Tom McCarthy pointed out last week that residents of Chatham have a fifty percent higher
probability of heart related or cardiovascular illness than the provincial average.  It is logical to
assume that it must be due to the air we breath.  As individuals we can't do a whole lot to change
the general environment other than to stay inside our homes. In all probability staying inside can
be more dangerous in the long term than being outside even in Chatham as it exposes us to the
high concentration of toxins in the chemicals, fabrics and moulds that we have in our homes

What we can do as individuals is adjust our diet to partially compensate for what we can't
individually control.  This includes what we drink.

A look at red wine shows that ancient times and modern day research provide cumulative
wisdom. Wine dates back through ancient civilizations.  It has been used as a medicine, a purifier,
a drink to strengthen courage and stamina, a beverage to enhance foods and is now included as
part of a healthy diet.

Modern scientific research and the study of wine drinking cultures has revealed that wine through
its phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties has additional healthful effects not found in any
other alcoholic beverages.  An eight year study of 130,000 men and women at Kaiser Permanente
Medical Center in Oakland California by senior cardiologist and world renowned researcher Dr.
Arthur Klatsky indicates that moderate wine drinkers have less risk of coronary heart disease than
non wine drinkers.

The French Paradox has been defined as the French having high risk levels of cholesterol, fat and
hypertension, yet France having much lower death rate, one of the lowest in the world, from heart
disease.  Serge Renaud MD., Director of the French National Institute of Health and Medical
Research says, "This is due to wine drinking in France".

According to professor David M. Goldberg, MD.,PhD., FRCP, Department of Clinical
Biochemistry, University of Toronto, wine has an ingredient that no other alcoholic beverage has,
Resveratrol.  "Resveratrol and members of that family have a powerful biological effect which can
potentially prevent or minimize the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease.  Apart from rather
small amounts in peanuts, red wine is virtually the only source of these compounds in the normal
human diet."

Following a 12 year study in Denmark of 13,784 men and women aged 30-70 scientists concluded
that a low to moderate intake of wine is associated with lower mortality rates from cardiovascular
disease, cerebrovascular disease and other causes.

Dr. John Folts PhD. Of University of Wisconsin, who discovered the anti coagulant properties of
aspirin said in his address to the American Dietetic Association on October 19,1998 , "do as your
mother told you and eat 8 to 10 portions of fruits and vegetables every day, if you can't then the
next best thing is to flush out your arteries with a big glass of good wine."


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