Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest killers in the UK, but your risks can be reduced
by getting regular exercise and following a varied and wholefood diet - which can include alcohol. Previous research has shown that people who drink a moderate amount of alcohol have a lower incidence of heart problems than those who abstain or drink a lot, and red wine has the maximum heart-helping benefits. That’s because a study, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, found that only red wine provided protection against oxidative stress on the circulatory system, whereas beer and vodka offered none. Other benefits include an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol, a decrease in platelet aggregation and an increase in insulin sensitivity, which have been attributed to the ethanol content in wine, according to the journal Nutrients.
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Move to the beat to get results with less effort
If you train in a gym then listening to your own music makes a lot of sense, and not only to drown out the filth blaring from the facility’s tinny speakers. You’ll know from experience that listening to your favourite tunes elevates your mood and can make time go faster, but it also makes hard training easier, according to research from Sheffield Hallam University. Subjects cycled on a stationary bike either in silence or with music, and those cycling in time to the beat required 7% less oxygen to do the same work as the sound-deprived cyclists. Do your better-body ambitions a favour by compiling a workout playlist, including plenty of high-tempo tracks for maximum motivation.