Avoid heart disease with… ALCOHOL?

There are plenty of things you can do to avoid heart disease.

A healthy diet… ample exercise… and even getting plenty of rest.

But a recent study says ALCOHOL can also help your heart.

Now, before your go popping champagne or cracking open a beer…

I’ll dive into the connection between drinking alcohol and your heart—and the catch.

According to a study from the American College of Cardiology, drinking MODERATE amounts of alcohol can reduce stress-related signals linked to developing heart disease.

Now, you’re probably asking…

How could alcohol be ‘good’ for my heart?

It all has to do with the amygdala, which is the region of your brain tied to fear and stress. Studies found that heightened activity in the amygdala is often linked to heart disease.

But researchers found that the ‘relaxing’ effects of alcohol can tone down the amygdala… reducing your risk of this disease!

In fact, the study found that moderate drinkers had lower stress levels in the brain… AND had a 20% LOWER chance of a major cardiac event compared to low and non-drinkers.

Now, it’s extremely important to emphasize that these findings are based on MODERATE drinking.

It is NOT a license to start chugging beer or downing a bottle of wine.

But it does mean that the occasional adult beverage can help the brain eliminate those negative ‘stressors’.

When it comes to moderate alcohol consumption, the rule of thumb is no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks for men.

So, the next time you want to unwind with an ice-cold beer or a relaxing glass of wine with dinner, go ahead!

To healthy responsibility,

Cory Templeman
Senior Editor, eAlert

Sources:

Melore, Chris. “Drinking alcohol in moderation ‘beneficially impacts the brain-heart connection’.” https://studyfinds.org/alcohol-lower-stress-heart-disease/