Another Reason You May Need More Folate

By Kelley Herring

Thanks to the powerful antioxidant resveratrol, drinking red wine has significant health benefits. But the news isn't all good for wine lovers, because alcohol also has a negative effect on hormone-related cancers.

Studies have found low folate intake and high alcohol intake to be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. In a study of more than 45,000 male health professionals, more than two alcoholic drinks per day doubled their risk of colon cancer. However, for the men in the two-cocktails-a-day group, those who got at least 650 mcg of folate per day negated that increased risk.

If you enjoy alcohol in moderation, make sure you're getting enough folate in your diet. While excellent sources like lentils, chickpeas, asparagus, spinach, black beans, and kidney beans provide 115-180 mcg/serving, you may still need to supplement to ensure you're getting enough.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the founder and CEO of Healing Gourmet (www.healinggourmet.com), and is editor-in-chief of the Healing Gourmet book series.]

It's Good to Know: Global Warming Could Mean Fewer Hurricanes

New research indicates that global warming could actually lead to fewer and weaker hurricanes. This finding, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Miami, is contrary to previous claims from environmentalists and other climatologists. But it now appears that warmer oceans increase vertical wind shear (a change in wind speed or direction high in the atmosphere). And wind shear can prevent a hurricane from forming and strengthening.

(Source: National Geographic)

Word to the Wise: Irascible

Someone who's "irascible" (ih-RAS-uh-bul) is hot-tempered. The word is from the Latin for "prone to anger."

Example (as used by Jack Olsen in Hastened to the Grave): "The lawyer described his client as an irascible eighty-two-year-old eccentric who alternated between spinning fascinating tales about her past and cussing him out."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2283, 02-20-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.