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What Are Positive Reasons to Drink Alcohol?

There are numerous negative statistics floating around about the dangers of alcohol, and most, if not all, are true. However, despite the many negative aspects of imbibing, there are plenty of positive ones as well. Alcohol -- in moderation -- can be heart healthy and can help you to fight off a number of other conditions and illnesses.

  1. Longer Lifespan

    • People who drink alcohol in moderation may have a longer lifespan, according to State University of New York at Potsdam. The site cites a Harvard University study that shows that the risk of dying from just about anything is 21 to 28 percent lower for men who have moderate drinking habits versus those who completely abstain. Moderate alcohol ingestion is one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

    Heart Health

    • Light drinking may also be healthy for your heart. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, moderate drinking routines decreased the risk of heart disease by 40 to 60 percent. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States.

    Stroke Prevention

    • Alcohol may prevent you from having a stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, drinking up to two drinks of alcohol each day may cut your risk of stroke in half. This is due to the increase of HDL, which is known as the "good" cholesterol. Levels of HDL are raised by moderate alcohol consumption. Moreover, those who completely abstain have double the risk of stroke than those who drink moderately, according to the American Heart Association.

    Stave Off The Common Cold

    • Take a few drinks to ward off the common cold. According to the State University of New York at Potsdam, moderate drinkers have a higher resistance to the common cold virus than those who abstain from alcohol completely. In fact, two to three drinks per day increased resistance to the cold up to 85 percent over abstainers. Those who have one to two drinks per day have a resistance 65 percent higher than abstainers.

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