The best way forward
Of course there are many aspects to supporting heart health. These include eating lots of vegetables and fruits (particularly berries such as red grapes, cranberries and blackcurrants – all high in polyphenols), consuming fibre from wholegrains and oats, eating fresh nuts such as walnuts, enjoying oily fish or taking omega-3 supplements, and moderating hydrogenated and saturated fat intake through convenience foods. Of course, regular exercise and avoiding smoking are extremely important too.The guidelines for alcohol are that women should have no more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day and men no more than 3-4 units per day. A measure being: one 125ml glass of win / one 25ml shot of a spirit / one half-pint of regular strength beer, or 50ml sherry, port or vermouth. If drinking alcohol isn’t an option (bearing in mind that it is easy to overdo it), taking a polyphenol-rich red wine extract supplement could be beneficial (100mg of extract taken directly from red wine corresponds to the polyphenol content of a glass of wine). Studies have shown that these supplements help to relax the blood vessels (an effect known as ‘vasodilation’). Polyphenols seem to affect the production of a substance called nitric oxide which is linked to a number of cardioprotective actions including vascular relaxation, reducing blood stickiness, and limiting damage to blood vessel walls.
In summary, making good food choices and drinking moderately helps to change cardiovascular risk, but if wine is not drunk it may be wise to increase polyphenol intake with the use of a supplement.
(published with permission in writing from:http://weblog.healthydirect.co.uk)
