Fit and Youthful Life

Guest Author: Richard Williams


The old saying goes, “Everything old is new again.” When it comes to aging and your health, that’s not such a bad thing, is it? The Ancient Romans had a secret weapon in the fight to stay young and healthy. Twenty odd years ago, modern scientists discovered the so-called French Paradox, where despite diets significantly higher in fat and calories, the French had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cardiac arrest than the rest of Western culture. Now, thanks to research into resveratrol and the development of resveratrol supplements, that same secret is available to everyone.

The Secret of Resveratrol   

What the French and Ancient Roman diets have in common is red wine. The Romans even had a saying – In Vino Sanitas – “In wine there is health.” That’s because red wine contains some of the highest naturally occurring amounts of resveratrol, a powerful anti-oxidant. Grapes, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates and other fruit produce resveratrol as protection against sun damage and fungal diseases. It helps prolong the life and health of the fruit. Something in the fermentation involved in turning grapes into red wine intensifies the amounts of resveratrol released. This magic of nature provided all those Romans and Frenchmen with a veritable fountain of youth. You simply can’t consume enough red wine anymore, however, thanks to pesticides that prevent the grapes from producing large amounts of resveratrol. Naturally derived resveratrol can be found safely and effectively in dietary supplements, providing you with all the anti-aging health benefits of red wine without the hangover.

Resveratrol and Your Heart

Resveratrol will not keep you young and healthy forever. It has been proven, in various studies, that it is good for the heart and circulatory system. And that can help keep you feeling younger and healthier longer. It acts as an anti-coagulant, inhibiting the formation of dangerous heart attack and stroke inducing blood clots. It may even lower blood pressure. Resveratrol has also been proven to slow cardiac aging. It acts on the cells to prevent the damage caused by natural aging. Preventing the damage slows the aging process. Thus, resveratrol leaves your heart younger and healthier than it found it.

Resveratrol and Cancer

Studies have shown that resveratrol may be effective in the treatment of some cancers. Resveratrol targets the cancer cells and makes them more susceptible to the effects of chemotherapy. It may also injure the cells internally, decreasing their ability to function as they would like. Resveratrol has a detrimental effect on the internal energy source of cancer cells, slowing their growth.

Resveratrol and Diabetes

A study released in 2008 showed that resveratrol was significant in improving the overall health of diabetics. Resveratrol prevents damage to blood vessels caused by the high level of glucose in a diabetic’s blood supply. By preventing this damage, resveratrol can actually prevent heart and kidney disease, as well as possibly preventing diabetic glaucoma. Resveratrol was shown to not only prevent blood vessel damage in some patients, but to actually mend and reverse vessel damage, as well. Healing this blood vessel damage may end diabetic neuropathy in hands and feet. Early research shows resveratrol may also help lower blood glucose amounts, and further study into this effect/benefit is underway.

Resveratrol and Other Ailments

Resveratrol can act as an anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce the effects of arthritis. Some studies have shown that resveratrol may help prevent or at least aid in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Resveratrol seems to elicit the same effects on the body as a long-term reduced calorie diet – producing better cardiac and joint health, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, and lower blood pressure. Overall, resveratrol may just be one of the most powerful anti-aging anti-oxidants known to man. Most of today’s resveratrol supplements are derived from a Japanese plant, knotweed, shown to be almost as high in resveratrol as red wine. It is important when choosing a supplement to ensure that your source of resveratrol contains no “fillers” – sugars, gums, colors and the like – other than those ingredients needed to produce the pill or powder, as these added ingredients can have effects of their own, as well as decreasing the effectiveness of your supplement.

Resveratrol and Side Effects

No supplement, natural or otherwise, comes without some risks or dangers. While studies have shown that resveratrol carries few harmful side effects, a few precautions should be noted. Resveratrol’s anti-clotting properties make it vital that resveratrol not be taken with other medications or supplements that also serve as anti-coagulants. Since resveratrol is a plant-based phytoestrogen, women who are pregnant or nursing should not take resveratrol. Those on estrogen-based contraceptives, or hormone replacement therapies should not take resveratrol without first consulting with their obstetrician, as resveratrol may affect the way these other estrogen containing medications work. Likewise, women at risk for or survivors of breast cancer should not take resveratrol, either, as it has been shown to actually increase the risks of breast cancer. Taking high doses of resveratrol (greater than 500 mg daily) has been shown to cause joint stiffness and discomfort, especially in the hands and feet.

Resveratrol and You

Resveratrol, therefore, may not be for everyone. If you, like the Romans and French, want to experience the same anti-aging benefits of resveratrol, scientists recommend a daily dose between 300 and 500 mg. It may not be a fountain of youth, but resveratrol supplements may be the next best thing. And you can stay sober in the bargain.



Instant Wrinkle Reducer

Guest Author: Eddie Lomax


Cardio Interval Training can help you reach new cardiorespiratory endurance levels, burn more calories, increase speed, improve power and generally improve over-all fitness performance.

Cardio Interval Training is a series, or repeated segments, of intense activity, alternated with periods of recovery that can be either reduced activity or complete inactivity.

For example… you could run at a fast pace for a short distance and then rest for a certain time period before repeating, or you could run at a fast pace for a short distance and then reduce the intensity to a jog for a certain time period before repeating.

Dividing your workout into short, intense efforts permits you to perform a greater volume of work at high intensity.

For example… you could perform 10 sprints of 30 seconds at near maximum speed, whereas it would be impossible to maintain the same high speed continuously for 5 minutes.

As you can see Cardio Interval Training allows you to repeatedly reach and sustain a high level of intensity for a cumulative time that is greater than what you could achieve during continuous training with the same intensity.

Running was used above as an example only… You can use any method of metabolic conditioning training in the Cardio Interval Training format.

Other examples besides running are biking, swimming, jumping rope, calisthenics exercises, etc… even circuit weight training is a form of Cardio Interval Training.

Cardio Interval Training is an excellent training method to reap the benefits of anaerobic training… but Cardio Interval Training does not have to be exclusively high intensity, short duration.

The truth is… You should perform you Cardio Interval Training for high intensity, short duration, medium intensity, medium duration and low intensity, long duration.

Vary your Cardio Interval Training for the best results.

You can manipulate your Cardio Interval Training in 7 ways to effectively overload the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways and promote improvement.

The 7 Ways to manipulate your Cardio Interval Training are…

The number of repetitions… How many intervals you perform.

The distance… Short, medium or long interval distances.

The active interval… How long you perform the interval.

The rest interval… How long you completely rest or reduce intensity between intervals.

The active – rest ratio… How long the active interval period is compared to the rest interval.

The overall workout distance… The total distance of all the interval series.

The frequency of workouts… How often you perform Cardio Interval Training.

Vary the methods, stresses and intensities of your Cardio Interval Training to get the best results.



Become Wrinkle Free NOW

Guest Author: Gary Kidd


Resveratrol is being hailed as the “Fountain Of Youth” by many people but is there a connection between Resveratrol and losing weight? Read on to find out…

Scientists have been researching for many years now to see that if they restrict the calorie intake in animals, would it increase their life span, and what would the health benefits be?

Because of the interest to see if the same results would be found in humans, a test has been running over some years now using human volunteers. Their calorie intake was reduced by up to 25% to allow scientists to see the effects it would have.

What they found is that the health benefits were enormous. Much lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, good glucose levels, a lower BMI and very low levels of a reactive protein known to cause heart disease. All of the above contribute to extending your span.

Now there are of course side effects to reducing your calorie intake which could cause tiredness, nausea, make you dizzy, lack of strength etc, but these can easily be overcome by what scientists call “mimetics”. That basically means taking supplements and nutrients to replicate what is normally found in our diet.

Research now tells us, that we are able to replicate the positive effects of low calorie diets when we take supplements that mimic what happens to our body when on a low calorie diet.

To simplify that even further, what it means is that you do not have to go on a low calorie diet to be able to reap the benefits health wise.

Resveratrol is known to lower cholesterol, produce healthy Glucose, triglyceride, and lower blood pressure. Researchers believe that this is the main reason why Resveratrol is responsible for fewer heart disease problems in people who drink Red Wine.

We know from research that people who constantly go on low calorie diets will suffer from nutrient deficiencies which can lead to heart problems, cancer and other diseases. Even though obesity is on the rise, nutritional deficiencies are on the rise within the USA, which leads us to the question of whether low calorie diets are causing this rise?

Resveratrol has many benefits and can reduce the risk of nutritional deficiencies when taken on a daily basis, especially when taking it with supplements and nutrient extracts. All of which “mimic” the benefits of low calorie diets.

Resveratrol has been developed to help us live longer and scientists have the proof that this is so. Regular daily intake of Resveratrol, when combined with the right nutrients and supplements, could also help you to lose weight without the side effects.

Although relatively new, Resveratrol is getting a lot of press coverage now because of all the research carried out and the positive feedback from scientists.

If you are struggling with your weight, and want to increase your life span, then make sure you put Resveratrol to the test. Check out my website below for more details on this wonder discovery.



Smooth Away Wrinkles Instantly

Guest Author: Bertil Hjert


Yoga supplies are really important when it comes to practicing yoga. Yoga supplies help in focusing on your art well and also protect you from getting injured while practicing yoga.

Yoga is a specialized form of meditation. It works towards providing you the serenity that you actually require in order to keep stress away in this chaotic world.

When practicing yoga, it is important to relax as well as meditate with absolute comfort. No distraction should come your way if you want to enjoy the real benefits of this unique form of exercise. Hence, you need to follow certain guidelines when practicing yoga.

First and foremost, you should feel extremely comfortable in the position you are, in the clothes you are wearing and the place you are in at present. Second matter to take into consideration is sweat absorbance. Keep your body away from too much of sweat. You should have something that lets you absorb your sweat.

For fulfilling the above mentioned conditions, you must purchase some of the important yoga supplies. These supplies are widely available these days and extremely affordable.

You need to know the kind of yoga supplies you should purchase prior to setting out for accomplishing the task.

Here are certain yoga supplies you should focus on purchasing:

- Yoga mat

- Yoga footwear

- Sports Bra

- Yoga clothes

- Yoga music

- Yoga DVDs

Once you have a list of yoga supplies you need to purchase, it is time to choose the best of skippers that’s available. You should consider your own comfort level when purchasing yoga supplies.

When purchasing yoga supplies, you need to understand that comfort is the main consideration here. When choosing yoga clothes or yoga shoes, make sure that these are comfortable to wear.

The yoga clothes you purchase should let you move every joint of your body freely. Remember that while moving your body, you should not have any fear of hindering blood flow.

Loose clothing is a good option. However, it has a tendency to slide down when performing certain bending positions.

A good yoga clothing is one that provides you easy motion and capability to leave parts of the human body lift and move in varied positions and postures.

Remember that when performing yoga, you need to perform a lot of twisting and strengthening. Unfit clothes will prove to be a problem to you. The best choice would be elastic materials such as spandex. Pure cotton is also a great option.

Another thing that you need to consider when purchasing yoga supplies clothes is sweat absorbance factor. Make sure that you choose fabrics made of cotton that breathes and absorbs sweat easily.

Make sure that the clothes you purchase are of the right fit. This will ensure the best yoga experience to you.

Remember that in order to practice the best and benefit to a great degree, you must focus on purchasing the best of supply.

Keep all the above mentioned points in mind when purchasing yoga supplies.

Guest Author: Vijay Raisinghani


What is the best way to prevent wrinkles? You shall be shocked to know that the top wrinkle cream that is available in the market is not at all the best way to prevent wrinkles. I shall give you the scientific evidence that would prove that top wrinkle creams are not really the best.

I am strongly of the view that while choosing the top wrinkle cream for your personal use, you should avoid looking at the ratings. These rating can be highly skewed due to the huge amount of money that big skincare companies spend on marketing and advertising their top wrinkle creams.

So, while the well known brands may enjoy better rating as “Top wrinkle cream”, but the best way to prevent wrinkles might be hidden in lesser known niche wrinkle creams with cutting edge, clinically proven ingredients.

Things to lookout in a Truly Effective Wrinkle Cream

The best way to prevent wrinkles is to use a truly effective wrinkle cream that has natural substances proven to boost your body’s own production of collagen and elastin.

These are the two vital skin proteins. They are responsible for keeping our skin firm, supple, pliant and elastic. In our youth, these proteins are produced in normal quantity by our body. But, as we age, their production slows down.

Due to lesser collagen and elastin, we suffer from wrinkles, saggy skin, age spots and dark uneven skin complexion. That is the time when we start to look for top wrinkle cream in the market.

The Scam behind Collagen Wrinkle Creams

Now, as rational human beings, we think that if collagen is being produced less in our body, why not just buy some top wrinkle cream with collagen as an active ingredient in it. And applying it on the skin should give us firm and young skin once again.

But this is an absolutely flawed assumption. Big skincare cosmetic companies are cashing in on this misconception of the consumers and they are running a big scam in the name of top wrinkle cream with collagen.

The reason is that scientific evidence and research has proved that the collagen in any wrinkle cream cannot be absorbed by our skin. The collagen molecule is too big to penetrate the skin. The uppermost layer of our skin called the Epidermis rejects the collagen molecule from penetrating within!

You can confirm this fact by consulting a dermatologist or by visting any reputed medical website. So, the best way to prevent wrinkles is firstly avoiding use of such collagen based so called “top wrinkle creams”. It is important to avoid their marketing trap.

But, there is no need to get disheartened as yet. The production of more collagen and elastin naturally by our body is the best way to prevent wrinkles.

Substances that help in Natural Production of Collagen and Elastin

Thanks to modern medical science, such natural substances and ingredients have been researched and clinically proven that play an effective role in natural collagen and elastin production in our body.

One of the natural substances is Cynergy TK and it comes from New Zealand. It is very high in keratin. Keratin is the protein found in our skin which plays a vital role in our skin’s health.

Cynergy TK contains keratin in its functional form. This makes it highly absorbable by our skin. Cynergy TK has shown many amazing results like-

·    Higher production of collagen and elastin in the body. This makes it the best way to prevent wrinkles.

·    Improvement in skin moisture retention and skin elasticity.

·    Regrowth of new skin cells!

·    It has powerful antioxidant properties. It neutralizes the free radicals in our body before they damage our skin and health.

But, Cynergy TK is an ingredient that you will not find in the big branded top wrinkle cream. It is being used by niche skin wrinkle cream manufacturers, which do not spend enormous budgets on TV, radio and glossy magazine ads, but spend the same money on creating effective products that work amazingly.

You can clearly see that the so called “Top wrinkle cream” might not exactly be the best way to prevent wrinkles. I have covered a great deal of research in my website on such natural substances that can help you regain youthful and naturally glowing skin.

Guest Author: Ric Hawkins


Are you frustrated with the conflicting reports on the best food sources for resveratrol?  And is food the best source? This wonder nutrient is important to include in our diet, so here are some of the best sources.

Primarily the highest concentration in food is to be found in the skin, seeds and pomace of grapes, hence the fact that red wine contains some too, as it is fermented longer with the grape skins.

However, red wine is not recommended as one of the best food sources for resveratrol due to the fact you would need to drink well over a liter a day to start to gain any benefit, and the detrimental effects of the alcohol would wipe out any gains.

Other sources are blueberries and peanuts, although in smaller quantities.

Here are the approximate amounts you will get:

1 cup red grapes – 1.25mg

1 cup peanut butter – 0.15mg

1 cup peanuts – 0.25mg

1 cup boiled peanuts -1.30mg

As you can see, even the best food sources for resveratrol are not enough to gain the maximum benefits, so to take it in supplement form is now the most popular way.

High quality ones come from the Japanese Knotweed plant, the most potent source on earth, and one the Japanese have long used for curing and healing many illnesses.

You should make sure that any resveratrol supplements you take only contain natural ingredients, with at least 20mg of the natural 50% trans type, which is the most active one.

I am sure you are aware of the many benefits of this wonder nutrient including helping to fight cancer, diabetes, heart disease and even increasing our lifespan. It is being hailed as the most effective compound to have ever been found to reverse the aging process.

So it is important to get our intake levels up and when combined in a natural multi supplement its effects are greatly enhanced, unlike the best food sources for resveratrol.

You will notice improved clarity of mind, and feel that you have more energy than before, as well as helping to potentially stave off future degenerative diseases when combined with other natural synergetic ingredients like ginkgo biloba and green tea extract.

I am sure many more wonderful discoveries lie ahead, but the fact that we already know the power of this nutrient, means we can start to harness that power now, even though the best food sources for resveratrol don’t provide enough, a daily supplement can provide all we need.

If you would like to learn more about the synergistic supplements which I personally take, including resveratrol, why not visit my website. 

 



Look Young Again

Guest Author: Rachel Flanagan


Everyone knows anti wrinkle creams and lotions are supposed to get rid of wrinkles.  But besides getting rid of wrinkles, do you know the other benefits?   

First, let me tell you, the other benefits do not come with all skin care anti wrinkle creams.  They do not come with creams produced using lots of chemicals and synthetic ingredients.  Extra benefits come only with using safe, natural ingredients.  In other words, safe, natural ingredients not only treat the problem, but also improve your skin’s overall health.

Stimulate Skin Cell Regeneration

When you were young, there was a healthy balance within your skin cells that kept everything going smooth.  For example, molecules would do their job and then die off naturally, new cells replaced damaged ones, and new fibers were created on a daily basis. 

Older skin is typically not as healthy as young skin, because after the age of 30, things get a little out of balance.

The new generation of skin care anti wrinkle cream provides the necessary ingredients to correct that imbalance.  These essential ingredients encourage your skin to regenerate; like it did when you were younger.

Anti wrinkle creams and lotions that contain peptide proteins are shown to increase the number of new cells and fiber regeneration.  Stimulating new cell growth is the first step to skin regeneration.

Repair And Prevent Free Radical Damage

Molecules that easily die off in younger skin cells are called free radicals.  Molecules that deactivate excessive free radical activity are called antioxidants.  Antioxidant activity is much more present in younger skin, and decreases with age. 

When there are not enough antioxidants regulating free radical production, the balance between the two is thrown off.  You do not want an excess of free radicals.  An excess of radicals will damage your cells, fibers, and DNA strands.  Dermatologists say it is free radical damage that leads to wrinkling, sagging, and all signs of aging.

Newer anti wrinkle creams and lotions that contain coenzyme Q10, natural vitamin E, and other antioxidants restore your balance.  They do this by repairing damage already done and by preventing further damage.  The result is healthier, more youthful looking skin. 

Reduce Redness And Inflammation

It doesn’t happen to everyone, but many people notice their complexion becoming a little redder as they age.  They may also notice bags under their eyes and a bloated look in combination with the redness.  These things are caused by inflammation. 

Anti wrinkle creams and lotions containing an ingredient called Functional Keratin have been shown to block the inflammatory process, reducing redness, bags, and that bloated look. 

Increase Protein Levels

With age, your levels of hyaluronic acid start to drop.  Hyaluronic acid is a protein responsible for your skin’s firmness.  The level drops due to an enzymatic reaction that breaks down this essential protein resulting in a loss of skin firmness.

It has been shown that anti wrinkle creams and lotions containing extracts from Wakame kelp inhibit this damaging enzymatic activity.  When enzymatic activity is suppressed, protein levels are free to rise once again, and firmness is restored. 

There you have it.  Four awesome and little known benefits of modern skin care anti wrinkle cream.  They are skin cell regeneration with peptides, repair and prevent free radical damage with antioxidants, reduce redness and inflammation with Functional Keratin, and increase firmness with Wakame extract. 

Using anti wrinkle creams and lotions with natural, healthy, restorative ingredients are most effective for erasing age signs and leaving you with new more youthful appearance.



Longevity and Health Now

Guest Author: Paul M. Jerard Jr.


Truthfully, there are no reasons why any of us cannot be, or do, what we want, as long as you are not hurting anyone. You should always strive to be the best you can be. However, you may find that many people create obstacles, in front of themselves, to avoid success.

This is truly ironic that we hold ourselves back from making achievements, and teaching Yoga is just one of many goals that are not fully realized. Below is a list of common reasons why many good Yoga practitioners do not pursue their goal of becoming a Yoga instructor.

“I am too old to teach Yoga.”

Actually, age is not a factor. There are many styles of Yoga; and the most common, outside of India, is Hatha Yoga and its many sub-styles. Although Hatha Yoga is the Union of physical mastery, it has many gentle and vigorous styles.

There is a need for mature, passionate, safety conscious, and gentle Yoga teachers. The world’s population is aging and Yoga students are living longer. Who would have thought that hospitals and religious centers would seek out Yoga teachers ten or twenty years ago?

Therefore, Yoga is becoming readily accepted by mainstream society and does not have to apply to any one particular religious group. Some of the old barriers that prevented the masses from being exposed to Yoga are gone.

“Dancers, Martial Artists, and Gymnasts perform better Yoga asanas than I can.”

Yoga is not dance, martial arts, or gymnastics. This is not to take away the importance of any of the above-mentioned arts. After all, I am a martial artist, and I was originally introduced to Yoga in a martial arts setting.

Being a little more flexible than the average person is a gift. However, it doesn’t serve as a top priority for teaching Yoga. The best Yoga teachers are those who can communicate, and those teachers usually have to struggle to excel at Yoga.

Yoga teachers who are naturally flexible think that everyone else should be, as well. This is not always the case, as there are skeletal limitations within some Yoga students. This is not to say that they cannot increase, or improve, their flexibility, but each person’s body is unique.

“Teaching Yoga costs too much money.”

This is true in some cases; however, you can shop around for the best course at the most affordable price. Some onsite Yoga training facilities have Seva Programs, where you can work for partial tuition. This is much like a college, where there are scholarships for students who perform tasks around the campus. There are also a variety of Yoga correspondence courses, which allow flexible study hours, little or no travel, and no extra expenses. My wellness center offers such a Yoga course, and we have interns and graduates worldwide.

“I only want to teach Yoga to a few students and I don’t want to go into the Yoga business.”

Many Yoga practitioners feel this way and that’s fine. This is not a problem because if you are teaching a few friends, as a hobby, it is not necessary to go through the certification process.

If your circle of friends starts to expand, it would be wise to get some type of liability coverage. There are a number of liability insurance programs to choose. You could purchase a sports, Yoga, or home liability policy to cover your specific needs.

You should also learn as much as you can about safety, anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology. The reason I mention this is so that you do not hurt your Yoga students. The compassion and knowledge to become a safe Yoga instructor is very important.

“I have a good paying job and teaching Yoga may not support my family.”

Like all start up small businesses Yoga cannot offer “instant bundles of cash.” You would want to build your business as an independent contractor first. In our Yoga teacher course, you will find 16 ways to grow your business, with little or no overhead. When you build up enough accounts, the decision, as to whether or not to open your own independent Yoga studio, will be clear.

This has been a radical job change for all of us, who go into teaching Yoga full time, but you do not have to take any sudden or financial risks. Growing your own Yoga business can start on a part time basis and later develop into full time, if you get the right guidance and take the proper steps.

Bear in mind that the business and marketing information in our Yoga course is current and “field tested.” This information is specific to Yoga instructors and contains successful methods used, with regard to return on investment.

Right now, there are a lot of Yoga studios that “flounder” economically, because the owners have insufficient business or marketing skills. Within this kind of climate, it is not hard to get your market share of Yoga students within your geographic area.

Lastly, there are so many reasons to avoid progress, you could create a book of excuses, but the reason to succeed at anything is your passion. If you are passionate, safe, and knowledgeable about Yoga, this is an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to become a Yoga teacher.

© Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Guest Author: John Wilson


Modern day world including the broadcast media is talking about the numerous Resveratrol benefits and the usefulness is going to increase more within few years. This antioxidant helps to cure cancer, slow down the aging process and also leads to considerable amount of weight loss. These are a few of the benefits that are savored.

To put up an example we can mention about the French people who are well-known for their high eating and drinking habit. They love to have foods rich in fat content like butter, pork etc. But still the rate of heart diseases of these people is quite low. The main source behind this is definitely the high quantity of red wine which they consume. Resveratrol is mainly found in red wine, a natural compund which helps us lead a young and healthy life.

Resveratrol & Health Benefits:



Health is undoubtedly the biggest wealth endowed by God. So you should be extremely health conscious which can be done by a regular intake of the natural compound Resveratrol as part of your diet. The most important of the numerous Resveratrol benefits is that it can increase the number of years you are going to survive keeping your looks as beautiful and young as ever! Does this sound unbelievable? Even if it does, it is a fact that has been proved by many researches but for this you have to maintain a proper lifestyle and eating habit.

Resveratrol prevents the harmful effects caused to the cells by the AGE proteins (Advanced Glycation Endproducts). Even though red wine is a great source of Resveratrol, you can totally rely on it for a regular intake of resveratrol. So, a regular intake of peanut butter, peanut, seeds, colorful fruits and vegetables, grapes is also essential.

cThe Resveratrol benefits are never ending with various tests adding newer benefits every day.

Guest Author: Dr. Paul Gross


One of the most well-known stories about the health benefits of eating fruit is called the French Paradox – the condition of unexpected low incidence of cardiovascular disease in French citizens who regularly eat extraordinary quantities of high-fat foods and consume red wine. These people technically should have high rates of cardiovascular disease but seem protected by the chemicals in wine.

Although we now recognize that high-fat diets are undesirable, the potential benefits of a diet rich in whole food phytochemicals are clear when combined with other healthy dietary and lifestyle practices, such as maintaining a regular exercise program.

Possibly the most publicized phytochemical in red wine is resveratrol found in the skin and seeds of red and purple grapes and dark berries like the blueberry. Having the chemical formula C14H12O3, resveratrol is chemically defined as a stilbene, viniferin or phytoalexin (a Greek-derived term meaning to “protect” (alexin) or to “ward off”).

This designation suits the function of resveratrol in the outer skin of plants as a primary fungicide and antiviral agent with potent antioxidant properties protecting against ultraviolet radiation, pests and injury. Resveratrol belongs to the general class of plant chemicals called phenolics or polyphenols, named from their composition of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms in 6-carbon rings.

Benefits of Resveratrol

By consuming blue, red, purple and black-skinned plants rich in resveratrol, humans may gain these protective benefits. Early medical research proves this to be true, as resveratrol has been shown in preliminary research on experimental animals to:

• Increase blood flow and reduce the extent of brain cell damage following stroke

• Reduce the activity of brain inflammatory mediators in a model of Alzheimer’s disease

• Reduce vascular plaque formation in rats given a high-fat diet

• Improve the rate of healing in skin wounds

• Protect against lipid oxidation in a model of pancreatitis

• Protect against cellular pathology in a model of diabetic kidney disease

• Protect against liver damage in a model of cholestasis or bile duct occlusion

• Protect against cartilage deterioration in a model of osteoarthritis

• Stimulate anti-clotting mechanisms in blood

• Suppress appetite and in turn contribute to weight control or loss

• Enhance sperm production

• Inhibit formation of cataracts

• Inhibit proliferation of the herpes simplex virus

• Prolong the lives of yeast cells, worms, fish and fruit flies, possibly through mechanisms that affect aging via slowing the rate of cell death

Anti-Cancer Effect

Resveratrol’s most compelling health effect shown in laboratory studies is its broad-spectrum anti-cancer activity. The online database of medical literature for the US National Institutes of Health, PubMed, cites nearly 500 publications over the past decade of research on resveratrol as a cancer chemopreventive nutrient.

Experimental models of breast, prostate, lung, blood, skin, brain, kidney, bladder, tongue, esophagus and colon cancer show evidence for beneficial effects of resveratrol. It appears also to sensitize cells toward cancer therapy agents, improving the benefit of these drugs. Also, when combined with other plant-derived phenolics, resveratrol’s anti-cancer actions seem to be enhanced, showing the potential benefits of antioxidant synergy from a mixed diet high in colorful fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals.

Resveratrol’s actions to inhibit inflammatory mediators and the growth of new blood vessels in tumors (called anti-angiogenesis), plus its ability to accelerate the rate of cancer cell death (called apoptosis, “eh-po-toe-sis”), are synergistic effects in anti-cancer activity. In other experiments, resveratrol inhibited enzymes synthesizing nitro-oxygen radicals like nitric oxide that may be involved in cancer development.

To summarize, resveratrol acts against mechanisms controlling the initiation, promotion and progression of tumor cell growth in laboratory models. It is considered one of the most promising natural anti-cancer agents.

Fortunately for us, resveratrol can be easily introduced into the diet by selecting foods like:

oRed grapes and dark grape juice

oRed wines (and even white ones, but with lower resveratrol levels)

oBlackberries, blueberries, cranberries and lingonberries (and their juices)

oPistachios

oPeanuts with skins and peanut butter

Take home message: Eat berries! Drink red wine! And be merry!

Reading

PubMed at http://pubmed.gov; type “resveratrol AND” in the search space, add the topic of your interest, and click on Go to view literature.

Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/

Copyright 2006 Berry Health Inc.



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