Title: 
Drink To Your Heart's (and Lung's) Content

Word Count:
503

Summary:
People are becoming more and more aware of the benefits drinking red wine has 				for the heart. Apparently, alcohol also has a few positive side effects for the lungs, as recently concluded research and analysis has shown. Interestingly, the effects do not seem diminished by smoking.


Keywords:
side effects, heartburn, treatment, second-hand smoke


Article Body:
Some people are aware that a glass or two of red wine per day can help keep the heart healthy. Among the many positive side effects of red wine is its ability to promote a good heart condition, provided that a person doesn't consume too much of it. This has been scientifically verified and is often said to be a good way to avoid heartburn, even though that may not be entirely accurate. As if people needed even more reason to indulge in a good glass of Merlrot, recent research shows that red wine is also good for the respiratory system. Interestingly, the positive impact of red wine consumption has been recorded even among people who engage in smoking.

According to the study, two glasses or less of any alcoholic substance, including wine or beer, actually helped clear up airways in the body. They also had an appreciable effect in helping prevent conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. The research noted that while there were positive effects for increased daily amounts of alcohol, they were reduced in comparison to the data from the two-glass tests. At some point, the data also showed that the positive side effects actually ceased and more negative effects on the air passageways and lungs began to to appear. It is currently still unknown what exactly causes this effect to occur, but there are some that believe the alcohol somehow aids in breaking down substances that can potentially block the airways.

Another facet of the study involved statistical analysis. The test involves analyzing the statistics between people who were considered “light drinkers,” and the chances those same people would develop a pulmonary illness or would need respiratory treatment. Naturally, measures were taken to eliminate other possible factors, such as second-hand smoke exposure and genetics. The final data results from the research showed that “light drinkers” were less likely to develop any serious respiratory problems on their own, barring other factors. In this case, “light drinkers” were defined by the study as being the type that does not regularly engage in drinking, probably only doing so during social occasions. Moderate drinkers, defined by the study as having a more regular intake of alcohol, also showed a decreased risk in comparison to others. No data for heavy drinkers was released by the study.

However, there are some inconsistencies in the data that seem to indicate that nicotine and smoking play no part in the effects of alcohol on the lungs. Indeed, according to the data gathered from the survey, a good percentage of test subjects were long-time smokers, or had respiratory diseases in the past. Yet, when their survey data was compared with the research data, there was very little difference from those that were non-smokers. There is still much analysis to be done, but is is becoming apparent that the 20% reduction in the likelihood of developing a respiratory illness with light drinking was not affected by how much nicotine was being pumped into the lungs. At least, not directly, anyway.


