Although we would like to stress on the “moderate” element here, this is based on a recent study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital which involved 26 years of data on 83,578 women, part of the long-running Nurses’ Health Study. According to the study, published recently in the journal Stroke, female participants who drank about a half glass of wine per day were 17 percent less likely to have a stroke, compared to non-drinkers, while woman who drink a full glass per day reduced their risk of stroke by 21 percent. However, this is not an excuse to guzzle down as drinking more than one glass per day did not increase the percentage in any way.
 
So what is the reason for this? “Alcohol has components that prevent blood clots and promote HDL (good) cholesterol,” says lead researcher Dr. Monik Jimenez during a Time interview.
 
However, do note that heavy consumption of alcohol will have harmful effects on your body. “Higher intake can lead to high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation which are both risk factors for stoke,” says Jimenez. “Our findings really stress moderation for women who do drink.”
 
However, this does not mean non-drinkers should start on the booze now. “We do not advocate alcohol consumption from those who abstain from drinking,” says Jimenez. “There are a lot of risks associated with drinking and there are other healthy lifestyle modifications women can make instead.”
 
Some of these lifestyle choices include regular exercise, having a diet full of vegetables, fruits and avoiding refined foods. These practices ensure that your veins and arteries are kept healthy and clean.