7 Ways to Live a Happier Life with Wine

By Jessica S.

Almost all your favorite foods are up on the chopping block from the health experts nowadays. You can’t have bacon because that damages your bowel lining; you can’t have gluten as that’ll make you sickly for your whole life. But what about that glass of wine you have every night? Do you need to give that up now too?

The good news is there is no need to give up on wine just yet if you stick to a glass a day. Intensive studies over the years have shown that wine can be a kind of elixir that has a host of unique benefits. You don’t need to completely give up on wine to have a happy and healthy life.

So, before you uncork that bottle of fine wine tonight, read on to know how wine can help you live a happier life.

1. Wine Can Help You Lose Weight

The presence of ellagic acid in wines reduces weight by bringing conditions like fatty liver under control. If you are suffering from a fatty liver that prevents sustained weight loss, drinking a glass of wine of red wine might be the thing you need. However, there is a small catch here.

Ellagic acid isn’t chemically present in a majority of wine. It transfers into the wine from the ellagitannin present in oak barrels. Prolonged exposure to such oak barrels makes more of that acid dissolve in the wine. So, it would help if you had a glass of oak-aged wine to keep those extra kilos away.

2. Feel Happier with a Glass of Wine

Wine helps stimulate the release of several important neurotransmitters like opioid peptides, dopamine, and serotonin. These natural chemicals found in the brain are associated with the production of pleasurable feelings of well-being, reward, and euphoria. This fact is also the point where you need to understand the significance of moderate drinking.

If you have wine in moderation, you’ll get this happy feeling each time you have a drink. But if you overindulge or have wine while you’re on specific meds, it might deplete your serotonin and dopamine levels and cause feelings of depression. So, the key to living a happier life with wine is to have it in moderation every day.

3. Wine Helps with Your Cognitive Abilities

It is noted that people who have a healthy amount of red wine every day can delay or prevent cognitive decline that comes with age. Studies have tested older adults and women on their ability to remember, learn, and pay attention to showcase that light drinking might help protect brain functions. It has been noticed in multiple studies that light drinkers perform better than complete abstainers in terms of both attention and learning.

The flavanols present in wine might protect the body cells that offer support to the blood vessels. The physiological benefit is an improved blood flow to the brain to prevent memory or cognitive function decline.

4. Wine Can Protect Your Heart from Diseases

Red wine also comes with heart health-boosting qualities. Recent studies suggest that having red wine is closely linked with a reduced risk of getting heart disorders. However, don’t take this to mean that you can only have a glass of red wine before bed at night and keep your heart healthy.

Other factors like dietary habits, regular exercising, and prescribed medication also play a crucial role in keeping heart diseases at bay. For instance, if you have a glass of wine every night, you should also include a balanced diet with fruits and veggies to protect your overall health on a long-term basis.

5. Combating Inflammation with Wine

Wine has abundant polyphenols like tannins (ellagitannins and proanthocyanidins), catechins, anthocyanins, and resveratrol. The phenolic content in wine makes it contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Also, wine’s consumption helps reduce oxidative stress and decrease insulin resistance. The result is a happy and healthy life without inflammation of the joints or other such instances that can cause pain.

It’s important to mention that resveratrol is also present in foods like chocolate, peanuts, berries, and grapes. Add these foods to your diet and get rid of the inflammation that has been bothering you.

6. Wine Can Help You Live Longer

The relaxing and mood uplifting benefits of wine can help in promoting longevity. Long-term studies have shown a link between moderate drinking of wine and a longer lifespan. The presence of resveratrol in wine and its multiple benefits are known already. You can strengthen the effect of resveratrol with the right diet that remains packed with nutrient-rich food having minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber.

Furthermore, you can have that glass of wine after your dinner or lunch, but make sure that the meal has a healthy balance of carbs, proteins, and fiber. You might even talk to a medical professional to understand what constructs a balanced diet for you. A balanced diet varies according to your health condition, age, and other factors.

7. Get a Younger Looking Skin with Wine

High amounts of antioxidants present in wine make it work like a charm in getting you healthy and younger-looking skin. It stimulates blood circulation that can prevent skin aging and wrinkle formation. There is also a widespread practice of applying wine directly to the skin to prevent acne-causing bacteria’s growth and preserve the natural balance. Antioxidants help in keeping the skin glowing and bright, increasing skin elasticity, and rejuvenating the skin.

But all the benefits get reversed when the hormonal flow loses its balance because of excess drinking. The skin turns dehydrated and acne attacks become a regular thing.

Summing Up

Wine provides a better mood, healthy weight, glowing skin, improved brain and heart functions, and helps you live longer. It all sums up to paint the picture of a happier and more satisfying life. What more can you crave? As a result, you do not have to feel guilty about pouring yourself a glass of wine today as long as you can maintain moderation.