Valencia, Negros Oriental - Does a glass of wine a day good for the heart? Here’s what you should know before you raise a glass to your health.
People respond differently to alcohol. When alcohol is taken into the body, it passes from the stomach to the small intestine and into the blood stream. Then it's carried to all organs of the body.
Your liver does most of the work of breaking down alcohol. But the liver can break down only a certain amount of alcohol per hour, regardless of the amount you drink. A very small percentage of alcohol escapes this process and is eliminated through breath, sweat, and urine. Until all the alcohol in the body has been broken down, it stays in the brain and other organs of the body affecting them eventually.
There is some evidence that moderate amounts of alcohol might help to raise levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or the “good” cholesterol slightly. Researchers have also suggested that red wine might protect the heart, thanks to its touted antioxidant property. However, more studies are still needed to support this claim.
Moderation is different for men, women, and older adults. This is because alcohol’s effects depend on how the body absorbs and breaks down its chemical content.
However, excessive alcohol intake overtime can lead to chronic diseases and other serious health problems such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, liver disease and digestive problems. Its long-term health risks also include cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum. There is emerging evidence that even low levels of alcohol consumption (less than 1 drink in a day) increase the risk for some types of cancer. The safest level of drinking is to drink no alcohol at all.
Drinking red wine or other types of alcoholic beverages, is not an option to prevent or treat cardiovascular disease. Choosing a healthier diet and being physically active, zero smoking and stress management are more effective in reducing the death from heart disease than by drinking a low dose of alcohol. // ND II Niña Estela Lindsay Romero, RND
