Humans having been drinking red wine for centuries.
A popular drink from the Romans to the royals, from the great Dukes to the masters of industry today, popping a bottle is a popular way to celebrate and inebriate.
It could also be a useful way to, not so much as to inoculate, but to protect yourself from viruses and all pandemic-based bugs between.
New data from the UK shows that those who drink red or white wine could have a lower risk of catching Covid.
The study, conducted by data stored in the British database UK Biobank, has found that drinking red wine statistically reduces the likelihood of being infected with COVID-19.
Results showed that people who drank five or more glasses of red wine a week were 17 percent less likely to become infected, due in part to the drink’s polyphenol content.
Red wine isn’t alone in its supposedly protective benefits, white wine and Champagne appeared to confirm some form of protection as well.
People who drank those beverages were eight percent less likely to develop COVID-19.
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The same couldn’t be said for other drinks.
Enjoy a pint of beer or cider? If the answer to this is yes, then there’s a slight problem.
The same study – that found red wine, white wine and Champagne reduces a person’s risk of developing Covid – also found that beer and cider had the opposite effect.
Consumers of these two drinks were 28 percent more likely to develop COVID-19.
DON’T MISS
At this point it’s important to say that just because this result says wine can reduce your risk, it doesn’t mean you should start binge drinking.
It also doesn’t mean people should stop drinking beer or cider if they currently do either.
Neither does it mean people should be drinking instead of getting the vaccine, people should still get the vaccine.
What it does do is provide an insight into the effect of consuming polyphenols on the body’s immune system.
The NHS says that these illnesses can occur if a person drinks more than 14 units a week over 10 to 20 years.
Furthermore, evidence also suggests that consuming large amounts of alcohol over a long period of time can worsen mental health conditions.
Tips from the NHS on cutting down include:
• Setting a budget
• Making a plan
• Letting your friends and family know you’re cutting down
• Taking it a day at a time
• Drinking from smaller glasses
• Drinking lower strength alcohol
• Staying hydrated
• Having several drink-free days each week.