By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Two of life's simple pleasures -- a glass of wine, a little time in the sun -- may have benefits for women's health.

Wine first: In a report from Spain, researchers at the University of Barcelona evaluated the effects of moderate consumption of red and white wine -- 6.8 ounces, or two glasses a day -- in 35 nonsmoking Spanish women, average age 38.

The study was done like any other controlled medical trial, with each woman drinking the recommended "dose" of either white or red wine for four-week periods, with a four-week dry period separating each round of study.

"The data showed that, in comparison with the baseline period, consumption of both red and white wines increased serum [blood] HDL cholesterol (often called 'good' cholesterol), which suggests a cardio-protective effect," said the report in the November issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Similarly, serum concentrations of interleukin-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (both markers of chronic inflammation), decreased significantly after both wine ingestion periods," the authors wrote.

Other markers of cardiac health were affected "in a healthy way" by red wine a little more than by white wine, the researchers added. The study provides, "scientifically rigorous evidence" that moderate wine consumption helps keep the heart healthy by preventing low-grade inflammation in women, the Spanish team concluded.

"This continues to add to many other studies by showing the mechanisms by which both red and white wine help prevent heart disease," said Dr. R. Curtis Ellison, professor of medicine and public health at Boston University. "When you give women a glass and a half of wine each day, you have considerable effects on improving inflammation, a little more for red wine than for white," said Ellison, who was not involved in the research.

A number of other studies have shown the same protective effect in men, with slightly greater intake of wine, Ellison said.

Next, sunlight: In the same issue of the journal, a British-American team reported a trial in which levels of inflammation-related molecules were measured against blood levels of vitamin D, made naturally by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight.

"The purpose of the study was to see if there was a correlation between vitamin D levels and indicators of aging," said co-researcher Jeffrey P. Gardner, a professor at the Center of Human Development and Aging at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

In addition to measuring blood levels of inflammation-linked molecules such as C-reactive protein, the researchers also measured the length of sections of the women's DNA called telomeres.

"Other people's work indicated that telomeres were bioindicators of aging, more than a person's chronological age," Gardner said.

Longer telomeres indicate low levels of inflammation, he explained.

Sure enough, the data indicated that higher levels of circulating vitamin D was associated with longer telomere length. Women with the lowest concentration of vitamin C and highest concentration of C-reactive protein had telomeres short enough to indicate about 7.6 more years of aging than women with the highest vitamin D and lowest C-reactive protein levels.

"Optimal vitamin D status may provide a benefit during the aging process," the researchers concluded, with additional trials needed to prove the point.

Still, health experts caution that excessive exposure to sunlight remains a leading risk factor for skin cancer. And too much drinking can harm the body in numerous ways.

生活中有两样很简单的幸福和乐趣--一杯葡萄酒和沐浴在阳光下。这两样都对女人的健康有益。

先说酒吧：西班牙的一份报告中称，巴塞罗那大学的研究者针对35个平均年龄在38岁且不抽烟的西班牙妇女进行了调查评估，研究适量饮用葡萄酒--一天6.8盎司或两杯酒对她们有什么影响。

跟其他受控的医学试验一样，此项研究要求每个妇女饮用所荐用量的白葡萄酒或红葡萄酒，四个星期为一个周期，每个周期之间有四个星期的无酒日。

《美国临床营养期刊》（11月刊）的报告说：“数据结果表明，跟基线期相比，饮用白葡萄酒或红葡萄酒会使血液中高密度脂蛋白（常称为好胆固醇）增加，据称有保护心脏的功效。”

作者说：“同样，血清中白细胞介素-6和高敏C反应蛋白的浓缩（两者都标志着有慢性炎症）会在饮酒期后大大降低。”

研究者还提到,红葡萄酒对心脏健康的益处比白葡萄酒要多一些. 这支西班牙队伍总结说: 此项研究提供了”科学严谨的证明”, 即适量饮用葡萄酒能对女人轻度的炎症起到预防作用而保持心脏健康.

波士顿大学医药与公共健康学院的R. Curtis Ellison 博士说：“此项研究为那些证明了红葡萄酒和白葡萄酒都有助于预防心脏病的诸多研究增添了新的内涵。“Ellison博士并没参与调研，他说：“如果你一天给女人一杯半葡萄酒，这会大大改善她们的炎症，而且红葡萄酒比白葡萄酒的效果要好一点儿。”

Ellioson说有一些研究证明葡萄酒对男人也同样有保养效果，只是饮用量稍微大一些。

再说说阳光：在同一期的此期刊上，一支英美研究小组的试验报告说，血液中维生素D的数量会因暴露在阳光中而由皮肤自然生出，且会与和炎症有关的分子进行较量。

“这项研究的目的是想看看维他命D的水平与衰老迹象是否有联系."研究合作者Jeffrey P. Gardner说道.他是纽泽西医药牙科大学人类发展与衰老中心的教授.

除了测量与炎症有关的分子的血液水平外,象C-反应蛋白,研究人员还测量了一种叫端粒的女性DNA的长度.

Gardner 说:“别人的研究表明端粒是一种变衰老的生物指示器,比一个人的年龄还要长.”

他解释说,长的端粒代表低水平的炎症.

可以肯定,研究数据表明较高水平的维他命D的循环和较长的端粒有关.拥有高密度维他命C和高密度C反应蛋白的女性会使端粒变短,这表明她们会比那些具有最高维他命D和最低C反应蛋白水平的女性提前衰老7.6 年左右.

“最佳维他命D的状态再衰老的过程中会起有利作用.” 研究人员总结道,需要附加的试验去证明这一点.

健康专家还提醒道过度暴露于阳光下会有得皮肤癌的危险,而且饮酒过多也会对身体有不同程度的伤害.