Epicurean Pleasure: Benefits of Wine

It is never too early to start thinking about preserving one’s health. The best way to do so is to engage in regular exercise and to maintain a healthy diet. One of the key components to accomplishing the latter is to regulate one’s fluid intake and to drink substances that are healthy and provide nourishment. The author of this document has recently become aware of the myriad salutary effects associated with drinking wine. There is a variety of evidence that readily suggests that drinking wine in moderation helps to enhance living and decreases the risks of maladies that people who do not engage in moderate wine consumption may otherwise readily incur. After analyzing a number of different sources that include empirical evidence, statistics, and quotations from authoritative figures, the author is convinced of the health value produced by the daily intake of wine in moderation.

There is a bevy of research conducted that supports the view that daily consumption of wine can substantially reduce the incidence of dangerous heart conditions including heart attacks and heart disease. One of the reasons that wine produces this effect is because it is full of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to produce many beneficial effects on the body. They assist with lowering rates for noxious heart conditions by protecting blood vessels from oxidizing and fostering a harmful plaque that that results in atherosclerosis (“Red Wine and Health”). Wine also contains polyphenols which are known to enhance the metabolism of salutary high cholesterol and lower the incidence of blood clots. All of these boons help to actuate a feeling of relaxation in people that is vital to the unfiltered pumping of their hearts. According to Julie Damp, a physician who has studied the effects of wine on heart conditions “There are multiple observational studies suggesting moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with decreased incidence of heart disease, including lower risk of heart attacks” (“The Health Benefits”). Another convincing piece of evidence that demonstrates the efficacy of wine against heart disease is a study in which 15 coronary artery disease patients consumed 12 ounces of wine each day for a fortnight, and then drank the same amount of non-alcoholic wine for the following fortnight. The results indicated that after the first two weeks, there was “improved blood vessel functioning” in the patients (Giordano).

The consumption of wine has also produced a beneficent effect on certain types of cancers. Two of the forms of cancer that a moderate level of wine intake reduced the risk of include prostate and lung cancer; the anti-oxidant properties of the substance were attributed to this salutary effect. These assertions are supported by empirical evidence, which the following quotation readily demonstrates.

“In a 2007 study conducted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and published in Harvard Men's Health Watch, scientists found that wine drinking reduced the risk for prostate cancer… In a 2008 study conducted by the American Association for Cancer Research and published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, researchers investigated the effects of alcoholic beverages on lung cancer risk. Participants drinking one to two glasses of red wine reduced their lung cancer risk.” (Gamonski)

The specific property in wine that is linked to its positive impact against cancer is known as resveratrol. It is beneficial in various stages of the development of cancer and prevents blood vessels from developing that aid tumors. It also prevents cancer cell developing enzymes from taking root within the human body (“Red Wine and Health”). Thus, it is extremely important to realize that the intake of a small amount of wine each day can substantially reduce the incidence of chronic diseases such as heart disease and certain types of cancer—which is an extremely good reason to add this practice to one’s daily diet.

One of the most frequently voiced concerns regarding the consumption of alcohol for the promotion of good health is the fact that in large quantities, most forms of alcohol—including wine—actually produce negative effects. As such, there is always the concern that people who start off by drinking wine daily may actually develop the propensity for alcoholism, which has myriad physical and social ramifications. According to Damp, “Drinking greater amounts of alcohol is associated with negative health effects such as increased cancer risk, liver disease, high blood pressure, heart failure and addiction” (“The Health Benefits”). The irony of this quotation lies in the fact that all of these negative conditions that a high intake of alcohol produces can be counteracted by moderate consumption. This reason is why virtually every benefit discussed within this document related to daily alcohol consumption stresses that such intake should be moderate. Temperance is critical to actualizing the positive effects of wine intake. Balance is a subjective term—what is moderate for one person may not appear so for another. Additionally, factors such as location, culture, and even individual occasions vary the definition of moderation. Therefore, it is important to note that most sources indicate that in the United States, moderate daily consumption of wine refers to a single glass for women and two glasses for men. By adhering to such moderation, people can readily overcome the temptation of overindulgence which leads to the aforementioned physical complications, as well as social ones such as imprisonment and difficulty in maintaining a family or a job. Although heavier men and women may drink two glasses of wine a day and incur the positive attributes of such wine consumption, it is vital to note that under no circumstances is drinking three or more glasses encouraged to produce the beneficent effects of consumption discussed within this document.

It is pivotal to realize the extremely useful effect that temperate drinking of wine has on one’s liver. The liver is an extremely critical organ in the human body because it helps to process and oust toxins that otherwise might build up and produce harmful effects. The maintenance of a healthy liver is truly vital for those who overindulge in alcohol because complications of the liver (such as liver cancer or liver disease) can significantly impair the body’s ability to heal and regulate itself. Regular, moderate consumption of wine has been noted as conducive to a healthy liver, as evinced by a 2008 study performed at the San Diego School of Medicine. Fatty liver disease is a potentially deadly condition that is all the more prevalent due to the high incidence of obesity in the U.S. The aforementioned study indicated that a glass or two of wine substantially lessened the possibility for this type of liver disease (Gamonski). Therefore, simply by having a relaxing drink every day, people can protect themselves from some of the more destructive physical ailments that include liver disease, heart conditions, and various forms of cancer caused by the environment or otherwise. 

Additionally, a temperate consumption of alcohol can actually produce beneficial consequences related to aging. Other than cosmetic changes that take place due to aging, such as wrinkles and a perceived diminishing of physical beauty, aging is frequently associated with reduced mental perspicacity. Certain conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, may expedite this reduced mental capacity. However, several people have experienced a definite decline in their mental acuity related to aging. In 2006, a research study at Columbia University examined the effects of alcohol intake on mental sharpness in a test group of advanced-age subjects. It is critical to note that this study specifically analyzed the effect of alcohol consumption (which includes but is not limited to wine) on the declining of people’s brain function. The results were encouraging for those who stick to the prescribed method of consuming one to two glasses of wine each evening. As such, the researchers were able to determine that “A positive relationship was seen between reported alcohol intake and cognition. Drinking less than one drink a week (P=0.09), between one drink weekly up to two drinks daily (P=0.001), and more than two drinks daily (P=0.003) were associated with less cognitive decline on the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) compared to never drinkers.” (Wright et al 201)

This study is of immense importance to whoever chooses to follow the author’s prescription of consuming a moderate level of wine each night because it alludes to the fact that not only does this practice include physical benefits, but it has mental ones as well. The human body is connected, and people can truly achieve a synthesis of healthy effects when both their minds and their bodies are properly functioning. The duration of this paper has demonstrated the positive physical effects of consuming wine in moderation. However, that should not negate the fact that it also produces a curative effect on one’s mental capacity, particularly as people age.

In summary, there are a host of beneficial attributes with consuming a moderate amount of wine on a daily basis. Doing so can readily lessen the incidence of chronic diseases such as heart conditions, cancer, and liver disease. There are a number of intrinsic properties within wine that produce these effects, including anti-oxidants, and resveratrol. Additionally, drinking wine can help to counteract some of the negative characteristics of aging, and reduce the rate of brain decline. Additionally, it is important to realize that there are other implicit benefits of this practice, which include its propensity to relax people. There are also certain social effects that it renders, as people can interact with others and meet new people as they consume wine. The only drawback regarding this practice is that it may lead to a tendency to over-consume. However, by strictly limiting one’s intake to the prescribed number of drinks (no more than two), this tendency will not manifest itself. 

Works Cited

Gamonski, W. “What Are the Benefits of Drinking Red Wine Daily?”. www.livestrong.com 2010. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/253214-what-are-the-benefits-of-drinking-red-wine-daily/

Giordano, R. “Wine: The Health Benefits ff Drinking Red Wine”. The Diet Channel. 2006. Retrieved from http://www.thedietchannel.com/Wine-and-Health.htm

“Red Wine and Health.” www.tree.com n.d. Retrieved from http://www.tree.com/health/red-wine.aspx

 “The Health Benefits of Drinking Red Wine.” www.foxnews.com 2012. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/27/health-benefits-drinking-red-wine/

Wright, C.B., Elkind, M., Luo, X., Paik, M., Sacco, R. L. “Reported Alcohol Consumption and Cognitive Decline: the Northern Manhattan Study”. Neuroepidemiology. 2006.  27 (4): 201-207. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1756459/