Universe On The Couch

For years now doctors and scientists have been puzzled by the so-called French Paradox. The issue is that the French are overall in better health, and especially heart disease, than most other Europeans and we Americans despite their supposed poor health habits. They eat fatty foods like duck liver pate. They practically live on cheese, cream and butter. They smoke like fiends and drink plenty of wine. They avoid the gym too.

To start with lets dispel any idea that they are ok because of smoking. They do have higher lung disease rates. A chest Xray here read as early emphysema is normal there. Anybody who disputes that smoking causes obstructive lung disease, heart disease and a large number of cancers is way off target. It is clearly an unnecessary toxin. So they do well in spite of smoking.

On to drinking. Here again we see much higher rates of cirrhosis, a leading killer. But the story gets more interesting than with smoking. Even in the USA we se lighter drinking has a higher life expectancy than none at all. After two drinks a day this benefit reverses and gets worse with each drink. So higher drinking by the French appears to be another in spite of in part. Yet we do have a positive effect from the first daily drink or two.

As a college student I figured this was due to the idea that those who do not drink at all are so uptight overall that they have no fun, over-stress and die earlier. Then working with patients you learn many of them who don't drink do so because of medical conditions and medications that preclude alcohol. So a biased non-drinking sample? One supervisor shared that the stress release was likely beneficial. There is also the anti-oxidant effect, accounted for mainly by red wine, and to a much lesser effect by white wine and some rich beers. Purple grapes and juice, peanut skins and some other produce can give this antioxidant as well.

Let us also dispel the exercise myth. While the gym phenomenon is not like here, the French do exercise. They have their own spas and gyms too. They play sports as well. And most important they walk. They take more steps than we do. And the truth is most in the old USA get almost no exercise at all. So here is a clue. Exercise. At least take a walk.

The New England Journal Of Medicine article that was part of what sent this idea into orbit found that the French didn't fit the European correlation between fat and saturated fat with heart disease other countries did. They pointed to higher fruits, vegetables and olive oil. The fat in cheese did not seem to be harmful either, perhaps by binding with calcium.

A friend and colleague in research points out that the effect is from Southern France where the Mediterranean diet is eaten. Olive oil and produce again. And fish. The French also had a head start on grains/wheat from Roman domination when it was called Gaul.

My guess is that the smoking harms and they drink too much. But the red wine and alcohol does confer some benefits. They do walk more. They eat less overall and clearly much less sugar, processed food, artificial ingredients, omega-six oils (corn and soy) and trans fats. They are not nearly as fat as we are. This is huge. Olive oil, fish, fruits and vegetables are very beneficial foods as well. Higher dairy calcium has been shown to help both weight control and blood pressure too.

One last speculation on fats and carbohydrates. The higher fat content and less carbs, especially simple ones, may have a benefit on insulin and glucose. When glucose levels are too high, proteins in the body get damaged by sugar-coating. Higher insulin causes obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and heart disease. Fat slows sugar absorption and levels out blood glucose as well as insulin.

Ok I said one last speculation... But there is something in the whole approach to life in the French and many Europeans. When you travel, they seem more relaxed than we do. Americans are on a schedule. Impatient. We have an itinerary to follow and are on a schedule. Its like a job to us. They are mellow at home and work is more relaxed too. Close the shop. Take a break. A nap perhaps. They seem to enjoy life more and are less stressed. The work and spend greedy consumer mentality sucks the joy out of our lives and perhaps sucks our life itself out too.

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