| While most people avoid alcohol due to its intoxicating | | | | focused on determining whether the type of alcohol |
| effects, which usually causes a lot of accidents and | | | | or just the amount a woman drinks impacts her |
| untoward incidents, and the high risk of a number of | | | | breast cancer risk. "It makes no difference if a |
| diseases, including liver cirrhosis, infection of the | | | | woman drinks wine, beer or liquor. It's the alcohol |
| pancreas, among others, its positive effects and | | | | itself and the quantity consumed that is critical," Dr. Li |
| health benefits are also gaining popularity especially | | | | said. In fact, drinking three or more drinks a day |
| when it is taken in moderation. | | | | may translate into an extra 5 percent of all women |
| Moderate drinking means one to two glasses of wine | | | | developing breast cancer as a result of heavy |
| daily. From improving heart health to lowering | | | | drinking. |
| cholesterol, moderate consumption of red wine can | | | | In 2000, a Danish study had found that red wine |
| help you stay healthy. The antioxidants in red wines | | | | drinkers had half the risk of dying from heart disease |
| have been shown to provide certain protection | | | | as non-alcohol drinkers. However, some researchers |
| against heart disease as they act like warriors, | | | | are not convinced and recommends further studies |
| preventing the oxidation process whereby reactive | | | | regarding health benefits of red wine. The American |
| particles known as "free radicals" cause damage to | | | | Heart Association requires for more research until |
| healthy cells. Alcohol has been shown to help your | | | | they do consider drinking wine or any other alcohol |
| heart in several ways: by raising your HDL | | | | for its benefits. |
| (high-density lipoproteins) or "good" cholesterol, | | | | Though the cause of increased risk for breast cancer |
| lowering blood pressure and preventing the formation | | | | by heavy use of alcohol remains a mystery, Dr. Li |
| of blood clots. | | | | and her colleagues believe that further study may |
| However, there's a new twist of fate to alcohol | | | | support the evidence that alcohol could alter the |
| drinkers, especially among party girls, as recent | | | | pathway of female hormones and produce more |
| studies show some link between alcohol and breast | | | | hormone sensitive breast cancer. |
| cancer in women. Having one to two drinks a day, | | | | According to Heather Spencer Feigelson, |
| once considered as moderate drinking, is now being | | | | spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society, "the |
| linked to the higher risks of breast cancer in | | | | risk of drinking one glass of red wine a day is very |
| women. The said increase in risk of breast cancer | | | | low. It's an individual choice." With further studies still |
| among women who regularly consume alcohol has | | | | needed to prove whether the heart-health benefits |
| risen by 10 percent. Make that three or more drinks | | | | outweigh the newly shown risk of breast cancer, the |
| a day, and the risk triples to 30 percent. | | | | decision is up to the women if they still want their |
| According to Dr. Yan Li, lead researcher at Kaiser | | | | glass of red wine as long as they analyze their own |
| Permanente, they were able to compile and analyze | | | | risk of heart disease and breast cancer. "Each |
| data on the drinking habits of 70,033 women of | | | | woman has to analyze her own risk factors to |
| various races and backgrounds. Their study was | | | | determine what alcohol will do to them," said Dr. |