Drinking & Women's Health

Is drinking alcohol good for a woman's health?

It depends.

Whether it's good for you to have a drink a day depends on what you're most at risk for, a heart attack or breast cancer.

New Research is showing that overall, one drink a day, which is considered moderate drinking for women, can mean being overall healthier once you reach 70. It seems to be particularly protective when it comes to keeping heart attack and stroke risks down.

But, other research has shown that even moderate drinking can increase a woman's risk for certain types of cancer, in particular breast and liver cancer.

So what does it all mean? Should you drink to be healthy or not drink to avoid cancer? Now we get back to the "it depends" part of all this. You need to look and see what you're at the greatest risk from, based on your personal and family history. If you're at a higher risk for these cancers and particularly breast cancer, drinking alcohol can be bad for you. If, on the other hand, you're at a bigger risk of having a heart attack or stroke, then one drink a day can help keep you healthy.

Your best bet is to talk this over with your doctor and see where you stand.