We are often being told that red wine is good for our health, but do we really know why?

In countries where red wine is consumed in larger quantities, such as Italy and France, there is less of a problem of heart disease and fatal strokes. Whereas, in countries like North America and the United Kingdom, where red wine is consumed in smaller quantities the problem is considerably higher. The reason for this is down to chemicals in the red wine which include polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants, and are found in a number of different sources, including grapes/wine, as well as beer, tea, coffee, olive oil, chocolate/cocoa, peanuts, and several other fruits and vegetables.

The skin of the red grape, (and so a constituent of red wine), contains Resveratrol which is a phytoalexin or naturally occurring antibiotic. This is produced when the plant is being attacked by bacteria or fungi, and is a vital antioxidant to the cardiovascular system. These antioxidants work by helping to reduce the damage from oxygen, caused by substances called free radicals, which can lead to cell dysfunction and the onset of heart disease and diabetes. Resveratrol is known to help increase the levels of HDL or good cholesterol, while trials are on-going as to its anti-cancer properties.

Is all cholesterol bad?

No, the body needs cholesterol, it is vital to ensure normal function. Without it, the body would not work, however, high levels in the blood system are associated with atherosclerosis, which is the main cause of coronary heart disease. The cholesterol is carried around the body by proteins called lipoproteins.

The two main types of lipoproteins are LDL and HDL:

LDL – low-density lipoprotein – is the bad, damaging type of cholesterol. Having excessive LDL cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk is worse if you have higher levels of LDL cholesterol with a lower level of HDL cholesterol. If you are at risk of developing heart disease and your LDL level is 100 mg/dL or higher, your cholesterol could be too high. HDL – high-density lipoprotein – is a good, protective type of cholesterol. HDL stops cholesterol build up in the walls of the arteries. If the level of HDL cholesterol is below 40 mg/dL, your risk from heart disease is much greater. The higher your levels of HDL cholesterol, the better. The average for men is around 45 mg/dL, and for women 55 mg/dL.
Cholesterol, food and red wine.

A major misconception many people have is that most food is full of cholesterol. This is not so, there is actually very little cholesterol found in foods. Those to be wary of are eggs, shellfish and offal. The type of fat in the food is the key, so when you choose a food, ensure that it contains unsaturated fat and not saturated fat.

Saturated fat (the bad fat) is found mainly in animal products such as sausages, butter, lard, bacon, pies, biscuits, cakes and pastries. This the fat that we need to cut down on. Excessive saturated fat raises cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Unsaturated fat, (the good fat), is found in oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, and fresh tuna, sunflower and olive oils, and nuts and avocados. These fats can greatly reduce cholesterol levels. Many of us need to cut down on the bad animal fats, and where possible replace them with a foodstuff high in polyunsaturated fat. By doing this, and having the occasional glass of red wine we will improve our health dramatically.

But remember, always drink your red wine in moderation, one glass of red wine for women and two glasses for men will lower the risks involved with heart attacks by between 30 and 50 percent. And of course take plenty of exercise.

Some of the varieties of red wine I would recommend are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Shiraz.

By: Rob Hemphill

As most people know, nutritional eating is a major component to living a healthy lifestyle. For instance, consuming an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables daily is not only nourishing, but will most often improve our quality of life too.

But there are many misconceptions about supposedly “healthy” products. We’ve been told time after time to eat certain foods because they’re good for us. Or, we’ve been misinformed about certain additives in foods that harm our bodies. Here’s a list of seven common misconceptions related to healthy eating. Study these for yourself so that you and your family can make informed decisions.

1. Splenda (Nutrasweet, Equal, aspartame) is healthier than sugar

The mainstream news and corporations have misled you and it’s not your fault. You’ve been told for a long time that artificial sweeteners are healthier than sugar. You’ve bought into it because you thought lower calories was better.

Today you find artificial sweeteners in just about everything. Food corporations make big money off of anything “sugar-free.” The truth of the matter is that Splenda, Nutrasweet and almost every other artificial sweetener is not healthy or safe.

Research in animals shows that sucralose can cause such problems as:

Shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) Enlarged liver and kidneys Atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus Increased cecal weight Reduced growth rate Decreased red blood cell count Hyperplasia of the pelvis Extension of the pregnancy period Aborted pregnancy Decreased fetal body weights and placental weights Diarrhea

The only non-sugar alternative that is proven to be safe is the all-natural Stevia. You can find this product in the same aisle as other sweeteners. Otherwise, when shopping, try to steer clear of anything labeled “sugar-free.”

2. Soy is good for you

Many respected scientists have issued warnings stating that the possible benefits of eating soy should be weighed against the proven risks. Thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, infertility, and even cancer and heart disease.

There is no historical precedent for eating the large amounts of soy now being consumed by infants (from soy formula) and vegetarians who favor soy as their main source of protein, or for the large amounts of soy recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Christiane Northrup, and many other popular health experts.

Most of the fears concerning soy formula have focused on estrogens. There are other problems as well, notably much higher levels of aluminum, fluoride and manganese than are found in either breastmilk or dairy formulas. All three metals have the potential to adversely affect brain development. Although trace amounts of manganese are vital to the development of the brain, toxic levels accrued from ingestion of soy formula during infancy have been found in children suffering from attention-deficit disorders, dyslexia and other learning problems.

In conclusion, it seems that the safety of soy foods has yet to be proven, and that human beings have become guinea pigs. Try to avoid soy products and don’t feed them to your children.

3. Margarine is better than butter

Years of research has been done to determine whether margarine or butter is better to consume. You can find a plethora of claims on the Internet arguing one way or the other. The truth is, neither are healthy and their use should be minimized as often as possible.

But, between the two, we believe butter is actually the better choice. While butter is high in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, margarine is high is trans-fatty acids (which are worse that saturated fats). Margarine also raises levels of bad cholesterol and lowers levels of good cholesterol, while butter provides vitamins A, D, E and K.

In addition, margarine decreases immune response and increases blood insulin levels, making the risks for diabetes greater. And while margarine may not contain cholesterol as butter does, when eaten it still stimulates the body to make cholesterol.

For an even healthier option, try Butter Buds, found in the spice aisle of your grocery store. This product is much better for you and tastes just like butter. But, in times when butter or margarine in necessary, such as baking, butter overall is the better choice.

4. Olive oil is the healthiest cooking oil

Although mainstream media portrays olive oil as the healthiest oil, this does not extend to cooking. Olive oil is primarily a monounsaturated fat and overabundance of oleic acid in olive oil creates an imbalance on the cellular level, which has been associated to an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease.

Now polyunsaturated oils, which include vegetable oils like corn, soy, safflower and canola, are the worst oils to cook with because of the trans-fatty acids introduced during the hydrogenation process, which results in increased dangers of chronic diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease.

Anytime you need an oil to cook with, coconut oil can automatically be used in place of butter, margarine, olive oil, etc. in all types of recipes. This is a much healthier oil that you don’t hear much about. Specifically you’ll want to buy extra virgin organic coconut oil.

There are many benefits of using coconut oil, such as:

Promoting your heart health Promoting weight loss when and if you need it Supporting your immune system health Supporting a healthy metabolism Providing you with an immediate energy source Helping to keep your skin healthy and youthful looking Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland

5. Wheat bread is better than white bread

While this is a true statement, consumers are often tricked into thinking that anything labeled “wheat” is healthy. But in fact, there are only certain types of wheat-labeled breads that are truly wheat. Make sure the packaging reads “100% Whole Wheat” or “100% Stone Ground.” Otherwise, what you’re consuming is truly no different from sugary white bread.

According to Dr. Mallika Marshall though, it’s important to look for more than just a whole-wheat label. First, check to make sure the bread has high amounts of fiber. Adults should eat 25-30 grams of fiber a day.

Second, choose a bread that has less than 350 mg of sodium per serving. Too much sodium in a diet is dangerous. And third, avoid hydrogenated fats at all costs. Try to find a brand that doesn’t have this ingredient. It’s also good to avoid high fructose corn syrup, if possible. While finding a loaf of bread without this ingredient can be challenging, at least make sure it’s not one of the first several ingredients listed.

If all else fails, make your own bread at home. It’s not only healthier, but most likely more affordable too.

6. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is easily avoidable

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer known widely as an addition to Chinese food, is actually added to thousands of the foods you eat.

It’s in everything from soup, crackers, meats and salad dressings. As dangerous as it is, MSG makes food taste good and it is dirt cheap, like sugar. Even infant formulas and baby foods contain this poison, even though babies and infants are four times more sensitive than adults to the toxic effects of this chemical.

Eliminating MSG from your diet is a wise choice for everyone, especially pregnant women.

Here’s a list of hidden names for MSG that you need to be aware of. The hidden names include:

Gelatin Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) Yeast Extract Malted Barley Rice Syrup or Brown Rice Syrup

7. If the label says “All Natural” or “Organic” it must be healthy

There’s not as much regulation as you may think when it comes to the wording used on food labels. “All Natural” can mean absolutely nothing, except that it entices the consumer to purchase it over other brands. Sometimes an item labeled “All Natural” will have fewer ingredients, which can be a good thing. But it absolutely does not mean the item is healthy or unprocessed.

As for “Organic,” this term is much more regulated, but there are still come catches. The best option is to choose items labeled “100% Organic.” These products are given the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) seal and are completely organic and natural. An item that simply reads “Organic” is only required to have 95% organic ingredients and those that claim they’re “Made with Organic Ingredients” must only be 70% organic.

Other commonly misused labeling terms include “cage-free,” “grass-fed,” “sustainable” and “hormone-free.” While the USDA has clear definitions for each of these terms, there is no independent verification that products with such labels actually meet the requirements.
So, when choosing food items that makes one of these claims, look at the ingredients as well to see just how natural it truly is.

By: Jeff A Wise

If you read the newspapers, you probably see a lot of stories about the health problems that the country is facing. You see headlines of people suffering from heart attacks, cancer, and other illnesses, but you may not have heard an easy (and delicious) solution to some of these headlines – beer.

Remember, that you should definitely consume all alcoholic beverages in moderation, and if you have any questions about whether this will benefit your health, you should talk to your doctor. Ok, we’ve told you the legal disclaimer, let’s get down to the facts and the research that show that beer, consumed in moderation, can actually help your health.

So how can beer help you to keep you healthy? Well, studies have found that it can actually be good for your heart, just like wine. If you are worried about your heart health, you should obviously exercise and eat right, but drinking two beers a day for men (and one for women), may give some people an extra boost. Remember, the advice is one to two beers a day, so drinking three or four beers a day won’t triple or quadruple these effects of the beer.

What exactly can beer do to help your heart? Well, according to a study done by Tufts University, the consumption of beer in moderate amounts can decrease your cholesterol level, reduce the amount of fibrinogen in your blood (which is a protein that is responsible for blood clotting), and increase the level of antioxidants in your body.

Are all beers created equally? Not really, because although you can get health benefits from all beers, dark beers are actually better for your health than lighter colored beers. Dark beer contains more flavonoids than light beer. Flavonoids come from plants, and are also found in chocolate and red wine. What are the benefits of flavonoids? Flavonoids have been proven to prevent cancer and promote a healthy heart. Sure, you can find flavonoids in other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, but they are also present in high numbers in dark beer.

If heart disease runs in your family, you may want to listen to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, which found in their research that drinking a moderate amount of beer daily can decrease your risk of coronary disease by about 30-40%. This is a great study to show your wife when she complains about you drinking a beer or two every evening. You can just reply with “Sorry honey. I’m doing it for us, not for me.”

No longer do beer drinkers have to switch to wine if they want to get the health benefits of alcohol, because now they can get them from their favorite beverage. Of course, if you want more information about the effects of beer on your health, you should definitely consult your physician. Beer drinking can be dangerous for people who have certain health conditions or who take some medications. If you are already a casual beer drinker, you don’t have to give it up to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

By: William Swan

According to the latest information, asthma with its coughing and wheezing is up 60% from about 25 years ago.Approximately 23 million Americans now have asthma with the figures continuing to climb. Experts claim that what you eat helps fight asthma and coupled with diet will go a long way toward curing or at least reducing asthma’s inflammation.?

Some of the research-based tips that were suggested:?

First of all eat a Mediterranean type diet. Overall this is a good diet not only for fighting asthma but to lose weight and get healthier. The main ingredients of this diet are lots of of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, fish instead of meat, cooking with olive oil as well as staying away from white flour products and sugar. A new study finds that by eating a Mediterranean Diet the risk of asthma was cut by 78% after adjusting for gender, age, education, etc. Kids, who eat a Mediterranean diet, especially lots of oranges, apples, tomatoes and grapes, have less wheezing, allergic rhinitis and asthma. Children of mothers who followed a high-quality Mediterranean diet were 80 percent less likely to have persistent wheezing, the most common symptom of childhood asthma, the study found. They were also 45 percent less likely to develop allergies. The research, which was published in the journal Thorax, was carried out by teams from the Royal Brompton Hospital, in London; the University of Crete; Venezelio General Hospital in Crete and the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, in Barcelona. The Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal, and Department of Immunoallergology, Hospital of S. Jo?o, Porto, Portugal.s. reported similar findings.?

If you are overweight or obese you should lose weight because your odds of developing asthma jump 50%, according to a recent review of 330,000 subjects by researchers at Denver’s National Jewish Health Center. They estimate that being overweight or obese accounts for at least 250,000 new cases of adult asthma every year. Although it’s a fact that children that are overweight increased the chances for asthma no figures were given.?

Eat the good fats and avoid the bad ones. Omega-3 oil, found in certain kinds of fish (sardines, salmon, tuna) is a potent anti-inflammatory. A study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School and reported in Nature Immunology found that adults who ate fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids reduced asthmatic symptoms. These fatty acids are found in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel and anchovies. Adults who never ate fish as children, were more apt to develop asthma and at an earlier age. An Indiana University study shows that high doses of fish oil of at least 5 g daily helped prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms. Stay clear of omega-6polyunsaturated fats (in corn, soybean, regular safflower and sunflower oils, and in meat and many processed foods) as much as possible, as they induce inflammation and promote asthma according to studies by the University of Maryland Medical Center.?

Low sodium intake won’t help. Up until recently it was thought that a low sodium diet would help control asthma. Recently in a British study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, researchers compared the effects of a low-sodium vs. normal-sodium diet on asthma control in nearly 200 adults with asthma for six weeks. The study showed that subjects who restricted sodium intake for six weeks had just as many asthma symptoms as those on normal diets. It still might be a good idea to restrict your sodium intake though.?

Pregnant women need to watch what they eat. Dutch research, reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine shows that pregnant women who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter every day up their children’s odds of developing asthma by nearly 50%.

By: Don A Levy

We all know we need water to survive, but try convincing a seven-year-old of that fact. Lots of kids don’t like water and would rather have a sugary juice or soda pop. It’s the duty of the parent to ensure their child is getting enough water in their diet.

Drinking water is a very important key to overall health for kids. Water is an essential nutrient that composes 50 to 60 percent of your total body weight. Water is the key component which transports other nutrients throughout your body to help build and repair cells. Blood needs water to carry oxygen throughout the body, which is why one would die if they were deprived of water for several days.

Although it varies from person to person, it is recommended that kids drink six to eight glasses of pure water per day. Additional amounts should be considered during warm weather and when exercising or just playing in the yard.

While the best source is a glass of pure water, kids can also get water into their bodies though certain foods. Think of all the delicious fruits and vegetables that have large amounts of water: grapes, peaches, oranges, green pepper, tomatoes and celery.

It’s best to get kids in the habit of drinking water early. A child spoiled by flavorful drinks may start to refuse water altogether. Understand the dangers of those alternative drinks. Most soda pop is filled with sugar or the deadly sugar substitute aspartame. Very unhealthy, not to mention most of these drinks have caffeine which is a diuretic and actually takes water out of your body.

One can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine and is loaded with preservatives and other artificial food colors and sulphites. Studies have linked soda to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease.

Even juices are packed with sugar, and many have the same amount of sugar as sodas. It’s recommended to water down juices when given to children: no more than 50% juice and the rest water. Even in those cases, the amount of juice given to a child should be in small quantities.

For a child to drink a proper amount of water, the responsibility begins and ends with the parents. They have a great influence on their child’s drink intake. It’s best to lead by example. If a child sees his parents consistently drinking soda, they will also want soda.

Parents should do their best to provide pure drinking water for their kids and consume water filled fruits and vegetables. This will improve and maintain the health of the family.

If you are interested in learning more about kids health and nutrition then check out our special kids health and exercise section.

Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association

By: Jeff A Wise