Moderation in everything is my rule whether eating, working, playing, or drinking. Just don't go crazy on anything. Wine is actually good for your health. However, the key is moderation. Mediterrean diet alwayd includes some wine. Shanti/Mary-Anne

Alcohol And Health ----------------------- Moderate drinkers tend to have better health and live longer than those who are either abstainers or heavy drinkers. In addition to having fewer heart attacks and strokes, moderate consumers of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine or distilled spirits or liquor) are generally less likely to suffer hypertension or high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, Alzheimer's disease and the common cold. Sensible drinking also appears to be beneficial in reducing or preventing diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, bone fractures and osteoporosis, kidney stones, digestive ailments, stress and depression, poor cognition and memory, Parkinson's disease, hepatitis A, pancreatic cancer, macular degeneration (a major cause of blindness), angina pectoris, duodenal ulcer, erectile dysfunction, hearing loss, gallstones, liver disease and poor physical condition in elderly. A Harvard study found the risk of death from all causes to be 21% to 28% lower among men who drank alcohol moderately, compared to abstainers. A large-scale study in China found that middle-aged men who drank moderately had a nearly 20% lower overall mortality compared to abstainers. Harvard's Nurses' Health Study of over 85,000 women found reduced mortality among moderate drinkers. A British analysis of 12,000 male physicians found that moderate drinkers had the lowest risk of death from all causes during the 13 year study. A large study of about 88,000 people conducted over a period of ten years found that moderate drinkers were about 27% less likely to die during the period than were either abstainers or heavy drinkers. The superior longevity was largely due to a reduction of such diseases as coronary heart disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases. A study of more than 40,000 people by the Cancer Research Center in Honolulu found that "persons with moderate alcohol intake appear to have a significantly lower risk of dying than nondrinkers.” Heart Attacks ----------------- Moderate drinkers are also less likely to suffer heart attacks than are abstainers or heavy drinkers. * Harvard researchers have identified the moderate consumption of alcohol as a proven way to reduce coronary heart disease risk. * U-shaped CurveAn exhaustive review of all major heart disease studies found that "Alcohol consumption is related to total mortality in a U-shaped manner, where moderate consumers have a reduced total mortality compared with total non-consumers and heavy consumers." * A National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study asserts that "The totality of evidence on moderate alcohol and CHD (coronary heart disease) supports a judgment of a cause-effect relationship... there are cardioprotective benefits associated with responsible, moderate alcohol intake." For more detailed information, visit http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/AlcoholAndHealth.html

a Santé Shanti/Mary-Anne

It will be interesting to know if any non drinkers took up drinking after reading these kind of research in the media and went on to become heavy drinkers, a danger to themselves and others. I have been reading about these studies for the at least 10-12 years once every 2-3 months. I wonder if these kind of studies and researches take place at that frequency or the media just like reporting on it frequently. What I see is most people do get drunk most of the time they drink.

"Most people do get drunk most of the time they drink?" Certainly not what I see. Of course I am in California and having a glass of wine with dinner is common for many and quite normal, as it is in France, Italy, Germany, Croatia, etc. Drunk? Hardly! If one binges there is a problem of course and they shouldn't drink, but that is hardly most people as you say. Yes drinking a glass of wine with your dinner is healhy-ask your doctor. Now if a person wishes not to drink that is fine for them and I am not going to judge them for not drinking. I am quite sure that when my husband, or our children, or my mother, or I choose to have a glass of wine we certainly aren't drunk. The key word with this is moderation! Shanti/Mary-Anne

Pervez, It individual perspective and as to how they want to be healthy..no one can force anything on the other person..Just because few research's fail doesnt mean all are the same..If one is bent upon trying to do the things forbidden all one can say is "GOODLUCK on the way to death" it depends on how one would want to play the game of LIFE..Probably media thinks warning time and again might give some sense to people who over indulge in such things.. SHANTI & SNIGDHA, Yes i completely agree with you..wine is indeed good for health..since i know preparing wine myself i know its quite good for health..but again as you said anything in moderation is good.But then again i would not be suggesting hot drinks like whisky rum etc...

Well i feel no one can be really blamed for the misdeeds done by one...its the individual's responsibility...anyways am no one to comment..you could still try and quit it if you havent...Hopefully it would help many youngsters who visit the community...Certainly it does no good...

Thank you so much for noticing and the great post about my blog.

Moderation is possible for some people when it comes to alcohol, but alcohol is poisonous for the body, and for alcoholics and addicts alcohol has devastating consequences. For example alcohol is the ONLY drug that an individual may die from during the withdrawl process.