Champagne is good for you.

Those of us who take our health seriously know that red wine and good chocolate in moderation are good for the heart and vascular health. . Now it appears that Champagne and Cava are even better than red wine in terms of polyphenols and other stuff which seem to lower the risk of heart disease.
Champagne can be good for your heart, a new British study reveals.

"Drinking around two glasses of Champagne can have beneficial effects on the way blood vessels function," similar to the benefits of red wine, reported Dr. Jeremy Spencer of the University of Reading in the current British Journal of Nutrition.

Sparkling wine increases nitric oxide, which controls blood pressure, the study said. The polyphenols from the red and white grapes get absorbed into the system and "appear to slow down the natural removal of nitric oxide in the blood." That, in turn, "may help to decrease both blood pressure and the likelihood of blood clots forming."

Spencer admitted more research is needed to figure out the "long term effects of daily Champagne consumption."

In the meantime, though, he said, the "potential to reduce the risks of suffering from cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke is very exciting news."

The current study was done with scientists in France. Spencer's earlier study, in 2007 with an Italian university in Monserrato, found Champagne might protect neuron cells against brain injuries from stroke and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. That study also reported the levels of polyphenols in Champagne varied greatly from "variety, vintage and a wide range of environmental fact
Source The Observer 13th December 2009

Are we what we eat?

We accept that how we treat our bodies impacts on our sense of wellbeing and generally we pay lip service to the idea of healthy body = healthy mind. What is the evidence? Can we improve our mood and our thought proccesses by eating better. If this is such a no brainer why do we not pay more attention to the importance of food? Are we all a little bit ADDH from too much caffeine and sugar? The key food issues are quality and quantity. The What How and Why of our complex relationship with food.

Are there super mood foods?

'The really important research question in health is why we crave carbohydrates when we feel unloved?' Robert Sapolsky author of "Why Zebras don't get Ulcers".


Neuroscience developments suggest that eating certain foods ... aids neurogenesis