Drinking red wine this Christmas could promote your health thanks to Resveratrol

It is the season to be jolly and as you get through your fair share of red wine over this festive period you may be thinking that it will be detrimental to your health, but within wine there is a hidden gem that can be key to a long and healthy life.

Now obviously over indulging in alcohol can be bad for your health, but the key to the health benefits that can be unlocked in red wine is hidden inside red grapes. It is in an antioxidant called Resveratrol.

Resveratrol may not be one of the main ingredients on your Christmas menu but it is an important part of the Mediterranean diet, which is well known for its association with long life, low rates of cancer and heart disease and general well-being.

And if you like a few peanuts with your glass of wine they also include a dose of the health enhancing Resveratrol antioxidant, so why not indulge a little this Christmas?

Now you might be wondering what an antioxidant is and what it does. Well, antioxidants are molecules that inhibit oxidisation. This is a chemical process that occurs as part of the damage and ageing process in animal and plant cells.

Studies into the compound have been carried out in mice and show that when they had Resveratrol in their system they lived for longer.

Due to all of these findings resveratrol is touted as a great natural anti-aging product. Ageing is scientifically defined as a gradual process of cell damage and destruction and resveratrol slows this process down in the body. This effectively means that people who regularly have Resveratrol will stay younger and healthier for longer.

It has also been suggested that the French love of Resveratrol rich red wine has been one of the main contributors to giving the French long life expectancy and low rates of heart disease despite a diet high in saturated fat. So maybe all you wine drinkers will feel a little bit better about tucking into your Christmas dinner now.

If you don’t like red wine then Resveratrol can come in a range of different supplements, some of which are up to one thousand times more effective than red wine at delivering the antioxidant into the body. The advantage of the supplement form is that it allows the body to receive sufficiently high levels of the active form of Resveratrol (trans-resveratrol) to be effective, in convenient capsules or creams that fit around an active lifestyle. Also, time-release preparations are now a reality, with Transmax being the first product that releases resveratrol over a controlled period to maximise its benefits to the body.

Whether you drink red wine or not, Resveratrol is of great benefit to your body and has the potential to cure or suppress certain medical problems. And if you’re looking to start the New Year with a healthy lifestyle then Resveratrol supplements will offer a less boozy and altogether healthier alternative to a few glasses of red!

The benefits of Forskolin

First and foremost Forskolin is a chemical substance that is the root extract from the plant Coleus Forskolin, more commonly known as the Indian Coleus plant. The plant is part of the mint family and as the name suggests was first found in India.

The herb has been used throughout ancient history as a medical product to treat a variety of conditions such as heart and lung disease, insomnia, convulsions and intestinal spasms.

In modern times however the herb is used for a variety of different treatments. One of the big appeals of Forskolin is its weight loss capabilities. To certain people, how we look is an important part of their daily lives and aids in helping people feel good about themselves.

Forskolin can help with the reduction of fat and in turn speed up the process that may take weeks if not months with other dieting methods. Forskolin works in two ways. Firstly through stimulating Lipolysis, this is the breaking down of Lipids that contain fats. This is a lot faster than the traditional methods as it raises cAMP production in patients.

CAMP itself works as a function to regulate glycogen, lipid and sugar. It has deduced by scientists at the Penn State University College of Medicine that Camp production is impaired with many obese patients. From this it points to the solution that many obese patients may benefit from Forskolin.

The second method that Forskolin works is through increasing the levels of thyroid hormone production. Thyroid production is stimulated meaning that our metabolisms are sped up, which in turn, can lead to a loss in weight.

Another benefit of Forskolin is its ties to a healthy heart and lungs. Forskolin has been proven in a study from 1974 where the substance contributed to the dilation in the blood vessels of the heart. This has then led on to a lowering of blood pressure and aided in preventing blood clots from accumulating. Improved blood flow stems from this as well as an increased control of the flow of ions, which all link back to maintaining a healthy heart.

As well as all of these benefits, Forskolin is used in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. It has also been shown to aid asthmatics with the flow of air as Forskolin aids in the relaxation of the airways to aid in the respiration process.

The typical dosage for Forskolin is usually 25-60mg per day divided into 2 to 3 doses. In a recent study, 6 overweight women were instructed to take 250mg capsules that contained 20% of Forskolin, twice a day over an 8 week period. The results were obvious with showing a loss on average of ten pounds. There were also signs of a reduction in body fat by 8%.

Forskolin also has no clear ties to any side effects and can be taken along other caffeine’s as it can also provide a boost in stamina. However it is important that you go and see your doctor before taking the product to ensure safety with your usage of the substance. But it looks as if Forskolin could be the answer, to every dieter’s dreams.

What makes Resveratrol the new health supplement to be reckoned with?

he answer is resveratrol. This natural compound has been quietly conferring its health benefits to millions of people for centuries. The Mediterranean Diet, famed for its association with long life, low rates of cancer and heart disease and continued wellbeing, counts resveratrol as one of its key ingredients. This is because it is found in a range of health-enhancing foods including peanuts, mulberries and red grapes.

Meet resveratrol

Like vitamins C and E, resveratrol is an antioxidant. Put simply, antioxidants are molecules that inhibit oxidation, a chemical process that occurs as part of the damage and ageing process in animal and plant cells. The body naturally contains some antioxidants, including enzymes, but relies on dietary intake for many more. In the same way that oranges are a great source of vitamin C, a range of berries and grape products, including wine, have been identified as natural sources of resveratrol.

What can resveratrol do for me?

As scientific research into this compound continues, more and more surprising advantages are being discovered. Animal studies have shown that it promotes longer life in mice, and it has repeatedly been suggested as an explanation for the ‘French Paradox’. This situation puzzled the medical profession for decades, with research prior to the identification of resveratrol in red wine providing no explanation as to why the French traditionally lived on a diet high in saturated fat, yet had a lower rate of heart disease and a longer life expectancy than many other countries.

Early studies have produced even more exciting results. Based on initial trials, it seems likely that resveratrol may have a future in fighting cancer, diabetes and a range of viruses including herpes, influenza and the frequently deadly CMV.

Anti-ageing effects

Unsurprisingly, resveratrol is touted as a great natural anti-aging product. Ageing is scientifically defined as a gradual process of cell damage and destruction. As resveratrol is known to slow down the ageing of individual cells by oxidation, the whole body benefits from a slowing down in the ageing process, effectively staying younger and healthier for longer.

Supplements

Resveratrol supplements come in a range of different forms, some of which are up to 1000 times more effective than red wine in delivering the antioxidant to the body. The advantage of the supplement form is that it allows the body to receive sufficiently high levels of the active form of resveratrol (trans-resveratrol) to be effective, in convenient capsules or creams that fit around an active lifestyle. Also, time-release preparations are now a reality, with Transmax being the first product that releases resveratrol over a controlled period to maximise its benefits to the body.

Resveratrol is a humble compound that has got both the scientific and the celebrity communities buzzing. Its proven benefits for health and its potential for medical cures go hand in hand to make it one of the most desirable products on display in today’s health food market.