Glass of Red Wine a Day Could Keep Breast Cancer Away, Says New Cedars-Sinai Research

January 10, 2012

The Informer

By Simone Wilson

“Drink up people. It’s good for you. Time to party. (In Moderation)” –KTRN

Does drinking wine affect a girl’s odds for breast cancer?

Battle of the studies! Just a couple months ago, Harvard University released some buzz-killing stats showing that “women who drink just four small glasses of wine a week increase their risk of developing breast cancer by 15 percent.” That’s largely because alcohol consumption is thought to increase estrogen levels — and lord knows cancer cells love their estrogen.

But hold up: Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center here in L.A. would like to make a case for the red variety. A new study out of the hospital to the stars shows that…

Drinking red wine in moderation may reduce one of the risk factors for breast cancer, providing a natural weapon to combat a major cause of death among U.S. women.

In the study, red wine actually lowered estrogen levels in participating women. (Luckiest Guinea pigs ever, right?) And “we did not find that the white wine actually increased risk” either, says Chrisandra Shufelt, assistant director of the Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai.

Here’s how the welcome new conclusions were drawn: “We looked at 36 women that drank red wine for one month,” says Shufelt. “Then they crossed over and drank white wine for one month.”

At this point, the medical center isn’t exactly recommending that some sober Sally turn purple-lipped in a quest for eternal youth. “We didn’t test that hypothesis,” says Shufelt. “But we would say that for women who already drink wine” and are worried about contracting breast cancer (and really, who isn’t) might want to consider transitioning from white to red.

Oh sweet, sweet science:

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A Glass of Wine a Day Helps Prevent Diabetes

February 14th, 2011

Natural News

By: David Gutierrez

A single glass of red wine may be as effective at controlling blood sugar as standard diabetes drugs, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria.

Previous research has shown that red wine, grape skins and red grape juice are high in plant chemicals called polyphenols. These antioxidants have been shown to help the body regulate blood sugar, and may thereby help prevent or control diabetes. In the current study, researchers studied the action of grape polyphenols on a cell receptor called PPAR-gamma, which plays an important role in blood sugar regulation, energy storage and fat storage. They found that even a small glass of wine has enough polyphenols to activate the receptor at least as effectively as the diabetes drug Avandia.

The researchers also compared the polyphenol content of 12 different wines, confirming the popular wisdom that concentrations are higher in red wine.

“This is further scientific evidence that a small amount of wine really is beneficial for health,” researcher Alois Jungbauer said.

He cautioned, however, that wine can be high in calories and that moderate consumption is key.

“Moderate is the equivalent of a small glass each day for women, and two for men,” he said. “Our big problem is to convey the message of a healthy lifestyle because too much wine will cause diabetes and obesity.”

“If you have wine then you must reduce your intake of calories from food by the same amount.”

Moderate wine consumption is a characteristic of the Mediterranean Diet, which has been shown to improve lifespan and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

“The traditional Mediterranean diet has shown tremendous benefit in fighting heart disease and cancer, as well as diabetes,” write Michael Murray and Joseph Pizzorno in The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.

“It has the following characteristics: Olive oil is the principal source of fat. The diet centers on an abundance of plant food, including fruit, vegetables, breads, pasta, potatoes, beans, nuts, and seeds. Foods are minimally processed, and there is a focus on seasonally fresh and locally grown foods.”

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Resveratrol May Prevent Eye Disease, Blindness

July 14, 2010

Natural News

By: S. L. Baker

Resveratrol — a natural compound found in red wine, grapes, blueberries, peanuts and other plants — has been found to promote longevity and health in a variety of ways. For example, scientists have found evidence it prevents heart disease, helps keep weight under control, normalizes cholesterol levels and may prevent diabetes (http://www.naturalnews.com/027420_r…). Now there’s another benefit to add to this remarkable list of benefits: it could prevent some of the top causes of blindness.

Vision researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have documented that resveratrol stops out-of-control blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) in the eye. This discovery means resveratrol could preserve vision in three major blinding eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 50); diabetic retinopathy, which causes vision loss in about 20 percent of people with diabetes; and retinopathy of prematurity which occurs when premature babies experience an obstruction of blood flow into the retina — a condition that blinds 50,000 infants each year.

“A great deal of research has identified resveratrol as an anti-aging compound, and given our interest in age-related eye disease, we wanted to find out whether there was a link,” Washington University retina specialist Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, the study’s senior investigator, said in a statement to the media. “There were reports on resveratrol’s effects on blood vessels in other parts of the body, but there was no evidence that it had any effects within the eye.”

So Dr. Apte’s research team decided to test resveratrol on mice that develop abnormal blood vessels in the retina after laser treatment. Their findings, published in the July issue of the American Journal of Pathology, showed that when the rodents were given resveratrol, the phytochemical prevented the growth of abnormal blood vessels. In fact, abnormal blood vessels that already existed actually began to disappear.

When the scientists examined cells of the animals’ blood vessels in the lab, they found a new pathway — known as a eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2) regulated pathway — that is behind resveratrol’s eye-protective power.

“We have identified a novel pathway that could become a new target for therapies. And we believe the pathway may be involved both in age-related eye disease and in other diseases where angiogenesis plays a destructive role,” Dr. Apte stated. “This could potentially be a preventive therapy in high-risk patients. And because it worked on existing, abnormal blood vessels in the animals, it may be a therapy that can be started after angiogenesis already is causing damage.”

What’s more, the resveratrol-mediated pathway Dr. Apte’s laboratory has identified may be active not only in several blindness-causing eye diseases, but in cancers and atherosclerosis, as well. That means it might be possible to use resveratrol to not only protect and improve eyesight but to prevent cardiovascular disease and some types of malignancies, too, according to Dr. Apte.

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Resveratrol – The Miracle Nutrient for Cancer, Cholesterol and Longevity

August 12, 2009

Natural News

By Mike Adams

You’ve all heard the good news about resveratrol, commonly known as the “red wine nutrient.” There’s more to resveratrol than red wine, though, and it’s helpful for far more than just preventing heart disease. It’s also phenomenal for maintaining a healthy cholesterol balance and even supporting increased longevity.

As you’ll see below in quotes from health experts about resveratrol, this “miracle” nutrient is also useful for preventing many types of cancer. As you read these quotes, pay special attention to any mention of phytoalexins, as this is a class of plant-based nutrients that you’ll be hearing about much more in the future (as nutritional healing becomes more widely known).

If you want to acquire some resveratrol, there are lots of natural sources such as red wine or grape leaves (the leaves actually contain far more than the grapes themselves). The Chinese medicine herb hu zhang is also loaded with resveratrol.

Click here to continue reading the full story from Natural News

Why Apples, Avocados and Red Wine Could Ease Your Arthritis

June 22, 2009

UK Daily Mail

Arthritis is the term used for nearly 200 painful conditions of the joints and bones. It affects about 7million people in the UK and all types have similar symptoms of swelling, inflammation of joints, stiffness and restriction of movement.

The good news is that many cases of arthritis can be relieved, postponed or even prevented by good joint care.

Research shows a definite link between the food you eat and the severity of your symptoms. Like your heart, your joints thrive best on plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Try to eat at least five (and preferably eight or more) servings a day.

Fruit and vegetables provide an array of antioxidants that reduce the rate at which cartilage breaks down, helping to slow the process of osteoarthritis. Antioxidants can also reduce inflammation and help combat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and gout.

Apples and avocados are anti-inflammatory superfoods. Don’t peel your apples – the skin contains five times more antioxidants than the flesh. Oily fish are a rich source of omega-3 essential fatty acids that oil the joints and damp down inflammation.

Research shows that omega-3 can reduce the long-term need for painkillers in those with joint problems. You should aim to eat oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herrings and mackerel two to four times a week. You can also take an omega-3 fish oil supplement.

Drink plenty of fluids – approximately three to five pints (two to three litres) – a day to maintain good hydration and a steady flow of nutrients to your joints. Choose from water, soups, tea and juices.

You may find your symptoms are triggered by particular foods. Culprit foods vary, so it’s important to keep a food-and-symptom diary to help pinpoint the foods that irritate. This is not always easy, as symptoms can worsen up to 36 hours after eating a trigger food.

The foods most commonly found to worsen arthritis are wheat, corn, rye, sugar, caffeine, yeast, malt, dairy products, oranges, grapefruit, lemons and tomatoes. Meats most likely to provoke symptoms are bacon, pork, beef and lamb.

A number of foods may trigger joint pain in those with arthritis. Research shows that when these are avoided, about 70 per cent of sufferers report less pain and improved mobility.

Some are particularly sensitive to foods from the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. Commonly eaten nightshade foods include potatoes, tomatoes, aubergine, sweet peppers, paprika, cayenne and all other types of pepper (except black pepper).

Try to minimise your intake of vegetable oils rich in omega-6, such as sunflower oil, because these promote inflammation. Switch to olive oil for cooking, and macadamia nut oil or walnut oil for salad dressings.

Studies have also shown an association between the amount of meat and offal consumed and arthritis.

Eating a vegan (no animal products) diet can reduce the number of tender and swollen joints.

Weight loss is one of the most effective ways to reduce pain in your knees and hips, whatever form of arthritis you have. When you walk, the load on your knees increases by four times your body weight. This means that if you are 10lb (4.5kg) overweight, the load on your leg joints is up to 40lb (18kg) more than if you were at a healthy weight.

Studies show that weight loss can at least halve the level of pain experienced by those with arthritis affecting their lower limbs – this is a better result than standard drug treatments.

The foods below have a natural anti-inflammatory action that’s particularly beneficial for those with arthritis – however, some (such as chilli peppers) may trigger an idiosyncratic reaction in some sufferers:

Apples: Contain anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Red Delicious apples contain the most. The antioxidants are five times more concentrated in the apple’s skin than the flesh.

Avocados: Contain antioxidant monounsaturated oils, essential fatty acids and Vitamin E. Promote cartilage repair in osteoarthritis.

Chillies: Contain capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin which block transmission of pain messages. They also trigger endorphins  -  the brain’s own morphine-like painkillers.

Dark green leafy vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, cabbage and parsley, for example, supply antioxidants, Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium.

Macadamia nuts: The richest source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Also contain Vitamin E and selenium.

Oily fish: A great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Red wine: A good source of antioxidant polyphenols which reduce inflammation.

Walnuts: A rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Some research shows that eating them daily can help alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

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