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Journalism of Courage
THERE8217;S something about winter that wakes up the party animal in the most reclusive of us. Blazing sigris, throbbing music, cosy sweaters, friends, food and a glass of something that transfers the warmth inside. And here8217;s the good news: Doctors believe mild to moderate drinking has quite a few health benefits. The flip side is being aware when 8216;moderate8217; ends and 8216;heavy8217; begins. And the bad news is that whisky8212;the Indian tippler8217;s favourite drink8212;is completely avoidable.
So what should go into that tall glass?
Diet diva Dr Shikha Sharma lists her favourites:
8226; Wine and champagne: The most preferred drinks, being fermented and not processed. White or red, you could match either wine with your food with no compunctions.
8226; Beer: Though largely considered a summer drink, beer is preferred over hard drinks because of its low alcohol content and non-addictive nature.
8226; Vodka: Opt for it over whisky, since Indians are not known to get addicted to it.
8226; Rum: It makes the list only if combined with water. Rum 8216;n8217; coke8212;as also any alcohol in combination with aerated drinks8212;is completely taboo since it combines sugar and chemicals, which erode the stomach lining.
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Why does whisky get the boot?
It8217;s because of the danger of addiction. According to Dr Sharma, people in particular regions of the world are susceptible to particular tastes. 8216;8216;Indians and Americans are likely to become dependent on whisky in the same way Russians get addicted to vodka and the Japanese to rice-based drinks like sake,8217;8217; she says.
Isn8217;t that too much of a generalisation?
For further hair-splitting, you can look to Ayurveda. The various doshas body compositions it describes handle alcohol variously. If you have faith in the ancient texts, here8217;s a guide:
8226; Vata: These are people with restless natures, dry hair and skin and creative minds. They can handle alcohol better than the other doshas. 8216;8216;Overindulgence, though, will cause harm,8217;8217; warns Dr Sharma.
8226; Pitta: They can be ID-ed by their ruddy complexions, calm and composed natures, and excellent texture of hair and skin. A drink8212;or two8212;usually leads to complaints of acidity, but they aren8217;t too susceptible to liver problems.
8226; Kapha: This group is also known for lustrous hair and skin, but has a problem of water retention. They also can8217;t handle alcohol at all. It adds to their ailments and can lead to problems of liver and cholesterol.
How much is too much?
Studies show that regular mild to moderate alcohol consumption lowers the risk of heart attacks. Moderate drinkers a drink or two everyday also report lower incidence of diabetes and osteoporosis. Heavy consumption, though, affects every organ negatively.
Women, because of their different body chemistry and composition, react more sensitively to alcohol. 8216;8216;Their consumption has to be even more moderate, no more than two drinks a day,8217;8217; says Dr Sharma.
One drink is equivalent to 30 ml of alcohol, 125 ml of wine, or 330 ml of beer.
