The Possible Positive Side of Alcohol

Since I sometimes post articles about the risks of alcohol as related to cancer, most often to breast cancer, it seems fair minded to share this new study. In all honesty, I almost always have a glass of wine or a cocktail in the evening and consider that habit part of my positive quality of life efforts. I write that with the full understanding that I can be criticized and reminded about the breast cancer risks.

The first study about the risks of alcohol and breast cancer came out some years ago when we were in Paris. I remember that because the juxtaposition of the new study vs the French way of enjoying meals and life was so jarring. I sat at the computer, read the study several times, and made a decision that I was going to enjoy wine with dinner that night and every other night that I wanted to do so. Paired with that thought was a promise to myself that, if the cancer comes back, I will not be self critical about the wine and won't believe that caused the recurrence. Clearly your decision must be your own.

From Web MD:

A Little Drinking Might Lengthen Your Life: Study

by Dennis Thompson

Light to moderate drinking can lower your overall risk of premature death and, specifically, your odds of dying fromheart disease, a new study reports.

Moderate drinkers -- men who have one or two drinks a day, and women who have one drink a day -- have a 29 percent decreased risk of heart-related death and a 22 percent reduced risk of death from any cause, compared with teetotalers, the study findings showed.

This study is the latest to examine whether alcohol is good or bad for you. The researchers found that light drinkers (fewer than three drinks a week) also receive some protection -- a 26 percent reduced risk of death from heart disease and a 21 percent overall lower risk of premature death, according to the report.