Booze and buddies can both improve heart health
POSTED March 24, 2009 - 20:15 | POSTED BY Riya Chauhan
Last edited by Riya Chauhan on March 24, 2009 - 20:15
New York, March 24: Socializing adds to the cardiovascular health benefits of drinking alcohol, suggests a new research from Japan.
Heavy drinking is known to damage the liver and cause many other health problems but several studies in the recent past have linked light-to-moderate drinking with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease.
And latest research indicates that the benefits of having a few drinks get enhanced with good company.
The study involved more than 19,000 men from 40 to 69 years of age, who were examined for alcohol consumption, social support and risk of cardiovascular disease.
"We found the reduced risks of total stroke, ischemic stroke and total cardiovascular disease associated with light-to-moderate drinking were more pronounced in men with high social support, probably due to avoidance of unhealthy behaviors and enhancement of stress buffering," said study author Hiroyasu Iso, a professor of public health at Osaka University.
"In our study, compared with light-to-moderate drinkers with high social support, those with low social support had more unhealthy lifestyles such as physical inactivity, no job and fewer opportunities for medical checkups," Iso said.
Though many studies have linked good health to modest consumption of alcohol, the exact reason behind the connection is yet to be figured out.
Iso and colleagues believe that moderate consumption of alcohol and the company of friends, family and co-workers both work by relieving stress.
Eventually, it is not about some magic ingredient in alcohol or a contagious condition of cheerful people, it is just about countering stress, which, we all know is tearing down each one of us today, in some form or the other.
Mental stress activates components of the body's neuro-endocrine system, "which lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease," said Iso.
So the most important prescription for today’s society is anything that can help you de-stress. Be it taking a walk in the neighborhood park, listening to music, meditating or just anything that can take your mind off the taxing practices, allow yourself to indulge for a while. In fact, just reading studies like this might be enough to lower stress, and help avoid drugs in near future.
