Archive for the ‘Diseases’ Category
Message: Magnesium is an important element in many physiological processes and its uses as a supplement range from depression to bone, muscle, and joint strengthening to blood vessels protection.
Recent research in France showed the role of magnesium in the regulation of thyroid hormones, insulin, estrogen, testosterone, brain chemicals such as dopamine, catecholamines, serotonin, GABA, and body’s electrolytes. Magnesium controls the turnover of potassium and calcium in the body so deficit of magnesium causes calcium to be lost with the urine but deposited in the kidneys, arteries, joints, brain, where it is not welcome.
Magnesium protects the cell from poisonous metals like aluminum, mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium and nickel, which can contribute to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases multiple sclerosis, and learning retardation.
Magnesium glycinate is considered the preferred source of magnesium. This form combines benefits of amino acid glycine & magnesium. It may also be less laxative and less irritating for the stomach than some other forms of magnesium. As to its role in as a weight loss aid, it’d be no surprise if you remember the significance of hyroid hormones, insulin, estrogen, testosterone, serotonin, GABA, and calcium in body fat deposition and appetite control.
Message: A simple exercise based on the ideas of the Alexander Technique helps to reduce stress, look confident and relaxed, and feel better about yourself. Read about the technique first, then try the exercise below.*
Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955), an actor, the founder of the Alexander system, investigated human unconscious habits and how they interfere with learning, performance, and physical functioning. The total system has been established in 1880’s and has been very popular ever since. Among it’s early proponents were celebrities albert Einshtein and Gorge Bernard Shaw.
Two Nobel Prize-winnerss for Medicine and Physiology, Sir Charles Sherrington and Sir Nikolaas Tinbergen, mentioned the technique in their Nobel Prize acceptance speeches. Here is what they said: “Mr. Alexander has done a service to the subject by insistently treating each act as involving the whole integrated individual, the whole psychophysical man.” (Dr. Sherrington). “I noticed with growing amazement, very striking improvements in such diverse things as high blood pressure, breathing, depth of sleep, overall cheerfulness, mental alertness, resilience against outside pressures and also in such refined skills as the playing of a stringed musical instrument.” (Dr. Tinbergen)
Recently, studies showed that Alexander Technique’s efficiency in reducing pain and stress was higher than massage therapy’s efficiency (1). Alexander Technique lessons also helped individuals with Parkinson’s disease (2)
Sources
- Br J Sports Med 2008;42:965-968
- Int J Clin Pract, January 2012, 66, 1, 98–112
Exercise
- Standing in front of a mirror, lift up your shoulders, rotate them back and press them down
- Keep your shoulders as far back and down as you can for the count of 16.
- Relax your arms. Make your neck long and straight, do not tilt your head.
- Flatten the lower part of your back and contract your abdominal muscles to flatten your stomach.
- Take a minute or two to ‘memorize’ how your body feels while in this position.
Remember this feeling every time you are under stress
———
* This exercise is a part of the Therapeutic Movement classes taught by T. Zilberter at the MetroSport Athletic club, Durham NC in 1992-1995
Message: It is shown that the Western environment pushes calories into our bodies through the sweet-addiction gateway
“There is evidence that the brain favors consumption of carbohydrates (CHO) rather than fats, this preference resulting in glycolysis-based energy metabolism domination. This metabolic mode, typical for consumers of the “Western diet” (Cordain et al., 2005; Seneff et al., 2011), is characterized by over-generation of reactive oxygen species and advanced glycation products both of which are implicated in many of the neurodegenerative diseases (Tessier, 2010; Vicente Miranda and Outeiro, 2010; Auburger and Kurz, 2011). However, it is not CHO but fat that is often held responsible for metabolic pathologies.”
Source: Carbohydrate-biased control of energy metabolism: the darker side of the selfish brain
>> Read why: click here (it’s not too technical).
Message: Canadian hemp and Himalayan herbs can be out of your reach but vanilla is everywhere.
Apocynin (acetovanillone) is structurally related to vanillin. In 1970s, apocynin was isolated from Himalayan medicinal herb Picrorhiza kurroa but long before that, in 1880s, it was found in the root of Canadian hemp Apocynum cannabinum, thus the name. Under this name, it is currently being extensively researched. An important antioxidative effect of apocynin is discussed in connection with its potential to fight neuronal dysfunction and inflammmation in diseases ranging from stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases to psychiatric disorders (1).
Interestingly, researchers from Food Products Development Centre, Switzerland, considered vanillin more than a flavoring agent but a potent antioxidant effective in quantities as little as 0·01–0·5% added to foods (2). It showed stronger antioxidant activity than did Vitamin C (3).
Sources
- Frontiers Biosci (2012) E4, 2183-2193
- J Sci Food Agric (1989), 48, 1, 49–56
- Biochim Biophys Acta (2011) 1810, 2, 170–177
Message: Women, you are at a higher risk of stroke! Whole grains can protect you.
As a part of the famous Nurses’ Health Study, over 755000 women (who are at greater risk of stroke then men are) were followed up for 12 years; 352 had ischemic stroke over these years. The risk of having stroke has been calculated after excluding the factors influencing cardiovascular health (both positively and negatively) such as smoking, drinking alcohol, exercising, consuming saturated fat and trans-fats, diabetes, heart disease or vascular diseases. The results showed that the highest intakes of whole grains – but not refined grains – was associated with the lowest risk of ischemic stroke.
This protective effect may be due to multiple factors and their combination (see synergetic effects) such as antioxidants, minerals, phytochemicals, and fibers, which are removed during grain processing and not present in refined grains. Out of constituents characteristic for the whole grain, folate, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and fibers are considered most probable protectors.
Source:
JAMA. 2000 Sep 27;284(12):1534-40
Message: “The neuroprotective efficacy of caffeinated coffee was similar to that of decaffeinated coffee, indicating that active compounds present in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, such as chlorogenic acid, may drive the effects” (1)
We wrote before that caffeine is good for your brain (2,3), now it turns out that coffee keeps working even after it’s decaffeinated.
- Neurochemistry International 60 (2012) 466–474
- Caffeine protect against neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease
- Coffee, tea, and chocolate can help to avoid Parkinson’s disease
Message: Don’t overlook common things
Oxidative stress is implicated in more than 100 diseases including neurodegenerative diseases since it damages brain cells (1). Many hawthorn species, e.g., Crataegus pinnalifida, monogyna, pinnatifida are recognized cardioprotectors and neuroprotectors including the cases of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, ischemic stroke or traumatic brain damage (2,3).
It’s a good news since hawthorn is a very common plant and its berries is widely used in cooking (4).
Sources
- Resp Physiol (2001) 128, 3, 379–391
- J Neurochem (2004) 90, 1, 211–219
- Evidence-Based Compl Alt Med (2012) 984295, 8; doi:10.1155/2012/984295
- What can I do with hawthorn berries?
Message: Think of these natural cognitive enhancers
In a mice model of Alzheimer’s disease, dietary supplementation with fish oil (or omega-3 fatty acids), curcumin, or a combination of both has the potential to fight insulin deficiency characteristic for Alzheimer’s disease and improve cognitive cognitive performance.
Source
J Neurosci (2009) 29, 9078-9089
Related: Resveratrol and curcumin, plant’s own weapons that protect the brain
Message: A combination of anti-Alzheimer’s supplements produce a better result than any of them separately.
The term synergistic is often used by nutraceutical manufacturers without substantiating what it really means. However, it is a real thing: “The rationale is that the simultaneous attenuation of a number of pathogenic processes may lead to an incrementing clinical improvement, thus providing valid targets for therapies,” wrote Dr Mandel and coauthors (1) from Eve Topf Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Haifa, Israel. They referred to the studies (2, 3) showing a clinically significant improvement in cognitive performance in Altzheimer’s disease patients treater with a combination of folate, vitamin B6, alpha-tocopherol, S-adenosyl methionine, N-acetyl cysteine, and acetyl-L-carnitine.
Sources
- Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 25 (2011) 187–208
- Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 23 (2008) 571-585
- Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 24 (2009) 27-33
Message: there are many supplements on the market believed to postpone brain aging but they are still on clinical trials. To wait until consensus is reached or to go for them since they wouldn’t hurt depends (mostly) whether you can afford them or not.
Vitamins E and C, alpha-lipoic acid, creatine, melatonin, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, CoQ10, curcumin, resveratrol, glucose, malate and other antioxidants and (and their combinations) are subjects of around 30 registered clinical trials investigating diseases blamed for the consequences of brain aging — Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Source: Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 25 (2011) 187–208
