Avoid binge drinking and prefer wine with meals if you drink

If you drink alcohol, limit consumption to moderate levels (1 drink/day women, 1-2 drinks/day men) and drink with meals rather than in isolation. Red wine with food shows the most favorable cardiovascular profile. Avoid binge drinking of spirits entirely.

Why It Works

France and Spain practice wine-with-meals culture (moderate, regular, food-paired consumption) and have among the lowest CVD rates globally. In contrast, Eastern Europe's binge drinking of spirits shows a positive association with CVD mortality - meaning more drinking equals more heart disease deaths. The pattern matters more than the volume: regular moderate consumption with food vs. irregular heavy consumption without food produce opposite cardiovascular outcomes.

Tips

• The "French Paradox" partly reflects that moderate wine consumption with meals is associated with lower CVD
• Binge drinking activates inflammatory pathways and causes acute cardiac stress
• If you don't currently drink, the evidence does not support starting for heart health