A toast to your health: Moderation can have positive effect on the heart, diabetes, longevity
By Victoria Shanta Retelny, Environmental Nutrition
“…benefits to counter atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, explains Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. …”
Alcohol may make you happy, but can it really keep you healthy? The good news is that moderate alcohol intake can fit into a healthy lifestyle and even offer some benefits — welcome tidings for the estimated 100 million American adults who drink alcohol responsibly.
Alcohol’s potentially positive effects on health and quality of life have been on the public health radar screen for decades, dating to 1979, when one of the first research papers was published on the topic.
While there are positive health effects documented with moderate alcohol intake, drinking too much clearly wipes away any potential benefits. Consider alcohol a double-edged sword with the shiny side holding the promise of improved health and the lackluster side leading to health risks. Experts contend that garnering the health benefits (or not) of alcohol depends on the amount consumed, drinking environment, age, and other unique characteristics of the drinker. Here are a few interesting areas of research on alcohol and health.
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