It?s been said that having a couple glasses of red wine every day helps you live a longer and healthier life. Is this convenient research accurate?
For years, it?s been a widely believed fact that alcohol in moderation, especially red wine, is beneficial for your health because of the resveratrol in it. Resveratrol is a chemical found in grapes that supposedly helps protect your heart. But something healthy and something fun don?t always combine to make something positive. According to new research, these elements together can actually be a killer combo.
When I first read of these promising finds about resveratrol, I decided to start drinking a few glasses of red wine a week to protect my heart. However, I soon started noticing that the day after having a glass I would get headaches and my blood pressure would be slightly high. Eventually, I even started feeling uncomfortable if I didn?t have the wine.
My patients seemed to have similar reactions. When their blood pressure was up, they would often tell me, ?Doc, do not pay attention to this. I drank wine yesterday.? I started looking into the true effects of alcohol and wine on the human body.
Eat Fat, Stay Skinny?
What I found is that the studies ?proving? the benefits of red wine stake claims in the French paradox (French people eat fat and stay skinny) and a Mediterranean diet (fats, fruits, and fish). Looking further into the issue, I found the catch: these studies may not be fully supported. The way the statistics were published made it look like wine was hands-down healthy?creating a statistical illusion (3). (And it was no surprise that after they ?discovered? the beneficial effects of red wine, the wine sales skyrocketed.)
Much of the documentation of the cardio-protective effects of resveratrol is based on the reports of Dipak K. Das, who later was found to be guilty of scientific fraud. Unfortunately for wine lovers, many of his studies were retracted (4). So far, independent researchers have not been able to prove that resveratrol is beneficial for normal humans at all (4). Even worse, it has been shown that drinking red wine can cause mental decline (1, 2) among other problems! The two-glasses-a-day recommendation may just be a safe dose of poison.
In the independent research the authors said it was not possible to determine the minimum dose of alcohol that?s harmful. This is vital and could be life-changing for even the minimal drinkers. Alcohol is not a part of the foods we can find in nature. If you still want to try resveratrol for health, eat grapes.
Other Symptoms to Watch for
When I would drink wine I felt warm and often my stomach would burn. This may be a familiar feeling for many of you, but it set off alarms for me. Burning means damage. Alcoholic gastritis is a common disease that you should watch out for. Another is alcoholic hepatitis, which happens when alcohol starts causing major problems in the digestive system (like the stomach and liver).
What about not feeling great without wine? This is caused by down regulation: the main side effect to look out for. Alcohol works as a GABA analog. You may know other GABA analogs: drugs like Xanax, Valium, etc. These are known for their addictive potential.
GABA analogs work by binding to GABA acceptors in the brain. If we put more GABA or its analogs in our body, they are interpreted as an overload. In order to block the excess, the brain decreases the number of GABA receptors so it can get back to normal.
So when there are no extra GABA analogs in our system and we have only naturally produced GABA, there are not enough GABA receptors to sense it in a normal way. So we feel as if we have not gotten enough GABA. That is why we have an urge to consume more GABA analogs like alcohol or ?downer? drugs. Giving in and consuming them doesn?t solve the problem, but rather creates a vicious circle called dependence.
Forget the wine!
Here are some natural ways to restore heart and mental health:
1. Find out if you have an ongoing inflammatory process. Chronic inflammation has been linked to heart disease.
2. Ask a doctor to check if you have enough nutrients for your brain to work properly.
3. If you have any digestive system issues, you will not be able to digest or absorb nutrients?no matter what healthy foods you eat.
4. Check for toxins with specialized tests from a doctor.
5. Reduce your stress level by getting rid of unnecessary stuff?clean out the garage, the house, the car, or even your mind with relaxing activities!
6. Have fun, but stay away from alcohol!
Food for thought: the article linked alcohol consumption to mental decline. What if it was the opposite? Could mental issues cause alcohol consumption?
References:
1. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-01-16/drinking-linked-to-faster-mental-decline-in-men
2. http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2014/01/15/WNL.0000000000000063.short?rss=1
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_paradox
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resveratrol