Red wine is good for your heart
How we survived the silly season
Robyn Lewis
On the beach, Margaret River wine region
Like most Australians, we were looking forward to a relaxing festive season - a family Christmas, followed by a break at 'the shack', New Year with some good wine and friends, a bit of boating, then a slow return to work on the 5th....
All these plans suddenly disintegrated when my husband, daughter and I went out to fell a Christmas tree on our farm, two Sundays before Christmas. Chain saw still buzzing, my husband turned grey and announced he could not lift the tree (a small one) into the back of the farm truck. We hurried home, and when he went into a cold sweat - whilst Googling 'palpitations' on his computer - I bundled the family into the car and hastened to the nearerst hospital emergency department. Luckily, we made it.
The next three weeks passed in a blur of hospitals; immediate surgery to repair a defective valve was required and that meant a lengthy trip interstate. Somewhere in the middle New Year came and went. And here we are finally back home on the 10th, a long way behind, but all still alive, and glad to be so.
My belated New Year's resolution - get fitter, and look after my own heart, too. With a five-year old and a spouse who is already behaving like a caged bear (he can't drive for six weeks), having two out of action is not on the agenda. Anyone out there who smokes, take a visit sometime to your nearest cardiac ward, and pick up a booklet on heart surgery, preferably with pictures - and get onto those nicotine patches as soon as you read the bits about sawing your sternum in half. Sitting in the cardiac wing of one of Melbourne's specialist hospitals for the past two weeks, I've seen many, many reasons to give up smoking and lose weight. Some didn't walk out the door....
But red wine is another story. Two glasses for men, one for women, per day - this advice direct from two cardiologists and one of Australia's most gifted heart surgeons* (all of whom are wine lovers). My husband can't start this new regime for another six weeks, but when he does, we'll be weeding out our cellar and stocking up with quality red wine. And we might get to have that belated New Year drink, too...
So, may I wish you all a happy and HEALTHY New Year, and for those of you who've been wondering when the team at VisitVineyards.com will be back in action, we'll be gearing back up in the next few weeks. And for those of you who work in Australia's oft- and wrongly maligned health system, three cheers to you all.
And make it a red a day.
* No doubt I'll need to add a disclaimer about consulting your own doctor, but this was their advice to us. And, of course, consumed in moderation »
VisitVineyards.com promotes the responsible consumption of alcohol, by adults only (over the age of 18 in Australia).
VisitVineyards.com supports the Heart Foundation of Australia.
During the month of September 2009 VisitVineyards.com will donate A$10 for the sale of every Membership the Heart Foundation to assist funding heart disease research and communications about heart health and prevention of heart disease.
You can also donate to the Heart Foundation directly from this secure link. All donations of A$2 and above are tax deductible.
Dr John D'Arcy suggests we all 'be heart aware'. Watch this video to learn about some of the early warning signs of a heart attack:
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