Blood Pressure & Wine: Will an extra glass of wine increase my blood pressure?
Here’s a question submitted by a reader of The Heart of Health.
Question: I have been following alot of your advise, thank you. I was back to a consistent blood pressure around 120/80. It seems to be creeping up a bit now. I think maybe a glass a wine more frequently in summer parties and gatherings is the only change. I typically only have wine on Friday and Saturday (2 glasses max). Could a few more evenings of a glass of wine make that much difference? I see stress as less in summer as I work much less.
Heart Health – The Link Between Wine and Omega 3's
A new study out of Europe is showing a link between wine consumption and increased omega 3 content in blood plasma. The study found that one glass of wine for women and two glasses per day for men leads to an increased use of the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish. It’s suggested that it’s not the alcohol responsible for this boost of omega 3’s, but other wine components (i.e. polyphenol antioxidants). The same increase in omega 3’s was not seen when beer or other spirits were consumed with fish.
So, if you enjoy a glass of wine combining your wine with a heart healthy fish based meal it looks like you’ll reap greater heart health rewards.
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Mediterranean Diet to Reduce Heart Disease
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Mediterranean Diet and it’s link to heart health. The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and monounsaturated fats (olive oil).
Those that follow a Mediterranean Diet have a reduced there risk of developing heart disease and dying from a heart attack. Even those that have survived a heart attack and lived to adopt the Mediterranean Diet significantly reduced their risk of a second heart attack and other complications.
In an interesting twist, the native Mediterranean population has gradually adopted a more Western diet leading to negative results. The Mediterranean area has seen an income rise that’s resulted in extra dollars being spent on meat and saturated fat food sources. Over the past 4 decades the average calorie intake in the Mediterranean countries has increased ~30%. So, the once healthy Mediterranean countries are now seeing the weight epidemics the US is familiar with – 75% of the population overweight or obese in Greece, with over half of the population in Italy, Spain, and Portugal following suit. These countries are now supporting the “Mediterranean Diet” as a part of their cultural heritage they can not let die.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the characteristics common to a Mediterranean Diet:
- High intake of fruits and vegetables
- Select whole grains
- Consume healthy fats (canola and olive oil)
- Eat nuts in moderation
- Low red wine consumption
- Limit eggs to less than 4 times per week
- Consume little red meat
- Eat fish regularly
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
eNutritionServices
