Scientists learn Why Alcohol Can Be Good for us

When you raise a glass to toast with some wine or champagne this Christmas or Thanksgiving, you are doing your heart a favour, according to a new study.

The results of the study revealed how moderate alcohol consumption can help to prevent heart disease by blocking the signals of molecules linked to plaque build-up in arteries.

The molecules, called "Notch" proteins, are vital to embryonic development, and in adults, they help control the tiny, involuntary muscles that regulate blood flow though arteries. When Notch molecules are stimulated - by high levels of cholesterol, smoking or changes in blood flow - they spur these smooth muscle cells to multiply, which can lead to development of arterial plaques, said study researcher Eileen Redmond, an associate professor in the department of surgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

But when these smooth muscle cells are exposed to alcohol, the Notch signaling is blocked, and the cells in the arterial wall don't grow and thicken, Redmond said.

Drinking "small amounts, regularly, is how to get the best effect," she told MyHealthNewsDaily. "It's the people who drink one to two drinks a day who have the best protection" from heart disease.

However, large amounts of alcohol and binge drinking can be harmful to the heart and can lead to stroke, according to the American Heart Association.

The study was published Nov. 18 in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

Testing the theory

Researchers grew cells from human coronary arteries in dishes, and exposed them to alcohol. They found that alcohol stopped growth of the arterial cells by putting the brakes on the signaling abilities of Notch, Redmond said.

Then, the researchers tested the effects of alcohol in mice. They gave one group of mice the equivalent of two alcohol drinks a day, and another group no alcohol. Mice given the alcohol had less Notch signaling, and their blood vessels walls were thinner than the mice that didn't drink, according to the study.

The finding demonstrates how alcohol works to benefit the heart - and paves the way for future research for a drug that can mimic alcohol, Redmond said.

"If we can understand the mechanisms mediating the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption, we can develop therapy that can mimic good effects without the intoxicating and deleterious effects of alcohol," she said.

Real-life applications

The finding supports evidence from other studies that modest alcohol consumption is good for heart health. A study presented at an American Heart Association meeting this month found that maleheart bypass patients who drank lightly or moderately were less likely to need another heart procedure or suffer a heart attack or stroke than patients who didn't drink.

But what counts as a "healthy" dose of alcohol? The Mayo Clinic recommends healthy women drink no more than three drinks on one occasion, or seven drinks a week, and healthy men ages 65 and younger drink no more than four drinks per occasion, or 14 drinks a week. Healthy men ages 65 and older should drink no more than three drinks per occasion, or seven drinks a week.

A 12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits counts as one drink, according to the Mayo Clinic.

• 10 Dos and Don'ts to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
• For Pregnant Women, 1 or 2 Drinks Per Week May Be OK
• Brewing Controversy: Experts Say Four Loko Worse Than Mixed Drinks

This article was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience.

6 careers you can do from home

Working from home can be a great career option for people with all skillsets and lifestyles. You can set your own hours and even work in your pajamas - a pretty appealing alternative to the old nine-to-five in a cubicle. Here are six careers you can do from home, and how you can get started. (For more, see the Top 4 At-Home Financial Jobs.)

1. Personal Chef
If cooking is your passion, becoming a personal chef may just be the job for you. This job can mean that you cook a week's worth of meals in a client's home, for instance, or you can look at delivering gourmet meals - the alternative to the old pizza delivery. With today's high-pressure jobs and families where both parents work full time, this type of service is becoming more desirable, particularly in urban areas. Be sure to understand local regulations regarding the kitchen you prepare the food in; many states require you to have a kitchen separate from your home, and may inspect for health code adhesion.

2. Birthday Party Planning
If you talk to any parent, they'll tell you: planning a birthday party is hard work, and a challenge when you're busy. Where there's a need, there's a job, and birthday party planning can be a great career if you're creative, like kids and can work weekends when parties are often held. You can also plan retirement parties, promotions - any event you think you can handle. For the best changes at earning a good income, make sure you research local rates and competition and understand your liability, particularly if you'll be working with little ones.

3. Home Staging
It's a tough real estate market out there. To sell your house in this buyer's market, it needs to look its best, and home staging can make all the difference. If you have an eye for design, home staging may just be the career for you; there are no education requirements, and although there are many courses and professional organizations for home stagers, they're not required to be successful in the field. Take some time to research rates in your area and practice staging your home or a friend's. Think about what services you'll want to offer, and the startup costs you'll incur. Networking with realtors can be very helpful in generating business.

[In Pictures: 8 Tips For Starting Your Own Business]

4. Web Design
Are you computer savvy, and do you have an eye for detail? A career in web design may be for you. Even if you don't have the skills, consider going back to school to learn; there are many online courses, and current education tax benefits can make the bottom-line expense very low. Before you hunt for jobs, think whether you'll be starting your own business or work as a freelancer - the two are very different tax and legal-wise. Check with IRS on tax obligations, and with your local small business chapter. (To learn more, see Freelance Careers: Look Before You Leap.)

5. Virtual Assistant
With today's uncertain economy, more businesses are looking to hire temporary or per-project help, sometimes in the form of a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant can handle anything from receptionist duties to bookkeeping, depending on your expertise and the client's needs. For work in this field, look to online job boards. Tell your friends and family you're looking for administrative-type work to do from home, and check with any old business contacts you may have. Virtual assistants are still a fairly new concept, so expect to have to explain what you do a few times before generating business.

6. Tutoring Service
These days, problems are increasingly solved with use of the internet, including tutoring services. Work as a tutor can be helping a child with homework, or teaching adults how to use a computer - if you have a specific skill, you can become a tutor. You can find work on job boards, or at online colleges. If you have a college degree in your expertise (like math, or English), your chances at building a successful career as a tutor will be even better.

The Bottom Line
These six careers are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to at-home careers. For the best chance at success, look at your previous career for a start - you may be able to work as a consultant. At-home careers are a great way to explore your passion and make a living too. Earnings can vary greatly, depending on your expertise and experience, so take time to research before setting your rates. Make sure you understand your tax obligation, and whether you might be best off starting a small business to protect yourself legally. Your local small business organization or SCORE chapter is great place to get some help. Whether you're designing web pages or starting a small business as a party planner, working from home can be a great way to forge own your career path - and avoid the cubicle doldrums, too. (For more, see Can You Handle A Home-Based Business?)

Are daily showers a thing of the past?

Over the weekend, The New York Times published a story about a trend that has many of us scratching our heads (literally): Showering infrequently—three times or fewer a week—is growing in popularity, not just among the hippie-granola sets, but for mainstream professionals as well. High-powered workers like Jenefer Palmer of Malibu, California, chief executive for the Osea skincare line, told the paper that only does she regularly skip bathing, she also avoids using deodorant while both traveling and meeting clients in high-powered meetings. Phew.

The Times article calls this a  “season of nonbathing,” though we've been noticing the trend for a while.  In the past few years, beauty companies have subtly begun catering to the unwashed crowd. Multiple haircare brands like TRESemme and Bumble & Bumble, have introduced spray-on dry shampoos, which mask an oily appearance and provide not-so-fresh consumers with an extension on their next hair wash. According to market research firm the NPD Group, sales of dry shampoo "more than doubled" from 2007 to 2009. Likewise, Febreze products (like the Febreze Fabric Refresher) which makes dirty jeans and stinky t-shirt underarms smell as if they're fresh from the wash, continue to make record sales (they took in over $800 million annually back in 2008 and they're still growing).
Fashion is also enabling the unclean fad: More and more popular designers like Alexander Wang are re-popularizing the grunge look this season and messy hair and disheveled, layered clothing are currently all the rage.

To be fair, there are some real benefits to showering with less frequency (besides having extra time to snooze or surf the web). First, it's more eco-friendly, because, well, you're using less water and cleaning products. Secondly, infrequent scrubbing can actually be beneficial for hair and skin—when you wash too often you may be stripping away your skin's essential oils, which can lead to dryness, premature aging, and make you more prone to acne or eczema. In addition, most hair stylists consider daily shampooing not only unnecessary, but actually bad for the hair because it dehydrates the scalp and makes hair dye fade more quickly. Last, Dr. Richard Gallo, chief of the dermatology division at the University of California, San Diego, told the New York Times that it's good to have a layer of surface germs because “they produce their own antibiotics that kills off bad bacteria."

So skipping a shower here and there may be beneficial for our immune systems and appearance, but showering makes you feel good! And good about yourself! Besides, grungy hair and body odor is completely offensive—can we all at least agree on this? Do you really want to be the coworker everyone secretly thinks smells?

We've decided to conduct our own anonymous hygiene poll. Answer the question below, then weigh in on this new anti-shower trend in the comments section. [NY Times]

(Photo: The Canadian Press/Ableimages)