The Oprah Winfrey Show
Oprah's Best Life Series
Harpo Films
For One More Day
The Great Debaters
O, The Oprah Magazine
Subscribe Today
Oprah Radio
Oprah's Angel Network
Oprah's Book Club
All the health professionals interviewed by WebMD warn against excessive drinking or encouraging nondrinkers to start drinking. Alcohol consumption can raise the risk of liver problems, high blood pressure, obesity, breast cancer, suicide and accidents.
Women of childbearing age are also encouraged not to drink, as alcohol can harm the growth and development of an unborn child. By the time women who drink heavily find out they're pregnant, "the damage could already be done," says Sass, who recommends sparkling grape juice or dark-red grape juice with sparkling water as alternatives to red wine.
For people that choose to drink alcohol, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends one to two drinks per day for men and one drink for women. A drink is equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.
Overall, experts don't recommend red wine or any other alcohol as a first line of defense against heart disease.
Related Links
Related WebMD Resources
As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.
SOURCES: Susan Moores, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. Joe Vinson, professor of chemistry, University of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Cynthia Sass, RD, spokeswoman, ADA. Holly Novak, MD, director, prevention and women's health, Prairie Cardiovascular, Springfield, Ill. Blair Justice, PhD, professor emeritus of psychology, University of Texas School of Public Health. Carol Rinkleib Ellison, PhD, author, Women's Sexualities; psychologist, private practice. American Heart Association. American College of Cardiology.
© 2004 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
