Limit Your Intake of Alcohol

Limit Your Intake of Alcohol

Let’s hope it’s obvious why it’s best, for men and women alike, not to drink too much alcohol. But here are a few reasons why women over 50, in particular, should limit their intake of alcoholic beverages:

-          Alcohol provides empty calories, and most menopausal women can’t afford to consume too many empty calories. They need to get their calories from foods that contribute vital nutrients.

-          Alcohol reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium via the intestine. It may also interfere with the bone protecting benefits of estrogen.

-          The body considers alcohol as a toxic substance. It trys to metabolize or excrete it as quickly as possible thus it’s not a good source of energy. When consumed in excess of our immediate energy needs, alcohol calories are likely to be converted to fat for storage.

To some extent, how much you decide to drink is a personal matter. What’s excessive for one person may be quite different for another. So far, no one has gone out on a limb to claim how much alcohol, exactly, is too much for normal person.