Resveratrol Apparently Is Not The Answer To The French "paradox"

[haidut]

Yet another study, which shows that whatever the longevity benefits of wine and berries are, they are not due to resveratrol. Just thinking how many hundreds of millions went into "researching" and promoting this substance is just mind boggling.

http://www.futurity.org/resveratrol-wine-heart/

"...Earlier studies did show that red wine, dark chocolate and berries do reduce inflammation in some people and appears to protect the heart, but not, apparently, because of resveratrol. “It’s just that the benefits, if they are there, must come from other polyphenols or substances found in those foodstuffs,” says Semba, leader of the study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. “These are complex foods, and all we really know from our study is that the benefits are probably not due to resveratrol.”

 

[TeslaFan]

The French "paradox" is actually quite simple:

1. French work 35 hours a week.
2. French have a month long vacation during which:
a.) They do not fear loosing a job
b.) They do not receive emails from their bosses asking them "how's it going?"

3. They have free healthcare so do not fear medical bills
4. Have free education, so do not worry about their kids' future as much.
5. Bonus: Most French live in moderate climate, with adequate sunshine, unlike other similarly organized nations (Sweden, Germany, etc).

I don't think it's wine, olive oil, etc. Those are all available in the U.S.

It's the lifestyle, but this is hard to see because it is so deeply challenging (even offending) our own beliefs in the benefits of "hard work".

 

[nikotrope]

The French "paradox" is actually quite simple:

1. French work 35 hours a week.
2. French have a month long vacation during which:
a.) They do not fear loosing a job
b.) They do not receive emails from their bosses asking them "how's it going?"

3. They have free healthcare so do not fear medical bills
4. Have free education, so do not worry about their kids' future as much.
5. Bonus: Most French live in moderate climate, with adequate sunshine, unlike other similarly organized nations (Sweden, Germany, etc).

I don't think it's wine, olive oil, etc. Those are all available in the U.S.

It's the lifestyle, but this is hard to see because it is so deeply challenging (even offending) our own beliefs in the benefits of "hard work".

LOL. I am French and I can say that what you just said is a big joke (and sadly many people think France is like that).

French people are as stressed as other people. Their productivity is on par with other european countries while working less which means they have to work really hard on those 35 hours. Most people work more than 35 hours anyway. French management is really awful, they can't fire you easily so bosses are pressuring employees like hell. Healthcare is not expensive but it's not free either. French earn less on average than americans and it's very stressful for a majority of people. They do worry about their kids future as much as other people, education is free but without a license or a master you do nothing and if they want their kids to go to the university you have to spend money on renting a room for them which is quite expensive for a family budget (and public universities are awful). Paris has as much sunshine as Berlin, and really it's depressing. Most French live in the northern part of France and it's not really adequate (compared to spain, italy and greece). French people are so pessimistic it plays a big role on stress, we have a higher rate of suicide than Japanese, I mean WOW! So yeah 5 weeks of vacation is cool but people take half of their days to deal with public services, medical appointment and stuff. So not very relaxing!

I have talked to many French people working in UK, Germany, US and Canada and they thought their lives were more stressful in France.

The French paradox is only about heart disease (and popularly about weight). And it's probably because we don't eat as much PUFA than americans and our bread doesn't have added oil (or they have butter in it). And food quality is better overall like most orange juices don't have preservatives, enzymes or flavour packs so we don't have to worry about that.

 

[TeslaFan]

The French "paradox" is actually quite simple:

1. French work 35 hours a week.
2. French have a month long vacation during which:
a.) They do not fear loosing a job
b.) They do not receive emails from their bosses asking them "how's it going?"

3. They have free healthcare so do not fear medical bills
4. Have free education, so do not worry about their kids' future as much.
5. Bonus: Most French live in moderate climate, with adequate sunshine, unlike other similarly organized nations (Sweden, Germany, etc).

I don't think it's wine, olive oil, etc. Those are all available in the U.S.

It's the lifestyle, but this is hard to see because it is so deeply challenging (even offending) our own beliefs in the benefits of "hard work".

LOL. I am French and I can say that what you just said is a big joke (and sadly many people think France is like that).

French people are as stressed as other people. Their productivity is on par with other european countries while working less which means they have to work really hard on those 35 hours. Most people work more than 35 hours anyway. French management is really awful, they can't fire you easily so bosses are pressuring employees like hell. Healthcare is not expensive but it's not free either. French earn less on average than americans and it's very stressful for a majority of people. They do worry about their kids future as much as other people, education is free but without a license or a master you do nothing and if they want their kids to go to the university you have to spend money on renting a room for them which is quite expensive for a family budget (and public universities are awful). Paris has as much sunshine as Berlin, and really it's depressing. Most French live in the northern part of France and it's not really adequate (compared to spain, italy and greece). French people are so pessimistic it plays a big role on stress, we have a higher rate of suicide than Japanese, I mean WOW! So yeah 5 weeks of vacation is cool but people take half of their days to deal with public services, medical appointment and stuff. So not very relaxing!

I have talked to many French people working in UK, Germany, US and Canada and they thought their lives were more stressful in France.

The French paradox is only about heart disease (and popularly about weight). And it's probably because we don't eat as much PUFA than americans and our bread doesn't have added oil (or they have butter in it). And food quality is better overall like most orange juices don't have preservatives, enzymes or flavour packs so we don't have to worry about that.

Thank you for the feedback, and correcting the second point (vacation being 5 weeks, I'm jealous )

But yeah, life will always be stressful in some ways.
Stress is subjective to a large degree in how we respond to it.

 

[nikotrope]

I think we are lucky because it could be more stressful. I now live in Japan and I have a friend who just got a child and his company wants to send him (not his family) in Hong Kong for like a year or two I guess. What kind of management is this?! I have other anecdotes that are as awful as this one.

 

[Such_Saturation]

we have a higher rate of suicide than Japanese

???

 

[nikotrope]

Oups I made a mistake it was the antidepressant use not suicide rate but I think it's an old statistic I had because antidepressant use in France is not that high anymore (compared to other countries).

 

[SQu]

How can they expect you to leave your family for a year or two? Once they start asking , it starts happening and even becoming expected - people are understandably desperate to keep their jobs. I'm amazed.

 

[nikotrope]

It seems to be a somewhat common thing in Japan, and if you ever get fired you will not be able to find another job because if you failed once, nobody wants you (but they don't fire you, they transfer you in a small town far of everything). I'm glad I'm self-employed.

More information about this subject: http://www.kalzumeus.com/2014/11/07/doi ... -in-japan/ It's long but the first part is about what I talk about in my post.