| |
| |
|
Nutrition Information |
|
|
|
Alcohol as a Key Ingredient to a Healthy Diet
Evidence suggesting that alcohol is "cardio-protective" first appeared in the literature about 30 years ago. The Framingham Heart Study [the longest running population study of heart disease which began in 1948] provided the first solid evidence of this association. The relationship has now been confirmed by dozens of large population ["epidemiological"] studies. However, physicians have been reluctant to recommend alcohol consumption to patients because of the well-known health consequences of excessive drinking [hypertension, liver disease, increased rates of cancer, violent or accidental death] and the horrors that are associated with "drinking and driving". Moderation is the key. Many large studies have found that men and women who consume light to moderate amounts of alcohol per day live longer than those who abstain completely. The Physicians' Health Study involved long term follow-up of 89,300 men. The study found that men who drank five or six alcoholic drinks per week had a 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who drank no alcohol. On the other hand, the same study showed that men who had more than two alcoholic drinks per day had a higher risk of death than nondrinkers. That means that, when drinking moderately, it appears to be quite beneficial; however, higher alcohol intake increases the risks of cancer and motor vehicle accidents so much as to overwhelm any cardiovascular benefits. How does alcohol protect the heart? A large portion of the benefit may be attributable to increased levels of HDL ["good] cholesterol. Alcohol also has "antiplatelet" effects [making these natural blood elements less sticky and then less likely to clog arteries during plaque rupture] in much the same way as aspirin. Moderate alcohol consumption may also help improve insulin resistance, which is just about one step below true diabetes and recognized as another independent predictor for cardiac risk. The Physicians' Health Study also showed that in subjects who consumed alcohol daily, the risk for heart disease was reduced by 60% in diabetic patients, compared to a 40% decrease in persons who did not have diabetes. Moderate alcohol intake also decreases blood values for CRP [C-reactive protein], a metabolic marker for inflammation (elevated when you are in an increased state of oxidative stress). The jury is still out as to whether or not wine provides a better protective effect compared to other forms of alcohol. Red wine is rich in flavonoids, which slow down oxidation of LDL ["bad"] cholesterol [which is one of the last steps before it is deposited in your artery wall]. One recent study suggested that light drinkers who avoided wine reduce their risk of all-cause mortality by 10%, while light drinkers who preferred wine had more than a 30% decrease in this risk. However, other studies have found that all forms of alcohol [beer, whiskey, etc.] were equally protective. It is important to emphasize that alcohol [of ANY kind!] should be limited to one drink daily for women and at most two drinks daily for men [this is based merely on general body size and nothing else]. One drink is defined as 1.5 oz of distilled spirits (such as whisky, gin, and vodka), 5 oz of wine, or 12 oz of beer. Patients who have liver disease, who have a personal or family history of alcohol abuse, or who cannot limit their intake in a responsible manner should NOT start! However, since "all things in moderation" is a good adage for much of life, others can enjoy a daily alcoholic drink as part of a generally healthy diet. Disclaimer: If you are under 18, pregnant, nursing or have health problems, consult your physician before starting any weight loss plan. The information here is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment. Dr. John Rumberger is the Author of The WAY Diet, The complete lifestyle plan to live longer, reduce stress, and lose weight the healthy way. To purchase The Way Diet simply go tohttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?path=
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Ocular Nutrition and Eye Health Food Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of the ways to support your vision. As early as in our 30's, our eyes and vision can begin to deteriorate. 5 Favorite Summer-Break Tips You can trust me that I make sure to take care to have as EnergyRich? a vacation as possible (why come back from vacation feeling bloated, a few pounds heavier, experiencing heartburn etc, right?). So I wanted to share my 5 favorite ways (food-wise and fun-wise) of making that happen!Food For Summer Vacation1. Being Proactive With Your Health Decisions In today's world, there's a definite need to be proactive in protecting our health. But that assumes there's something you CAN do to protect it. Preventing Heart Disease: What to Eat About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease. Is It Possible to Improve Your Health by Simply Drinking More Water? To many people, this may seem a simplistic answer to a complex question: How can doing something so simple produce such noticable & quick results? Surely there must be some deep scientific & comlex way to improving health. The body, after all, is a very complex organism and scientists and health professionals have, over the centuries, espoused numerous ways of improving health, from specially fomulated foods & diets to drugs designed to fight obesity and reduce fat etc. Bumble Bee Fish Oil - Do You Need It? The makers of Bumble Bee Tuna generated some buzz today by announcing they will be producing a fish oil supplement with their Tuna's name on the bottle. None of the reports mention if they are using an particular standization and quality processes or what methods they are using to ensure that environmental toxins are not being concentrated into their supplement. Understanding Glyconutrients You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are not alone. Perhaps you have heard a bit about glyconutrients but you don't really know what they are or how they could benefit you. Train Your Self To Eat Healthy For some people it is really hard to give up the junk food and sweets and eat a better, more nutritious diet. So let's use the example of eating the 5 to 9 fruits and vegetables we need daily. How Can Fat Be Essential? How Can Fat Be Essential?By Garry Gamber Did you know that some fats are essential to the body? Yes, there are some fats that our body cannot produce which means that we must get them from our food. Perhaps you've heard of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Eating Disorders Do Not Discriminate Who suffers from Eating Disorders?Eating Disorder sufferers are male and female alike. We are of all ethnicity's, religions,and economic backgrounds. Nutrition Tips to Improve Fat Loss Incorporating these fat loss tips will improve your nutrition program. Start off slowly and add one a week, you don't have to adopt all of them at once. 4 Important Facts You Should Know About Whey Protein Are you concerned about taking care of your body before and afterstrenuous activities or workouts? Do you try to avoid supplementsthat contain additives and possible side effects?If you are interested in better health and improved physicalfitness you have surely heard that bodybuilders and otherathletes are turning to a simple, natural supplement called wheyprotein.WHY DO ATHLETES USE WHEY PROTEIN?Protein levels are depleted through exercise. How Do You Know Your Nutrition is Working for You? Please feel free to comment, so that the article may be developed.How would you like to know what is going on in you body?Are you healthy? How do you know? Is your lifestyle doing anything for you?Researchers at the Huntsman Cancer Institute have developed the Biophotonic Scanner. Do You Know What You Are Eating? With all the news about Splenda of late and the FTC, I had a client ask me the other day, "so what's the deal with Splenda, it's just sugar that has been processed!". I asked him if he knew what Splenda was and he said no. Relieve PMS with the Food Diet Changes Almost every woman suffers with premenstrual syndrome at one time or another. The symptoms are familiar: mood swings, cramping and bloating, trouble sleeping. What is Organic Farming? Organic farming is the production of food using all natural methods - avoiding all synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Its' core philosophy is that of sustainability or 'zero impact'. Take Control of Your Health In large part, you're in control of your health, not your doctor. And taking control of your health doesn't really depend on whether or not you have medical conditions. The Cholesterol Myth Cholesterol. What images come to mind when you see this word? Is it positive or negative? Is it health, or is it heart disease?If what came to mind was negative, as something to avoid, and heart disease, then the pharmaceutical companies food industries have been successful in getting you to believe a fabricated myth!According to George V. What Actually Is Health? Nature works mostly on the principle of thing and no thing. Light is the thing and darkness is the absence of light. Does your body know its ABCs?? What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people think of sugar as being bad for you.
|
| home | site map |
| ©EmptyNestNow.com 2006 |
