A glass of wine with dinner seems to benefits women's hearts as it does men's. 

How alcohol protects
Research shows that alcohol appears to protect against coronary artery disease in several ways:
by raising the levels of HDL cholesterol, decreasing the "stickiness" of blood platelets, and lowering the level of fibrinogen, a blood coagulant and known risk factor for heart disease.  We also know that red wine contains a variety of antioxidants that help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, another important contributing factor discussed further below.

Red Wine: Protective Antioxidants
It is not clear whether all forms of alcohol have the same benefits in terms of heart health.  To date it appears that wine confers the greatest benefits.  Several studies contrasting the health benefits of white versus red wine show that the latter has more advantages.  We know that red wine has more antioxidants than white, because the red skin and seeds from the grapes, the source of important antioxidants, are left in the barrel during fermentation.  Red wine contains a large number of phenolic compounds, plant chemicals that have been found to be beneficial in numerous therapeutic applications.  Phenols include antioxidant flavonids, such as quercetin, rutin, and catechins- each of which has been isolated and studied independently for its health-enhancing qualities.

When Alcohol Is Not So Healthy
A little alcohol protects the body, but an excess poisons it.  During the last few years, several studies have found lower death rates among moderate drinkers, meaning those who have one to two drinks per day.  These findings suggest that risk rates follow a "U-shaped curve': the risk is lowest in the middle, for moderate drinkers, and highest on each end, where we find nondrinkers ad heavy drinkers.

There is a special downside to heavy drinking for women.
We do not metabolize alcohol in the same way as men do.  Women do not produce as much of a special enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which is needed to break down the alcohol molecule.   Therefore, alcohol circulates in our bodies longer, making us more susceptible to liver disease and breast cancer.  Even moderate alcohol use can raise blood triglyceride levels, a major risk factor for heart disease in women.

Just a few drinks with dinner
the night before a blood test can triple the level of triglycerides in your blood. Heavy drinking, in excess of two to three drinks a day, will cause a rise in blood pressure and add many unnecessary calories to the diet ( a 3.5 -ounce glass of  wine has one hundred calories), and alcohol, when abused, may actually poison heart cells as well as liver cells.

A recent study now raises another caution about the long-term health consequences of drinking alcohol; this one relates specifically to women taking estrogen.  A Boston study found that when postmenopausal women who were on hormone replacement therapy drank the equivalent of just half  a glass of wine, the levels of estradiol- one of the most potent forms of estrogen- in their blood nearly doubled.

After they drank the equivalent of three glasses of wine, estrogen levels skyrocketed more than 300 percent.    Researchers feel these findings could have significant implications, but that they are is still being studied.

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Dr. Ojeda broke new ground when she began to study nonmedical approaches to menopause more than 10 years ago. Now she has revised and updated her definitive resource, incorporating the latest findings about estrogen, mood swings, and osteoporosis. Throughout, Ojeda shows how women can enjoy optimal health at any age by making simple, inexpensive changes in diet and lifestyle.

Chocolate Soy Brownies
This dessert is brought to us by Patricia Greenberg. Patricia has created this delicious brownie which will be loved by your entire family!

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