Blame it on craft beers, inexpensive wine or the down economy — North Americans are sipping more alcohol, more often. (Twenty-two percent of you say you drink too much, up from 17 percent a decade ago.) And while you all know that problem drinking is a serious health risk (any more than two drinks a day makes your RealAge older), the current hoopla about how wine is good for you may have led even the most abstemious sippers to believe there’s no harm in a good belt or two. So we’re going to blow the cork on the most common myths about alcohol.

» Myth No. 1: Seven to 14 drinks a week is a heart-healthy number, so there’s no harm in having them all in a day or two!

Truth: Saving up your weekly quota in order to guzzle four to seven drinks on each weekend day could raise your LDL cholesterol by 40 percent, and women who have seven to 14 drinks a week raise their risk for breast cancer between 30 percent and 60 percent.

Better idea: If you’re not at high risk for breast cancer or alcohol abuse/dependency, having a half to one drink a day for women and one to two a day for men keeps arteries supple and discourages impotence, wrinkles, and even heart- and brain-threatening blood clots.

» Myth No. 2: A little alcohol’s OK when you’re pregnant.

Truth: Don’t risk it. There’s a lot of talk (and one study) saying that moderate sipping is harmless, but there are plenty of studies that show drinking in pregnancy increases risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm delivery, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and even sudden infant death syndrome.

Better idea: We agree with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink while pregnant.”

» Myth No. 3: Red wine is best for your ticker.

Truth: Yes, red wine contains resveratrol — but in amounts too small to get any cardiovascular benefits. (Red grapes have more!) A second or third glass won’t get you to a beneficial level, either.

Better idea: For real heart protection, take 900 milligrams of DHA omega-3 algal oil (from plants, not fish); walk 10,000 steps a day; keep good friends close; get your blood pressure to 115/75; learn to manage stress; and get plenty of sleep every night.

Read more: http://washingtonexaminer.com/seven-alcohol-myths-smashed/article/2514209#.ULqn16ztSSp