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The French Paradox

by: Peter Carnes

In the mid-1990s the world's oldest inhabitant - a 120-year-old woman living in Arles in Provence - gave a television interview during the course of which she attributed her longevity to three things: using olive oil for all her cooking, drinking red wine every day, and giving up smoking at the age of 117!

It's a heartwarming story, and it illustrates in a very real way the beneficial effects of something that has come to be known as the "French Paradox".

Stated simply, the French Paradox can be expressed as follows:

As a nation, the French eat more than anyone else, drink more than anyone else, smoke more than most people, have more liver, kidney and gastrointestinal complaints and disorders than their US/ UK counterparts - and yet have one-third fewer deaths from heart disease!

And this apparent anomaly is even more pronounced in the south of France than elsewhere!

WHY?

Well, scientists, dieticians and nutritionists have been puzzling over this question for years. They have carried out sudies and surveys, conducted tests and experiments, etc., and have finally decided that the answer to this paradox lies in three things:

* Olive Oil

* Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

* Red Wine

As you drive down through France, through the great wine regions of Champagne, Beaujolais and Burgundy, you are also moving from the land of butter and cream to the land of olives and olive oil. Dieticians and nutritionists the world over are coming to believe that the one overriding factor in the comparative absence of heart disease and other cardiological disorders in the communities living around the Mediterranean is the almost universal use of olive oil for cooking, dressing salads and flavoring foods.

It is now a medically established fact that those countries and regions where olives and olive oil are used extensively - eg Greece, Spain, southern Italy, southern France - have a much lower incidence of heart disease and other cardiovascular complaints than the rest of Europe.

Doctors say that we should try to ensure that at least 15% of our daily calorific intake comes from monounsturated fatty acids. Replacing butter, margarine and other animal and vegetable fats with olive oil is an excellent method of achieving this 15%.

Olive oil also stimulates the metabolism, lubricates mucus membrane and helps in the treatment of peptic ulcers, constipation, heartburn and stomach upsets.

It is also estimated that the average Provencal diet contains as much as 60 % more fresh vegetables than the average US and UK diet, and that a person in Provence will consume twice as much fresh fruit than their US/ UK counterparts.

Furthermore, a Provencal cook will invariably under-cook vegetables, thus ensuring that fewer valuable minerals and vitamins are lost during the cooking process.

So why not follow the Provencal example and try just lightly steaming your vegetables - or perhaps cooking them very briefly in the microwave - and then tossing them in a little extra virgin olive oil with just a sprinkling of fresh herbs?

And don't use too much salt!

There may also be a link between red wine and the absence of heart disease.

It goes without saying, of course, that an excessive intake of alcohol is never beneficial, and can lead to a whole range of medical and social disorders. But it's also true that people who drink wine in moderation tend to have a lower risk of heart disease than people who drink excessively - or who don't drink at all!

Yes, that's right. Scientific studies have demonstrated that it's healthier to drink a glass of wine (preferably red wine) a day than to abstain completely. This is due to the fact that a moderate intake of red wine actually increases tha amount of "good" cholesterol in the bloodstream, as well as helping to reduce stress and lower blood pressure - all factors that can contribute to heart disease.

Another significant difference between French and US/ UK drinking habits is that on the whole the French tend to drink wine while they are eating. In the US and UK the usual practice is to come home from work in the evening, gulp down a meal and then go out drinking - mostly beer and spirits.

In France people still tend to eat more formally, with the whole family sitting around the table for a leisurely meal, accompanied by a glass or two of local wine. This is considered a much healthier practice and much less conducive to stress/ anxiety/ tension/ etc. - quite apart, of course, from being extremely enjoyable in its own right!

The recommendation, therefore, is to spend a little more time with your family or partner, consuming healthy food and wine, rather than simply demolishing a ready-cooked meal (which is probably full of salt and saturated fat) just so you can spend an extra few minutes down the local pub or bar.

Believe me - you will certainly benefit in the long run!

The French Paradox is not just an interesting and intriguing story. There are valuable lessons that we can all learn here: lessons that could give us a "kick-start" to a new, safer and healthier lifestyle.

Lessons that could even, at the end of the day, help to save our lives.

About the author:
Peter Carnes is a UK-based author, webmaster and publisher. Two of his most-visited sites are: and

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Prevent Heart Disease
by: Mike Spencer

You should always keep in mind that whatever actions you do today can either help to prevent, delay or minimize the effect of heart disease or worsen it. The key is to control risk factors. Granted that you cannot control every risk factor for heart disease such as family history but you can definitely do something about your behavior. Age and gender also influence your risk of heart disease.

Major Risk Factors of Heart Disease

Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a type of a lipid, a soft, fatlike substance that serves as a source of fuel. Excessive cholesterol can cause buildup of atherosclerotic plaque. Accumulation of plaque in arteries can block blood flow and lead to a heart attack. LDL cholesterol, the so-called "bad" cholesterol, is transported to sites throughout the body, where it's used to repair cell membranes or to make hormones. LDL cholesterol can accumulate in the walls of your arteries. HDL cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol, transports cholesterol to the liver, where it's altered and removed from the body.

Blood Pressure

Normal blood pressure level is defined as less than 130 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) for systolic blood pressure and less than 85 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure. The higher the blood pressure, the more likely it is to take a toll on the heart and on the brain. Blood pressure should be checked whether or not your levels are high. For normal, check once every two years. For high-normal, check once a year. If extremely high, you should get immediate care. Then get multiple measurements to know if a high level is sustained over time.

Diabetes

Another risk factor for heart disease is diabetes, a chronic disease of insulin deficiency or resistance. Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, is associated with obesity and may be prevented by maintaining ideal body weight through exercise and balanced nutrition.

Tips For Controlling Risk of Heart Disease

Stop Smoking

The effect of smoking on your lungs can cause almost every other medical condition.

Get Active

Routine physical activity is highly recommended and helpful in controlling obesity. Try to perform 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Fast walking is one of the best way to prevent heart disease. If you can lose even a small amount of weight, five pounds for example, it may have a positive effect on lipid levels and blood pressure preventing heart disease.

Limit Alcohol Consumption

Limit daily alcohol intake to three ounces or fewer to prevent heart disease. People who drink large amounts of alcohol (six to eight ounces a day) tend to have higher blood pressure.

Watch What You Eat

Eat five helpings of fruits and vegetables daily to prevent heart disease.

Maintain adequate dietary potassium, calcium and magnesium intake.

Reduce saturated fats and cholesterol to stay away from heart disease.

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