< HOMEPAGE





Map of Panama City Panama

Detail map of Panama City Panama showing top real estate investment, retirement areas. ... Residential neighborhood with slight elevation and cooler weather and parks has ...

Read full post here. (c)

Panama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Temperatures are markedly cooler in the higher parts of the mountain ranges, and frosts ... The annual average in Panama City is little more than half of that in Col?n.

Read full post here. (c)

The Remarkable Health Benefits of Red Wine

In 1991, 60 Minutes broadcast a story that dealt with a phenomena we have come to know as the "French Paradox". The story posed an important question. How can it be that coronary heart disease rates among French males is significantly lower than the rate for US males when the French consume much more saturated animal fat than Americans? The French Paradox appears on the surface to contradict everything health professionals have been telling us about the rules of healthy eating.

It's instructive to look at the details of how the French and American diets differ.

According to research data cited in Wikipedia, in 2002 the average French person consumed 108 grams of animal fat, while the average American consumed only 72 grams. The French eat four times as much butter, sixty percent more cheese and nearly three times as much pork as Americans. Overall the consumption of saturated fat is much higher in France. Yet astoundingly according to data from the British Heart Foundation for 1999, death among males 35-74 was 230 per 100,000 in the US, but only 83 per 100,000 in France.

How to explain this? The 60 minutes story attributed the French results to the red wine that is a staple of French diets. Many researchers believe red wine is the magic bullet that explains the mystery. This article endorses that finding, while also acknowledging that other factors in the French diet likely contribute to greater longevity. For example the French are less inclined to snack-on-the-run and are not as keen on fast foods as Americans. The French diet in addition tends to be more varied and the portions smaller on average.

Scientists believe the key to the healthful benefits of red wine lie in the antioxidants, or flavonoids. Flavonoids help to reduce the production of LDL, low density lipoprotein - sometimes referred to as "bad" cholesterol. They also have the effect of increasing HDL, high density lipoprotein, the so-called "good" cholesterol. These combined effects help to prevent blood clots and improve the lipid profile overall.

Some researchers claim that the positives of drinking red wine go beyond cardiovascular benefits. A number of studies have discovered that an antioxidant concentrated in the skin of the grape, resveratrol, may actually help inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors. Research into the properties of resveratrol also indicates that it may be helpful in the formation of nerve cells, and so could potentially be a factor in the treatment of neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

However since resveratrol occurs in wine at very low levels of concentration, it's unlikely that this antioxidant alone can explain the French Paradox. It appears to be best explained by the combination of elements in wine, including the very important oligomeric polyphenols. Some scientists believe that they offer the greatest protection to human blood vessel cells. Interestingly enough these polyphenols are found in greatest concentration in European red wines from specific areas. Wines made from the Tannat grape, grown in the Gers region of south-west France have some of the highest concentrations.

Aside from these Tannat vintages, which wines confer most health benefits? Based on flavonoid count - Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Petit Syrah rank highest. Although Merlot and Zinfandel have become more popular in recent years, they tend to have fewer flavonoids. White wine is even lower on the scale, and the sweeter the white, the fewer the flavonoids.

Although most medical advice recommends moderate wine consumption, new research appears to indicate the contrary. In a study conducted by the Harvard Medical School and National Institute of Aging, large amounts of red wine extract was fed to mice. Even though the mice were fed a high fat diet, they lived a long and healthy life. Scientists hail the results as "spectacular". The death rate for the mice on the wine extract supplement dropped 31%, as compared to the untreated mice. The treated mice also lived longer than average. Another aspect of the study that surprised researchers, was that the organs of the overweight mice that received the extract looked entirely normal.

Scientists caution that it is too soon to tell how these benefits will carry over into humans and that people shouldn't be tempted to overdo the wine consumption on the basis of these results.

Based on the research over the past few years, there is little doubt that red wine does indeed confer significant health benefits. But as I mentioned above, other factors also come into play. The benefits of red wine will be less apparent if a person has a driven lifestyle high on stress, with junk food as the primary diet. But when the eating habits are conducive to a healthy lifestyle the benefits of red wine rank high.

Here's to everyone's good health!

Aidan Maconachy is a freelance writer and artist based in Ontario

NAVIGATION

Human Resources Challenges - Employees That Have Fights at Work

4 Latest Tips For Motorcycle Camping Trips

Sports and Outdoors Promotional Items

Battling Human Performance and Change in Africa

Losing Your HR Job - One Unfair Reason You May Get Fired From Your HR Job

The Stages of Inebriation

Tips For a Happy, Healthy Superbowl Celebration

Avoid Watered Down Sodas and Warm Beer at Your Next Outdoor Event

Baby Phat Purses

Why You Should Listen to Your HR Director Or Human Resource Consultant

Tequila: Beauty and Brutality, Bottled

Rags to Riches - the Glory's in Your Story

Let Your Child Feast On His Gummy Bears!

For Campers - What to Look Out For in an Air Mattress?

Tents Galore

Camping - Relaxation Away from Home

Drowning Prevention Tips

Types of Wine - How External Factors Can Affect Your Wine

Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating - How Does it Work?

Camping in Yosemite National Park - A Great Escape

Cocktail Mixing Techniques - Top 10 Tips For Mixing Fabulous Cocktails Every Time

Reasons Why Your CPU is Running Too Hot Or Overheating

Why Go Camping in Holland?

The Health Benefits of Drinking Red Wine

Live Lobster Shipped

Golf Tournament Gifts - What Golfers Want Most

Managers - Throw Out the Mission Statement - Create a Culture Club Instead

A Guide on How to Do Wine Tasting the Right Way

The Remarkable Health Benefits of Red Wine

Have You Tasted These Rare Australian Wines

Start a Small Business From Home - Catering Your Way to Cash

The Best Family Friendly Campsites in the Vendee

Setting Up Your Sports-Themed Game Room

Dom Perignon - "Drinking the Stars"

Golf Club Types

Camping Accessories - A Luxury Escape Into Nature

Wine Travel - Alabama's New Wine Trail

Tips For a Happy, Healthy Superbowl Celebration

Does Your Job Applicant Have a Criminal Record?

Wine Accessories - Which Ones Do You Need to Have?

Camping Safety

Why it is Important to Let Wine Breathe

Horse Blanket Choices

Wine Making at Home Could Be Your Hobby

Corporate Gifts - Make the Thought Count

The Persistent Snobbery of Wine Drinking

Managers - Throw Out the Mission Statement - Create a Culture Club Instead

Selling HR Software is Hard!

Employers Can Select From Wider Pool

Six Steps to Creating a Professional Test

Make Your Own St Patrick's Day Beer

6 Great Gift Ideas For Wine Lovers

How to Do Great Marketing and Lose Clients

Camping - Relaxation Away from Home

Beach Parties for All Occasions

Retaining Good Employees - What Employers Need to Do

Recruiting Training For Owners - 5 Quick Tactics to Get Your Firm Tuned Up For the New Year!

How to Have a Terrible Camping Trip

Buying Flats Or Bay Boats For Fishing

Reasons Why Your CPU is Running Too Hot Or Overheating

Simple Homemade Wine Making Instructions

Nebbiolo Wine Comes From Grapes That Thrive in Fog

How Tents Are Evolving

Wholesale Promotional Products Technique

The Detox Foot Spa - Can it Cure Your Sleeplessness?

LED Flashlights

8 Practical Ways to Save Money on Your Next RV Camping Trip

Enjoy the Light and Fruity Taste of Gamay Wines

How to Make Wine - What You NEED to Know

Wine Month Club - Why a Wine Club is a Great Gift!

How a New HRIS Can Advance Your Career

Choosing the Correct Wines For the Right Meals

7 Essential Pieces Of Camping Gear

Finding the Best Candidate

The Necessity of a RV Garage When Owning a Motorhome

Are you Aiming too High?

Types of Wine - How External Factors Can Affect Your Wine

Have a Luau Hawaiian Style

The Effective Way to Measure HR Efficiency

Grape Growing and Label Regulations

Knowing the Best Kinds of Wine in South Africa

Recruitment Agencies

How to Brew Beer - An Overview

Activities to Help Children Prepare for Their First Camping Trip

How To Preserve Remaining Wine?

Recession - Good Or Bad News For HR Consultants?

Tips to Help Your Dental Or Medical Team Deal With a Stressful Work Environment

Researching Hiking Campground Staff - Good Way To Ensure Safety

The End of Wine Notes?

Addressing All HR Professionals - Are You Up to the Task in 2009?

Buying Folding Camping Toilets Online

Beach Balls - Colorful Additions to Your Pool Party

How to Care For and Repair Your Swag Camping Bedroll

HR Motivation Must Be Universal

How Winemakers Manage the Tannins in Wine For Consumers and Wine Clubs

The Bottled Water Craze That Is Killing The Earth

Best Ways For Choosing Your Best Camping Stove

Remember the Guys With Groomsmen & Best Man Gifts

Why Hire Excellent Employees

Camping Gear Reviews - How to Keep From Getting Fooled

© 2010