When Florence Bearse of Bangor, Maine celebrated her one-hundredth birthday, she made national news.
Not just for making it to one hundred with her wit and sense of humor intact, but also for what she says is the secret to a long life. Bearse, who has been widely photographed with wine glass in hand, says wine is her longevity secret.
Elderly Care in Media, PA: Benefits Of Wine
Other centenarians have testified that wine got them past their nineties and into a new century. Eileen Ash, of Norwich, England, attributes her age to two glasses of wine a day. She is 105.
Is there a link between wine and longevity?
Caregivers should know that science has long pondered the possible connection between health and red wine bibbing. Yes, it’s usually red wine, not any other kind of alcohol. Initially, studies focused on the health and longevity of the French who eat cheese, rich sauces, drink wine, and seem not to develop heart disease at the rate that Americans do.
And it is true that red wine has some ingredients not easily found in other consumables. The naturally occurring chemical, resveratrol, in particular, is linked to improved heart health and heart protection. Some studies suggest that resveratrol goes so far as to make blood healthier and reduce swelling.
Another ingredient in wine, piceatannol, is thought to help with weight management, explaining how the French steer clear of the obesity epidemic that plagues Americans. There is even some research that suggests people with type 2 diabetes may benefit from a single glass of red wine daily. The research, too, points to a link between wine and heart health.
There is a caution in all this research, however. The benefits only hold when the amount of wine consumed is in the small to moderate range. In other words, one glass of red wine a day, with no other alcohol consumption, is more likely to render health benefits. Two glasses may still be therapeutic. When consumption is substantially greater than that, most doctors will say that the risks of drinking alcohol outweigh the benefits.
Medical experts also maintain that there are still many unknowns in the relationship between wine, health, and longevity.
One study showed that wine buyers were also making healthier food choices at the grocery store than non-wine drinkers, for instance. So it’s possible that the lifestyles of wine drinkers, not just the wine, are what keep them healthy and alive well into an advanced old age.
The French, after all, combine red wine with long, slowly eaten meals, lots of shared meals, and a good regime of exercise and weight management. Your home care professional may help you determine whether your loved one’s lifestyle is similarly healthy overall.
Should your parents or grandparents be drinking red wine?
It’s really up to your senior’s doctor to suggest whether a glass of red wine could promote heart health. A lot depends on other health factors and what medications your loved one is taking. If your loved one does drink wine with dinner for health reasons, or just for pleasure, home care professionals can help with serving appropriate amounts and keeping an eye on the wine rack.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Media, PA, please talk to the caring staff at Better Care Home Health Services LLC today. Serving individuals and their families in Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks counties. Call Today: (267) 766-5218
Sources
https://www.newscentermaine.com
Better Care Home Health Services is a family-owned agency dedicated to providing excellent and comprehensive home health care to individuals and families of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. We are honored that God has blessed us with the opportunity to positively impact and change people’s lives. It is our mission to ensure that we provide the very best of care to our clients.
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