Rules for a healthy lifestyle include a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. Alcohol, however, is considered a major killer of health. Yet, a recent study by Danish scholars suggests that moderate weekly drinking (one drink per week for women, two for men) is not only beneficial for the heart but can even substitute for exercise, providing a fitness effect.
In a study recently published in the European Journal of Health by Morten Grønbæk, an epidemiologist at the Danish National Board of Health, and his colleagues, it was stated: if you are unwilling to exercise excessively, a small amount of daily alcohol is sufficient to achieve a fitness effect.
The study spanned over twenty years and involved 12,000 participants.
Grønbæk and his colleagues found that both exercise and alcohol promote heart health, and combining the two can yield twice the result with half the effort. The research team further divided the participants into four groups and found: the group that neither exercised nor drank had the highest probability of heart disease. The groups that abstained from alcohol and those that drank moderately but never exercised had the same risk of illness, which was about 30% lower than the first group. Meanwhile, the group that drank moderately and consistently exercised had a risk of heart disease only 50% of that of the first group. This view is endorsed by Dr. Arthur Klatsky, a cardiologist from Northern California, who states that alcohol can promote the production of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and good cholesterol, cleanse the blood vessels of the circulatory system, and remove fatty deposits caused by bad cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from the vessel walls. The higher the density of lipoproteins, the smaller the chance of developing vascular diseases.
An increasing number of scholars are beginning to focus on turning traditional health killers into beneficial elements. This study is one such result. Much evidence shows that although alcohol may not reduce the probability of a stroke, it is sufficient to lessen brain damage after one. Another potential benefit is a reduced risk of diabetes and increased insulin sensitivity in menopausal women.
Similarly, drinking one to six glasses of alcohol per week can lower the risk of dementia in the elderly. Dementia is often caused by mild strokes and its main symptoms are memory loss and declining cognitive abilities, but judgment is not impaired. However, the research also offers a warning to heavy drinkers: people who drink more than four times a day do not reduce their risk of senile dementia; on the contrary, it is higher than for those who abstain completely.
Grønbæk's study was based on a standard of one drink per week for women and two for men. Although it did not distinguish between types (beer or wine) or units (pints or shots), common sense is enough to tell that 6 ounces of martini have a much higher alcohol content than 10 ounces of wine. Furthermore, remember not to drink a week's worth all at once.
Other precautions for drinking include: 1. Before drinking, eat only until 70% full and do not drink large amounts of water. 2. Half an hour before drinking, a bottle of milk (plain or sweetened) or honey water can protect the stomach. 3. Do not drink stimulating beverages like ice water or lemonade at the same time. 4. Baijiu (Chinese liquor) should not be drunk in one go; it must be sipped in several mouthfuls. Beer should be drunk only after the foam has subsided, otherwise, you will feel bloated and uncomfortable. 5. Milk and tea cannot sober you up. Ten foods that can help sober you up: mung beans, sugarcane, salt, tangerine peel, white radish, fresh orange, olive, sweet potato, fresh lotus root, and raw pear.