Does anyone here like single malt whisky?

Well, actually, Glenrothes. Yum.

 

Whiskey, whether single-malt or multiple-malt, generally contains alcohol, which is poisonous. There's enough poison in my air and food, that I can do nothing about, without intentionally putting more poison into myself. I like malted milk, however. Malt is one of the few things that can make milk palatable.

I'll venture to guess that I am in the minority, and most PriusChatters delight in the nauseated feeling you can induce in yourself by the consumption of this and other poisons.

 

Tenebre- you might like lagavulin , smoky as well.

I have some from time too time- no particular favorite, something to sip and savor..... what's fun is to go to a dinner or tasting so you can compare the different characteristics side by side.

 

Alcohol is a poison to the MIND, BODY and SOUL. For every one 'connoisseur' (alcohol connoisseur? please...), there are ten who abuse it. Even so called responsible drinkers quite often have those nights they would rather forget.

Alcohol is a drug. Period. Call it what you will: connoisseur, responsible drinker, social drinker, whatever. That list could go on and on. There is no such thing as a 'good' drug.

Ex-drinkers are as bad as ex-smokers. I happen to be both and couldn't resist sounding off

Also, after having my first child, the damage that alcohol (or any drug for that matter) causes is even more evident. I would never want my child to think that it was ok to drink alcohol in any manner, and that starts with me.

 

i try to live by (admittedly not always succeeding) the mantra "all things in moderation." in moderation many drugs can be very beneficial, and in excess just about anything can be bad for you.

that said, whiskey is not my thing- i was turned off by it quite early on.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(steve-o @ Jun 22 2007, 09:44 PM) [snapback]466748[/snapback]</div>

I do not know penicillin seems at least tolerable no? How about aspirin? Where you choose to draw your line is your own business. Your right to your opinion ends where mine begins.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tballx @ Jun 23 2007, 01:16 AM) [snapback]466774[/snapback]</div>

I didn't mean to offend any of you aspirin connoisseurs out there. Sorry.

You're right. There is such a thing as a medicinal drug. If you fail to see the difference between aspirin and alcohol, then I can't help you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 22 2007, 05:48 PM) [snapback]466663[/snapback]</div>

My best friend’s wife went on a fast and tried to purge the poisons from her body by drinking lots of water. Less than a week later, after almost dying because she had wash almost all of the electrolytes from her body she woke up from her coma a completely different person and remains so to this day. She did not recognize her husband or realize she even had one. Props to my friend for sticking with her throughout this entire ordeal.

That's why I never touch the stuff, (water) besides fish F@@k in it. I very rarely drink at all anymore but I used to enjoy Glenlivet 12-15-18. Course it helps that I was a bartender at the WigWam Resort in Litchfield Park, AZ and worked a lot of conference meeting parties where at the end of the night it was common place for the conference organizers to tip you with the left over stock. At one time I had and entire case of Glenlivet 12 and 18 yo Scotch. Woohoo!





Many Americans, including some vegetarians, still consume large amounts of dairy products. Here are eight great reasons to eliminate dairy products from your diet.

1. Osteoporosis

Milk is touted for preventing osteoporosis, yet clinical research shows otherwise. The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study,1 which followed more than 75,000 women for 12 years, showed no protective effect of increased milk consumption on fracture risk. In fact, increased intake of calcium from dairy products was associated with a higher fracture risk. An Australian study2 showed the same results. Additionally, other studies3,4 have also found no protective effect of dairy calcium on bone. You can decrease your risk of osteoporosis by reducing sodium and animal protein intake in the diet,5-7 increasing intake of fruits and vegetables,8 exercising,9 and ensuring adequate calcium intake from plant foods such as leafy green vegetables and beans, as well as calcium-fortified products such as breakfast cereals and juices.

2. Cardiovascular Disease

Dairy products—including cheese, ice cream, milk, butter, and yogurt—contribute significant amounts of cholesterol and fat to the diet.10 Diets high in fat and saturated fat can increase the risk of several chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease. A low-fat vegetarian diet that eliminates dairy products, in combination with exercise, smoking cessation, and stress management, can not only prevent heart disease, but may also reverse it.11 Non-fat dairy products are available, however, they pose other health risks as noted below.

3. Cancer

Several cancers, such as ovarian cancer, have been linked to the consumption of dairy products. The milk sugar lactose is broken down in the body into another sugar, galactose. In turn, galactose is broken down further by enzymes. According to a study by Daniel Cramer, M.D., and his colleagues at Harvard,12 when dairy product consumption exceeds the enzymes’ capacity to break down galactose, it can build up in the blood and may affect a woman’s ovaries. Some women have particularly low levels of these enzymes, and when they consume dairy products on a regular basis, their risk of ovarian cancer can be triple that of other women.

Breast and prostate cancers have also been linked to consumption of dairy products, presumably related, at least in part, to increases in a compound called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I).13-15 IGF-I is found in cow’s milk and has been shown to occur in increased levels in the blood by individuals consuming dairy products on a regular basis.16 Other nutrients that increase IGF-I are also found in cow’s milk. A recent study showed that men who had the highest levels of IGF-I had more than four times the risk of prostate cancer compared with those who had the lowest levels.14

4. Diabetes

Insulin-dependent diabetes (Type I or childhood-onset) is linked to consumption of dairy products. Epidemiological studies of various countries show a strong correlation between the use of dairy products and the incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes.17,18 Researchers in 199218 found that a specific dairy protein sparks an auto-immune reaction, which is believed to be what destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

5. Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is common among many populations, affecting approximately 95 percent of Asian Americans, 74 percent of Native Americans, 70 percent of African Americans, 53 percent of Mexican Americans, and 15 percent of Caucasians.19 Symptoms, which include gastrointestinal distress, diarrhea, and flatulence, occur because these individuals do not have the enzymes that digest the milk sugar lactose. Additionally, along with unwanted symptoms, milk-drinkers are also putting themselves at risk for development of other chronic diseases and ailments.

6. Vitamin D Toxicity

Consumption of milk may not provide a consistent and reliable source of vitamin D in the diet. Samplings of milk have found significant variation in vitamin D content, with some samplings having had as much as 500 times the indicated level, while others had little or none at all.20,21 Too much vitamin D can be toxic and may result in excess calcium levels in the blood and urine, increased aluminum absorption in the body, and calcium deposits in soft tissue.

7. Contaminants

Synthetic hormones such as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) are commonly used in dairy cows to increase the production of milk.13 Because the cows are producing quantities of milk nature never intended, the end result is mastitis, or inflammation of the mammary glands. The treatment requires the use of antibiotics, and traces of these and hormones have been found in samples of milk and other dairy products. Pesticides and other drugs are also frequent contaminants of dairy products.

8. Health Concerns of Infants and Children

Milk proteins, milk sugar, fat, and saturated fat in dairy products may pose health risks for children and lead to the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and formation of athersclerotic plaques that can lead to heart disease.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants below one year of age not be given whole cow’s milk, as iron deficiency is more likely on a dairy-rich diet. Cow’s milk products are very low in iron. If they become a major part of one’s diet, iron deficiency is more likely.10 Colic is an additional concern with milk consumption. One out of every five babies suffers from colic. Pediatricians learned long ago that cows’ milk was often the reason. We now know that breastfeeding mothers can have colicky babies if the mothers are consuming cow’s milk. The cows’ antibodies can pass through the mother’s bloodstream into her breast milk and to the baby.22 Additionally, food allergies appear to be common results of milk consumption, particularly in children. A recent study23 also linked cow’s milk consumption to chronic constipation in children. Researchers suggest that milk consumption resulted in perianal sores and severe pain on defecation, leading to constipation.

Milk and dairy products are not necessary in the diet and can, in fact, be harmful to your health. Consume a healthful diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fortified foods including cereals and juices. These nutrient-dense foods can help you meet your calcium, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin D requirements with ease—and without the health risks.

References
1. Feskanich D, Willet WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. Am J Public Health 1997;87:992-7.
2. Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ. Case-control study of risk factors for hip fractures in the elderly. Am J Epidemiol 1994;139:493-505.
3. Huang Z, Himes JH, McGovern PG. Nutrition and subsequent hip fracture risk among a national cohort of white women. Am J Epidemiol 1996;144:124-34.
4. Cummings SR, Nevitt MC, Browner WS, et al. Risk factors for hip fracture in white women. N Engl J Med 1995;332:767-73.
5. Finn SC. The skeleton crew: is calcium enough? J Women’s Health 1998;7(1):31-6.
6. Nordin CBE. Calcium and osteoporosis. Nutrition 1997;3(7/8):664-86.
7. Reid DM, New SA. Nutritional influences on bone mass. Proceed Nutr Soc 1997;56:977-87.
8. Tucker KL, Hannan MR, Chen H, Cupples LA, Wilson PWF, Kiel DP. Potassium, magnesium, and fruit and vegetable intakes are associated with greater bone mineral density in elderly men and women. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:727-36.
9. Prince R, Devine A, Dick I, et al. The effects of calcium supplementation (milk powder or tablets) and exercise on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. J Bone Miner Res 1995;10:1068-75.
10. Pennington JAT. Bowes and Churches Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 17th ed. New York: Lippincott, 1998.
11. Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW, Billings JH, Armstrong WT, Ports TA. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? Lancet 1990;336:129-33.
12. Cramer DW, Harlow BL, Willet WC. Galactose consumption and metabolism in relation to the risk of ovarian cancer. Lancet 1989;2:66-71.
13. Outwater JL, Nicholson A, Barnard N. Dairy products and breast cancer: the IGF-1, estrogen, and bGH hypothesis. Medical Hypothesis 1997;48:453-61.
14. Chan JM, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci E, et al. Plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 and prostate cancer risk: a prospective study. Science 1998;279:563-5.
15. World Cancer Research Fund. Food, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. American Institute of Cancer Research. Washington, D.C.: 1997.
16. Cadogan J, Eastell R, Jones N, Barker ME. Milk intake and bone mineral acquisition in adolescent girls: randomised, controlled intervention trial. BMJ 1997;315:1255-69.
17. Scott FW. Cow milk and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: is there a relationship? Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:489-91.
18. Karjalainen J, Martin JM, Knip M, et al. A bovine albumin peptide as a possible trigger of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 1992;327:302-7.
19. Bertron P, Barnard ND, Mills M. Racial bias in federal nutrition policy, part I: the public health implications of variations in lactase persistence. J Natl Med Assoc 1999;91:151-7.
20. Jacobus CH, Holick MF, Shao Q, et al. Hypervitaminosis D associated with drinking milk. N Engl J Med 1992;326(18):1173-7.
21. Holick MF. Vitamin D and bone health. J Nutr 1996;126(4suppl):1159S-64S.
22. Clyne PS, Kulczycki A. Human breast milk contains bovine IgG. Relationship to infant colic? Pediatrics 1991;87(4):439-44.
23. Iacono G, Cavataio F, Montalto G, et al. Intolerance of cow’s milk and chronic constipation in children. N Engl J Med 1998;339(16):1100-4.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(steve-o @ Jun 23 2007, 02:24 AM) [snapback]466778[/snapback]</div>

i can't physically roll my eyes any further back into my head, but trust me i'm trying like hell...

COCAINE has analgesic properties- it's medicinal! how about OPIUM? i do not know about you, but ETHANOL is a nice way to relax at the end of a crappy week for me. so don't even get me started. there are lots of blurry lines, and many of those lines will or will not be crossed depending on the nature of the use and user, not the nature of the drug itself.

let's revisit the many meanings of "drug" shall we?

Main Entry: drug
Pronunciation: 'dr&g
Function: noun
1 a : a substance used as a medication or in the preparation of medication b according to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (1) : a substance recognized in an official pharmacopoeia or formulary (2) : a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease (3) : a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body (4) : a substance intended for use as a component of a medicine but not a device or a component, part, or accessory of a device
2 : something and often an illicit substance that causes addiction, habituation, or a marked change in consciousness
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

definition one is the technical definition, and as a pharmacologist i refer to drugs as nonfood substances that alter the body's function in one way or another. i bolded that part to point it out. you seem to hold just a little tiny bit of bias... and by using the label 'drug' are inferring 'bad' as in definition 2. you know that's bs.

 

My wife and I recently returned from Scotland. One of our favorites is Talisker from the Isle of Skye. We stayed at Flodigarry in the northern part of Skye and had an opportunity to visit the distillary.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(steve-o @ Jun 22 2007, 11:44 PM) [snapback]466748[/snapback]</div>

Don't drink, don't smoke - what do you do?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Jun 23 2007, 03:23 PM) [snapback]466957[/snapback]</div>

Sex and sport activities does release higly addictive Endorphine, a morphine like substance - I guess those activities are no no too?

Back to the subject, my personal poison is Glenmorangie. Sweet, smooth, vanilla and oak and no smoke.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Jun 22 2007, 09:01 PM) [snapback]466739[/snapback]</div>

Alcohol, like all poisons, and unlike everything else, is metabolized by the liver. That's what the liver does: it removes poisons from your body (or tries to).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wildkow @ Jun 22 2007, 11:47 PM) [snapback]466787[/snapback]</div>

The lunatic fringe of the New Age movement believes there are undefined "toxins" in your body, unrelated to the normal stuff of daily living, as well as the chemicals that industry dumps into our food, water, and air. These goofballs believe that if you stop eating, all those "toxins" will be washed away.

The experience of your friend's wife is extreme: most healthy people will experience no permanent damage from a fast of a week or three. But far from "washing away toxins," what a fast does is shut down your digestive tract.

And I agree with you about dairy products. I hate milk, unless it's chocolate milk, or, best of all, chocolate malted milk, but chocolate (in itself a terribly unhealthy additive) can make almost anything taste good.

P.S. Alcohol is far more damaging to the body than morphine.

P.P.S. While it is true that there are people who sip wine or scotch and then spit it out, these people are few in number compared to the number who swallow the stuff until they are a hazard to themselves and everyone around them. And the spitters usually only spit when they need to keep a clear head to assess the quality of a number of different samples. I don't think you'd find anyone who sips and spits an entire glass of a single drink.

 

Cardhu. If it's good enough for novelist Sarah Paretsky, it's good enough for me. And is. . . .

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Jun 23 2007, 02:44 PM) [snapback]466935[/snapback]</div>

I do hold quite a bit of bias, yes. I knew I would be throwing myself under the bus with this one, but it is something I feel passionate about. I don't expect everyone to understand.

I won't continue to entertain the semantics however as I find that the 'true' definition of the word drug, whether sex causes the release of endorphins or not, or if penecilin is on my 'don't do it' list is completely irrelevant.

Drinking (Drinking alcohol... please, no Websters definitions of the word 'Drinking') IMO is bad in every sense of the word. Not because of the few people who truly can do it without consequence, but because of the many who can't. Drinking in front of your kids is even worse. Being drunk in front of your kids is unforgivable. In my most humble opinion.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Jun 23 2007, 03:23 PM) [snapback]466957[/snapback]</div>

The question is 'where did I used to find the time to drink, drug and smoke?'

Though not clearly defined in the society we live in unfortunately, there is plenty to do without it.

 

I have seen too many people destroy their lives by alcohol for me to view it in any but a negative light. There are exceptions. My father drank one double martini (he called it that; actually it was a measured double shot of gin, I have no idea why he called it a martini) every night of his adult life, before supper. I have known few other people who drank in moderation. Both my step-fathers slowly drank themselves to death. I have had friends who died by alcohol. And I have seen the homelessness and poverty that alcohol has caused to numerous people. And while I have been fortunate enough not to have a close friend or family member murdered (because murder is the only word for it) by a drunk driver, the statistics speak for themselves. Alcohol is a national scourge. Used in moderation, the damage it does to your body is moderate, and, the human body being an odd construct, many people find the state of confusion it induces to be pleasurable. It is so socially acceptable, that drunkenness is often regarded by many people as an excuse for anti-social behavior. And this is just one more reason why those few of us who do not use it are all the more opposed to it.

Every year, three times as many Americans are murdered by drunk drivers as were murdered by al Qaeda on 9/11. This means that, at the present rate, eliminating alcohol would save 18 times as many lives as eliminating al Qaeda. Not to mention all the family violence and general hooliganism caused by alcohol. Do you hate al Qaeda? You should hate alcohol even more, because it turns otherwise productive and law-abiding citizens into thoughtless, cold-blooded killers.

I was in Barcelona during a high-level soccer game between England and Germany. All night long the fans were drinking in the streets and shouting "Huh, huh, huh!" In the morning the public square near my hotel was littered with broken glass, vomit, occasional articles of clothing, and even a broken pair of eyeglasses. And it's well known that fights are much more likely to break out at public gatherings if alcohol is permitted.