Note: This is a guest post by Winston Cole of Plan My Cruise Vacation

As we go into the holiday phase, I was looking at how we celebrate the holidays. We often throw parties have big feast with plenty of food and drinks. I love to have an occasional glass of wine especially when dining. This led me to look at recent studies about the positive effects of wine on a person’s health. For those who enjoy a glass or two of wine daily, the news is good. Dr. Joy Bauer, a contributor to the Today show on NBC TV, says that drinking wine in moderation is beneficial for a person’s health.

Dr. Bauer states that wine, as part of an individual’s overall diet, reduces the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers. Additionally, drinking wine in moderation can slow down the debilitating effects of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

The intake of moderate amounts of wine delivers cardiovascular benefits that raise your good cholesterol and thin out your blood. Wine contains resveratrol that prevents blood clotting and the formation of plaque in our arteries. It has also been shown in animal studies to reduce tumours in animals. Red wine contains larger amounts of resveratrol than white wine, and red wine from cool climates has the largest amounts of resveratrol. So, drink moderately and keep your heart healthy and strong.

What Constitutes “Moderate” Wine Consumption

There is some debate as to how much wine constitutes a moderate level of wine consumption. Dr. Bauer feels that levels of moderation are different between men and women. For men, a moderation level consists of no more than two 5 ounce glasses of red or white wine; for women, the moderation level maxes at one glass per day.

Weight gain is another reason you should drink in moderation. One 5 ounce glass of wine contains about 120 calories. One bottle of wine, or 4 glasses, is the equivalent of drinking 40 ounces of a soft drink, such as Coke or Pepsi.

By consuming too much wine, you risk elevating your triglyceride level, which could induce diabetes and other health-related diseases. Also, over consumption of wine can cause migraine headaches.

Tips for Wine Selection

The selection of the right wine is really a subjective judgment on your part. Gary Vaynerchuk, wine connoisseur and spokesman for Wine Library TV, reinforces this point on his video on Wikihow.

Gary states that the information on wine selection is so scattered and unreliable, that the best way to select appropriate wines is to develop a relationship with someone in a wine shop or a restaurant. You need to tell these people about your eating preferences, and ask that they recommend a dozen different wines, depending upon your food selections.

Here are some general rules that apply when you are selecting wine for consumption:

Select your wine based on the weight and texture of your meal. For example, spicy foods go better with white wine.

Red wine is more suitable for heavier meals, such as meats and heavy sauced entrees, while white wine is more suited for lighter fare, such as chicken and fish.

Select a dry wine to complement a sweet meal, and a sweeter wine to complement food of a more acidic substance.

Don’t sweat the small things. There is no wine that will ruin a meal!

Variety is the spice of life. Experiment with a wide range of wines, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results of the variations of your wine selections.

Enjoy, enjoy, and enjoy! Wine is nature’s gift to us, so savour the taste.

Expand Your Knowledge of Wine

Some ways to expand your knowledge of wines are:

Take a course on wines

Attend wine tasting parties

Ask for wine recommendations when ordering in restaurants and bars, and ask why the certain wine recommendation was made.

Now that you know the benefits of drinking wine in moderation, and have some tips on how to select a bottle of wine, I hoist my glass of Napa 2005 cabernet sauvignon in your honour, and wish you the best!! Remember state laws about drinking and driving.

Winston Cole is an avid traveller, wine connoisseur and an advocate of healthy living. Winston believes wine enhances good food and pleasant conversation. Holiday cruise travel is perfect to celebrate the holidays. You can go on cruise ship vacation soon. Visit Winston’s website for help planning a cruise ship vacation.