Despite benefits of alcohol in moderation, physicians are reluctant to recommend alcohol intake for health reasons. Prior to considering alcohol use daily or several times per week, discuss the risks and health benefits with your primary care physician. Research supports a benefit somewhere in the range between 1-4 alcohol drinks per day for men and 1-2 drinks per day for women. 1 drink is defined as 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, 5 ounces of wine or 1 can of beer. Alcohol taken for health reasons may reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, dementia associated with stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and may improve the cholesterol profile.
Eat Beta-carotene Containing Foods, but Not Beta-carotene Supplements
Consuming beta carotene correctly may be one of the ways to live longer and increase life expectancy. Intake of vegetables containing beta carotene was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality and with a lower risk for all causes of death, but no benefit was seen with taking beta-carotene supplements (9). Heavy smokers, ex-smokers or asbestos workers taking beta-carotene supplements were found to have a 28% increased risk of lung cancer in smokers (versus placebo) and a 17% more likely chance of dying (10). Eating a variety of 5 fruits and vegetables per day provides the individual with about 5.2 to 6 mg/day of food based beta-carotene. This allows plasma carotenoid levels to rise above a range represented in studies which were associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality compared to those with a lower food based carotenoid levels. Studies on beta-carotene suggest a lower risk of mortality stems from beta carotene intake from food sources but not beta-carotene supplements. The benefit may also come from other substances in the vegetable food source and not necessarily the beta carotene itself. Find beta carotene in foods.
Take Enough Vitamin D But Not Too Much
Investigators followed a total of 1,194 men over a median duration of 12.7 years for the link between blood levels of vitamin D and mortality. They looked at vitamin D levels and cardiovascular-related as well as all cause mortality. The risk of mortality was significantly increased at both low and high blood levels of vitamin D. In this study, the range with the lowest mortality was about a vitamin D concentration of 24 to 34 ng/ml (60 to 85 nMol/L), which approximately translates to an average vitamin D3 dose of 2000 IU daily. (13)