Originally Posted by
Dee74 
Recent studies in Australia have suggested small amounts of alcohol are actually of benefit to the heart. D
I think this "heart healthy" effect of alcohol, which has been found in a few studies for a long time ... though I thinked debunked in one big study...was I believed to be once thought to be due to certain components of red wine or certain drinks. It is now understood to be an effect of ethanol/alcohol itself. Alcohol acts as a blood thinner...which would be beneficial to people who have some sticky blood/artery issues... however, just like with blood thinning aspirin there is an increased risk of stroke...but unlike aspirin, there is also a strongly increased risk of cancer and falling on your face due to inebriation.
That would be like smoking cigarettes for their heart healthy fat burning effect. And ignoring their pronounced other health destroying effects.
For me, alcohol is very toxic because I'm an alcoholic and even just thoughts of drinking are dangerous. However, my severe issue/allergy/addiction with alcohol doesn't mean that it does not have general toxicity for everyone directly through its carcinogecity or other health destroying effects or indirectly through the effects its abuse has on society and people who've never touched a drink in their life. You don't have to be an alcoholic or even a problem drinker to have your life destroyed by alcohol as my very lite drinking friend who through pressure consumed more than usual once and suffered a life changing accident can attest.
I just get a little ticked when people portray alcohol as harmless or even healthy for non alcoholics or non problem drinkers... usually in the context of trying to make the point that one shouldn't try to make like just because they have a severe problem with alcohol with devastating results, that it is bad for everyone. I think the truth is more in the middle - yes we have a serious problem with alcohol that often impacts our health dramatically .... on the other hand, if you look at the science, alcohol significantly raises the risks of serious diseases in lite/moderate amounts and is therefor at a minimum, certainly not healthy for lite/moderate drinkers.