No Wining

by: AndreaDow
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Word Count: 378

An upcoming trip to Wine Country inspired me to remind our readers about the benefits of wine and just how much is considered a healthy amount to drink. We first must define a moderate amount of alcohol as consuming more than this moderate amount can be hazardous, not helpful, to your health. For women, this means 1 drink per day (men can have 2). This translates to a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12 ounce beer, or 1 ½ ounce shot or liquor. You can also say adios to health benefits if you save all 7 drinks for the week for Saturday night. Debra Gordon, a pinot noir fan, clearly identifies some reasons for sipping in Wine Country.

Moderate alcohol consumption seems to be good for our bones. Alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels which helps slow the body’s destruction old bone more than it slows the production of new bone.
A glass of wine per day could improve memory.
Wine helps prevent blood vessel inflammation and also seems to raise HDL (the good cholesterol).
Studies show that wine drinkers actually have narrower waists and less abdominal fat that people who drink liquor. Alcohol may actually increase your metabolic rate for up to 90 minutes after a meal.
In a British study, 10,00 people who drank 1 glass per day reduced their risk of infection from Helicobacter Pylori (major cause of ulcers, stomach cancers and gastritis) by 11%.
Cancer prevention seems to be not as clear cut. While ovarian cancer risk may be reduced with moderate alcohol consumption, the same is not true for breast cancer. Several studies point to an increase in breast cancer risk, especially after menopause, because of alcohol’s ability to increase estrogen levels. Talk with your doctor and make sure to get enough of the B vitamin folate as this vitamin appears to counteract the increased risk.
Harvard Medical School researches found that women who drink moderately are 40% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who do not drink.

Cheers!

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