by Bob White
This is a report on another of those studies, conducted among a small number of subjects over an inadequate period of time - but one which we should like to accept as gospel. Not only that, but it's one conducted by a prestigious American university using data from foreign sources.
The American university - the Harvard School of Public Health. The study population - male and female teachers from five Spanish universities. They ranged in age from 21 to 69 years old. They were asked to track the amount of wine each drank, and to keep diaries recording any cold symptoms they observed; runny nose; sneezing; nasal congestion; headache; chills; sore throat; cough; and malaise. The result - those who drank more than 14 glasses of wine each week had a whopping 40 percent reduction in colds, compared with those who drank no alcohol (Spaniards who drank no alcohol!!!).
The authors of the study reported that "Among those participants consuming both red and white wine, the association was even stronger among those consuming red wine exclusively." Participants were drawn arbitrarily from persons with light to moderate wine consumption.
Why does wine prevent colds? The researchers came up with no concrete solution. They surmised that people who drink wine have a healthier lifestyle in general (!!). In addition, they felt, the flavonoids (the antioxidants found in grapes) may combat rhinoviruses, which cause colds.
That's good enough for me - waiter, a bottle of your best Chateau Neuf du Pape!
Via S. Brevard (FL) OSTOMY NEWSLETTER |
