Fat Loss 4 Idiots Opinion

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Resveratrol: Is It For You?

By Jane Soreau

The Oprah Winfrey Show is widely recognized as a source of expert advice on health and anti-aging. Not long ago, Dr. Mehmet Oz, an American heart surgeon of Turkish origin and an expert on the latest anti-aging techniques, made a guest appearance on the show. Dr. Oz presented some of his findings concerning resveratrol-a newly identified antioxidant and a possible catalyst for fighting, reducing, and even reversing the effects of growing older.

Fight Toxins, Fight Aging

Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that protect the body from oxidants-toxins that damage the tissues of the body, causing the visually evident wrinkles on the skin, as well as the less obvious damage to the body's internal systems. Antioxidants help to defend the body, particularly its organs, brain cells, and the nervous system. Moreover, they help to remove the oxidants and even repair damage caused by the aging process.

Resveratrol: Antioxidant par excellence

Among antioxidants, resveratrol is one of the (if not the most) powerful found by our scientists and doctors. As a catalyst, resveratrol sends out a kind of "call to action" to one of the protectors of our immune systems: "Sirtuins." Sirtuins are durable genes that assist in stopping cellular decay, allowing other cells to rejuvenate themselves. An aging individual who ingests resveratrol regularly-in large enough doses of course-will therefore notice that he or she has more energy, reduced fatigue, and a healthier appearance, complete with softened wrinkles and lines.

Hence there are a multitude of benefits generated by ingesting resveratrol on a regular basis. Resveratrol has been found to both fight against, and protect the body from, cancer. It can also protect the body if it is exposed to certain types of radiation and, of course, assist in weight loss.

Nevertheless, we have only begun to skim the surface of the possibilities that resveratrol has to offer! The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has funded analyses of the antioxidant with close to a billion dollars, and there are no signs to indicate that we have come close to comprehending all resveratrol's beneficial aspects.

A Naturally Occurring Substance

Identified in 1963 as "ko-jo-kon," resveratrol has been used for a long time as a homeopathic remedy-derived from Japanese Knotweed-in Asia. While Japanese Knotwood would seem to be a rather obscure source of resveratrol, you might actually have some growing in your backyard! Knotwood has been identified as an invasive, virtually invincible weed in more than thirteen states. Its hardiness derives directly from the resveratrol it contains. Thus Knotwood is used by some in cooking, as a substitute for rhubarb, while companies have begun manufacturing supplements from it.

Peanuts, believe it or not, are an important resource for resveratrol. Think about that the next time you're at a bar, and snack away! Indeed, long-believed to be a danger due to its high fat content, the peanut has been redeemed through studies which exhibit that people who eat peanuts daily are healthier than those who do not. Eating fatty peanuts actually reduces the amount of fat in your body, and it does so by means of nothing other than resveratrol.

Do you drink red wine? If so, then you are drinking resveratrol. Back in 1992 scientists discovered that grapevines contained copious amounts of resveratrol. Thus drinking red wine is a heart-healthy choice for many of us. Even so, it's important-given all the benefits that resveratrol has to offer us-to remember that a single dose of a resveratrol supplement contains the equivalent of almost one thousand bottles of red wine! - 17269

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