Health Spas » Drinking Was Good For Health
Drinking Was Good For Health
In 1991, the CBS news program 60 Minutes ran a story called "The
French Paradox" which suggested that drinking alcohol, or at least
red wine, reduced the risk of heart disease. Many people considered this
a medical recommendation to drink.Epidemiological studies indicate that moderate drinkers live longer than non-drinkers and heavy drinkers.
The reasons are not clear.
In 2001, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham
and Women’s Hospital have found that moderate alcohol consumption
among people who have a specific version of a gene that metabolizes alcohol
have a greater reduction in risk of heart disease and higher HDL (good
cholesterol) levels (read story). In addition, other Harvard researchers
found that people with heart disease who consume an average of 14 alcoholic
drinks a week appear less likely to die from a heart attack than nondrinkers
.
The Harvard scientists caution
that heavy consumption of alcohol can lead to negative cardiovascular
outcomes such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, and sudden cardiac
death. Other doctors warn that even moderate drinking may raise the risks
of colon and breast cancer, some types of stroke, fetal damage, driving
accidents, abusive behavior, and criminal activities.
What Is Moderate Drinking?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of and Health and Human
Services define moderate drinking as no more than:
- One Drink
A Day For Women And People Over 60
- Two Drinks A
Day For Men (no more than one an hour)
They recommend the following people should not drink at all:
- Women Who Are
Pregnant Or Trying To Conceive
- People Who Plan
To Drive Or Engage In Other Activities That Require Attention Or Skill
- People Taking
Medication, Including Over-The-Counter Medications
- Recovering Alcoholics
- People Under
The Age Of 21
A daily rather than weekly amount is suggested. It's healthier to drink
a small amount daily than to binge (more than 4 drinks for men, more than
3 for women) on weekends or special occasions.
Health Benefits Of Moderate Drinking
- Psychological
- Stress Reduction
- Cardiovascular
- Reduction In Risk Of Coronary Artery Disease
- Increased Appetite
- Especially In The Elderly
Health Risks Of Moderate Drinking
- Increased Risk
Of Accidents
- Strokes Caused
By Bleeding
- Medication Interactions
- Including Non - Prescription Drugs
- Breast Cancer
- Alcohol increases estrogen levels, which is a risk for premenopausal
women
- Birth Defects
- fetal alcohol effect (FAE) and low birth weight
- Heavier Drinking
- Many people, such as recovering alcoholics, can't maintain moderation
A Study On Drinking And Health Risks
While drinking can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, it does
increase other health risks. In the following chart, mortality rates for
non-drinkers serve as the baseline health risk (1.0 on the vertical axis).
The risk for coronary heart disease even for heavy drinkers remains below
the baseline; but risk of death from other causes goes up. The risk of
death from liver disease skyrockets off the chart after only a couple
of drinks a day.
Source:
Bofetta, P, and Garfinkel, L. "Alcohol
drinking and mortality among men enrolled in an American Cancer Society
prospective study." Epidemiology 1:342-348, 1990.
|
