Bolster your heart with BOOZE? (Study)

Go ahead, rattle off the things your doc says you’re NOT supposed to have if you want to maintain a healthy heart…

Salt? Red meat? Carbs?

Sure, platefuls of that stuff aren’t exactly ideal (except for the red meat thing).

But I’m sure you’ve also been told to steer clear of ALCOHOL.

Of course, drinking excess amounts of alcohol can lead to some serious health complications.

But what if I told you that alcohol doesn’t deserve the bad rep that it usually gets… especially for your HEART.

You see, according to a study from the American College of Cardiology, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can reduce stress-related signals that are linked to developing heart disease.

Wow!

Now, you’re probably asking yourself…

How could alcohol possibly be ‘good’ for my heart?

It all has to do with the amygdala, which is the regions of your brain tied to fear and stress. Studies have 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 developing heart 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 stress that these findings are based on MODERATE drinking.

This 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 ‘stressors’ that are bad for your heart.

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 after a long day, go ahead!

But everything in MODERATION!

To healthy responsibility,

Sarah Reagan

Sources:

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