Alcoholic drinks may seem to be, at least when you are younger, something that cool, fun, confident or successful people partake in, and therefore its something to have more of. Younger people have a belief that "a little is good, but more is better", especially when it comes to alcohol. But is alcohol really all that bad?
There are some who promote red wine for it's possible benefits - that it contains resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant which can protect the body against oxidative damage which is common in chronic health conditions. Some studies show that for health benefits, you need to have 500mg of resveratrol per day. Since a glass of red wine contains at most 12mg of resveratrol, you would need to drink over 41 litres of red wine daily to get any benefits! But you would have died of alcohol poisoning only after a couple of bottles. The studies which suggest the benefits of resveratrol are often then misrepresented or the truth stretched a little by the sensationalist media, and further misunderstood (but believed anyway) by the general public who haven't read the actual research.
Alcohol is a poison, simple. It is a legal, addictive, and toxic drug, which causes far more deaths, chronic health issues and injuries than most other substances. And then there's the family and social damage caused by excessive drinking too. Alcohol is so toxic to your body that the liver will prioritise the breakdown of alcohol above the many normal functions of metabolism, to get alcohol out of your body quicker. This is why regular alcohol intake will cause nutrient deficiencies and poor general health, with many symptoms and side effects.
Alcohol contributes to a high daily calorie intake, as there's actually more calories in alcohol than sugar or protein per gram. Hence this is why alcohol leads to weight gain, obesity and diabetes too. Other major health issues caused by regular or excessive alcohol consumption include fatty liver disease, cirrhosis (thickening and scarring of the liver), liver cancer, liver failure, and even death.
Alcoholic drinks also have a diuretic effect - they make you lose more water in urine. The combination of too many carbs in alcohol, mineral deficiencies, and the dehydrating effect contributes to your hangover the morning after. Simple techniques or even supplements can prevent these!
I like a nice red wine from time to time. A subtle hint for my birthday, or any occasion really! But I don't have one every day, or even each week, or even some months! Having the occasional beverage isn't going to be a big problem, but a very regular intake will be.
The Australian guidelines for drinking alcohol suggests drinking no more than 2 standard drinks per day, if you are over 18, and not pregnant or breastfeeding. Of course less is better!
In short, will red wine help you with your health and alive for longer? Nope, sorry! The very limited benefits of red wine won't outweigh the negative effects of the alcohol and damage caused.
Cheers! (Have a glass of filtered water instead! ;-)
There are some who promote red wine for it's possible benefits - that it contains resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant which can protect the body against oxidative damage which is common in chronic health conditions. Some studies show that for health benefits, you need to have 500mg of resveratrol per day. Since a glass of red wine contains at most 12mg of resveratrol, you would need to drink over 41 litres of red wine daily to get any benefits! But you would have died of alcohol poisoning only after a couple of bottles. The studies which suggest the benefits of resveratrol are often then misrepresented or the truth stretched a little by the sensationalist media, and further misunderstood (but believed anyway) by the general public who haven't read the actual research.
Alcohol is a poison, simple. It is a legal, addictive, and toxic drug, which causes far more deaths, chronic health issues and injuries than most other substances. And then there's the family and social damage caused by excessive drinking too. Alcohol is so toxic to your body that the liver will prioritise the breakdown of alcohol above the many normal functions of metabolism, to get alcohol out of your body quicker. This is why regular alcohol intake will cause nutrient deficiencies and poor general health, with many symptoms and side effects.
Alcohol contributes to a high daily calorie intake, as there's actually more calories in alcohol than sugar or protein per gram. Hence this is why alcohol leads to weight gain, obesity and diabetes too. Other major health issues caused by regular or excessive alcohol consumption include fatty liver disease, cirrhosis (thickening and scarring of the liver), liver cancer, liver failure, and even death.
Alcoholic drinks also have a diuretic effect - they make you lose more water in urine. The combination of too many carbs in alcohol, mineral deficiencies, and the dehydrating effect contributes to your hangover the morning after. Simple techniques or even supplements can prevent these!
I like a nice red wine from time to time. A subtle hint for my birthday, or any occasion really! But I don't have one every day, or even each week, or even some months! Having the occasional beverage isn't going to be a big problem, but a very regular intake will be.
The Australian guidelines for drinking alcohol suggests drinking no more than 2 standard drinks per day, if you are over 18, and not pregnant or breastfeeding. Of course less is better!
In short, will red wine help you with your health and alive for longer? Nope, sorry! The very limited benefits of red wine won't outweigh the negative effects of the alcohol and damage caused.
Cheers! (Have a glass of filtered water instead! ;-)
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