In 1991, Dr. Serge Reynaud published a paper in the Lancet on a concept now widely known as The French Paradox. Dr. Reynaud noted that despite consuming diets fairly high in fat, the French have a lower than expected rate of heart disease. He attributed the lower rates of disease to the high consumption of wine -- including white wine.
In 2004, the INTERHeart study identified nine risk factors that account for 90% of all heart attacks. Among them, moderate consumption of alcohol. The study authors found that consuming 7-14 servings of alcohol per week (closer to seven for women, closer to 14 for men) was protective against heart attacks. The effects were not related to the type of alcohol consumed.
The impact of alcohol consumption on health has been studied extensively, and we now know that all foms of alcohol, when consumed in moderation, can prevent a number of diseases.
But just because alcohol may be good for your health is not an excuse to overindulge and drink irresponsibly: no matter how effective alcohol may be at preventing disease, there's no antidote for someone who dies at the hands of an impaired driver.
In 2004, the INTERHeart study identified nine risk factors that account for 90% of all heart attacks. Among them, moderate consumption of alcohol. The study authors found that consuming 7-14 servings of alcohol per week (closer to seven for women, closer to 14 for men) was protective against heart attacks. The effects were not related to the type of alcohol consumed.
The impact of alcohol consumption on health has been studied extensively, and we now know that all foms of alcohol, when consumed in moderation, can prevent a number of diseases.
But just because alcohol may be good for your health is not an excuse to overindulge and drink irresponsibly: no matter how effective alcohol may be at preventing disease, there's no antidote for someone who dies at the hands of an impaired driver.
