives on the edge
9. You know not of what you speak - Alcohol causes cirrhosis, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathies (weak heart muscle), etc, - that's why it is imperative to apply moderation.
10. "What is the best method to consume alcohol" - having a cold beer while you are doing my yard work this summer (please call Walk with a Doc HQ at 614-714-0407 for my address)
11. Why don't you serve Bloody Mary's at the walk on Saturday mornings - tomatoes, celery, vodka??? Sounds like a health shake. You may have something there...(we will never serve alcohol at a WWAD walk, probably never). 12. So if it's so good, why should I not start? A few reasons. #'s Five and Nine, and what occurred to us in the office a few weeks ago. Esther Peabody (will be on the Smucker's Jar in 3 years) misunderstood me a year ago and thought she was doing us a favor. She came in for her yearly physical wearing a lamp shade. That wasn't the worst of it - she was offering our Front Desk green Jell-O shots off a sterling silver tray - saying Dr. David recommended it. I would have never said such a thing. Everybody knows Red Jell-O shots are much healthier. Fortunately the medics had transported her and we didn't need to call for a taxi. For a real piece of journalism on alcohol please see the great article by Misti Crane (Columbus Dispatch) (http://bit.ly/i9PW3Q). | 
