Red Wine: There's Good News and Bad News if You Have Diabetes
Ahhh. You come home late after a busy and aggravating day at work, you throw your coat on the chair (or floor), and sit down to dinner. But first, a sip of that new Merlot that you purchased last week. All of a sudden, you feel better, and can deal with the balance of your day.
But, here's another reason for you to indulge in that glass of red wine - resveratrol, a chemical commonly found in it has the ability to lower blood sugar levels. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring anti-oxidant found in grapes that has been reported to have cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and glucose-lowering properties.
That's great news, huh? A few more glasses of Merlot on a regular basis and I'll be able to throw away my diabetes medication, cancel my gym membership, and have that chocolate fudge sundae.Whoa Nellie! I DON'T THINK SO!
Here's the bad news:"It's exciting to see resveratrol's glucose-lowering effect in diabetic experimental animals. However, studies are currently underway in our laboratory to determine whether the agent inhibits glucose transport in the brain of normal and diabetic animals," said Dr Kimberly Martin, MD, and mentor, Dr. F. Ismail-Beigi,Martin.The research will be presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 17th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress on May 16th, at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando.
And, by the way,all kidding aside, NEVER stop taking your medications or vary from your healthy lifestyle without getting the authorization from your physician. He or she is well versed on all of the newest treatments and medications and can make a more educated decision about YOU than you can.