The Fountain of Youth

Throughout centuries, people have searched for aResveratrol had the same affect on mice. While the
proverbial Fountain of Youth, a fountain whose waterconcept of giving a red wine molecule to a group of
can actually slow down the aging process. From Juanmice may seem odd - leaving the mice inebriated and
Ponce de León to the modern day seeker, thesurrounded by relatives begging them not to get
search for the Fountain of Youth, much like thebehind the wheel...of cheese - the study actually drew
fountain itself, springs eternal.conclusions that could leave Dr. Sinclair and his team
While this fountain's location has proven elusive, it'ssitting next to Jonas Salk on the spectrum of
believed to be somewhere near Florida, causingimportant scientific discoveries.
hopeful searchers to leave no Cadillac unturned: asThe researchers found, after a 110 week study of
the Atlantic winds blow onto the shores, the soundsmice placed on a high fat diet, that the mice who
of "here fountain fountain fountain" are often heardtook Resveratrol lived longer than the mice who did
from afar.not. Despite ingesting foods that were high in fat, the
The reason for this extensive hunt is simple: when itmice who took Resveratrol had a mortality rate of
comes to life, everyone hopes to find an extension32 percent, while the mice who didn't take
cord.Resveratrol had a mortality rate of 50 percent.
Though the Fountain of Youth hasn't provided usThe reasons for this, the researchers concluded, is
with this extension - as its waters have yet to bethat Resveratrol essentially copies calorie restriction,
packaged, labeled, and displayed in the vitamin aislesgiving those who ingest it the same benefits of
of the local market - there is something that maythose who restrict their food intake. In sum,
serve as a close second: red wine.Resveratrol ignites the will to survive in the cells,
Red Wine Slows Down Agingrewarding the person who ingests it with a longer life.
Most of us are aware of the health benefits of redCould it be the Same in People?
wine. From lowering blood pressure to helpingWhile mice - living an average of 2 years - were an
cardiovascular health, red wine is giving all sorts ofideal subject matter for the Resveratrol study,
diseases something to whine about. However, recenttesting in people, because our lifespan is about 40
discovery has led scientists to believe that, in additiontimes that of a mouse, is not as convenient.
to increasing health, the consumption of red wineTherefore, human testing has yet to be done.
may single handedly decrease the mortality rate andHowever, it's highly theorized that a Resveratrol
slow the aging process: belly up to the bar and orderstudy would find a similar outcome, whether the test
a Merlot, with an added dash of lifespan.is performed on mice or men. . The main reason for
Calorie Restrictionthis prediction is the French.
There are a lot of things that a person can do toThe French are a culture bent on poor eating -
increase the years they will live. From loweringconsuming foods high in fat and calories - and
cholesterol to working out on a daily basis, severalinactivity. Despite having a lifestyle that serves as a
practices work together to give the average personmanual for a heart attack, heart disease is not an
more years of living. Yet, nothing increases a human'senemy of France. The majority of the French simply
lifespan quite like the act of calorie restriction, limitingdo not get heart disease. The reason for this is
caloric intake to a minimum. Some researchersbecause they, in addition to being a culture who
estimate that calorie restriction can increase lifespanconsumes foods high in saturated fat and fails to
by as many as 50 years.exercise, are also a culture that consumes a lot of
However, from Alfredo sauce to zucchini bread, ourred wine. This red wine has proven to be the one
world is a world that loves to eat. Because of this,variable that seems to enable them to sidestep
restricting calories isn't very feasible; we have adeath, allowing them, despites some vices, to live a
better chance at actually finding the Fountain ofgreat deal of years. In fact, in areas of France where
Youth than we do of not consuming the T-bonewine is grown, citizens live 35 to 65 percent longer
steak sitting on the dinner table, begging us to stick athan citizens residing in a non-growing district.
fork in it. .How much Red Wine Should People Drink?
Taking into consideration the fact that humans aren'tWhile this "Fountain of Youth" discovery is great
likely to engage in caloric limitations, scientists begannews for wine lovers, it has the potential to
looking for a way that people could have their cake,perpetuate the wrong idea, with some people locking
and literally eat it too.themselves in a liquor store, grabbing a corkscrew,
The Sirtuin 1 Geneand drinking all the wine on the shelves in a quest to
Calorie restriction activates the Sirtuin 1 Gene, a genelive forever. Like all of the benefits of red wine, the
that is known to heavily influence the continuedkey is moderation.
existence in all living cells. Once this gene is activated,Right now, it is recommended that people hoping to
cells go into survival mode, putting more effort intoconsume Resveratrol drink one or two glasses of red
longevity. This ultimately, as cells fight harder to staywine a day. Because the air can alter Reservatrol's
alive, increases lifespan.potency, it's best to drink red wine that has been
However, calorie restriction, as scientists haverecently opened. While white wine has some
discovered, is not the only thing that can activate theResveratrol, red wine has about ten times more.
Sirtuin 1 Gene. Recent studies have found that redAlong these lines, wines grown in cooler climates -
wine also possesses this talent. Due to the fact thatsuch as New York - have more Resveratrol than
red wine contains Resveratrol, a class of antibioticswines grown in hot climates, such as Australia. Pinot
produced by plants that activates the Sirtuin 1 Gene,Noir is believed to be among the wines with the
drinking it can add years to life. With each glass ofhighest levels.
red wine consumed, a cell's urge to exist becomesWhile the Fountain of Youth may not have technically
stronger, the body is filled with antioxidants, andbeen found, this red wine discovery is allowing us to
Gloria Gaynor's "I will Survive" is heard, reverberatingfeel its mist. By igniting our cells will to survive and
off the strands of DNA.filling our body with life preserving antioxidants, red
The Data Speakswine may slow down the aging process, allowing
After discovering that Resveratrol lengthened the lifehumans to stay younger and live longer than they
of fruit flies and roundworms, Dr. David Sinclair and aever thought possible.
team of Harvard researchers began to see if