I knew that I felt less hyper-tense when tilting back a brewski at my local brewski joint. I mean, there’s always that sense of relaxation and calm. That, aint-life-grand-with-a-beer-in-hand feeling, when your eyes are starting to glaze, watching the Budweiser clock hit six PM, a stupid grin on your face as you dream of finding some way to do this for a living. Now, I told my doc that these moments were important to my health and well being. How else could I soothe myself from a long day of schlepping joe to yuppies, give myself the courage to go back the next day and make money so I could pay my bills?

He always told me that I was full of shit- But in that doctorish, condescending, cuts like a scalpel, nice-nice, what-the-fuck-do-you-know-about-your-own-health way. Turns out I know a bit more than he thought.

This from the New York Times:

Alcohol's Benefits Extend to Hypertension

By DAVID TULLER

Published: March 23, 2004

Men with high blood pressure who drink moderate amounts of alcohol are less likely than nondrinkers to die of cardiovascular ailments like heart attacks and strokes, researchers reported yesterday.

The study's findings suggest that moderate drinking not only has protective cardiovascular effects for the general population, as previous studies have shown, but that it is also protective for people who already have hypertension.

Take that, doc! Okay, okay, so the study goes on to say that a moderate drink is something like one 12oz serving of beer. Which, I must admit, I will easily lap about a dozen times in any given night of the week.

Sure, I’d like to believe that I’m increasing the benefits by exponentially increasing my intake, but even I would agree with the doc if he told me that was bullshit.

But, at the base, there is a larger issue. For centuries, American busybodies have been trying to tell us what is and is not good for us. They have a tendency to be wrong about many things. So, do what you do…

Hell, if knocking back a few tall boys after work is like an hour of yoga for you… more power to ya. I bet you’ll live longer than some tight-ass fuckwad who is trying to control everyone’s pleasure. I mean, it must be really stressful to tell people what to do. Screw it, I can’t be bothered.

 The full article is here