Drinking Alcohol Prevents Heart Attacks

New Study: Alcohol Prevents Heart Attacks
By Al Sears, MD

Most doctors warn their patients that heavy drinking will raise their blood pressure. This is good advice. But a new study shows that a few glasses of wine a day raises your HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

A team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health wanted to see if men with high blood pressure – who are generally advised not to drink – might safely enjoy a little wine, beer, or liquor. They looked at data from over 11,000 health professionals who were taking part in a 15-year survey. The men who had one or two drinks a day actually had lower rates of fatal and nonfatal heart attacks. The researchers also found that more than two drinks a day increased the risk of heart disease – findings that agree with those of other studies.

Of course, you can lower your risk of heart attack even if drinking isn’t for you. One reliable supplement you can take is cod liver oil, which ramps up your HDL and lowers triglycerides (blood fat). I recommend that my patients take at least 5 grams a day.

You can also improve your cholesterol by raising HDL and lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) with an interval exercise routine, like my PACE program. Interval exercise also expands your heart’s reserve capacity, giving it the power to pump more blood faster during times of stress.

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