Reservatrol: The French Secret to Looking Good?
Here’s one more reason to love the French! Another mystery sweeping the 21st century is the French Paradox. Scientists are still baffled why a nation of dairy-worshipping, wine-chugging citizens has fewer incidents of heart attacks than other, more diet-obsessed countries.
Meanwhile, Americans are still struggling with serious health problems, despite being more obsessed with fitness and health food more than any other country in the world. Some people even have weight issues their whole lives! The question is: What are the French doing to stay healthier longer?
Red Wine: The French Connection
Experts are coming up with studies to determine if the French habit of drinking red wine is part of this phenomenon. According to the National Cancer Institute (U.S. Institute of Health), red wine is rich in antioxidants. It’s teeming with powerful anti-aging compounds called ‘polyphenols’. Red wine has two. The more popular one is called Resveratrol.
How Antioxidants like Reservatrol Can Help the Body
This anti-aging antioxidant is produced naturally by plants to fight off stress. Promising studies have shown that it may help heal the body faster and slow down the aging process. But let’s back up a minute here. Before you go diving into a case of red wine tonight, consider these first.
Oprah, in a recent episode, revealed that red wine only contains low doses of this powerful antioxidant. A person may need to drink up to twelve bottles of wine a day to get the maximum benefits. If you can’t stand alcohol and hate hangovers, here’s some good news.
If you’re like me and do not savor having alcohol even in the occasional amounts, you can get this compound from other more natural sources like peanuts, grape juice and other dark skinned fruits like cranberries and blueberries. Just recently, these compounds have also been chemically reproduced in supplement form for more optimal results. But before anything else, seek professional medical advice first before you pop any pill in your mouth.
While health fads come and go, I personally believe the basics are still the same. Nothing beats a good diet, exercise, and the right amount of rest to keep your body in tip-top shape. Don’t mess with what nature has given you.
So the next time you’re downing a glass of red wine or enjoying some healthy blueberries, remember that they may be just be of the many ways to help get that youthful glow back. No ticket to France required!