Harold S. Smal Wine Can Be Like Drinking Your Medicine

The prescription given to me reads, “Drink one bottle of wine and call me in the morning.” Yes, a prescription from a doctor.

It was given to me in jest and as a thank you for legal services, but it helps to convey that there are health benefits from wine. The noted television show “60 Minutes” did a piece more than a decade ago about the “French Paradox”—that eating foie gras, drinking red wine, and living well resulted in longer lives. Since then, interest in this area has grown.

Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, has created much of the buzz. Articles and books have been written about the benefits of the powerful antioxidant known as resveratrol, including how it can prevent or delay the onset of cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological and brain disorders, diabetes and viral infection.

Not being a physician or scientist, it is not possible to provide advice in this area. However others with and without credentials have weighed in on the subject—for example, Beth Geisler wrote the book “Resveratrol: Unleashing the Benefits of Red Wine” and Dr. Joseph Maroon wrote “The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life.” In fact, there are a number of other books and articles for your edification.

Resveratrol appears in grapes, not just wine, so grape juice may also provide similar benefits for those that do not want to drink an alcoholic beverage. Given more time, more scientific data should become available and provide better guidance.

Among statements made relating to moderate consumption of alcohol (not just red wine) is that it is thought that alcohol raises the level of “good” cholesterol, reduces the formation of blood clots and helps prevent artery damage. Red wine is considered to be more heart healthy. However, remember that there are adverse effects of drinking alcoholic beverages, especially too much.

Food & Wine magazine published an article in its October 2007 issue that listed eight health benefits of drinking wine, including promoting longevity of life, reducing heart-attack risk, lowering the risk of heart disease, reducing the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, lowering the risk of stroke, cutting the risk of cataracts, cutting the risk of colon cancer and slowing brain decline. These are all based on moderate consumption—two glasses per day for men, and for women one glass per day.

With all these benefits and others discovered since, I have to ask, “Can you pour me a glass of red wine?” I need to take my medicine!