The good and the bad about mint juleps

This past Saturday found me standing in the shadow of Churchill Downs' famous twin spires, a frothy mint julep in my hand, a tear in my eye as we sang "My Old Kentucky Home." If it is the first Saturday in May, I, along with my siblings and our significant others, will be feeling swell at the Kentucky Derby.

This is the land of bourbon, and the booze flows freely as the ponies run for the roses. It is tradition.

This is being shared so that you can understand why alcohol and its impact on our health is on my mind this week.

There has been a lot of good news lately for drinkers of mint juleps or any other alcohol. The overwhelming evidence is that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. It does this by elevating the "good" cholesterol (HDL) and lowering the "bad" cholesterol (LDL).

Consider this major research to come out of Harvard University: The National Institute of Health-sponsored study of almost 40,000 men concluded that the benefits of imbibing come mainly from alcohol's blood-thinning properties. It found that not only did moderate use of alcohol prevent heart attacks but that the frequency of one's drinking is more important than the type of alcohol. It used to be thought that the positive health benefits came from the antioxidant impact found in red wine. But this important study suggests that even a mint julep or two a day is healthier for you than totally abstaining. It only gets better. The greatest positive effects of moderate alcohol consumption for heart health accrue to men over 45 and women who are post-menopausal.

And the booze-positive news keeps on rolling in. Did you know that drinking red wine -- with its abundant antioxidant components -- will keep your gums healthy by warding off periodontal disease? The latest one I've come across reveals that women who drink up to two drinks a day added 20 percentage points to a test of their mental ability. Some of the most recent research in this are is showing that some forms of alcohol consumption can improve bone density, especially for beer drinkers. Before this starts sounding like one big justification for my massive post-Derby hangover, a little perspective is in order.

While consuming spirits for most of us is not the devil's milk, it can be down right poisonous to those who are alcoholics. Also, remember that alcoholic drinks do add calories to your diet. Gaining weight can wipe out any of those heart-health benefits of drinking.

It should be emphasized that all of the studies heralding the positive effects of alcohol only applies to moderate drinkers. That typically means two drinks a day for men, and one for women. Heavy drinking is definitely not a health buddy. It damages the liver, the brain, and has caused countless deaths at the hands of drunken drivers as well as domestic violence traumas.

There are many reputable studies that wave a caution flag at imbibing spirits. Take the one that found that women who have two or more drinks a day are 41 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do not drink. Long-term heavy drinking has been shown to increase the risk of several other cancers; especially cancer of the esophagus, mouth, throat, liver, colon and rectum.

No doubt about it, alcohol can add relaxation, enjoyment and health to your life. But let's not forget: Alcohol is also a mind-altering substance. Therefore, it becomes especially important to maintain a high consciousness around your use of alcohol. Why are you drinking? Does it interfere with your functioning in work and love? Are you toxifying your mind and body by using it improperly? Drinking alcohol and consciousness should never be at odds.

Information is always a good way to raise your consciousness. And you can find more on alcohol and it's impact on your health by visiting www.niaaa.nih.gov.

Dr. Michael O.L. Seabaugh, a Cape Girardeau native, is a clinical psychologist who lives and works in Santa Barbara, Calif. Contact him at mseabaugh@semissourian.com.