Pace Paw Print

Everyone has taken some health class at one point in their lives that has warned about all the dangers of drinking, but no one ever speaks about the positive side and the good that it does for you. Well that is about to change.

Everything in moderation is a motto that applies to just about everything in life, including alcohol. One glass of red wine everyday is effective in enhancing memory and making the heart stronger. However, any more than this, or even this amount, may be increase a person's chances for breast cancer and osteoporosis.

A study done at the European Cancer Conference showed that women who have one to two drinks per day are ten times more at risk for getting breast cancer compared to women who drink less than one drink per day. When women drink more than three drinks per day, the risk for this cancer increases to thirty percent. The correlation between alcohol and breast cancer is thought to be the fact that alcohol increases estrogen levels which can lead to breast cancer.

As for osteoporosis, Janet Greenhut, MD, MPH, a senior medical consultant at HealthMedia says that ingesting over seven drinks per week or binge drinking will likely lead to a reduced bone mass.

This leaves many confused and questioning if the negative or positive effects of alcohol make a difference in what they drink. Here are a few situations that may answer relentless questions.

A 31 year old female who is trying to lose weight has one to two glasses of wine every night with dinner. The concern she has is if the wine will contribute to weight gain or assist with weight loss. Eric Rimm, an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, believes that alcohol actually helps burn calories.

Furthermore, wine consists of equivalent or maybe less calories than other juices or sodas on the market. On average, a five ounce glass of red wine contains 125 calories.

Another expert, David Hanson, the founder of AlcholInformation.org says that moderate drinking actually increases the blood flow to the brain, raises good cholesterol, lowers bad cholesterol, and decreases blood pressure. Hanson also supports Rimm's statement that alcohol helps burn calories.

A different situation involves a 36 year old frequent partier who drinks about five drinks and three shots of alcohol almost every weekend. The concern this individual has is if this will cause premature aging and increase the risk of certain diseases.

According to Rimm, alcohol itself is not what causes premature aging. Those who tend to hang out at bars are likely to eat various finger foods lying around, like nachos and other potato chips. This is what could lead to a middle-age look quicker.

In addition, those who drink alcohol regularly are generally also smokers or breathing in secondhand smoke. As expected, this also leads to early aging and an increase risk for heart disease.

A new issue that people are concerned about is if drinking will decrease overall energy with daily activities. One 33 year old enjoys hiking or running along with a few glasses of wine each week.

Alcohol begins to interrupt the energy level when the amount of alcohol exceeds the amount of water being consumed, which leads to dehydration and that loss of energy that many are concerned about.

It is important to avoid drinking before activities, because alcohol takes almost four to six hours to be broken down.

The odds of becoming addicted to alcohol based on the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism shows that the numbers are high. One in three people become addicted at some level and only one quarter of these people seek treatment.

Those with a family history of alcoholism are three times more at risk of becoming an alcoholic. According to WebMD, alcoholism is sometimes called a disease by experts because of its "genetic component and the tendency of some people to become psychosocially and physically addicted."

All things considered, alcohol is definitely doing the body good; in certain aspects. It is important to not over indulge and to be aware of diseases that may arise depending on moderation. Like most things, too much of anything is not good for anyone.

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