The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans on Monday. There weren't many surprises in its recommendations to reduce fat and salt, eat whole grains, and cut the overall amount we eat.Hey, that's me! Maybe Cliff was right about alcohol killing off the slow brain cells.
But here's one thing that might surprise you. Chapter Three, titled "Foods and Food Components to Reduce," deals with alcohol. The Guidelines, created by America's leading health researchers, state: "Alcohol consumption may have beneficial effects when consumed in moderation (up to two drinks daily). Strong evidence from observational studies has shown that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Moderate alcohol consumption also is associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older adults and may help to keep cognitive function intact with age."...
Sadly, while a little booze may be good for most of us, there appears to be a significant fraction of humanity for which moderation does not appear to be a viable alternative. One drink becomes two, two becomes four, four becomes a blackout night, a few black outs become a month long binge, and then they end up sleeping under bridges and hustling change on the street to buy a bottle of Thunderbird. Life ain't fair.
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