According to researchers, those who consume wine in moderation have healthier lifestyles overall than abstainers or those who consume other types of alcohol. It is well established that moderate alcohol consumption seems to confer some health benefit, chiefly in the form of reduced risk of heart disease. A new study shows that it may not be the alcohol itself, but linked lifestyle factors that produce at least some of the beneficial effects.
An ongoing study of over 2,000 highly educated men and women, known as the North Carolina Alumni Heart Study, surveyed drinking and other lifestyle habits. Those who drank wine - rather than beer, spirits, or nothing at all - were healthier, had a better diet, smoked less and exercised more. So wine drinking seems to go hand in hand with healthy choices.Many other studies have shown that alcohol - whatever the type - has benefits for heart and circulation, by thinning the blood and other effects. This study suggests that you need to look to the whole person and their lifestyle for a fuller explanation of why wine, in particular, seems to contribute to better health.
