Red Wine helps in preventing cancer

But for maximum benefits, sip don't gulp, research shows.
New research is uncovering the disease-prevention secrets of a polyphenol called resveratrol, one of compounds in red wine that seems to improve health. Although the benefits have been touted for years, researchers weren't sure how polyphenols, and resveratrol in particular, worked in the body.

Scientists are beginning to understand how resveratrol does its work. Possible mechanisms include:
• High doses of the compound may prevent cancer by increasing the process of apoptosis (programmed cell death).
• Low doses improve cardiac health by increasing cellular protection and reducing damage.
• Resveratrol may help remove very reactive oxidants in the body and improve blood supply to cells.
Scientists are also studying how the body absorbs resveratrol into the blood stream, since the compound is largely inactivated in the gut and liver.

Stress – its effects on your body and health

Everyone has stress. We have short-term stress, like getting lost while driving or missing the bus. Even everyday events, such as planning a meal or making time for errands, can be stressful. This kind of stress can make us feel worried or anxious.
Other times, we face long-term stress, such as racial discrimination, a life-threatening illness, or divorce. These stressful events also affect your health on many levels. Long-term stress is real and can increase your risk for some health problems, like depression.
Both short and long-term stress can have effects on your body. Research is starting to show the serious effects of stress on our bodies. Stress triggers changes in our bodies and makes us more likely to get sick. It can also make problems we already have worse. It can play a part in these problems:
• trouble sleeping
• headaches
• constipation
• diarrhea
• irritability
• lack of energy
• lack of concentration
• eating too much or not at all
• anger
• sadness
• higher risk of asthma and arthritis flare-ups
• tension
• stomach cramping
• stomach bloating
• skin problems, like hives
• depression
• anxiety
• weight gain or loss
• heart problems
• high blood pressure
• irritable bowel syndrome
• diabetes
• neck and/or back pain
• less sexual desire
• harder to get pregnant

Changes in climate can increase the effects on aeroallergens:

Every year around this time it starts: itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, wheezing. With the return of spring comes allergy season. As trees and plants sprout new growth, the pollen count climbs and millions begin to suffer.

Aeroallergens such as dust, ragweed, pollen, and mold impact half of all Americans, and treatment for allergies in the U.S. costs $21 billion annually. Aeroallergens include pollens, which can be produced by weeds, grasses, and trees, as well as molds and other indoor allergens.

Expected Changes in Pollen Seasons, Growth, and Allergenicity:
Increases in temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2), and precipitation tend to favor the proliferation of weedy plant species that are known producers of allergenic pollen. Higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphere act as a fertilizer for plant growth. Warmer temperatures and increased precipitation cause some plants to grow faster, bloom earlier, and produce more pollen. Temperature changes are expected to alter allergy seasons to begin earlier and last longer and the distribution of allergenic plant varieties to change over time.

Recent scientific studies also suggest that climate-related temperature changes are expected to increase the potency of airborne allergens. Such changes increase the concentration of pollen in the air, the length of the allergy season and the strength of airborne allergens, and associated increases in allergy symptoms.

Climate change will allow certain allergen-producing plant species to move into new areas, and wind blown dust, carrying pollens and molds from outside of the United States, could expose people to allergens they had not previously contacted. Exposure to more potent concentrations of pollen and mold may make current non-sufferers more likely to develop allergic symptoms.

Future Research:
Currently, limited data are available on aeroallergen trends. Further investigation is needed to understand the response of aeroallergens to climate change, to characterize the role of aeroallergens in allergic disease development, and to estimate the costs to avoid or minimize the health impacts of these allergic diseases. Long-term data on aeroallergens are needed to document changes in aeroallergen production, and to characterize the distribution, content, and potency of airborne allergens.