Alcohol can be extremely harmful to your health if taken in excessive amounts. But if ingested in safe, moderate amounts, it can be a great aid to your health. The maximum amount recommended for daily alcohol intake for men is not more than 4 drinks, and for women not more than 3 drinks. The following are five ways in which alcohol in moderate amounts can help you.
1. Protects against cardiovascular disease
Countless studies have shown that alcohol when taken in moderate amounts over a long period of time can prevent some cardiovascular diseases from forming as it raises the blood levels of HDL (High density lipoprotein) cholesterol – which is termed the good cholesterol, and reduce LDL (low density lipoprotein – the bad cholesterol that is a major factor of many cardiovascular disease).
Alcohol has also been shown to prevent blood clots from forming, which blocks blood vessels, leading to strokes, heart attacks, and etc.
2. Reduces weight
Because alcohol raises HDL and lowers LDL, over a long period of time your weight comes down, as HDL does not become stored as fats as easily as LDL does. Alcohol is also thought to be processed by the bodies of long time moderate drinkers differently from the bodies of heavy drinkers. This makes it possible that less fat is formed in moderate drinkers, than in the bodies of heavy drinkers.
3. Protects against diabetes
A 2005 study says that taking a glass of alcohol a day prevents diabetes from occurring, because the levels of a hormone that makes insulin more sensible to sugars is increased, making it easier for sugars to be dealt with, so they do not run about in your blood, causing diabetes.
4. Improves brain function
Researchers say that alcohol prepares brain cells for tough times, by stressing them a little. This makes it harder for brain diseases like dementia to form.
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