Red Wine and Cancer Prevention

Posted by Prue Morland | 1:15 AM | 0 comments »

Cancer is undoubtedly one of the biggest killers and certainly the last thing you want to hear from a doctor. That being said, there are ways to limit your cancer risk. Some are conventional, while others may be surprising.

Every so often, you will hear various statements that sound interest, but are often wrong. For instance, everyone knows you should not go swimming for an hour after eating. Of course, this rule of thumb is wrong, but there you are.

The French drink an absurd amount of red wine. They also eat horribly. They should have high incidents of heart disease and cancer. They do not. Many have concluded this means red wine must be a preventative drink.

Despite the rumor mill and media reports, the alleged power of red wine has never been proven. Well, that has recently changed. Surprisingly, the early results of studies on red wine show that it appears to actually help prevent certain cancers. Imagine that.

Unlike white wine, red wine is packed full with certain chemicals that are anti-oxidants. These biological components are loosely referred to as polyphenols. Within this catch-all phrase are catechins, resveratrol and other anti-oxidants.

It is important to understand white wine offers little preventative assistance. Polyphenols are located in the seeds and skin of grapes. These are used in the production of red wine, but not white wine, or at least not in significant amounts.

Polyphenols are important to your health because they protect cells. As an anti-oxidant, a polyphenol will block the damaging impact of free radicals. Free radicals can mutate the cells, their DNA and so on. This is one way cancer is believed to arise.

Red wine also contains high levels of resveratrol. Resveratrol is an interesting polyphenol. It is used by plants to defend themselves against disease. Resveratrol has been found to significantly inhibit cancerous tumor growth in animals.

At first glance, it would appear that catechins, polyphenols and rseveratrol are the answer to our cancer problems. Maybe, but maybe not. Only a few studies have been conducted, so it is unwise to draw global conclusions. That being said, the results are positive.

When it comes to cancer and men, problems of the prostate are common. Well, drinking red wine may be the answer. Studies have shown that drinking a glass a day can cut the risk of this aggressive cancer by 50 percent. That is pretty amazing.

These initial results might lead one to believe red wine is a holistic answer to all cancer problems. It is not. It only appears to work with certain types. That being said, drinking a glass here and there certainly seems to be a smart move.

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