Drinking Through History...For Medicinal Purposes

There is a mountain of evidence regarding the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. Longer lives as well as reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and dementia. However, once upon a time, there were many other regularly accepted benefits of alcohol:

• Ancient Chinese used alcohol as an antidote to fatigue.
• In Greece, wine was used to disinfect wounds.
• Hippocrates prescribed vermouth for rheumatism and anemia.
• 1 Timothy 5:23 recommended "drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach"
• Romans believed that certain wines were an antidote to poisons.
• Medieval beer was so full of proteins and carbohydrates that it was a staple of many diets.

There is one recommendation that the ancients and the moderns agree upon: consumption should be moderate only. So, here's to your longer healthier life. Cheers!