'Don't use your teeth, you need to learn to use your hands.'

 My exes statement to me on just getting home from hospital. She's a PT, I ignored her, no understanding of stroke deficits or recovery. So with the leftover Irish whiskey which has a cork top, there are two standard possibilities.

1. Pop the top with my left hand. Impossible, my fingers can't close around that small an object.

2. Hold the fat end of the bottle with the left hand. Impossible, I have never been able to get my hand around anything larger than 3 inches. Holding an object that big and opening up four fingers and one thumb just is not possible.

So the real solution goes back to old Westerns where bar patrons would grab the bottle and twist off the cork top with their teeth.

Very Popular Drink Linked To Brain Damage

More negative results on alcohol, while I look at all these positives. But listen to your negative Nellie doctor instead of me.

Alcohol for these 12 reasons.

A little daily alcohol may cut stroke risk

An occasional drink doesn't hurt coronary arteries

Six healthy reasons to drink more beer   Red wine benefits are in this one also.

10 Health Benefits of Whiskey

Negative here:

Very Popular Drink Linked To Brain Damage 

The drink was linked to shrinkage in the hippocampus, an area critical for memory and other mental functions.

Even moderate levels of alcohol consumption are linked to long-term brain damage and declines in mental skills, new research finds.
Moderate alcohol intake means around 14 to 21 units per week.
The study also found no support for the idea that low levels of alcohol intake are beneficial for the brain.
The conclusions come from a British study of 550 healthy men and women followed over 30 years.
At the start of the study, people’s average age was 43 and none had alcohol problems.
All participants had regular brain function tests and an MRI scan at the end.
The researchers adjusted for many factors that could have been influential, such as age, sex, education, exercise levels and medical history.
They found that people who drank more over 30 years had increasing shrinkage of the hippocampus.
The hippocampus is a brain structure crucial for memory and other functions.
People who drank moderate amounts (14 – 21 units per week) had more shrinkage in their hippocampus than those who abstained.
For those who drank over 30 units per week, the situation was even worse.
Up to 7 drinks per week was not linked to any beneficial effect, as some other studies have reported.
The UK has recently reduced its alcohol guidance limits to 14 units for men and women.
The US, however, recommends a maximum of 24.5 units per week.
The study’s authors write:

“Our findings support the recent reduction in UK safe limits and call into question the current US guidelines, which suggest that up to 24.5 units a week is safe for men, as we found increased odds of hippocampal atrophy at just 14-21 units a week, and we found no support for a protective effect of light consumption on brain structure.”

Dr Killian Welch, writing in a linked editorial, said:

“We all use rationalisations to justify persistence with behaviours not in our long term interest.
With publication of this paper, justification of “moderate” drinking on the grounds of brain health becomes a little harder.”

The study was published in the British Medical Journal (Topiwala et al., 2017).

Scientists Question Benefit of Moderate Drinking

I personally think alcohol is great for you post-stroke, makes your walking much more challenging getting you recovered much faster. Does wonders for social connections. And these others. But since I'm not medically trained don't listen to me.

Alcohol for these 12 reasons.

A little daily alcohol may cut stroke risk

An occasional drink doesn't hurt coronary arteries

Six healthy reasons to drink more beer   Red wine benefits are in this one also.

10 Health Benefits of Whiskey

The negative article here:

 Scientists Question Benefit of Moderate Drinking

Moderate alcohol consumption may not be as beneficial as previously thought.
Researchers from Penn State have examined the drinking habits of middle-aged adults and found that the widely reported benefits of moderate alcohol may be overstated because they appear in a vacuum and did not factor in other health risks.
“Evidence continues to grow that alcohol has many health risks, including for cancer,” Jennifer Maggs, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State and one of the study's authors, said in a statement. “Therefore, it is dangerous to report only benefits of moderate alcohol consumption.
“Drinking habits are also shaped by our education, health earlier in life and related lifestyle factors including smoking,” she added. “These other influences may be the real factors underlying the connection between drinking and midlife health.”
After analyzing information of about 9,000 people in England, Scotland and Wales born in 1958 the researchers linked changes to mental and physical health to an individual’s drinking and cigarette smoking habits from age 23 to 55.
According to the study, about one-third of participants who reported drinking at the light-to-moderate level—adults who consumed no more than 14 units of alcohol per week—were very unlikely to smoke and enjoyed the best health and quality of life in middle age.
However, those who drank lightly to moderately but also smoked experienced more health problems, as did those who both drank heavily and smoked and those who either refrained from alcohol or reduced their drinking over time.
Moderate drinking has long been considered to have some heart benefits but the researchers believe these reports failed to take into account other risk factors like smoking or a lack of exercise or obesity.
“This study provides yet more evidence that any benefits associated with drinking alcohol are smaller than previously thought,” Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance in the U.K., said in a statement. “The most effective ways to reduce harms associated with alcohol consumption are to introduce pricing measures linked to alcohol sales, and enable more informed choices through public education efforts and mandatory labeling of alcohol products.”
The researchers also explained that adults who abstain from alcohol are not necessarily healthier than light-to-moderate drinkers.
“Alcohol abstainers are a diverse group,” Jeremy Staff, professor of criminology and sociology at Penn State and the study’s lead author, said in a statement. “They include former heavy drinkers who quit due to problems with alcohol, as well as those who quit drinking due to poor health, and not just lifetime abstainers.
“Medical professionals and public health officials should be wary of drawing conclusions about the so-called 'dangers' of never drinking without more robust evidence,” he added.

10 Health Benefits of Whiskey

Well well, another reason not to listen to me after my earlier posts of other alcohols. What alcohol does your doctor recommend?

1.  Red Wine: Heart-Healthy? 

2. Acute effects of beer on endothelial function and hemodynamics: A single-blind, crossover study in healthy volunteers 

3. Dark beer is good for you, in moderation

4. Smarter People Tend To Drink More Alcohol

5.  Can alcohol make men smarter? Study suggests yes 

6.  The Buffalo Theory of Neurons.

7.  Drunk Rats Could Overturn Neurological Orthodoxy

8. Cardiac Benefits of Red Wine Not From the Alcohol
9. Can alcohol make men smarter? Study suggests yes
10. Two Drinks a Day Reduce Mortality in Male Heart Attack Victims

11. Alcohol’s Impact On Heart And Stroke Risk May Differ For Men, Women

12. Alcohol intake in the elderly affects risk of cognitive decline and dementia

 

 10 Health Benefits of Whiskey

But you will notice not a single research article is referenced.

Whiskey is one of the best alcohols you can drink. Not only is it the least likely to give you a hangover, but it’s also one of the healthiest around. You’ll find that having a few fingers of whiskey every week can help to:

1.  Avoid Weight Gain – Whiskey is a low-calorie alcohol, especially when compared to the many cocktails, beers, and wines you can find on supermarket shelves. You can drink a tumbler of whiskey without worrying about packing on the pounds thanks to its low sugar content.
2. Boost Heart Health – Did you know that drinking whiskey can actually make your heart healthier? Aside from wine and dark beer, what other alcohols can claim that? Not only will whiskey reduce the risk of blood clots, but it will lower your stroke and heart attack risk as well. The antioxidants in whiskey stop cholesterol from clogging your arteries, and it can even boost your good cholesterol.
3. Fight Cancer -- Whiskey is rich in antioxidants, particularly one known as ellagic acid. This antioxidant stops your body’s DNA from coming in contact with cancer-causing compounds, reducing the risk of carcinogens forming. It can also protect your body from chemotherapy, and will reduce oxidation in your body.
4. Improve Brain Health – A study conducted in 2003 discovered that drinking whiskey reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. If you’re worried that your brain is slowing down in your old age, it’s time to start drinking whiskey to protect your very important organ from damage.
5. Reduce Stroke Risk -- Whiskey not only helps to prevent cholesterol from building up in your arteries, but it can actually help to get rid of any cholesterol present in your blood vessels at the moment. It will also help to relax the walls of your arteries, ensuring that your blood can flow without obstruction. One of the greatest health benefits of whiskey is the reduced stroke risk, and we can all drink to that!

6. Fight Stress – Stress can cause a wide range of health problems in the human body, but thankfully we’ve got whiskey to kick stress’ butt! Whiskey helps to reduce anxiety and stress, calming your nerves and helping to relax your body. It can increase circulation throughout your body, providing your organs with fresh, oxygenated blood. A serving or two of whiskey can help to calm stressed nerves effectively!
7. Boost Memory — The antioxidants in whiskey can help to improve the health of your brain, and the circulation-boosting effects of this alcohol will boost your memory at the same time. The same properties that help to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia will also keep your brain active and young.
8. Aid in Digestion -- Did you know that whiskey has long been drunk as a digestive aid? It was usually consumed after a meal, helping to relax the body after eating heavy food. It can also help to shut down your appetite, preventing you from overeating. Best of all, it will aid in digestion, reducing your risk of stomach ache or indigestion after a heavy meal.
9. Lengthen Lifespan -- Whiskey is loaded with healthy antioxidants, and these nutrients can help to increase your lifespan by reducing your risk of disease. By protecting your body against disease, you prevent the slow breakdown of important cells in your body–thereby helping you to live longer.
10. Great for Diabetics -- Whiskey is a zero-carb alcohol, so you can drink it without worrying about the effect it will have on your blood sugar levels. If you suffer from diabetes, a finger or two of whiskey will be the right choice for you!