Is wine good for you?

Is wine good for you?In moderation and as part of an overall healthy diet, the short answer is yes!

Thanks to its alcohol content and non-alcoholic phytochemicals (natural occurring plant compounds), wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.
However, the amount of wine you drink matters tremendously. Drink more than what’s recommended, your health benefits are lost and your health risks go up.
Here’s what’s considered safe and effective:
Men: No more than two drinks per day.
Women: No more than one drink per day.
One drink is defined as a 5-ounce glass of red or white wine, 12 ounces of regular beer (1 bottle) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

 

 

The health benefits of wine
When it comes to wine’s health capabilities, here’s what we know:
It’s been well documented that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white), as well as hard liquor and beer.
Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing cellular damage in the body.  Although some studies which have focused on the health benefits of resveratrol use much greater dosages than you’ll find in an average glass of wine, resveratrol has been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity.  Findings from a recent study suggest that resveratrol can produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease.  In animal studies, resveratrol reduced tumor incidence by affecting one or more stages of cancer development.
Red wine provides much more resveratrol compared to white. That’s because the longer the skin is kept on the grape during the wine making process, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine. In the case of white wine production, the skin is removed before fermentation, giving white wines a lower concentration in resveratrol compared to red wines. Also, wines made in cooler climates have greater amounts of resveratrol too. Thus, red wine from cool climates have the most resveratrol.
The negative side of wine
Wine, however, is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine, so it’s vital you seek the advice of your personal physician. Here’s a few things to know:

• High Triglycerides: One downside to wine consumption is that it can elevate triglyceride levels, which is associated with health problems such as diabetes.  Those who already have high triglycerides should, therefore, avoid or dramatically limit their wine (and alcohol) consumption.
• Breast Cancer Risk: Studies have shown alcohol can increase estrogen levels and raise tumor progression in women with (or at high risk for) estrogen positive breast cancer.
• Migraines: Wine is often a big trigger for people who suffer with migraine headaches. Although white wine contains more sulfites than red wine (sulfites are added to white wine to preserve its light color), red wine seems to be a much bigger migraine trigger. That’s probably due to the accumulation of histamines and tannins from prolonged contact with the skin.
• Weight Gain: People who drink alcohol also consume empty calories, calories that lack nutrients and can lead to weight gain.
• Five ounces white or red wine = approximately 120 calories.  Drink a bottle of wine (4 glasses), and you’ll be consuming about 480 calories (that’s the equivalent of two 20-ounce Cokes!).
• Here’s how alcohol compares to carbohydrate/protein/fat:
  1 gram carb = 4 calories
  1 gram protein = 4 calories
  1 gram fat = 9 calories
  1 gram alcohol = 7 calories

By RISHABH JAIN with

Goodness of Honey

Discover the enormous benefits of honey; its myriad varieties and host of health benefits. Its versatility and the goodness it can bring into your everyday practical life is WOW!
Not only does this delectable liquid stimulate your taste buds and whet your appetite, its unique taste and aroma has sprung off many time honor cooking ideas and recipes such as the cannot-be-missed honey baked ham and honey dips. But is honey really good for you? This caramel-like liquid seems to be full of calories. ...sure it tastes good and has a pleasant texture that coats the irritated throat, but is it no more than just a tasty placebo?
The fact is, honey is far better than what most people perceive. Researchers are turning up more and more new evidence of honey's medical benefits in all directions. The benefits of honey don't just stop at satisfying the palate; honey also offers incredible antiseptic, antioxidant and cleansing properties for our body and health, hot beauty and skin care tips for ladies, and amazing healing properties as a head-to-toe remedy, from eye conjunctivitis to athlete foot. Its powerful healing attributes have long been used thousands of years ago and known to promote healing for cuts, cure ailments and diseases, and correct health disorders for generations after generations. The renowned UMF Manuka honey, perhaps the tastiest natural medicine, is commonly cited in many discussions on health benefits of honey. This honey not only fights infection and aids tissue healing but also helps reduce inflammation and scarring. In addition, it is often used for treating digestive problems such as diarrhea, indigestion, stomach ulcers and gastroenteritis. The page, titled "In What Ways have You Experienced the Benefits of Honey?" is filled with eye-popping testimonies about the healing power of honey. I've lost count of the number of times I have accessed that page, but the stories posted there never cease to move and amaze me over and over again. With more and more health experts and theories, such as the Hibernation Diet, supporting its benefits, this oldest natural sweetener just keeps getting better.
One of the greatest pleasure and fascination in using honey is understanding the different floral varieties of honey, their appearance and quality, and experimenting with each of their unique taste and distinct flavor, and being able to know which floral variety of honey is most perfect for which kind of foods. The uses and benefits of honey in foods are as diverse as its floral varieties and places of origin. It is almost like acquiring wine knowledge through wine-tasting and getting information on the origin, quality and worth of the different wines. Very intriguing, satisfying, and even infectious! Besides all the pages on benefits of honey, perhaps one of the most well-received topics in this web resource is related to those exotic, tantalizing recipes which I have specially created and developed using honey. I think this is what makes the honey recipes here different from the massive number of honey recipes available out there.....exotic!

   

This immensely rich and comphrehensive honey web resource currently has over 250 pages (links to these pages can be found in the pages listed on the menu bar, otherwise, you could also make use of the above easy Custom Search). It sets out to share with all the honey buffs in this world how exciting discovering the uses and benefits of honey can be. (It has become a "Benefits of Honey Wikipedia"!) And since early 2007, it has grown into a phletora of other health and nutrition contents, bringing you news on some of the hottest health-buzzwords like cortisol, natural skin care, lymphatic systems, organic food, antioxidant, and detox - all of which you can find in our Health & Nutrition Resources Index . There you also can find links to some very layman, easy to understand explanations on honey bee products such as propolis, royal jelly, beewax, and bee pollen, and some of the most common health problems such as bad breath, athlete foot, hair loss, sleep disorder, arthritis, acne, and yeast infection - all of which honey has traditionally been used as a natural cure or alternative medicine. For the latest additions and new pages in this website, you can track and find them in the Honey Blog.
Come in and be awed by the goodness of honey, get some quick easy honey facts and interesting honey bees information, be introduced to some common bee products and their benefits and uses, scrutinize together the nutrition and properties of honey and its health benefits. Well, I probably cannot offer you medical advice on honey like a medical doctor or promote honey as a substitute for professional medical care, and I don't aim to, but as a honey enthusiast, I am eager to give you all the reasons in the most laymen, simplest language that is easy for everybody to grasp and appreciate - why honey is such a superfood, why we should feel indebted to the tireless creatures which have to visit two million flowers just to provide us with one pound of honey, why everyone should always keep a jar of honey at home, and even why one should consider using it during a fast. Also you will realize with its bewildering number of varieties, this natural sweetener is comparable to tea, coffee, wine in its complexity, and agree that it surely doesn't deserve to be labelled as a mundane or humdrum commodity which has a homogeneous taste and flavour, like water, salt, and sugar.
I sincerely hope that what we discuss in Benefits of Honey will change the way people talk about honey and experience honey, turning consumption into a special ceremony, and with its own special tastes, honey will find a new star status as a chic and awe-inspiring golden liquid.

By RISHABH JAIN with

10 Hidden Health Secrets of Coffee

 

Goodness of Coffee

Coffee: Drink to Your Health

A cuppa Joe is good for more than a quick pick-me-up.

By Dan Fields

Move over, green tea? Recent studies indicate that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Alzheimer's, colon cancer, and diabetes compared to non-drinkers, and they're also less apt to die from heart disease. To be sure, coffee isn't for everyone: It can cause insomnia, anxiety, and irregular heartbeat in some people, and too much caffeine during pregnancy can increase miscarriage risk. Plus, specialty coffee drinks (like Starbucks Frappuccinos) can be high in calories. But if coffee's your drink of choice, let's look at the many ways that coffee can boost your health.

Avoid Alzheimer's

A 2009 study found that people who drank three to five cups of coffee a day at midlife were 65 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's in their later years, compared to those who drank little or no coffee. Other research suggests that the caffeine in coffee may reduce production of the protein beta-amyloid, deposits of which often form in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

Curb Cancer Risk

The antioxidant compounds in coffee may help prevent several types of cancer. In a Japanese study, women who drank three or more cups of coffee a day had half the risk of developing colon cancer, compared to those who didn't drink coffee. An analysis of 10 studies showed that coffee drinkers have a 41 percent lower risk of liver cancer than coffee abstainers. Other studies have linked coffee consumption with a reduced risk of endometrial, kidney, and oral cancers.

Defend Against Diabetes

Drinking coffee lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 60 percent in a 2006 study that included people at high risk for the disease. Even former coffee drinkers were less likely to develop the disease than those who never drank it. The antioxidants, minerals, and caffeine in coffee may help keep diabetes at bay by improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Reduce Workout Pain

Consuming caffeinated coffee an hour before vigorous exercise may help prevent pain while you're working out, suggests a 2009 study of young men. An earlier study of young women found that using caffeine before exercise can cut post-workout pain by nearly 50 percent. The caffeine in coffee may help by blocking the activity of a chemical called adenosine that activates pain receptors in cells.

Guard Against Gout

Two studies from 2007 suggest that drinking coffee is protective against gout, a painful, arthritic condition of the joints (most commonly, the big toes). In one study, middle-aged and older men who drank four to five cups of coffee a day were 40 percent less likely to develop gout than those who abstained from the beverage. Decaf also was associated with a modest reduction in risk, suggesting that something other than caffeine is responsible for the beneficial effect. Another study, involving both men and women, found that coffee consumption may lower blood levels of uric acid, a substance linked to gout.

Deter Death from Heart Disease

A number of recent studies indicate that coffee drinkers have lower odds of dying from heart disease. For instance, a 2008 study concluded that women who drank two to three cups of coffee per day had a 25 percent lower risk of death from heart disease than those drinking less than a cup a month. The antioxidants in coffee may have several heart-healthy effects, including improving blood vessel function, reducing inflammation, and protecting LDL ("bad") cholesterol from oxidation

Preserve Your Memory

Coffee may help to keep memory sharp, according to a pair of studies from 2007. In one study, older women who drank more than three cups of coffee a day experienced less decline over time on memory tests than those who drank one cup or less a day. Tea drinkers enjoyed similar benefits, so caffeine may be the beneficial component. Another study found that older men who consumed three cups of coffee a day had a slower rate of cognitive decline than those who drank either more or less than this amount.

Protect Against Parkinson's

Several studies have linked coffee drinking with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease. For instance, a 2007 study revealed that people who drank one to four cups of coffee a day cut their chances of developing the neurodegenerative disorder by nearly 50 percent. Scientists believe the caffeine in coffee may help defend against Parkinson's by boosting levels of the brain chemical dopamine.

Sidestep Stones

Coffee appears to reduce the risk of both gallstones and kidney stones. In a 2002 study, women who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were 25 percent less likely to need surgery for gallstones than nondrinkers were, and an earlier study showed that coffee drinking lowered gallstone risk in men. The caffeine in coffee may discourage gallstone formation by triggering gallbladder contractions and increasing the flow of bile. As for kidney stones, both regular and decaf coffee have been linked to risk reduction, perhaps simply by increasing urine output.

By RISHABH JAIN with