Break open the Merlot and hand me a smoke: We're about to celebrate some pretty awesome news.
Actually, I'll pass on the cigarette. But if you're a smoker and want to feel a little less guilty about your habit, today's your lucky day.
It's recently been reported that drinking a glass of wine before you light up will reduce your risk of damage from cigarette inhalation.
Well, in that case...
According to Metro, scientists conducted an experiment to determine the effects cigarettes have on a smoker's blood and arteries. Then, they added wine to the mix.
Wine not, right? HA, I'll stop now.
The scientists reportedly gathered 20 willing non-smokers to partake in the test, in which they'd inhale from three cigarettes.
However, 10 of the subjects drank red wine one hour before they smoked. The others did not.
After the experiment was over, scientists allegedly concluded drinking wine before inhaling a cig prevented short-term smoking damage by protecting the lining of blood vessels.
Apparently, the chemicals in the wine prevented the release of micro-particles from artery walls, platelets and white blood cells.
Dr Viktoria Schwarz, lead scientist at the University of Saarland in Homburg, Germany, commented on the boozy phenomenon.
She allegedly said,
We found evidence that pre-consumption of red wine prevented most of the vascular injury caused by smoking.
So, your blood vessels will be a lot healthier if you pour yourself a glass of Pinot Noir before you light up.
Pretty cool, huh?
Scientists also stated that wine serves as an inflammatory. It helps slow down the accelerated genetic aging process that cells go through after you smoke.
Who would've known?
Again, I don't smoke (cigarettes)... and I'm not telling you to, either.
But if I DID, there's no doubt I would stock up on bottles of red wine 24/7.
Then again, my diet already consists of an obnoxious amount of red wine. So, I guess not too much would change.
