By Sharon M. McCampbell
20 Minutes to Fitness
Certified Personal Fitness Coach

The end of a long week at work and I’m fighting rush hour mania on the way home. It’s just another one of life’s little frustrating stresses. But for me, the comforting thought of a nice glass of wine waiting beside a soft easy chair can even make the I-75 traffic easier to bear. Finding that red wine, in particular (and in moderation), can actually be good for you makes that thought even more enticing.

If you are a red wine drinker, you probably have experienced the emotionally calming effect of a nice glass of wine - reducing the nervous and muscular tension. But there is more to it than that. Science has found that red wine includes components, other than alcohol, that can actually be beneficial to your health. In fact, in 1992, a Harvard study included the consumption of red wine in their "eight proven ways to reduce coronary heart disease risk." The study states that red wine contains antioxidants, called flavonoids, which reduce the risk of heart disease by:

• Reducing production of low density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol.
• Boosting high density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.
• Reducing blood clotting, and favorably influencing your lipid profiles.

In addition, the antioxidant resveratrol, which is prevalent in the skin of red grapes, is beneficial to patients suffering form cancer, Parkinson and Alzheimer’s. It seems this antioxidant may inhibit some cancerous tumor growth.

Of course one must use wisdom and moderation as with most other life issues. The recommended and optimal amount of red wine to consume on a daily basis is one to two, four ounce glasses for men, while women should only consume one, four ounce serving. In addition, if you have health issues or suffer from alcoholic tendencies or depression, the detriments would far out-weigh any of the benefits. As an alternative to red wine, a 1997 study done at the University of Wisconsin concluded that purple grape juice (again it’s the skin of the grape) does provide some of the same benefits as red wine, but will not lower your LDL cholesterol.

So, don’t let the traffic get you down - there could be a nice glass of red wine waiting for you at home!

"I travel extensively for my job, additionally I have to lug a 30 pound back pack around. It used to be very hard on my body, now I find it easier than ever before, and I don’t have to get any help putting my carry-on into the overhead compartment on the airplanes!"
Kit Kita, 68
System Analyst
Bradenton, Florida

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