Grape Expectations :: Health and Disease

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Grape Expectations
by author Suzanne Diamond, MSc

It is sobering news for women that they now not only suffer equal rates of heart disease as men, but are more likely to die from their heart attacks.

However, by changing their approach to cardiac health, women–and men–can rejuvenate their cardiovascular systems and dramatically reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke.

Certain flavonoids–antioxidants found in specific fruits, tea, and wine–can naturally prevent blood clots, strengthen and tone the vascular system, reduce high blood pressure, lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and prevent its oxidation.

The Healing Power of Flavonoids

To many people, preventing heart disease means popping an aspirin every day. However, latest research suggests that along with other dietary and lifestyle factors, flavonoids in the diet may help to prevent heart disease.

Heart attacks occur when blood clots stick to fatty deposits on the walls of the heart’s arteries, blocking the supply of blood. Therefore it is important to take steps to prevent excessive blood platelet stickiness.

Like aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid or ASA), certain flavonoids thin the blood by reducing blood platelet stickiness, and also have noted anti-inflammatory properties. Particularly beneficial flavonoids include colour pigments called anthocyanins and related compounds called oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC), both powerful antioxidants. Both are found in berries, grapes, and flowers, but OPC are most concentrated in seeds and barks. Our ancestors consumed far more of these flavonoids than we do today.

ASA is known to cause ulcers, however anthocyanins and OPC have been shown to prevent ulcers and gastrointestinal hemorrhage by stimulating the production of mucous that protects the stomach lining from digestive acids.

Leading American heart specialist, Dr. Jonathon Folts of the Madison Medical School in Wisconsin–the doctor who first recommended people take an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks–now believes flavonoids from grapes and berries may be better than taking ASA tablets for thinning the blood, and preventing coronary artery disease.

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Suzanne Diamond, MSc, is a botanical medicines specialist and natural health teacher based in Canada. She has conducted health seminars in Canada, the United States and Europe.

Source: alive #268, February 2005

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