Talk about your lucky dogs...although I think that many dogs can learn to drink alcohol-containing beverages, rather than having them pumped into their stomachs.
http://www.napanet.net/~pthmag/archives/beerart.htm "...With particular regard to beer, more conclusive data resulted from the laboratory research of Dr. John Folts, who actually fed beer to laboratory dogs suffering from artificially induced arteriosclerosis. In one study, Dr. Folts and his colleagues injected Guiness Extra Stout (a rich, hearty, nearly-black beer) directly into the stomachs of eleven of these arteriosclerotic laboratory dogs. Five other dogs in the laboratory received Heineken Lager (a much lighter beer with fewer flavonoids). "In the canine test subjects who received the darker beer, platelet clogs disappeared completely, and could not be reinduced using the same methods which had originally produced the platelet-clotting conditions in the dogs. And although the test results were less impressive for the dogs who received the lighter beer, the incidence of platelet clotting was still reduced by almost half. While they were at it, Dr. Folts’ research team tested the effects of both red and white grape juice, red wine, tea, and coffee. They found that white grape juice, which is lacking in flavoniods, had no effect; and that coffee aggravated platelet activation. They did find, however, that red wine, red grape juice, and ordinary tea were also equally effective in the deactivation of clot-forming platelets, and that all of these beverages may have a cumulatively beneficial effect over time. "The research is still inconclusive as to which factors or combinations of factors actually produce the best results. While Dr. Gaziano maintains that the alcohol component is the only determining element, the results of Dr. Folts’ studies strongly suggest that the flavonoids in dark beer, red wine, tea, and red grape juice offer significant physiological benefits in maintaining a healthy heart. [This is a slightly older article; my personal bet is on the flavonoids, although the lifestyle issues below re: glass-a-day vs. binges do play into it as well.] "Dr. Gaziano did bring up another point worth considering; one based not upon physiology and biochemistry, but upon lifestyle. He maintains that "some studies might have found more benefit from red wine because wine drinkers tend to have a glass or two daily with meals, while beer drinkers might be more likely to drink a six-pack on the weekend. Even though both average out to a drink a day, drinking it all at once is unhealthy." So, it also appears that how and when you drink may be as important as what you drink. "In any case, when it comes to health benefits, it can now be said that, amid the lofty status of the Rothschilds and the Romanée-Contis, a good glass of stout can stand among the best of them with its foamy head held high." Debbi who can't believe that somebody else hasn't posted this already (unless, of course, they *did,* and she missed it...) ;} __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
