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