Can Drinking Alcohol Be Heart Healthy?
You may have heard that drinking one or two alcoholic beverages a day is linked to a lower incidence of heart disease in some studies. But you need to weigh certain risks before uncorking that bottle of wine. American Heart Association (AHA) warns that before continuing or starting to drink, you should check with your doctor. Alcohol can interact dangerously with certain medications, and it can worsen medical conditions such as liver disease, pancreatitis and uncontrolled hypertension. Heavy drinkers are at increased risk of cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and esophagus. As for breast cancer: Harvard researchers who analyzed six studies found that the risk of developing that disease rises 9 percent for every ten grams of alcohol a woman drinks per day. Women who average four glasses of wine daily have a 40 percent greater risk than nondrinkers. Pregnant women and people with a personal or family history of alcoholism should avoid alcohol. Are Fish Capsules Beneficial? Fish are rich