Evidence suggesting that alcohol is "cardio-protective" first appeared in the literature about 30 years ago. The Framingham Heart Study [the longest running population study of heart disease which began in 1948] provided the first solid evidence of this association. The relationship has now been confirmed by dozens of large population ["epidemiological"] studies. However, physicians have been reluctant to recommend alcohol consumption to patients because of the well-known health consequences of excessive drinking [hypertension, liver disease, increased rates of cancer, violent or accidental death] and the horrors that are associated with "drinking and driving".
Moderation is the key. Many large studies have found that men and women who consume light to moderate amounts of alcohol per day live longer than those who abstain completely. The Physicians' Health Study involved long term follow-up of 89,300 men. The study found that men who drank five or six alcoholic drinks per week had a 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who drank no alcohol. On the other hand, the same study showed that men who had more than two alcoholic drinks per day had a higher risk of death than nondrinkers. That means that, when drinking moderately, it appears to be quite beneficial; however, higher alcohol intake increases the risks of cancer and motor vehicle accidents so much as to overwhelm any cardiovascular benefits.
How does alcohol protect the heart? A large portion of the benefit may be attributable to increased levels of HDL ["good] cholesterol. Alcohol also has "antiplatelet" effects [making these natural blood elements less sticky and then less likely to clog arteries during plaque rupture] in much the same way as aspirin.
Moderate alcohol consumption may also help improve insulin resistance, which is just about one step below true diabetes and recognized as another independent predictor for cardiac risk. The Physicians' Health Study also showed that in subjects who consumed alcohol daily, the risk for heart disease was reduced by 60% in diabetic patients, compared to a 40% decrease in persons who did not have diabetes. Moderate alcohol intake also decreases blood values for CRP [C-reactive protein], a metabolic marker for inflammation (elevated when you are in an increased state of oxidative stress).
The jury is still out as to whether or not wine provides a better protective effect compared to other forms of alcohol. Red wine is rich in flavonoids, which slow down oxidation of LDL ["bad"] cholesterol [which is one of the last steps before it is deposited in your artery wall]. One recent study suggested that light drinkers who avoided wine reduce their risk of all-cause mortality by 10%, while light drinkers who preferred wine had more than a 30% decrease in this risk. However, other studies have found that all forms of alcohol [beer, whiskey, etc.] were equally protective.
It is important to emphasize that alcohol [of ANY kind!] should be limited to one drink daily for women and at most two drinks daily for men [this is based merely on general body size and nothing else]. One drink is defined as 1.5 oz of distilled spirits (such as whisky, gin, and vodka), 5 oz of wine, or 12 oz of beer. Patients who have liver disease, who have a personal or family history of alcohol abuse, or who cannot limit their intake in a responsible manner should NOT start! However, since "all things in moderation" is a good adage for much of life, others can enjoy a daily alcoholic drink as part of a generally healthy diet.
Disclaimer: If you are under 18, pregnant, nursing or have health problems, consult your physician before starting any weight loss plan. The information here is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.
Dr. John Rumberger is the Author of The WAY Diet, The complete lifestyle plan to live longer, reduce stress, and lose weight the healthy way. To purchase The Way Diet simply go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?path=
ASIN/0974993387
&link_code=as2&camp=1789&tag=icobweb-20&creative=9325 or go to Empty Canoe Publishing http://www.emptycanoe.com and order your copy of The Way.
Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign... Read More
With summer comes more sun and with more sun comes... Read More
Chances are you may have had a food product that... Read More
The word 'homeostasis' is made up of two Greek words:... Read More
I read a lot about the topics of health and... Read More
Instead of Butter: Use top quality, cold pressed, extra virgin... Read More
Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
As a low carb dieter, your diet is undoubtedly high... Read More
The fact that diet directly affects behaviour is no news,... Read More
You must add some fresh cherries, which are now in... Read More
Get back to the basics - eat fresh at home... Read More
(ARA) - By now you probably think you've heard all... Read More
In large part, you're in control of your health, not... Read More
"Organic" has some quite specific legal definitions in most developed... Read More
The dangers of processed foods and diets Why is that... Read More
When Helen Boardman was still a girlish 99, she fell... Read More
Apart from eating many of the wonderful vegetables and fruits... Read More
Just what is the "New Biology of Health?" And who's... Read More
Our diet is an essential factor for the formation of... Read More
You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are... Read More
Looking into statistics, we can see the average American consumes... Read More
Quick Overview- I think the most important thing for people... Read More
Every day we are bombarded with information about food products... Read More
With so much 'diet advice' around today it is little... Read More
after renovation cleaning Bannockburn ..Eating out when you are on a restricted diet always... Read More
There seems to be fairly poor tracking by any formal... Read More
Scandinavian fishermen are a healthy bunch. It had long been... Read More
What is health? Everyone wants this thing called health, and... Read More
Health food or heart attack on a plate? Eggs had... Read More
I am going to share with you possibly the most... Read More
Enzymes are the workers in our body that make everything... Read More
If you want to lose weight, there is one thing... Read More
One way to combat the boredom many people complain accompanies... Read More
As you've probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very... Read More
Most digestive disorders develop because of the bodys inability to... Read More
The Benefits of SnackingYou may feel regretful about snacking, but... Read More
According to the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis... Read More
The old clich? that you are what you eat is... Read More
"To eat an apple before going to bed will make... Read More
Diets don't work. If they did the U.S. of A.... Read More
The debate regarding Fluoride continues to rage, is it good... Read More
After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More
Anyone who has spent a day fasting from food, or... Read More
I read a lot about the topics of health and... Read More
The Immune System is probably the most important system in... Read More
Do you notice your child putting off going to the... Read More
Carbohydrates have gotten a lot of bad press in the... Read More
The most dreaded word in many dieter's vocabulary is 'fat'.... Read More
Arthritis - if you suffer from this illness, I don't... Read More
Nutrition |