The news about drinking is often confusing, if not outright
contradictory. But new research is slowly yielding answers that
can help women make the healthiest decisions for themselves. 1.
You keep hearing alcohol is good for your heart. True? More than
100 studies suggest that light to moderate drinkers have a lower
risk of heart disease. And it's not just men: Women benefit,
too, says JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., of Harvard Medical School. Yet,
despite all this research, experts still aren't 100 percent sure
if it's the alcohol or other factors that makes moderate
drinkers heart-healthier. And given the problems excess alcohol
can lead to, no one prescribes taking up drinking as a way to
protect your heart. 2. What about breast cancer? The links
between drinking and increased risk may not be as clear-cut as
many scientists have thought. For example, in a recent study of
over 80,000 postmenopausal women nationwide, researchers at the
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that
alcohol did not incre