Pure Spirits Michigan Q4 2019 - 27

THE PRIVILEGE
AND RESPONSIBILITY OF

CELEBRATE!
One key is to remember what your grandparents told you long ago:
With freedom comes responsibility.

ALCOHOL
Anyone who has enjoyed a stellar serving of alcohol can appreciate the privilege of living in modern times, where quality spirits,
creative cocktails, fine wines and top-notch beers are commonplace.
But with any worthwhile privilege comes responsibility, and alcohol
is no exception.
During this season of the year when alcohol seems an integral part
of many celebrations, it's important to remember the responsibilities
that come with drinking. By ignoring them, you may face painful penalties-or even death-for you or for someone else. By following them,
you can better enjoy the positive aspects of today's alcohol industry.

BE KIND TO YOUR BODY
Sure, moderate drinking offers potential benefits, such as reduced risk of heart disease and gallstones, but drinking can have
negative health repercussions, too. Excessive drinking can damage

your liver and pack on harmful calories. Even a couple of drinks can
affect judgment and thus lead to harmful, unintended situations.
Binge drinking introduces additional short-term effects, damaging
your health and, in extreme cases, even resulting in death.
If you're on medications, whether prescription or over-thecounter, alcohol could interact negatively, causing heart problems,
fainting, dizziness and sleepiness, stomach ulcers, nausea, low or
high blood pressure and other physical manifestations. Check with
your health-care professional or read the fine print on the label before mixing alcohol with meds.
And you know those tales of Saint Bernard dogs carrying jugs of
alcohol to victims lost in snowstorms? Those sweet-spirited dogs may
have, in fact, done more harm than good. Warm feelings from alcohol
are deceptive: dilating blood vessels produce a momentary warmth
that leads to a cooling of the body and increases the risk of frostbite.

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | JANUARY 2020 27

Pure Spirits Michigan Q4 2019

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