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Red wine
...A toast to good health

By Josfyn Uba (josfynuba@sunnewsonline.com)
Saturday, August 9, 2008

Photo:Sun News Publishing

Wine is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages. Its history spans thousands of years and while heavy drinking of any alcoholic beverage rather brings lots of health-related troubles instead of benefits, current research suggests that a glass of red wine each day may be providing you with more than just a little relaxation.
Reduced risk of death from nearly all causes: that a moderate intake of red wine daily has a protective effect on all-cause mortality. A moderate consumption of wine is more beneficial than that of beer or spirits.

Smoking: Acute smoking significantly impairs vessels' natural ability to relax. Red wine, with or without alcohol, decreases the harmful effect of smoking on the endothelium - layer of cells that provide a friction-reducing lining in lymph vessels, blood vessels, and the heart.

Heart disease: One of the well-known and most studied benefits of red wine is its heart protective effect. Moderate consumption of red wine on a regular basis may be a preventative against coronary heart disease.
Blood clots: Red wine produces anti-clotting, action. Light to moderate consumers of wine promotes blood clot formation.

Atherosclerosis: Red wine may prevent the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Atherosclerosis starts when blood vessels begin to lose their ability to relax. Both the alcohol in the red wine appear to favorably maintain healthy blood vessels by promoting the formation of nitric oxide, the key chemical relaxing factor in the regulation of vascular tone.

Hypertension: Excessive alcohol consumption is generally considered a risk factor for hypertension. However, there is some evidence of favorable effects of red wine on blood pressure. Two glasses of red wine taken together with the meal, lower post-meal blood pressure in hypertensive persons.
Kidney stones: Red wine intake reduces the risk of kidney stone formation.

Alzheimer's disease: Moderate wine drinking correlates with a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease.

 

 


 

 

 

 

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