www.SmokingPit.com - How to prepare and smoke a Hawaiian BBQ Puled Pork Fatty. Smoked low and slow on a Louisiana Whole Hog Wh-1320 country smoker pellet pit.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Part 1 - Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis (Chs 01-05)
Part 1. Classic Literature VideoBook with synchronized text, interactive transcript, and closed captions in multiple languages. Audio courtesy of Librivox. Read by Mike Vendetti. Playlist for Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis: www.youtube.com
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Friday, November 25, 2011
Ernie Kovacs: Television's Pioneer Of Visual Innovation And Comic Surrealism
Ernie Kovacs was television's most original visual innovator and surreal comic genius, who made us see the world in a different way. He was a true artistic pioneer, who created his unique magic when the medium was just in its infancy.
The pictures that Kovacs conjured along the way, have had an enormous influence on a variety of television shows, as well as individual performers and writers who followed. These included: "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," "Monty Python's Flying Circus," and "Saturday Night Live," to name just a few. In addition, performers and writers, such as Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Chevy Chase, and Mel Brooks, all owe a great deal to this inspiring and creative free spirit.
In 1986, the Museum of Television and Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) presented an exhibit of Kovacs's work, called "The Vision of Ernie Kovacs." In the Museum's booklet for the show, the Pulitzer Prize winning television critic, William Henry III wrote:
"Kovacs was more than another wide-eyed, self-ingratiating clown. He was television's first significant video artist. He was its first surrealist...its most daring and imaginative writer. He was television's first and possibly only auteur, and he was a genius... Kovacs's genius lay in the realm of art. There, a genius is someone who causes an audience to look at the world in a new way."
MEETING ERNIE KOVACS
In 1953, I first encountered Ernie Kovacs when I was 12 years old. Ernie's early morning television show, "Kovacs Unlimited," was being aired on network television in New York City on WCBS (channel 2). It was on this show that I first saw many of the visual sight gags, surreal illusions and characters that became an essential part of his astonishing and original vision. But as a 12-year-old kid, I just thought the show was very exciting, lots of fun and really cool!
As an avid fan of the show, I, immediately, joined Ernie's Early Eyeball Fraternity and Marching Society (EEFMS) and, officially, became an EEFMS member. For years, I proudly carried my EEFMS membership card around in my wallet, and when called upon, would sing the EEFMS song, while saluting (left index finger extended, and held over left closed eye):
"Hail to thee, oh EEFMS members, thee so brave and strong,
Through hot Julys and cold Decembers, sing our EEFMS song.
EEFMS, oh EEFMS, EEFMS, oh EEFMS,
We say this now with no misgiving,
If you're not EEFMS, you're not living!"
Then on one spring day in 1953, my good friend Arnie Eastman and I decided to "crash" Ernie Kovacs's studio at WCBS. Armed with our EEFMS membership cards, and the password: "It's been real!," we worked our way past the downstairs entrance guard and arrived, by elevator, at his studio floor. After we knocked on Kovacs's studio door, we were greeted by a member of his staff, who told us to go away. But my friend, Arnie, who was very persistent continued to beg this staff member to let us in. Suddenly, we heard a voice from within the studio: "what's the problem, Andy?" Then Ernie Kovacs came to the door, and after we explained that we were huge fans, and EEFMS members, he invited us into the studio, and seated us in two director's chairs, right in front of the set! (wow!)
The set was comprised of a long table pitched on an angle, with the television camera bolted to the floor at the same angle. So when we viewed the television monitor, the table appeared to be in its normal horizontal position, not on an angle.
Then, one of Kovacs's characters came out on the set carrying his lunchbox, and sat down at the tilted table. At the other end of the table sat another man reading his newspaper. Then each time the man with the lunchbox took an item out of his lunchbox and attempted to place it on the table, it would either slide or roll down the table into the lap of the man reading his newspaper. The finale of this sight gag came when the man with the lunchbox took out his thermos bottle, and attempted to pour some milk into his glass (which had been previously secured to the tabletop before the sketch began). The stream of milk moved at a bizarre angle, nearly parallel to the tabletop, completely missing the glass!
It was this classic sight gag stunt, and numerous other surreal effects, that shocked and delighted television audiences, and, ultimately, became a part of his renowned visual effects vocabulary.
After we stayed through the entire rehearsal of the show, Ernie Kovacs invited Arnie and me to join him for lunch! During lunch he regaled us with delightful anecdotes, as Arnie and I sat there hanging on his every word. Then after lunch, he asked us if we would like to see his office! - Arnie and I could hardly believe our good fortune, here we were, two unknown 12-year-old kids who Mr. Kovacs had never met before, and yet we were spending the day with Ernie Kovacs! (WOW!)
So after lunch, he took Arnie and me over to his office on West 57th Street, and he spent the afternoon with us, telling us fascinating stories, and showing us around his suite of offices. - Our favorite memory of the day was seeing the wild and wonderful collection of tribal artifacts, which Ernie had hanging and standing all around his private office - and the coolest thing of all was the border-cornice of shrunken heads surrounding the entire room!
THE EARLY YEARS and FINDING HIS PLACE
Ernest Edward Kovacs was born on January 23rd, 1919 in Trenton, New Jersey. He died in a car accident, just before his 43rd birthday, on January 13th, 1962.
Ernie Kovacs' father, Andrew, emigrated to the United States from Hungary at the age of 13. After working at several jobs, unsuccessfully, during Prohibition Andrew became a very successful bootlegger, which enabled him to move his wife, Mary and their sons, Tom and Ernie, into a 20 room mansion, in a fashionable section of Trenton. But with the exception of this period during Prohibition, the family continued to live in humble surroundings.
Ernie's interest in theater began in high school. At Trenton Central High School, Ernie came under the influence of his great mentor, drama teacher, Harold Van Kirk. Ernie received a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1937, with the assistance of Mr. Van Kirk. While working in Vermont in summer stock in 1939, Ernie became seriously ill with pneumonia and pleurisy, and spent the next year and a half in very serious condition in several hospitals.
It was during this time that his comedic talent began to show, as he enthralled the nurses, doctors and patients with his antics. (The doctors did not think that he would live). In addition, while in the hospital, Ernie developed a lifelong love and appreciation of classical music, and he kept his radio constantly tuned to WQXR, the classical music station, in New York City. In years to come, Kovacs would frequently use classical music in many of his sketches.
In 1941, Ernie found his first paid job in entertainment work as a disc jockey, at Trenton's WTTM radio. He spent the next nine years with WTTM, becoming the station's Director of Special Events. During this period, Kovacs experimented with a variety of "live" zany events, such as seeing what it would be like to be run over by a train (leaving the tracks at the last second), to broadcasting from the cockpit of an airplane (for which he took flying lessons).
During this period, Ernie was also involved in a local theater group, the Trenton Players Guild, in early 1941, doing some directing for the group. In June, 1945, the Trentonian, a local weekly newspaper, offered Kovacs a column, which he called "Kovacs Unlimited," in which he found his voice as the local wag.
Ernie married his first wife, Betty Wilcox, on August 13, 1945. They had two daughters together, Elisabeth (Bette) and Kip Raleigh (Kippie). The marriage was an unhappy one, and they finally divorced on February 11, 1954. When the marriage ended, Ernie was awarded full custody of their two daughters, based on the court's decision that his former wife was mentally unstable. In that same year Ernie married Edith (Edie) Adams on September 12, 1954.
In 1950, Kovacs had his first opportunity to break into television. He showed up at his audition at NBC's Philadelphia affiliate, WPTZ (now KYW-TV) wearing a barrel and shorts, and got the job! Ernie's first assignment was a show called "Pick Your Ideal," a fashion and promotional show for the Ideal Manufacturing Company. Before long, he was also the host of "Deadline For Dinner," which was a show where local chefs shared cooking tips and tricks. One night the guest chef did not show up, so Ernie was called into action to ad-lib at the 11th hour, and improvised his own recipe for Eggs Scavok (Kovacs spelled backwards).
Soon after, Ernie hosted and, ultimately, created a unique format for the groundbreaking show, "Three To Get Ready"(TTGR). This was the first regularly scheduled early morning show (7 to 9 AM) in a major TV market. Prior to this, it had been assumed that no one would watch TV at such an early hour. Although the show was billed as early morning news and weather, Ernie provided this, along with his own zany and original approach. When rain was in the weather forecast, Kovacs would stand on a high platform, and sprinkle water over the person reporting the weather forecast. On one occasion goats were auditioned for a local theater performance.
It was on the TTGR show that Ernie began to develop his ad-libbed, experimental style that would become his reputation. Among his many innovations early on, Kovacs allowed the so-called fourth wall to be breached, going beyond the boundaries of the show set to expose the behind-the-scenes action, at once shocking and fascinating the viewing audience, who had never seen anything like this before, as he went from interacting with the TV camera crew, to taking a tour of the control room, and chatting with the technicians. And then sometimes he went outside of the studio. He once, spontaneously, decided to wear a gorilla costume, and ran through a downtown Philadelphia restaurant.
When Ernie could no longer put up with his scant prop budget of a week for the show, he solved the problem by asking his TV viewers to send anything that they no longer wanted, to channel 3, WPTZ. On that same day, the entire studio lobby was full of all the discarded stuff that his viewers had sent!
It was on this show that Kovacs found his milieu. Ironically, the failure of the highly rated show, "Kovacs on the Corner," contributed to finding his place. He was gradually discovering that his true milieu was the television studio space, unencumbered by cutesy street sets, with crooked barber shop polls (the setting for "Kovacs on the Corner," where there were too many creative collaborators). In the undecorated studio, he could give free rein to the flow of ideas, contrasting surreal mixtures of the commonplace and the unusual, which only he could visualize - he had to be in control.
As much as Ernie wanted to be in control of "the vision," he relied heavily on his savvy crew, comprised of his special effects technicians, set designers, musical staff, cameramen, soundmen and others, many of whom had worked with him since the beginning, and knew his moods, idiosyncrasies and rhythms so well, that they were able to anticipate and improvise at a moment's notice - sometimes inspiring, or even saving a sketch that was in trouble.
The process of creating new shows with a unique approach and original material, working with minimal scripts and very little rehearsal time, in a "live" television format of that period (there was no videotape, so you were performing without a net), was always a daunting prospect. By their very nature, the shows were experimental. Ernie set no limits for himself, constantly improvising and taking chances. Sometimes the results were brilliant and very funny, and at other times they were just inane and boring. From Ernie's perspective everything was fun - success or failure - he was just a big kid, and the crew were his playmates.
But in the conventional world of television producers, and unsophisticated audiences, where high ratings were the badge of success, Ernie Kovacs was swimming against the tide, which was inevitable for such an innovative visionary.
Throughout his television career Ernie Kovacs always had a large cult following of avid viewers, and received constant praise from the critics. But, ironically, and perhaps, because of his inventive and experimental style, he was never able to consistently sustain the interest of the larger television audience, who had been conditioned by conventional sitcoms and vaudeville style variety shows.
CHARACTERS and SIGHT GAGS
As the incorrigible prankster, Kovacs also encouraged his crew to follow suit and improvise, and take chances. So on at least one occasion, the crew turned the tables on Ernie. On that day, Kovacs appeared as the inept magician, Matzoh Hepplewhite. The sketch called for Hepplewhite to hit a gong frequently. This was the signal for a sexy female assistant to appear with a tray with a bottle of liquor and a shot glass. Ernie (Hepplewhite) was supposed to take a snort, which was supposed to be tea. But the stagehands substituted real liquor instead of the tea. When Ernie took the snort of liquor, the expression on his face was priceless: realizing, of course, that every time he rang the gong he would have to drink another shot of real liquor! Since it was"live"television he had to continue on with the sketch. So at the end of the show, Ernie staggered off the set completely drunk.
As the madcap performer that he was, Ernie played a variety of roles, many of whom became recurring characters. These included the silent Chaplinesque, Eugene, who was the character who poured milk from his thermos bottle that never reached the glass on that tilted table. Ernie was also one of the three derby-hatted apes, known as the Nairobi Trio, who performed their mechanical antics to the tune of Robert Maxwell's "Solfeggio." They were regulars on the early morning show, "Kovacs Unlimited."
One of my favorite characters was the effete poet laureate, Percy Dovetonsils, also portrayed by Kovacs, who spoke with a lisp, and often recited poetry, in between sips of his dry martini (once a stagehand slipped a goldfish into his glass, just as he was going on "live," on the air).
In addition to the many characters that Ernie portrayed, there were many elaborate sight gags that he would perform that, often, only lasted a few seconds. One of my favorites is an underwater stunt, with Ernie playing himself, as the inveterate cigar smoker. In the sketch, Ernie is actually underwater, sitting in his easy chair with a cigar in his mouth, reading his newspaper. He then removes the cigar from his mouth and exhales a puff of white smoke! (The trick is that the "smoke" was actually a small amount of milk, which he filled his mouth with before going underwater).
KOVACS'S VISION and TECHNOLOGY
In the pioneer days when television was in its infancy - early 1940s into the 1950s - radio was still the reigning medium. As a result, the thinking about television as a medium, was very conventional. Directors of television productions would only use special effects, such as cuts or fades or dissolves, similar to the techniques commonly used in the movies at that time. The more sophisticated visual techniques that were available, such as super imposition (one image from one TV camera placed over a second image from another TV camera) was rarely used except in the most conventional way. Similarly, reverse polarity (throw a switch and turn positives into negatives), and reverse scanning (where images could be flipped upside down) were not used because early television generally stuck to realism. Most television productions at that time resembled filmed theater or vaudeville. Directors would just set up a stationary TV camera and let it run.
In the ongoing discussion of Ernie Kovacs's unique form of visual comedy, much has been made of the technical wizardry involved, and the fact that he was ahead of his time. It is true that Kovacs was enthralled with these new electronic toys that had never been used before. He and his crew freely experimented with the technology, and realized that these techniques offered great possibilities. But, what was most important was determining what they would be used for. So the technology played a part, but the process always began, first, with Ernie visualizing a particular scene in his mind. According to the writer, Mike Marmer, who eventually worked for Kovacs:
"Ernie really saw pictures more than anything else. I don't know where they came from, or why - they were just bizarre - but the point is, that that's what he saw. He saw the shock of something."
So for example: let's say that Ernie had an idea for a sketch. He first saw a picture of a man (character) who sees a sign that says: "fly man wanted." Then, Ernie saw a picture of the man walking upside down into the studio. Finally, the technology followed: by using the reverse scan function, the image of the man is flipped upside down, and "the vision" was complete.
FINALLY - RECOGNITION
Recognition of Ernie Kovacs's artistic achievements has been woefully slow in coming. It was not until nearly 25 years after his death, that he began to receive the recognition that he deserved.
As I mentioned in greater detail at the beginning of this article, in 1986, the Museum of Television and Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) mounted a four-months long series "The Vision of Ernie Kovacs," which showcased the diversity of his work. In 1987, Ernie Kovacs was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences's Hall of Fame. In 1989, on the occasion of television's 50th anniversary, in a special issue of New York Magazine, Ernie Kovacs was named one of the medium's top 25 stars of all time.
In the closing remarks in her wonderful book, "Kovacsland: a Biography of Ernie Kovacs," Diana Rico wrote:
"The recognition is well-earned and long overdue. In his lifetime, despite a loyal contingency of fans and a supportive critical establishment, Ernie's insistence on swimming against the mainstream tide prevented him from achieving the high prime time ratings that are regarded as the badge of success in network TV. But the same qualities that kept him from reaching the high numbers were what made him a special talent -the endlessly curious intellect, the love of experimentation, the boundless imagination, the subversive and surreal wit. Ernie Kovacs loved nothing more than to create his bizarre visions for the world to enjoy. We are fortunate that for a dozen years at the beginning of the most important medium of our time, he was able to do just that."
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Addiction Marketing
"Addiction Marketing" is a phrase I coined a few years back while waiting in line for my drink at Starbucks. I was observing the mass of people who like lost explorers in the desert rushing for an oasis seemed to be desperate for their daily (if not more frequent) fix of caffeine. It was at that moment that I realized that one of Starbucks key business drivers, if not their most critical business driver, was that Starbucks sells products that cater to peoples addictive tendencies. What Starbucks has done better than many other addictive marketers is that they also make it cool and trendy to succumb to your addiction. In today's blog post I'll examine addiction as a key success factor in business.
When I was in school economics professors would lecture on using supply and demand drivers to create a business advantage...business professors would evangelize the strengths of the recurring value and stability of consumable products...marketing professors would espouse the benefits of relationship marketing, but nowhere do I recall being able to register for a class on addiction. However if you think about "Addiction Marketing" you'll quickly realize what the "media pushers" on Madison Avenue and the product development and marketing gurus in the corporate world have known for years...all people have their unique set of vulnerabilities that if creatively and effectively exploited will lead to strong sales and powerful brands.
If you read the business news over the weekend you'll have noticed that the Indian government is attempting to force Coca Cola and Pepsi to divulge the formulas to their popular beverage products. One of the charges being upheld in the Indian High Court is that Coke and Pepsi products are addictive and unhealthy...Hmmm...Examine the following representative list of successful businesses and/or industries and come to your own conclusions as to whether these businesses or industries prey on the addictions of consumers world-wide to generate their revenue:
Las Vegas - The tagline "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" caters to virtually every possible addiction under the sun...Sin City lives up to its reputation.
Tag Body Spray - Tag's recent commercial campaign has taken the phrase "Sex Sells" to a whole new level...In this campaign all an adolescent male needs to do is to spray himself with the Tag product and he finds himself instantly being attacked by hordes of attractive young women...If you have a teenage son, it would be a safe bet that Tag is his cologne of choice.
The Beer and Alcohol Industry - You will be hard pressed to find a beer or alcohol company that doesn't portray consumption of their beverage as the key ingredient to a lifestyle of fast cars, beautiful women, successful careers, etc.
The Tobacco Industry - The tobacco industry has been publicly hammered for selling products that leverage the addictive effects of Nicotine and even with all the known health hazards smokers face, in many instances the addictive nature of the product is greater than peoples ability to make a logical decision.
I don't think anyone will dispute the examples noted in the above list as obviously preying on consumer's addictive tendencies. However what about the more subtle side of the addiction business? Isn't Starbucks using the same addictive business tactics as those industries listed above? What about companies in the luxury products sector? Companies that sell high end products and services cater to the elitist attitudes of this segment allowing consumers to make statements about their socioeconomic status based on the products they purchase. Is this not also catering to addictive tendencies?
OK, now I'll hit a little closer to home...What about my company's value proposition? We sell success...Is it not possible to look at success as being an addiction? How about the social networking industry? Are social networkers and bloggers addicted to the interaction, attention, etc. that the new media platform affords? While I could go on, I think my point has been made...I'm certainly not implying that all consumers are addicts, nor am I implying that all companies are "pushers", but I am pointing out that addiction marketing sells and that many companies use this as a strategic advantage. In fact, I believe the evidence is clear that a business can create a strong strategic advantage in sustainability if they find no ethical flaw in what I've coined as "Addiction Marketing".
The bottom line is that I love to travel and watch movies and I don't think it makes me an escapist...I have a penchant for Starbucks (venti caramel frappacinos in particular) and I don't think I'm a caffeine addict, I appreciate the fine clothes and quality automobiles and I don't believe that makes me a social elitist. However I have also come to realize that my perceived addictive tendencies are clearly attempting to be preyed upon by creative and intelligent marketing and product development efforts. I'll leave you with the following questions to ponder:
What is the difference between pleasure and addiction?
Do you feel "Addiction Marketing" is ethical?
Does your company partake in addictive marketing strategies and tactics?
And, when was the last time you made a purchase based upon your addiction?
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wine and Health Research - The Power of Procyanidins - The Real French Paradox
Imagine that in future procyanidin pills are recommended just as aspirin is today. Such are the healthy properties of procyanidin, this is a possibility. Procyanidins have been identified as high performance, low toxicity and highly bio-available. Some red wines have been identified as containing extremely high concentrations of this powerful heart healthy compound.
A steady stream of animal and in vitro studies supplemented by epidemiological evidence and human studies reveal numerous health benefits. Chief among the benefits is antioxidant protection against heart disease and some cancers.
Consider these Imperatives
Procyanidins have been identified as high performance, low toxicity and highly bio-available. Procyanidins, available in some red wines, 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate and other foods, is a healthy compound in the highest doses and part of a natural diet - NOT an unnaturally high-dose supplement (as with other compounds) that is not proven to be safe over the long term and possibly not even absorbed fully as has been observed with some supplements. Research identifies that after two weeks of a daily glass of procyanidin rich red wine positive support for cardiovascular health was observed, including reduced blood pressure. This is good news for protection against heart disease and strokes. The health statistics are significant and important -- Almost half of us die of HEART DISEASE -- World Health Organization, and 50% of STROKES are caused by high blood pressure. "Nowhere in the world where populations are given drug treatments to manage cardiovascular health, have they achieved the low levels of heart disease related deaths, as occurs in Gers (France) where they drink these wines" Professor Giovanni de Gaetano, M.D., Ph.D, In south west France where they have make and consume wines high in procyanidins, census data shows there is twice the number of 90 year old males as the national average. In this region the wines are up to 10 times more procyanidin rich than the modern style, sweet, soft, quaffing red wines so commonly made today. In New Zealand, consumers who begin a strategy of a daily glass of the wines of south west France are experiencing blood pressure improvements consistent with the research. This occurs without change to lifestyle, diet, exercise or medication. Procyanidins provide the same benefits, naturally, as would possibly be achieved with the "polypill". The polypill is a mixture of already in use drugs that is intended to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Governments and drug companies internationally are trying to develop such a drug, to be taken daily, that is aimed to protect older populations from heart disease. In procyanidins it already exists in the natural form. Perhaps there is significance for our health that with today's prevalence of processed and refined foods, our consumption of procyanidins is much lower than the amount we likely evolved with!
This report is an illumination of the considerable international research that has been conducted into the health benefits of procyanidins.
What is Procyanidin
Procyanidins are a mixture of antioxidant molecules, variously called --
procyanidins proanthocyanidins, oligomeric procyanthocyanidins (OPC) proanthocyanidolic oligomers (PCO) leukocyanidins
Procyanidin, a polyphenol compound with strong bioactivity and pharmacologic activity, resides widely in grape seeds, hawthorn, pine bark and other foods and plants. A number of potential mechanisms of procyanidin have emerged. These include, serving as an important in vivo antioxidant, decreasing blood pressure, reducing risk of cancer, inhibiting bacteria, and so on. In recent years, the beneficial health and longevity effects of procyanidin on the human body has been extensively researched internationally.
Research has reported that procyanidin has multiple anticancer effects, notably for being toxic to cancer cells, on cancers such as cutaneous carcinoma, oral carcinoma, breast carcinoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, liver carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, and more, along with growth promoting effects on normal cells.
Commonly referred to as OPC in scientific circles, procyanidin is expert at treating vascular diseases because it actually increases the structural strength of weakened blood vessels, maintaining their permeability and elasticity. This occurs because OPCs help neutralize the underlying chemical cause (oxidation of living cells by free radicals) that promotes many diseases.
OPC is one of the most potent antioxidants known -- 50 times more powerful than vitamin E and 20 times more so than vitamin C, according to some tests.
Grape seeds and pine bark are two of the richest known sources of OPCs. Procyanidins have also been identified as abundant in walnuts husks, cranberries, certain apple varieties, pomegranates, horse chestnuts, hazelnut leaves, hawthorn, rhubarb and barley (also beer made from barley). However tests have shown that significant variation in procyanidin content can exist within these foods.
Toxicity
In 2002 a safety evaluation of OPC rich grape seed extract was undertaken to determine the toxicology of proanthocyanidins, especially in oral administration when used in various foods. The grape seed extract (GSE) was examined for acute and sub chronic oral toxicity and for mutagenic potential. The tests were undertaken using mice and rats. No evidence of acute oral toxicity and no evidence of mutagenicity was found. The results of the studies indicate a lack of toxicity and support the use of proanthocyanidin-rich extract from grape seeds for various foods.
Cardiovascular Disease
Roger Corder, Professor of Experimental Therapeutics at the William Harvey Research Institute in London, identified that procyanidin in some red wine is responsible for the reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease and the lowering of overall mortality in regular, moderate consumers of red wine.
On 30 November 2006 a research article was published in Nature magazine on Procyanidins and the significant health-giving benefits of some red wines. Nature is one of the world's preeminent science journals.
Epidemiological studies revealed that two populations in Europe have exceptional longevity. People in the Nuoro province of Sardinia and those in the department of Gers in south west France, especially men, have a significantly greater longevity than the national average. These populations do NOT consume the "Mediterranean Diet". Corder tested wines and identified that in this region the wines are up to 10 times more procyanidin rich than the modern, sweet, soft, quaffing style red wines so commonly made today. This is the very top of the healthy red wine "pyramid".
Corder and his team looked at these populations and their lifestyles and determined that there was something about the wines in these regions and so began a study of the components and compounds in the wines. They designed their study so they wouldn't know which compound worked best until the end of the trial. The researchers cultured endothelial cells and then added small amounts of red wine. The team isolated and measured the biological activity of each polyphenol in red wine. In hundreds of experiments, using wines from all over the world, procyanidin proved to be the best at regulating production of endothelin-1 to achieve the most favourable levels. Procyanidins suppressed overproduction by 50 percent.
Other compounds, such as resveratrol (a non-flavanoid polyphenol) and quercetin, were found to have an irrelevant effect.
The researchers discovered that red wines from those two regions are particularly high in procyanidins. This is because a large proportion of the grapes used to produce the local wines in these regions are the flavanoid-rich Tannat. Furthermore the traditional wine-making techniques in the south west of France, where the grape skins and seeds remain in contact with the juice for an extended period during fermentation and maceration, significantly increased the concentration of procyanidins in the red wines.
The groundbreaking research by Professor Roger Corder and colleagues established that:
1. Procyanidins lower blood pressure by suppressing endothelin-1,
a peptide that has an undesirable vasoconstriction effects. They also increase nitric oxide in the blood causing vasodilation and increased blood flow
2. Procyanidins decrease platelet aggregation,
thus preventing clot formation and blockage of arteries
3. Procyanidins prevent oxidation of LDL-cholesterol.
High blood cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease because LDL-cholesterol can accumulate in the artery wall where after oxidation it causes inflammation and the formation of plaque. When LDL-cholesterol is protected from oxidation it is less likely to cause atherosclerosis
4. Very few wines have exceptionally high concentrations of procyanidins.
Corder tested many wines and identified only a few regions of the world that consistently have the highest concentrations of procyanidins
Powerful Antioxidants
OPCs have a deservedly high reputation as antioxidants that quench free radicals and potentiate other antioxidants. In one in vitro study OPCs prolonged the life span of vitamin C by 400 percent. Another in vitro study showed that exposing blood vessel linings to pine bark OPCs boosted their vitamin E content by 15 percent. Grape seed has also shown recycling and potentiating effects. The test tube-based activity of vitamin E, in a system mimicking cell membranes, has shown enhancement by grape seed OPCs.
A mouse study, at the Creighton University School of Pharmacy in Omaha, Neb., found that a patented grape seed extract protected tissue from oxidation better than the antioxidant vitamins C and E or beta-carotene.
Grape seed OPCs were observed to be a stronger antioxidant than vitamins C and E, even when the two vitamins were combined, in an in vitro experiment testing the response of human mouth cells to the free radical damage caused by smokeless tobacco.
Preventing Atherosclerosis
The role of oxidation in the development of hardened arteries (atherogenesis) is increasingly understood. Oxidized LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol provokes numerous adverse responses including inflammation, smooth muscle cell proliferation and clotting mechanisms to the cells that line blood vessel walls. All this leads to atherosclerosis.
A grape seed extract with 50 percent OPCs and 50 percent phenolic acids prevented such oxidation of pig LDL in vitro. OPCs may also prevent atherosclerosis in other ways. For example, two in vitro studies found that a patented pine bark extract modulated the release of nitric oxide, which affected the dilation diameter of blood vessels.
Similarly this is one of Corder's primary finding -- that high blood cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke because LDL-cholesterol can accumulate in the artery wall where after oxidation it causes inflammation and the formation of plaque. When LDL-cholesterol is protected from oxidation it is less likely to cause atherosclerosis.
Researchers compared the effects of patented pine bark extract OPCs with aspirin on smoking-induced platelet aggregation in three groups of smokers. They found that platelet aggregation was inhibited by both 500 mg aspirin and 100-125 mg pine bark extract. Because of the increased bleeding time caused by aspirin, the authors conclude that pine bark offers an "advantageous risk-benefit ratio."
Increasingly, studies are raising questions of safety with long term use of aspirin by the "worried well" to prevent heart attach. Studies have found sustained use almost doubles the risk of admittance to hospital due to internal bleeding.
OPCs appear to inhibit several factors contributing to atherosclerosis, but do they actually prevent the condition? Yes, is the conclusion according to recent animal experiments. Researchers at a soy sauce manufacturing plant in Noda City, Japan, fed rabbits a diet that caused high blood cholesterol and severe atherosclerosis in the control animals. Their blood levels of peroxides (a measure of oxidation) increased by 10 times. Another group of rabbits ate the same diet but supplemented with grape seed OPC extract amounting to either 0.1 or 1 percent of their diet. The supplemented rabbits also developed high cholesterol levels; however, they had no detectable peroxides in their blood. Even more impressive, their blood vessels had no atherosclerosis whatsoever. These findings have been confirmed by other research on grape seed and pine bark OPCs. This emphasizes that the issue is the degree of oxidation of the cholesterol and not high cholesterol itself per se.
Although promising data on OPCs and atherosclerosis prevention primarily come from test tube and animal studies, epidemiological research may lend credence to the value of OPCs in human health. In fact, OPCs may help explain the "French Paradox," or why low coronary heart disease rates exist in French provinces known for high-fat foods and red wine consumption. These populations do NOT have a 'Mediterranean diet'.
The French Paradox was first proposed by Dr Serge Renaud in 1991. Dr Renaud's attendance at the Wine & Health Symposium (headlined by Professor Corder) in Pau, France, in 2007 was confirmation he supports Corder's research that identified procyanidins as the explanation of The French Paradox. Corder concludes from his research and epidemiological studies that OPCs are the cause of the exceptional longevity in some populations in south-west France and Sardinia. Corder proposes this is the REAL French Paradox.
Red wine could be considered an alcohol tincture of several potent flavonoids, including OPCs from grape seeds. At the University of Padova, Italy, they fed volunteers a high-fat meal with and without red wine. Post-meal plasma peroxide levels were much lower in those who drank wine.
OPCs also appear to prevent damage caused by atherosclerosis by preventing ischemic reperfusion injury. With atherosclerosis, a clot can restrict blood flow to the heart. If this clot is broken up, blood comes pouring back into the tissue. That process, paradoxically, results in an incredible amount of free radical damage. At the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington, they subjected animal hearts to blood-flow constriction and release. Compared with control animals, the animals supplemented with a patented grape seed extract had 38 percent less heart damage and 50 percent less creatine kinase release, a marker of tissue damage.
Breast Cancer
Studies have shown that the production of estrogens in breast cancer tissue plays a major role in tumor progression. In vitro studies have shown that procyanidin B dimers were able to reduce androgen-dependent tumor growth, indicating that these chemicals reduce the production of estrogens from the androgen substrates.
In a study researchers demonstrated that procyanidin B dimers in red wine could be used as chemopreventive agents against breast cancer by inhibiting the conversion of androgens to estrogens in breast tissues. The researchers estimated that a single four-ounce glass of red wine daily could provide enough procyanidin B dimer to inhibit aromatase activity in an average post-menopausal woman.
Prostate Cancer Protection
A study concluded that procyanidin can induce apoptosis (self-destruction of cancer cells) and necrosis (death of cells as a result of an outside agent) of prostate cancer PC-3 cells in a mitochondrion-dependent manner. The significant changes observed occurred to varying degrees according to dose and time dependant manners within a few hours of treatment beginning.
Prostate carcinoma (PCa) is one of the most prevalent cancers in men. The rate of PCa-related death increases every year. Until now, there has been no effective therapy that has an obvious effect on extending the life span of PCa sufferers. Other traditional therapies, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery, cannot prevent PCa from developing into metastatic clones and becoming androgen-refractory. Therefore, developing new therapeutic strategies targeting apoptosis induction would be of real value in controlling the proliferation as well as the invasiveness of advanced PCa.
The study aimed to determine whether procyanidin-induced apoptosis and necrosis of PC-3 cells is related to Mitochondrial membrane potential. The mitochondrion is a structure in the cytoplasm (outside the nucleus) of all cells except bacteria in which food molecules (sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids) are broken down in the presence of oxygen and converted into energy. So as the cell "powerhouse" it is vital to human health. It is also an important structure within the cells that regulates cell death. The study showed that Mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly reduced in PC-3 cells by treatment with procyanidin. Thus toxicity of procyanidin to these cancer cells was demonstrated.
Other Cancer Protection
Other in vitro studies also suggest OPCs provide cancer protection. OPCs in Vaccinium-family berries, including blueberry, lingonberry and cranberry, block tumor growth by preventing protein synthesis in tumor cells, thereby preventing them from multiplying. Also in the laboratory, barley bran OPCs transformed human myeloid leukemia cells into cells that were no longer cancerous. Another in vitro study found that a patented grape seed extract killed cancer cells; inhibited growth of human breast, lung, stomach and myelogenous leukemia cells by up to 73 percent; and enhanced normal cell growth.
Betel nut, a stimulant chewed by millions of Asians, also contains OPCs. In a small study into the inhibitory effect of betel nut extracts on endogenous nitrosation in humans, the researchers noted that OPCs may play a major role in natural cancer prevention.
Other Health Benefits
Protection again viruses may also occur with OPCs. In vitro studies with OPCs from hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) killed the herpes (HSV-1) and HIV viruses.
Venous insufficiency is a common condition in which the veins and muscles, primarily in the legs, are not able to properly return blood to the heart. Walking becomes painful and difficult. Italian research has shown that grape seed extract can help. Twenty-four patients with chronic venous insufficiency were treated with 100 mg grape seed extract daily. The improvements were visible in 10 days: 70 percent of the patients had less edema and 50 percent had less pain. Bilberry and other bioflavonoids have been used for vein problems for many years in Europe. They may have a similar mechanism of action, or their active constituents may include OPCs.
The body is also protected from toxins by OPCs. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is a potent liver toxin, annually causing 75,000 cases of poisoning requiring hospitalization in the United States. Animal experiments showed that a week of pretreatment with 100 mg/kg of a patented grape seed extract prevented liver damage from acetaminophen. Organ damage was assessed by studying liver cells for damage and also by monitoring the animal's health.
Procyanidins and Beauty
More than just disease prevention, OPCs may make us more youthful looking. Oxidation damage causes most visible signs of aging in our skin. By preventing this damage, skin will stay younger looking. One way to achieve this is to reduce the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) light. Sunscreen products have incorporated a variety of antioxidants with the intent that they will prevent sun injury to the skin. In one study, grape seed OPCs exerted a solo antioxidant effect at a level of potency on a par with vitamin E-protecting different polyunsaturated fatty acids from UV light-induced lipid peroxidation. In this same study, the grape OPCs synergistically interacted with vitamin E, recycling the inactivated form of the vitamin into the active form and thus acting as a virtual vitamin E extender.
Part of the aging process is the degradation of skin by the enzyme elastase, which is released with the inflammatory response. OPCs specifically block elastase, thus maintaining the integrity of elastin.
OPCs may even help us grow a thick head of hair, if the results of animal experiments apply to humans. Japanese researchers shaved mice and found that 40 percent of their hair grew back naturally. When a 1 percent solution of any of three proanthocyanidins was applied to the skin, however, between 70 and 80 percent of the hair grew back. Test tube studies confirm that OPCs actually stimulate the hair keratinocytes to produce three times more hair than the controls.
The health benefits of OPCs have prompted some researchers to suggest there should be an official recommended optimal intake. Doses used in many animal experiments are 100 mg/kg of body weight, which is equivalent to between 50 and 200 mg for the average adult, according to Bagchi. With the prevalence of refined foods today, our intake is much lower than the amount we likely evolved with, but there has been little attempt to quantify current OPC intake. However according to Corder, one glass per day of procyanidin rich red wine provides cardiovascular benefits. This has been the experience of New Zealand consumers of the wines from south west France. Those wines, which have been tested for the procyanidin content, have up to 330 mg per 125ml serving.
While there is more research to be undertaken the evidence mounts for the healthy benefits of procyanidin. The good news is that procyanidins are abundantly available in various food types without waiting for the processes of commercial certification to be completed. To emphasize - procyanidins are available in beneficial doses naturally. Unnaturally high and unproven to be safe doses are not required with procyanidin.
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