Drink to a Better Future: Drink Cabernet and Live a Longer and Healthier Life

Three years ago a hospital in England became theprevent certain types of cancer such as prostate,
first in Europe to prescribe red wine to its patients.colon and skin cancer.
Speaking on BBC radio, Hugh Johnson, aAnd the roll-call of health benefits continues.
world-renowned wine writer said, "It's very positiveCATARACTS - In the spring of 2005, researchers in
news that a hospital is taking this holistic view."Japan and Iceland contended that moderate red wine
MY reaction to the hospital prescribing red wine atconsumption reduces the development of retinal
dinner was "HURRAY," however, the medical andcataracts by 50 percent.
consumer press in the US barely covered this stepKIDNEY PROBLEMS - In May of 2005, Boston's
forward in health care. Why? Many doctors in thisBrigham and Women's Hospital announced the results
country as well as the media avoid mentioning theof a 14 year study on 11,000 middle aged male
benefits of drinking red wine in moderation becausesubjects and concluded that "there is an inverse
there is a medical and religious conservatism in thisrelationship between moderate alcohol consumption
country that views alcohol as a "forbidden fruit" --and the risk of renal dysfunction."
drinking red wine of any amount will trigger alcoholFLU - In the fall of 2005, the University of
abuse.Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research
I think we should look at all of the facts together,& Policy announced that moderate red wine
because there are a mounting number of medicalconsumption could ward off the flu. This is because
studies that can't be ignored, pointing to theone specific antioxidant, resveratrol, "seems to block
protective benefits of moderate red winehost-cell functions that are essential for viral
consumption.replication."
We've come a LONG way since the health benefitsARTHRITIS - In March of 2006, the American
of drinking red wine were first revealed in 1991 byCollege of Rheumatology found that the antioxidant
"60 Minutes." Since then many clinical studies, withresveratrol could reduce the pain of arthritis by
tens of thousands of patients who have beenthwarting the activation of the gene
followed over these many years, have shown thatCyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which is suspected of
red wine, enjoyed in moderation, lowers the risk ofcreating the inflammation that causes arthritis pain.
many diseases.ALZHEIMER'S - Late-breaking news, in October, 2006,
HEART DISEASE is top of the list because it's theNew York's Mt. Sinai School of Medicine announced
number one killer in the US. Clinical studies havethat laboratory mice had their drinking water spiked
proven that, in moderation, men can lower the riskwith Cabernet Sauvignon from California for seven
of heart disease by 50% by drinking two glasses ofmonths with an equivalent of one glass a day. It
red wine a day. And women can reduce their risk byslowed down the rate at which something called an
almost 30 percent, by drinking one glass of red wineamyloid precursor protein hardens into plaque, which
a day.is characteristic of a brain suffering from Alzheimer's.
What does red wine contain that makes it soBottom Line - I've concluded that most healthy
heart-healthy? Red grape skins, seeds and stems allpeople who drink red wine regularly and moderately
contain high concentrations of compounds calledlive longer. Even if wine shouldn't be viewed as a
polyphenols - more commonly known as antioxidants.medicine, there is a HUGE amount of evidence that
CANCER is next on the list. The same antioxidantsleads one to conclude wine is an important ingredient
have now been found to attack destructiveto a healthy and happy lifestyle.
"free-radicals" which are harmful, naturally- occurringTherefore, join me in toasting the many health
products that do cellular damage. Research studiesbenefits of red wine and say, "To a healthy pleasure!
now show, drinking wine in moderation will help