Studies have shown the mortality rate
to be less for consumers of one to two standard drinks per day of alcohol than abstainers. The studies also show the mortality rate to increase
rapidly for regular drinkers of more than 1-2 standard drinks per day and to be
greater for regular “binge drinkers”.
All alcohol can be beneficial to our
health in moderation as alcohol will reduce the surface tension of water. So
what does this mean? Water molecules have a strong force of attraction
towards each other & other surfaces and this is why water can form drops. We
need to add surfactants (washing powder) to our washing machines so that we can
break down this force so that liquid can get into the material to clean away the
dirt in our clothes. Alcohol can reduce the incidence of thrombosis (blood
clots). As said before water breaks down the surface tension of water by
reducing the force of attraction between the molecules and other surfaces and
since a big percentage of our blood is water it means that it will be able to
flow a little more freely through our veins. Wine has other chemicals that
appear to further enhance the above health benefits.
In France, the population has a diet
that is high in saturated fat & regular alcohol consumption is common yet they
record a surprisingly low rate of cardiovascular
(heart) disease. This phenomenon is known as the French Paradox and is
related to this countries high rate of consumption of alcohol (in particular red
wine). There are two broad types of cholesterol, HDL (high density lipids) & LDL
(low density lipids) that can simply be called good and
bad. Clogging and hardening of the arteries is due to LDL's or bad cholesterol
and this can lead to heart disease.
Chemicals in red
wines colour, anthocyanins & resverotrols, have been shown to increase the
levels of our HDL's and this type of cholesterol take the LDL's to our liver
where they are destroyed and excreted from the body.
Please remember
though that the health benefits are only recognised when you observe the 1 to 2
standard drinks per day and this does not mean you can have a few alcohol free
days and save for a big Friday night. Excess and binge drinking will not produce
greater benefits for you. A little regular exercise and good diet will enhance
you health.
The standard drink
concept is a useful way for the public and the retailer to measure a person’s
level of intoxication. However, ultimately, the decision as to whether service
should be refused to an intoxicated person must depend on observations of the
person’s behaviour in the drinking environment.
For further information click on
standard drink
or
access through the education page
Taste
award winning local wines today at ILNAM Estate
ILNAM Estate is
a unique tourist attraction as we are the only winery on
the Tweed. ILNAM Estate Winery is located just 20 minutes from the Gold Coast
Airport, 40 minutes from Surfers Paradise and only 1 hour 20 minutes from
Brisbane.
ILNAM ESTATE WINERY- 750 Carool Road,
Carool NSW- Ph (07) 5590 7703
