Moderate alcohol consumption and lower total mortality risk: Justified doubts or established facts?

For almost a century, the scientific community is aware of the J-shaped curve between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality. Moderate drinkers seem to live longer than both abstainers and heavy drinkers. These epidemiological observations regarding moderate alcohol consumption and beneficial health effects have been incessantly scrutinised for confounding and bias.

Non-allopathic adjuvant management of osteoarthritis by alkalinisation of the diet.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs recommended for treatment have serious adverse effects. A compelling body of anecdotal evidence alerted the authors to the therapeutic potential of dietary supplementation with Multiforce® (MF) Alkaline Powder for relief of OA symptoms.

Genomic medicine and risk prediction across the disease spectrum.

Genomic medicine is based on the knowledge that virtually every medical condition, disease susceptibility or response to treatment is caused, regulated or influenced by genes. Genetic testing may therefore add value across the disease spectrum, ranging from single-gene disorders with a Mendelian inheritance pattern to complex multi-factorial diseases. The critical factors for genomic risk prediction are to determine: (1) where the genomic footprint of a particular susceptibility or dysfunction resides within this continuum, and (2) to what extent the genetic determinants are modified by environmental exposures.

Pathology-supported genetic testing directed at shared disease pathways for optimized health in later life.

Several chronic, noncommunicable diseases share common genetic risk factors. These include cardiovascular disease and several neurological and psychiatric disorders, as well as some forms of cancer. Clinical compartmentalization and the challenges of translational research have delayed the implementation of personalized medicine.

Red wines good, white wines bad?

A review of the literature on the 'antioxidant' action of white wines on the cardiovascular system is given. The conclusion is that ingestion only of white wines very low, or lacking, in polyphenolics leads to a reduction in the antioxidant action of blood serum, and to an increase in the low density lipoprotein to high density lipoprotein ratio.

The cardioprotective effect of wine on human blood chemistry.

We investigated the in vivo effects of regular consumption of red and white wine on the serum lipid profile, plasma plasminogen activator-1, homocysteine levels, and total antioxidant status. This study confirmed that moderate consumption of wine, red more than white, exerts cardioprotective effects through beneficial changes in lipid profiles and plasma total antioxidant status.

The in vivo antithrombotic effect of wine consumption on human blood platelets and hemostatic factors.

We compared the in vivo effect of red vs. white wine consumption on platelet aggregation, responsiveness and membrane viscosity, plasma total antioxidant status, thromboxane B(2) levels, and fibrinolysis. Diet and red wine had a synergistic effect in decreasing platelet aggregation.