This Friday Feb 2nd is the annual “wear red” day in
Canada and the U.S. to raise awareness for women’s heart health. Why only a day
for the number one threat to women’s health? Women are 5 times more likely to
succumb to heart disease than breast cancer, which gets a whole month
(October.) Another contradiction is that the advice women hear about prevention
of breast cancer is the opposite of what you can do to lower the risk of heart
disease: a daily glass of wine. Even one drink a day raises your risk of breast
cancer, we are told, ignoring the overriding benefits of wine on heart health.
Drink red wine to live longer
Here’s why I think women should also “drink red.” For
starters, wine helps de-stress and celebrates life. Stress is a factor in heart
disease, and if that were the only way wine helped it would be worth
considering. But the medical evidence is also strong: a daily glass of red wine
helps raise the HDL “good cholesterol” levels, which lowers the risk of
cardiovascular problems. You may have
heard that the “French paradox” was a myth, but it is alive and well: women who have a glass of wine daily with
meals live longer on average than those who don’t.
A glass of wine is a simple thing with a powerful effect,
particularly for peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women. According to
women’s health expert Dr. Jennifer Wider, quoted in a recent
article in the Wine Spectator,
estrogen suppresses production of the enzyme (ADH) that metabolizes alcohol; as
estrogen levels decline, ADH increases, so women handle alcohol more like men. Estrogen
is protective against heart disease, so the benefits of red wine help maintain
the protection later in life.
The alcohol-cancer dilemma: Why wine is still OK
The downside of a daily drink is the association of alcohol
with some types of cancer. Recent studies conclude that any level of
consumption raises risk, and breast cancer is second after lung cancer for
women. But here’s the good news: if you stick to red wine, and limit bingeing,
you are certainly within a low risk category and might actually be reducing
your odds of breast cancer. Maybe it’s the antioxidants like resveratrol, maybe
it’s wine’s association with healthy living, or both. Either way, remember it
is the overall benefit to health and longevity that matters most.
So wear red, drink red, and share it with a friend.
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