The Healthy Drinker | Smart & Healthy Drinking Tips

You Don’t Have to Go Home, but You Can’t Stay Here

2012-05-16T16:58:10Z

Major cities around the country are throwing their bar closing times into flux in response to budget gaps and public safety concerns.

In Washington D.C., where bars are currently permitted to serve until 2 a.m. on the weekdays and 3 a.m. on the weekends, Mayor Vincent Gray has proposed extending the cutoffs of an hour each in order to raise an estimated $3 million and close a city-wide budget gap. While the plan was recently voted down in council, it will likely be resubmitted during the council’s deliberation over the budget later in the year.

Boston is also looking to adjust the 2 a.m. closing times of its bars, albeit in the other direction. In response to the recent slaying of a 23 year-old veteran in an area plagued by violence, Mayor Mike Menino is asking the city’s licensing board to rotate the times at which bars in the Theatre District shut down.

New York City, too, has felt a push to reel in its 4 a.m. closing time in recent years. In 2008, the 4 a.m. standard was challenged by community boards and more recently NYC bar owners got nervous when Harlem proposed a shift to 2 a.m. Proponents of an earlier closing time cite concerns that alcohol-related crimes are facilitated by late bar closures, but advocates of the 4 a.m. standard say an earlier last call would impact the city’s famous nightlife atmosphere, costing bar owners tens of millions and hurting current and future job numbers.

On the other side of the 48, Seattle has petitioned the Washington State Liquor Control Board for flexibility in its statewide 2 a.m. closing time. The problem of a citywide 2 a.m. closure, according to officials, is that all bar patrons are pushed out onto the streets at once. Giving Seattle more flexibility would allow the city to stagger the times at which areas close down their bars so police forces can focus on specific areas. Opponents of the measure claim later closing times will only encourage intoxicated people to drink more, causing innumerable social harms.

Officials in Washington might be well advised to take a look at other major cities across the U.S. Whether adjusting closing times is in response to budget shortfalls or public safety, it’s apparent each major city has its own set of challenges in finding the proper balance.

From the Author: My name is James Madeiros and as a long-time contributor to The Healthy Drinker it was my pleasure to accommodate a request to write a monthly news piece for the website. I’ve been writing for about 15 years and have been drinking (healthily) for even longer, so my hope is that this experience will bring value to you, dear reader. Cheers, and enjoy!

Legal Stuff: Of course, I should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid : ). For more info, check out our site: www.drinkwel.com.

Does Whiskey Help Cure A Cold?

2012-05-09T16:41:35Z

Gaelic for “water of life,” whiskey has been touted as a cure for everything from toothaches to swine flu. Even the common cold is said to be stymied by whiskey’s magical properties.

So does whiskey help with a cold? Or is it just another excuse for grandpa to take his “medicine?”

Due to a particular production process whereby whiskey is distilled and then aged in wooden casks, the spirit contains uniquely high doses of cancer-fighting antioxidants and heart-saving phenols, but its whiskey’s non-unique property – alcohol – that has the most effect on your common cold.

Studies have shown that occasional consumption of alcohol may decrease susceptibility to the virus. Once you have the sniffles, whiskey can help allay symptoms by relaxing blood vessels and reducing inflammation, but one must be careful not to overdo it. Too much alcohol will inhibit a good night’s rest, dehydrate the body and exacerbate symptoms. It may even give you a combination cold/hangover, which is known to be 100 times worse than the standard version.

Those who are known to indulge in the ancient panacea sometimes like to stir it into a hot toddy made with water and lemon juice. The hot liquid can help relieve nasal passages while the water prevents dehydration, and lemon is known to reduce phlegm and may even help fight the virus itself with a strong punch of vitamin C. If one were so inclined, she or he might also sweeten the mixture with some honey that can also soothe a sore throat.

Of course, I should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. Because everyone is different, you should work with your medical professional to determine what’s best for you. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid : ). Drinkwel is the world’s first daily multivitamin for healthy people who drink alcohol. For more info, check out our site: www.drinkwel.com.

Understanding How Alcohol Addiction Works

2012-05-04T00:44:42Z

We’ve all heard the addictive properties of cigarettes. We’re told not to have a single one – they’re as addictive as heroine! Well, what about alcohol? What causes us to become addicted, and will simply drinking more lead us toward addiction?

Let’s start with alcohol tolerance. It’s true that the more we drink, the more we can drink, and then the more we have to drink in order to feel the euphoric effects of alcohol. This is due to an enzyme known as dehydrogenase, the MVP in our bodies’ fight to become more tolerant of alcohol. Dehydrogenase hastens the filtration of alcohol from the body and increases in response to more constant heavy drinking, enabling more regular drinkers to power through that first six-pack without batting a lash.

Alcohol also causes the secretion of dopamine, which affects the brain’s ability to experience pleasure and pain. When moderate drinkers consume alcohol they typically feel a slight increase of dopamine in their systems, and a complementary increase in emotional intensity that only subsides once they start to sober up.

The problem for chronic drinkers (and those on their way) is that as dopamine levels continue to increase with consumption, their bodies also develop more “transporters” that facilitate quicker absorption of dopamine. The increased amount of transporters remains constant after binging so that when the heavy boozer’s binge is over and his body begins producing normal levels of dopamine, less dopamine remains in the system due to its faster absorption. This leads to depression and a craving to drink more in order to bring dopamine up to “natural” levels. Thus, addiction to alcohol has occurred.

Compulsion to keep drinking doesn’t stop at dopamine. Withdrawal from alcohol is rated at the severest level among popular legal and illegal drugs. Once addiction sets in, it not only becomes biologically harder to stop, but more physically painful as well, coaxing the addict to continue drinking.

It should be noted there are a variety of other factors that affect one’s likelihood of alcohol addiction including genetic predispositions, gender and ethnicity; however, due to the fact that 28% of all Americans drink at levels that put them at risk for addiction, no one should feel exempt from taking a closer look at their consumption habits.

Resveratrol Resurrection: A Realistic Review of the Health Benefits of Resveratrol

2012-04-26T20:52:03Z

Whatever happened to Resveratrol, the supposedly magical compound found in grape skins and red wine?

For a while it was big news and even linked to the “French Paradox”, a way to describe how wine-loving Parisians can enjoy a rich and boozy diet with a relatively low incidence of coronary disease. Now, it seems to have fallen off the radar.

The problem is that while moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to a reduction in coronary disease, that link has not been firmly made with Resveratrol and red wine. Further, it has yet to be established that the compound prevents or reduces cancer growth in humans, although it has been proven to do so in some animal testing.

Rumors abounded as late as early 2011 that Resveratrol may even be a type of Fountain of Youth due to some animal studies that revealed possible anti-aging properties; however, all that came to a halt with the end of clinical trials that bore no significant results. Even so, GlaxoSmithKline, which bought the company who developed the science in 2008, hopes that future studies will yield more favorable results.

A review of past studies reveal there is good reason to believe Resveratrol can act to ease problems associated with aging like inflammation and the effects of carcinogens, although more tests are needed to understand the benefits.

Meanwhile, Resveratrol supplements are available for consumers and the studies have not indicated any notable negative effects in people who use it, suggesting that a “better safe than sorry” approach may not be a bad way to go.

Kombucha Comeback

2012-04-19T23:23:59Z

..and Reports of it Containing Too High of an Alcohol Content.

Fans of kombucha, a popular fermented tea laden with stomach-friendly probiotics and other nutrients, will soon have one more choice to make before popping open the fizzy tea: kombucha regular or kombucha ID-required.

GT’s, America’s most popular kombucha brewer, will soon be offering their original kombucha formula, which just might exceed the .5% alcohol content limit requiring government warning labels and giving office managers a reason to look more closely at what employees are sipping to alleviate boredom at work.

In the summer of 2010, Whole Foods pulled GT’s kombucha from their shelves amid concerns that the alcohol content exceeded that .5% threshold. Since kombucha continues to ferment in the bottle, the federal government started to investigate various brands amid fears the alcoholic content of some bottles not only exceeded .5%, but climbed as high as the 3% level found in some light beers.

Kombucha followers everywhere felt like they had taken a punch in their probiotic-filled guts. Fears were allayed months later, however, when GT’s Kombucha reappeared on shelves, although with an adjusted formula to scale back the alcohol content. Now, according to GT’s website, the original is being reintroduced to the health-food wild and can be purchased with a state-issued ID.

Believed to have first been brewed in China around 221 B.C., kombucha has an array of supposed health benefits including preventing hair loss, aiding digestion and stimulating the immune system. In fact, GT’s founder claims to have been inspired to start the company after his mother recovered from an aggressive form of breast cancer after daily doses of kombucha.

Even so, medical professionals are hesitant to promote the drink as little to no scientific research has been done to verify the curative claims. Ironically, there appears to be more documentation as to possible ill effects, at least when home-brewed varieties are consumed in excess.

Since there is little scientific evidence to back up the claims of kombucha connoisseurs, it would be presumptuous to make the assertion GT’s classic brew formula will be more beneficial to one’s health than their current “kombucha-lite” variety.

Bottom line, perhaps like any other fermented drink it’s probably best to enjoy it in moderation. Whether it be caffeine, alcohol or even water, too much of anything – much less a good thing – can be bad for you. If you choose GT’s classic variety, do so because of its supposed “bold taste and identifiable personality,” and not because you want to get your buzz on at work.

Uncommon Cures for the Common Hangover

2012-04-11T21:19:56Z

Hangover cures can be based on science, superstition or personal taste. A hangover cure can be a cultural totem or tradition, or a family secret passed down from generation to generation. And, some of them can be pretty weird.

We’ve all heard about the benefits of protein-rich breakfasts, tomato-y Bloody Marys and tall glasses of coconut water. But, what else is out there that could help chase away the hangover blues? Let’s take a look:

1. Prickly Pear Cactus Extract: Baloo bear may have had it right when he sang about the prickly pear in The Jungle Book. Rumor has it that the strange plant can reduce inflammation and bloating and ease the feeling of nausea that can follow a night out on the town.

2. Polish Double-Dog Dare: Ever hear the phrase ‘the cure is worse than the disease?’ Welcome to Poland. A common remedy in this fabled land involves drinking curdled milk. The assumption is that what comes next will make you forget all about that pesky hangover.

3. Sweet, Sweet Sweat: Native Americans have a reputation for being a hard-core, no-nonsense lot. So, it should be no surprise that working up a sweat, licking it off and spitting it out has a place in some tribal cultures as a hangover cure. Notably, there is some science to “sweating out” a hangover, although you can probably skip the licking.

4. The Cowboy Way: The next time you play Cowboys and Indians, you may decide to side with the tribe given their respective hangover cures. While licking sweat may not sound great, it sounds a hell of a lot better than drinking tea with rabbit droppings in it, which is what Old West cowboys used to do. Yee ha.

Alcohol: The Making Of

2012-04-07T17:43:50Z

How The Different Types of Alcohol Are Made

To the drink-loving layperson, the making of alcohol may seem a bit like magic. A little of this, a little of that, ferment, ferment and voila! Booze. But, how does it really happen?

Fermentation is the unifying theme among beer, wine and liquor, although what is being fermented is what makes the difference between the three.

Beer is actually pretty easy to make and always involves a combination of four ingredients: water, yeast, barley and hops. Briefly, water is mixed with barley as it is mashed to help extract sugars. Once done, more water is added to the mix and then boiled. Then hops are added to give beer that beery taste, after which yeast is added to trigger fermentation. Tweaks in this process and additional flavors added later are what give beer its wide variety.

Wine is basically fermented grape juice. Red wine is made from fermenting grapes with skins intact, while white wine is made from the juice of pressed grapes with skins removed. Either way, the juice begins to ferment on its own, but yeast is later added to help the process along. Factors that give wine its variety include the type of grape, the type of storage barrel, additional flavor ingredients and length of maturation.

Last but certainly not least, the key to making liquor is the process of distillation. Generally speaking, liquor is the distillation of beer or wine in that it is either a grain or fruit that is used as a base. Distillation is the process of boiling the alcohol base and collecting and condensing the ethanol vapor that results. The vast variety of liquors is the result of distilling different bases (grains, fruits, potatoes, agave plants and sugar/molasses) as well as the addition of different flavor ingredients and storage techniques.

Liquor is more difficult to produce compared to beer or wine and is also illegal to make without a slew of licenses and permits, so if you’re thinking about a home brewing operation you may want to stick to the basics.

Alcohol and (Weird) State Law

2012-03-29T06:31:03Z

Remember the good old days of Prohibition? Well, probably not, but it is a fine example of the fact that the laws regarding alcohol have a way of changing and evolving. And, depending on who you ask, sometimes those changes are for the better, and sometimes they are not.

Of course, Prohibition was a federal law that applied to all states at the time. The difference between federal law and state law is that, as the name suggests, state alcohol laws only apply to the state with that particular law. Here are five weird and wacky state laws still on the books from around the country:

1. Utah Bans Happy Hour – Utah has many arcane laws regarding alcohol, but the happy hour ban is new to 2012. Now, no establishment with a license can host “drink specials.”

2. Oklahoma = No Cold Beer? – It can get pretty hot in the Sooner State, but that hasn’t helped change the fact that “strong” beer may still not be sold chilled. You can buy all the cold watered-down lager you want, but if you want the good stuff cold you’re going to have to chill it yourself.

3. ‘Modest’ Alabama Wine Bottles – If you’re thinking about a risqué label design for your pinot, you better think twice before shipping it to Alabama. The state doesn’t take kindly to lewd imagery on its wines.

4. No Rounds for the House in Nyala, Nevada – You may be able to pursue your predilection for prostitutes in the Silver State, but you still can’t buy a round for the house in Nyala. The town prohibits anyone from buying drinks for more than three people at a time, including the purchaser.

5. No Drinking and Voting in Kentucky – If you’re planning on showing up to the polls a little pie-eyed, you better stock up the day before, because there are no alcohol sales in the state on election days. This law is actually an archaic extension of Prohibition-era laws, when vote buying was popular and illegal hooch even more so.

Beeramid: Calories & Carbs in 55 Types of Beers

2012-03-22T02:37:18Z

Thanks to hellawella for sending us this very interesting infographic of 55 different types of beer and the calories and carbs they contain.

Not surprisingly, the tastier and more flavorful beer are at the end list – i.e. Stone’s Arrogant Bastard Ale, Sam Adams, and Anchor Steam. On the other hand, I was surprised to see light “feeling” beers such as Blue Moon, Foster’s, and Pislner Urquell all at the higher end of the spectrum.

Anything in particular stand out or surprise you? Let us know in the comments.

Click the image to see the full size.

Of course, I should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. Because everyone is different, you should work with your medical professional to determine what’s best for you. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid. Drinkwel is the world’s first daily multivitamin for healthy people who drink alcohol. For more info, check out our site: www.drinkwel.com.

Booze: An Awesomely No-Good Nutrient Zapper

2012-03-15T19:46:31Z

How Alcohol Depletes Nutrients

It’s fun to argue the healthful merits of alcohol, but the cold, frosty truth is that it has no nutritional value whatsoever. Even more to the point, though, is that it actually depletes the body’s essential vitamins and nutrients.

The reason this happens is because alcohol has a habit of inhibiting the breakdown, absorption and use of vitamins in the body by reducing available digestive enzymes. This can occur with all nutrients, but B vitamins, magnesium and potassium are particularly susceptible to the effects when alcohol prevents the liver from supplying these nutrients. They are then taken from the blood, which in turn can trigger serious problems.

Just a few of those problems include liver disease, Werneke-Korsakoff syndrome and neuropathy, as well as less serious issues like headaches, body aches, depression and reduced cognitive ability. Of course, severity is a relative concept and it should be taken as a matter of course that all of these effects can cause a good deal of misery.

It also doesn’t help that alcohol is a toxin and your body expends energy and nutrients to process and dispose of it. The fact that alcohol itself delivers energy is of no consequence, because it never gives as good as it gets – at least in terms of nutrition.