77°
Some alcohol appears to be good for heart health but now researchers say you need to know how often to sip that scotch or Sauvignon Blanc.
In a recent study on how drinking habits affect heart health, occasional heavy drinking or bingeing was found to double the risk of heart attack and death from heart disease later in life.
European researchers looked at Irish and French drinkers in order to compare binge drinkers with those who drank almost daily -- but more moderately. Their study, reported in the British Medical Journal, studied the drinking habits and the death and disease rates of some 10,000 men in their 50s living in Ireland and France. Although the Irish men consumed less alcohol in a given week, they tended to drink more heavily during weekend binges, and averaged about five drinks per night.
The French drinkers averaged three drinks every day. None of the men had any signs of heart disease at the start of the study. After accounting for factors such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure and weight, researchers determined that over a 10-year period, the Irish binge drinkers had twice the risk of heart attack or death, along with other problems caused by reduced blood flow.
Binge drinking is usually defined as five or more drinks on one occasion for men and four for women. Moderate drinking is considered one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men.
So, enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine, but don't drink so much that it puts your heart at risk.
How big is your "one" daily glass of wine? Mine definitely is more than four ounces? Has your wine glass grown? Let me know here.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
