Although it isn't often regarded with a lot of hoopla and fanfare, April is Alcohol Awareness Month. But don't go out and celebrate with a drink! Research has shown over and over again that heavy alcohol consumption is definitely not the best thing for the human body.

The Effects of Alcohol
Alcohol consumption has been linked with cirrhosis and cancer of the liver, as well as stomach cancer, fertility difficulties, endometrial cancer and even increasing the risk of breast cancer. Even in small doses, alcohol can temporarily affect memory, balance, coordination and motor function. It also may kill hoards of sensitive stomach cells when it is swallowed and irritate brain blood vessels once it is absorbed, causing the "hangover stomach and head" that some who indulge to excess know all too well.

Although experts aren't really sure what causes intoxication, neurologists do know that the slurred speech, blurry vision and difficulty negotiating a straight line are actually signs of alcohol poisoning -- a sure sign that the body has consumed too much.

So many people know how much harm a scotch and soda could potentially do. So why do we drink?

"Probably because alcohol is so socially accepted in our culture," says Dr. Fred M. Arthur, a clinical psychologist who practices in upstate New York. "Alcohol is part of just about every social scene we know, from graduations and weddings to funerals and business deals. Think about how many cocktail or dinner parties you've been to where there wasn't alcohol around. It's so ingrained in our society that the host would most likely feel impolite if he didn't offer you a drink."

And that's just before dinner arrives. Don't forget about the wine that is served with the meal or the sherry that may be a part of the recipe.

"It is believed that the temperatures used during cooking actually dissipates the alcohol in recipes, though," says chef Darlene Cotterrill of Newburgh, N.Y., who owns a catering business and a restaurant supply company. "So you still get the tease of the taste without a lot of actual alcohol."

But, according to a 1996 USDA study, the theory about alcohol evaporating when cooked is not such a sound one. Anywhere from 5 to 85 percent of the original amount of alcohol may remain in cooked dishes, depending on how the food is heated (slowly simmered or "flash cooked" like a stir-fry), how long it cooks (the longer it cooks, the less alcohol remains) and the alcohol source (white wine at about 12 to 14 percent alcohol leaves less behind than port wine or sherry, which has about 17 to 21 percent alcohol). So, if you aren't used to drinking, are working to cut down on your alcohol consumption or are cooking for anyone who should be, be mindful of what you're adding to your recipe and of how you prepare it.

Just What's In There?
The main ingredient in any alcoholic beverage is ethanol, a water-soluble chemical that gives it the remarkable ability to invade every body cell through absorption rather than digestion. Most of it is absorbed directly into the blood stream through the stomach and small intestines, which enables it to work quickly through the body. How much is absorbed -- measured via the blood alcohol content which gives the percentage of alcohol in the blood stream -- is what that state trooper is trying to determine during a breathalyzer test.

Alcohol is metabolized or "burned up" only by the liver. The organ takes its time about it, too, which is why you may feel the maximum effects of what you drink within an hour, but feel the physical after effects -- the hangover -- for long after.

For the record, a 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine and a jigger (1 ½-ounce shot) of whiskey have the same amount of alcohol in them. They may, however, be absorbed at different rates because of other ingredients (i.e. the hops and cereals in beer may cause it to be absorbed slower than a shot of gin). This does not mean it takes more beer to get you drunk. It means that it will take longer to reach the maximum effect. But, when absorption is peaked, two beers will have the same effect on a person as two shots will.

And, in case you are counting your calories, an ounce of 90-proof liquor (which is 45 percent alcohol) has about 110 calories while an 8-ounce glass of beer has about 100. But, unlike most of the foods we consume, neither has vitamins, minerals or other nutritional elements -- real "empty" calories if ever there were any.

The Good Things
Just because it isn't bought from a corner hustler doesn't make alcohol any less a drug with the ability to alter body functions. It is a depressant and although some who drink feel wound up and zippy, it actually slows down the central nervous system.

"There are actually some medicinal benefits to that," says Dr. Venus Sewer, a chiropractor and holistic practitioner in New Winsor, N.Y. "For centuries, clinicians and physicians have recommended that those who have difficulty relaxing after, say, a high-pressure day at the quarry or the factory or trading stocks have a glass of wine before bed to help them wind down." Sewer says that the trick to avoiding dependency is to avoid excess and not rely on the wine to slow you down. "It most definitely should be used as a temporary means, like a bridge to help remind the body what relaxation feels like and how to get there," she says.

Although recent studies -- like the one conducted last year by the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York -- have concluded that moderate alcohol consumption of one to two drinks a day may also lower heart disease and stoke risk by possibly raising HDL cholesterol levels (the good kind), physicians are quick to advise anyone who doesn't drink not to start doing so for the health benefits. The potential dangers of alcohol abuse far outweigh the benefits, especially since regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle could help you reach the same goal.

So, before you down that gin and tonic at your next dinner party, think about what you could be doing to your body in the process.