As I have gotten older, I have been forced to pay much closer attention to my health. I do this by watching what I eat and drink, and by exercising. For years I have heard and read that moderate wine consumption is good for your health. Let’s take a look at this theory today.
In an article published by Wine Spectator magazine, they state “Moderate wine consumption has been shown to halve the risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure and reduce cancer risks.” The article claims this is past the point where this is just a theory.
At this point I think we need to define the term “moderate consumption” because there are definitely times, I’m not sure I know what moderate wine consumption is – especially when I am enjoying a particularly great wine. Throughout my research, the term is traditionally defined as one to two four-ounce glasses of wine per day.
In an article by Mayo Clinic staff, they write that red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart-healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent coronary artery disease. This is the condition that leads to heart attacks. I know that several times, as my doctors have been reviewing the results of my many blood tests, they have said, “see these numbers? They are lower because you drink red wine.” As I recall, they were speaking of my “good” cholesterol numbers.
How Is Red Wine Heart Healthy?
There are antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols. A polyphenol called Resveratrol has gotten a lot of attention lately as one of the compounds in grape skins that might help prevent damage to your blood vessels, reduce bad cholesterol and perhaps prevent blood clots.
At this point I must inject I have been drinking red wine for the past 20 years. During this time, I have suffered two heart attacks, had two stents placed, had two very critical open-heart surgeries and I have suffered from high blood pressure for years. It could also be that the damage to my body was done before I started drinking red wine…Of course everyone is different.
There have been a lot of studies done on Resveratrol and they are mixed. Some showed lower risks of inflammation and blood clotting. While other studies show no benefits from Resveratrol in stopping or preventing heart disease. The Mayo Clinic does report that heart-healthy benefits of red wine do look promising.
Both Mayo and Harvard University studies indicate that drinking too much alcohol of any type increases your risk of:
- Liver diseases
- High blood pressure
- Heart failure
- Certain types of cancer
- Stroke
- Weight gain and obesity
I suggest if you have questions about the alcohol you are consuming, you should speak to your doctor and see what his or her recommendation would be.
As always, I appreciate your support of our wine blog and encourage you to share it with family and friends. If you care to share your comments on this blog posting or other topics, please do so in the comments section below.
Until next week,
Cheers
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Great article!
Thank you Donna. See you guys at Joan’s BD party in a couple weeks.
Cheers