Beer-NO, Wine-MAYBE, Grape Juice-YES

Good morning all,

Here are the results of a study done by Dr.Joseph Anderson and his team from Stony Brook University, examining 2291 patients undergoing routine colonoscopy screenings.

Patients who drank 8 or more glasses a week of beer or stronger beverages were more than twice as likely to have precancers or full-blown cancers than those who drank less or those who chose red wine instead.

Apparently it is the increased amount of aldehyde, a noxious compound that forms as alcohol is processed.

These studies also have suggested that alcohol can instigate a perilous cascade of events: DNA damage, immune system suppression and the activation of a class of proteins known as P-450 enzymes that spur the liver to produce so-called pro-carcinogens.

This effects was not found in wine. And he found that red wine drinkers who consumed between 1 and 8 glasses a week of red wine experienced a decreased risk of colorectal polyps and cancers compared with those who chose stronger drinks.

The key is the antioxidant, resveratrol, which is found more abundantly in darker grapes.

He, does not recommend drinking wine to prevent cancer. Mixed results have been found in other studies.

So, what do we do? Drink grape juice!! No alcohol, plenty of great antioxidants.

Barb ( who got stage 3 rectal cancer in a period of 3 years and has never smoked, done drugs, was fit and exercised regularly, and never drank anything "harder" than water!) Go figure.