What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient healing technique that is considered an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM. Acupuncture requires the placement of specially designed needles in prescribed points along the body, called meridians. In order to stimulate the healing process, these needles are situated in ways that correspond to the sources of physical or emotional pain for which you are seeking treatment.

Acupuncture Needles

Realistically, the “placement of needles” does not sound very comforting off the bat. However these needles, only tenths of millimeters in width and height, are positioned delicately so as not to cause pain. Additionally, these needles are shaped in such a way as to allow for easy insertion into the skin without causing discomfort or distress.  

Painful Conditions Treated Successfully With Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an incredibly versatile and effective treatment that possesses the ability to heal in subtle, yet powerful ways. Acupuncture has been shown to successfully treat conditions such as arthritis, migraines, menstrual cramps, cancer pain, and high blood pressure, just to name a few. However, what remains yet more remarkable is acupuncture’s ability to treat not only physical pain, but spiritual and existential pain as well. With meridians that correlate to emotional states such as grief, guilt, depression, and anger, acupuncture proves its comprehensive efficacy by focusing on holistic, mind-body connections.

Acupuncture, Individualized Care, and The Power of Touch

It is not uncommon for patients considering acupuncture to question whether or not it will hurt. And while some have visions of sharp objects being stabbed into them as part of the course of care, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Acupuncturists must be licensed, certified and have demonstrable knowledge of how to accurately perform acupuncture. Needles are inserted delicately, thoughtfully, and generally speaking, cannot be felt at all. Some individuals experience an electrical sensation or tingling at the site of insertion. These feelings are not the result of the needle itself however. Rather, they are connected to your chi, and the process through which your pain, and the blockages that caused it, have begun to heal.

Needles are placed less than one inch into the skin and as such, should not be felt once inserted or thereafter. That said, it is important to note that each individual requires different intensities of care depending on what ails them. In addition, the healing power of touch provided by trained professionals who understand how the mind, body, and soul work together, is part and parcel of your care, no matter why it is sought.

Is Acupuncture Right for You?

Not every treatment is right for every person, so it is important when seeking acupuncture in Miami, to consult with an acupuncturist who can answer your questions and validate your concerns. While acupuncture is painless most of the time, needles placed in the wrists, toes, fingers, and ankles can cause mild discomfort, as each contains nerves, ligaments, and tendons close to the surface of the skin. Individuals who are needle- phobic may also not be suitable candidates for this treatment.

Whether you pursue acupuncture or not, know that your treatment should be designed professionally, clinically, and  tailored in a way that is right for you.

Getting ready for prom isn't just about finding the right dress or date that won't bore you to sleep - it's also about feeling your best on your big day! Although there is no need to feel pressure to lose weight for prom, sometimes we can find ourselves in situations where it is necessary.

You might have bought a dress months ago that no longer fits and, if you don't have the time or extra money to have the dress altered, losing a few pounds could be the next logical option. If you're looking for some simple ways to tackle a few pounds, we've got you covered!

Increase Incidental Activity

If you're not into sweating away at the gym for a set amount of time, incidental exercise might just be the answer you've been looking for! In basic terms, it means increasing your activity in small amounts in a way that adds up throughout the day.

Some of the ways you can achieve this are: getting off the bus a couple of stops earlier and walking the rest of the way, taking stairs instead of lifts, or parking away from the entrance, so you need to walk further.

You can use an app or device to track how much you move during the day - it is recommended you walk ten thousand steps at a bare minimum each day. When it comes to prom dresses 2019 will see a lot of popularity for contoured styles, so every bit of exercise helps!

Do Not Starve Yourself!

One of the worst things you can do is drastically reduce your intake to the point your metabolism slows. It only gives short-term losses - which you tend to gain back very quickly - and in the meantime, you will suffer from bad breath, headaches, and dull skin.

Instead of doing this, try replacing snacks with healthier options, for example, when you are craving sugar try an apple with a small amount of peanut butter instead of candy. You can also reduce your carbohydrate portions and increase vegetables and greens in your meals. You will still feel full and get the nutrients you need, and fit in your dream prom dress in no time!

Hydration Is Key

We all know drinking water is essential, but it is absolutely critical when it comes to losing a few pounds. It's not just because it flushes out toxins and helps our organs function properly - it's also about what we don't tend to eat and drink if we are properly hydrated.

If you have been keeping up with your water intake throughout the day, you will tend to avoid drinking sugary sodas, as you don't really crave them! As proper hydration is also critical to help regulate blood sugar levels, it helps reduce cravings for sweets.

Oddly enough, drinking lots of water helps with a flattening your belly area. If you are thinking of styles like mermaid prom dresses, a flat tummy is the key to creating the right silhouette for this look!

Fresh, clean water is the most important thing we can put into our bodies. But how much is enough – and can you drink too much water? Most people believe the “8 glass a day” rule, but for some, this may be too little. How much do you really need to drink each day?

The 8-Glasses-a-Day Myth

Most people have heard that you should drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water each day. Those in the health and fitness community insist that you need a gallon of water every day to stay healthy.

The truth is that there is no right answer when it comes to how much water you need. Every person is different, and water intake needs largely depend on your lifestyle.

Your body may need more water because of:

• Your activity level, your health
• Where you live
• The medications you take
• You’re pregnant or breastfeeding

Your body may need less water because:

• You’re not active
• You consume water-rich fruits and vegetables
• You drink plenty of other hydrating beverages, such as milk and juice

Of course, the key most important thing to note is that the body needs clean and healthy drinking water. If your tap water has a foul odor or your plumbing isn’t working properly, you may need to stick to bottled water until you can have a plumber come in and fix the issue.

Higher Activity Level Equals a Higher Water Intake

Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, but increased activity levels also mean a higher water intake. An intense workout will make you sweat and burn more calories, but that sweat also reduces the fluid levels in your body. You also lose fluids through your breath.

If a 300-pound athlete loses 3% of his body weight during a game, that means he sweat out 1.08 gallons of fluid. To rehydrate, he’ll need to drink 17, 8-oz. glasses of water.

In other words, the more active you are, the more water you’ll need. You may not be a professional athlete, but even a vigorous 60-minute workout may require you to drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water to rehydrate.

The Effects of Dehydration

Dehydration can creep up on you. If you feel thirsty, your body is already mildly dehydrated. Severe dehydration can lead to seizures, blood clots and even death.

When your fluid levels start running low, it can affect every part of the body. If you’re losing water and not replacing it, your heart rate may increase to maintain appropriate blood pressure. Your kidneys will start retaining water, which is why dehydration decreases urination.

But less water in your system can also make it more difficult for your body to regulate temperature, which can lead to hyperthermia.

Dehydration can affect your memory, your mood and even your coordination. And if you’re an athlete, lack of water can certainly affect your performance.

One study on college football players found that 98% of players were dehydrated at the start of their morning evaluation. A loss of 2% of body weight in fluid can hinder performance by up to 25%.

Every parent will agree that encouraging their kids to eat healthy is a huge challenge. When you work at least eight hours every day, food prep becomes the least of your worries and you fall into the trap of buying take out or feeding your kids fast meals that are oftentimes unhealthy. This leads to eating habits that are detrimental to their health. Unfortunately, parents cannot slack off in this area. Junk food and meals from fast food restaurants are primary causes of obesity, and we are all too familiar with what happens when a child remains overweight until adulthood.

In recent years, there has been much emphasis on living healthy and eating healthy. There are dietary preferences like eating vegan and vegetarian food that are quickly catching on in most parts of the country. In addition to this, the “celebrity chef” culture is rekindling interest in home cooked meals that are not only delicious, but are nutritious as well.

For busy parents who barely have time to go grocery shopping and prepare wholesome meals for their families, is there a convenient way to cook meals and encourage kids to eat healthy? Yes, and that is through meal delivery kits. Since there are too many out there to choose from, how do you find the best meal delivery kit that are also kid-friendly?

Focus on individual needs

Not all meal-delivery kits are made alike. Fortunately, a lot of them out there cater to families looking for healthier dining options. But if you want your kids to eat what you prepare, you have to know what they like. Choose meal delivery kits with kid-friendly menus that are still healthy. Ease up on vegetable-heavy dishes at first and slowly orient your children to new flavors as they begin to get acquainted with new and exciting dishes.

Work around your budget

Feeding a family does not come cheap. Although meal-delivery kits aren’t exactly the most budget friendly option, you can always find a service which offers great meal choices at affordable prices. Of course, buy only what you need and don’t get too excited about new ingredients that your children may not like.

Compare delivery times and options

The main reason why you want to buy meal delivery kits is for increased efficiency and convenience. As much as possible, read reviews and feedback about each meal delivery service especially when it comes to delivery promptness. One of the pitfalls of parents is feeding their children snacks while waiting for them to finish cooking. You would want to avoid the same problem by making sure that when you order a meal delivery kit, it comes on time every time.

In conclusion, encouraging kids to eat healthy food will always be a challenge. In the meantime, meal delivery kits are a great solution especially if your main concern is trying to find time to buy fresh and wholesome food to prepare nutritious meals for them. A lot of parents are trying meal kits now, it’s time you do to.

Image: Pixabay.com

Getting a job is exciting, but it isn't so exciting when you need to show your Social Security card and you can't find it anywhere. If you have lost or misplaced your Social Security card, you will need to apply for a new one so you can get your job. Thankfully, getting a new copy of your Social Security card is easy and it is also free.

Replacing a social security card once you have applied, takes about 14 business days for it so you need to take this into account when you are getting your card. You want to apply for the card as early as possible so you don't have to wait too long for it. It is important that you have the right documents before you apply for your card.

The best way to get your Social Security card is to apply for it online. You are going to need documents that prove your identity before you get your card. You will need your birth certificate to prove your identity and age. You are also going to need your driver's license or ID card to prove your residence. These documents are required and you won't be able to get your ID card without them. You can also use your passport to prove your identity. All of the documents have to be valid or you won't be able to use them.

When you are getting a copy of your Social Security card you can only get it online if none of the information on your card has changed. If you got married or changed your name you are going to have to go to the Social Security office to get your card. Going to the Social Security office can be quite an adventure because the office is usually very crowded and you have to take a number and wait your turn. If you go at the wrong time you could end up spending hours at the office.

You can also apply for your copy through the mail. You can print out an application and fill it out and send copies of the documents through the mail. The fastest way is to just go online and get your card. You have to be patient because you can't get a copy on the spot, even if you go to the office in person. You can only get it through the mail and it takes up to 14 business days to get it.

If you haven't received your copy of your Social Security card after a month you might want to report it as missing to the Social Security Administration. If your card got intercepted through the mail you could end up having your identity stolen. Stolen Social Security numbers are in demand because they make it easy for criminals to open accounts in your name.

Sometimes you don't even know that this has happened until it is too late and your credit score is ruined. Once your credit score is ruined it is going to be hard to get loans or buy a car or a house. It doesn't matter to the lenders that you were a victim of identity theft. They just want their money and your name is on the loan.

You will have to get the police involved and prove you are innocent which is going to take time. In the meantime, your credit is going to be ruined and you are going to have to live with a low credit score. If you think your card has been stolen you are going to want to take some precautions so you don't end up being a victim.

The best thing to do is to freeze your credit report so no one can open an account in your name. Freezing your credit is free and it is effective. If anyone tries to open an account you are going to know about it right away and you can stop it from happening. You are going to enjoy not having to worry about your credit being attacked and you can freeze your report as long as you need to. Keep in mind that freezing your report is also going to stop you from applying for credit as well.

Identity theft is on the rise and you have to be prepared to protect yourself. You never know what is going to happen and you have to be ready for anything. Social Security numbers command high prices on the black market and you don't want to find yourself becoming a victim. Identity theft takes a long time to get straightened out and when you are a victim you are going to have a low credit score and you will have to live with a lot of calls and hassles from angry creditors.

When you get your copy of your Social Security card you are going to want to keep it somewhere safe so you don't have to worry about losing it. Keep it in a lockbox or drawer and if you need to leave your home quickly because of a fire or other emergency make sure you take your documents with you.

Your Social Security card is very important and you need to make sure that you don't lose it. If you lose your Social Security make sure that you get another copy right away. You can get ten copies of your Social Security card over your lifetime so make sure that you always have it close at hand. You need your card to apply for jobs and to claim benefits and many other things. Your card is a very important part of your life and you need your card to prove you are a citizen. If you lose your Social Security try to get it online first and only go to the office if you need to. Your card is going to help you in a variety of ways, so do not lose it.

Sewage is being tested by scientists, and it’s a great source of information considering 30 billion gallons of wastewater are treated in United States treatment plants every day. The wastewater, which is filled with human waste and often soaps, contains information about the health of residents in the area.

The waste that humans produce contains all of the hormones, germs and substances that people are putting in their body or encounter.

All of this information ends up in a sewer.

Everything flows into the wastewater treatment plants, and scientists are beginning to study this waste to learn more about human behavior. Often called an “undiscovered information superhighway,” sewer analysis includes:

• Analyzing urine
• Analyzing stool

And all of this analysis is done for medical purposes. Scientists don’t need to work with a licensed plumber to gather all of this information.

Why Wastewater is Advantageous

Wastewater is a great source of information because it captures “something” in every person’s body. If you’re taking a certain medication, traces of the medication will end up in the wastewater. There’s also the benefit of the wastewater being anonymous.

Everyone is using a sewer system, or at least the majority of people are.

When testing wastewater, there’s less “red tape,” and scientists are able to gather data quickly. There's no long wait period involved, and it will allow for an entire population of information in a city.

If scientists wanted to test the wastewater in New York City, they would be able to sample millions of people’s waste in a 24-hour period. This is much faster than what would be possible with a normal survey.

Tests have already shown that an ingredient in antibacterial soaps will not breakdown in the treatment plants, so it ends up leaving muck behind. It's this muck that will cause a harmful impact on the environment and humans.

People that are exposed to these ingredients will have them collect in the body and turn it into body fat.

What else is interesting is that this same ingredient, triclocarban, has been found in lakes and may also disrupt the body’s hormonal activity.

Wastewater can also be tested to determine what a city prefers for narcotics, finding out how to better combat drug addiction in a city. Antibiotics and other medication may also be found in the wastewater, and this allows scientists to determine abnormal occurrences of some diseases and illnesses in the area.

Virus invasions can also be tested and followed because wastewater will be able to pinpoint the spread of the virus.

Germ spreading can be examined, too. This will allow scientists to determine what germs, and where they come from, are becoming resistant to antibiotics. When analyzed, waste will allow scientists to determine the overall health of a community.

Scientists in Boston also used wastewater as a way to determine, on average, how many cigarettes are consumed in an average day in the city.

All of the information in human waste is able to be analyzed and used to determine the general health of a community.

Drain clogs can be a nuisance, but they’re usually easy to fix. Plumbing snakes and augers can remove tougher clogs, but what if this more aggressive measure doesn’t work? Hydro jetting may be the most effective way to clear the clog and keep your pipes clean.

In fact, hydro jetting is considered one of the most effective ways to clear pipe blockages. From tree roots to the most stubborn blockages, hydro jetting will leave your pipes squeaky clean (or close to it).

This drain-cleaning method uses a blast of high-pressure water to remove the clog and clear away residue and debris along the walls of the pipes. The water is delivered through a hose snaked down the drain. According to Mr. Rooter, the water is propelled forward at a rate of up to 3,500 psi.

But why choose this clog-removal method over other, less-expensive methods?

1. Complete Clog Removal

The primary benefit to choosing hydro jetting is that it offers complete clog removal. The powerful jet of water breaks up and dissolves the blockage in the pipe or drain.

Plumbing augers and snakes only poke holes in the blockage and send it down the drain. This method leaves behind residue, grease and debris along the walls of the pipe that can lead to another clog in the future.

2. Future Clog Prevention

Hydro jetting can also be viewed as a preventative measure for your septic and plumbing systems. Removing the entire clog will help prevent future clogs, as this method also removes debris and build-up.

3. Safer and More Eco-Friendly Method

Most people turn to chemical drain cleaners when they have a serious clog. But pouring these chemicals down the drain can eventually damage your plumbing and may even have adverse health effects. Chemical drain cleaners are toxic to humans and pets.

Hydro jetting, on the other hand, uses pure water. There are no chemicals involved with this procedure.

4. A Thorough Cleaning

Hydro jetting does more than just clear clogs; it completely cleans your drains. It removes the clog itself as well as any build-up and debris along the walls of the pipes.

Over time, the accumulation of soap, detergents, grease, fats, silts, minerals, dirt and other components create a sludge inside of the pipe.

Hydro jetting cleans the entire pipe, clearing sludge and even removing tree roots. This method can be performed on the drains in your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and even floor drains.

5. Eliminate Bacteria

The powerful stream of water not only eliminates build-up and debris; it also helps remove bacteria from your pipes. Bacteria can settle in the drains in your kitchen or bathroom.

If your drains are emitting a foul smell, hydro jetting can help resolve the issue, leaving your pipes clean and fresh.

If you’re experiencing frequent drain clogs and your plumbing system is dated, hydro jetting may be a good option for you. This clog-clearing method may not be safe to use on all types of piping, but it’s a method that’s highly effective at completely removing debris, build-up and sludge from your pipes.

It’s easy to assume that Vitaminwater is a healthy drink. After all, the product has the words “vitamin” and “water” in it. But when you examine the ingredient label and nutrition facts, you’ll quickly realize that this beverage has no place in a healthy diet.

Here are five reasons to stop drinking Vitaminwater right now.

1. Vitaminwater is Basically Sugar Water

Vitaminwater is basically just sugar water. A 20-ounce bottle contains 120 calories and 32 grams of sugar (about half of what you’ll find in a bottle of soda).

In the U.S., Vitaminwater is sweetened with cane sugar and crystalline fructose, which is almost pure fructose. A bottle of this drink may contain about the same amount of fructose as a regular bottle of Coca-Cola.

Studies have found that fructose is the harmful component of added sugar – not glucose.

If your goal is to stay healthy, you’re better off just drinking the water from your kitchen faucet.

2. Sugary Beverages Increase Your Risk of Disease

Health experts agree that added sugar plays a role in the development of obesity and chronic disease.

Added sugars should account for no more than 10% of your total calories. If you eat 2,500 calories per day, that’s about 62 grams of sugar max. One bottle of Vitaminwater contains 32 grams of added sugar, which is about 50% of the total recommended limit.

Added sugar has been linked to cancer, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.

3. Sugary Drinks Can Lead to Weight Gain

When it comes to health, what you drink is just as important as what you eat. If you’re consuming large amounts of sugary drinks, your body will store that excess sugar as fat.

Over time, drinking sugary beverages can lead to weight gain and obesity. Studies have shown that there’s a 60% increased risk of obesity in children for each daily serving.

4. Vitaminwater Contains Trace Vitamins You Already Have Enough Of

Despite its name, Vitaminwater only contains a small amount of vitamins – and they’re vitamins that you’re probably getting enough of already.

All types of Vitaminwater contain vitamin C (up to 150% the RDA) and B-vitamins (up to 120% of the RDA). Some variations also contain smaller amounts of vitamins A and E as well as magnesium, potassium, zinc, manganese and chromium.

Most people get more than enough vitamin C and B. And because these vitamins are water-soluble, they provide no benefit. Excess amounts are just washed out of the body in your urine.

Even if you are lacking some of the vitamins and minerals in this drink, it’s better to take a supplement or eat whole foods instead of drinking a harmful sugary beverage.

5. Excess Nutrients Can Sometimes be Harmful

Vitamins and minerals are essential to your health, but too much of these nutrients can lead to health issues. Supplementing with antioxidants and vitamins has not necessarily been linked with health benefits.

In fact, supplementing of vitamins A and E has been linked to premature death in some studies.

Vitaminwater does not contain excess amounts of these nutrients, but it does contain a considerable amount. When added to the nutrients you’re getting from your food, it’s easy to overdo it.

Americans love their long weekends. Depending on the job, most people can count on at least four long weekends each year -- three glorious days away from work to celebrate, feast, and travel. Whether going to the beach for long swims, a lake for good fishing, the mountains for excellent hiking, or just on over to the relatives for a backyard barbeque or indoor buffet, the time spent away from everyday stress and strain can be glorious. If plans are made ahead of time. A three day weekend is no time to start improvising. Here’s some tips to make the next three day weekend an outstanding one:

It’s not for chores!

People who use their three day weekends to get caught up on housework, yard work, and paperwork are missing the whole idea. Everybody puts off onerous chores until later, but to use up 72 hours waxing the floor or painting the garage when there’s a party to host or a movie to go to is downright Un American! The lawn can wait three more days.

Make a wish list ahead of time

Before the three day weekend arrives, sit down with pencil and paper and draw up a dream itinerary of places to go and things to do. Be as wild and extravagant as possible. Of course, most of the list is going to be impossible to achieve -- but people surprise themselves when they write down their dreams and then find they actually have the time and means to achieve at least part of one.

Off the grid or not?

When some people are off, they are OFF. They turn off and tune out, shunning social media and cell phones, etc. But this is too much for others; they start to panic if they remain unplugged for too long. A careful self-assessment before the long weekend begins will allow a person to decide just how unplugged they want to be while on vacation. At the very least, set a social media curfew each night and stick to it. There’s nothing important on the internet after 9 p.m.

Be aware of limitations

How much sun to get; how much skiing to do; how much to drink and eat -- these considerations change with age. An eighteen year old can party hearty and stay up all night and hardly feel a thing the next day. But at 30, or 40, or 50 -- it’s a different story. The long weekend is for play, that’s for sure; but who wants to spend any of their vacation time in bed with terminal sunburn or muscle spasms?

Don’t go nuts with the credit card

A three day weekend is a time to relax and enjoy things -- but it’s not the time to rack up a preposterous amount of credit card debt with unwise purchases and spur of the moment prodigality. This is especially true when drinking is involved. It’s not only wise to not drink and drive; it’s even wiser to not drink and shop. Make out a holiday budget before the long weekend starts, and stick to it no matter what. Afterwards, the memories of that long weekend should be much more pleasant without reminders from bill collectors.

Most of us enjoy a glass of wine on occasion, and for some of us, wine is worth building a lifestyle around. But just how “good for us” is wine? And how much should we be drinking?

Collectively, we drink close to a billion gallons of wine each year, with 2.94 gallons consumed per resident per year. We drink it when celebrating special occasions, when enjoying a quiet night in, and we even send wine as a gift when we want to show our love or appreciation.

But despite our love affair with the tastes and aromas that wine offers, the evidence for its objective benefits is mixed—at best. Depending on which headline you read, you might consider wine to be a powerful health elixir (when consumed in moderation), or a dangerous indulgence.

So where does the truth lie?

The Health Benefits of Alcohol

There is some truth to the idea that moderate wine consumption can be beneficial. According to a study from the American College of Cardiology, mild to moderate drinking of any kind of alcohol can decrease your risk of stroke and your risk of heart disease. It’s also correlated with a lower risk of all causes of death. This effect was linked to wine, beer, and liquor—so wine isn’t inherently special in this regard. Some studies have suggested that red wine drinkers have lower levels of cholesterol, but this isn’t especially conclusive; the effects here could be linked to other dietary choices.

There have also been some studies that suggest that resveratrol, an antioxidant found in wine, could have a powerfully positive effect in the body. Antioxidants work by eliminating free radicals, which could otherwise damage your cells and lead to complicated conditions, like cancer. However, according to a report by USC, the levels of resveratrol in wine are so low that you’d have to drink an excessive amount of wine—cancelling out any benefits you’d get from those antioxidants.

The Downsides of Alcohol

Reading that, you might think that wine is inherently good for you, but this isn’t the case either. One recent study found that reducing your alcohol intake—even if you’re only a light or moderate drinker—has the power to improve your heart health, reduce your blood pressure, and decrease your BMI.

Alcohol tends to be high in calories, at 7 calories per gram, making it nearly as calorie-dense as fat. Even one or two alcoholic beverages can increase the total number of calories you consume per day, which will inevitably result in weight gain, and the host of health problems associated with obesity.

Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to several types of cancer, and of course, alcohol has the power to impair your senses, reaction time, and judgment, which can put you at increased risk of injury or death if you consume it before an activity like driving or operating machinery.

The Dangers of Underestimation

Comparing the benefits and downsides of alcohol, it’s arguable that light levels of wine consumption are either beneficial or aren’t linked to significant health risks. But there’s another danger to consider here; on average, we tend to seriously underestimate the amount of alcohol we drink. We either aren’t good at determining what a true serving of alcohol is, or we lie to ourselves about how much we’re consuming.

The average moderate drinker might consider themselves a light drinker, and the average heavy drinker might consider themselves a moderate drinker. In other words, you may be putting yourself at risk for the negative health consequences of excessive alcohol consumption without even realizing it.

Why Is It So Confusing?

There are dozens, if not hundreds of studies on the effects of wine on the body, so why does it seem like every other study casts wine in a different light?

The basic answer is because nutrition is complicated. Wine comes in many different varieties and contains many different substances. It’s almost impossible to isolate those individual variables in a way that forms a composite picture of how wine works in the body. It’s also hard to separate the role wine plays as just one element in a person’s diet; few studies are able to control for all the other nutritional and biological factors that could be influencing a wine consumer’s health.

Wine is like every other food and drink on the planet. It isn’t inherently “good” for you and it isn’t inherently “bad” for you. Excessive consumption comes with risks, and there may be some benefits to a reasonable level of consumption.

Use that information when planning when to drink and how much to drink; the key, like with most matters of health, is to keep things in balance.