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February 2008 Newsletter
by Beth Ley, Ph.D.
www.blpublications.com
NHL Ministries
IN THE NEWS
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Sweet Sodas May Promote Alzheimer’s
Findings add another reason to avoid sodas; Fruit juice antioxidants may cancel
out their sugars' effects
by Craig Weatherby
Researchers at the University of Alabama have found compelling evidence that
drinking lots of sugar-sweetened drinks promotes obesity, which is a major risk
factor for adult diabetes, which in turn is associated with greater risk of
Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, high-fat diets promote underlying signs of
Alzheimer’s in mice. The Alabama team divided mice bred to develop an A
lzheimer's-like condition in to two groups. One group got sugar-sweetened water –
containing 10 % sucrose (cane sugar) – and the sugar-swilling rodents suffered
greater losses in learning skills and memory compared with mice that drank plain
water.
The “soda” group also underwent a two- to three-fold increase in the amount of
beta-amyloid protein in their brains, which forms the “plaque” associated with
Alzheimer’s.
The Alabamans also found a 2.5-fold increase in brain levels of apoE: a compound
associated with higher levels of amyloid protein and plaque, which suggests that
sugar promotes Alzheimer's-related plaque by increasing production of this
undesirable chemical.
The authors came to an obvious conclusion: “These data underscore the potential role
of dietary sugar in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and suggest that
controlling the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages may be an effective way to
curtail the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.”
Sugary water also made mice fat and diabetic, despite eating less food
After four months, the animals given sugar water weighed 17% more than the mice that
drank plain water, despite being given the same amount of food to eat. The
sugar-drinking mice ate less food than those given plain water, they consumed 15%
more daily calorie, and they got 43% of their total calories from the sugar water.
The sugar-swilling mice also developed early signs of diabetes and had very high
levels of fat in their blood.
What about fruit juices?
Clearly, sugar in liquid form is not great for weight control. Fruit juices can
contain just as much sugar as sodas do, so they may also be guilty on that score,
though likely somewhat less so, thanks to the known metabolic effects of their
antioxidants. The question is, do fruit juices also contain enough beneficial
antioxidants to cancel out the negative effects of their high amounts of sugar?
The answer, based on preliminary evidence, is “probably”. In one large American
study, participants who drank juices at least three times per week enjoyed 76% less
risk of Alzheimer’s disease, compared with those who drank juice less than once a
week.
Participants who drank juices one to two times a week experienced only a 12% risk
reduction, compared with those who drank juice less than once per week. The risk
reduction was strongest among the study participants who possessed the gene linked to
the most common (late-onset) form of Alzheimer’s disease, and in the most sedentary
subjects.
Source:
Cao D, Lu H, Lewis TL, and Li L. Intake of Sucrose-sweetened Water Induces Insulin
Resistance and Exacerbates Memory Deficits and Amyloidosis in a Transgenic Mouse
Model of Alzheimer Disease. J Biol Chem. 2007 282: 36275-36282. First published on
October 17, 2007; doi:10.1074/jbc.M703561200
NOTE: If you want the protective antioxidants without the sugar and calories
there are many beneficial supplements to choose from. Some of my favorites include:
Alpha Lipoic Acid and PhytoGlow *containing extracts from 40 different
high-antioxidant fruits and vegetables".
Just released! Polyphenol-rich fruits
(and some vegetables) protect against Alzheimer's
A diet rich in polyphenol-rich fruit like apples, oranges and bananas may protect
against oxidative stress linked to loss of cognitive function and Alzheimer's,
suggests a new study.
Extracts from the fruit were tested in an in vitro lab study, which showed a
reduction in oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell membrane damage, report Korean
researchers in the Journal of Food Science.
"[The new] result clearly demonstrated that PC12 cell death by oxidative stress was
suppressed by pretreatment with phenolics," wrote the authors from Gyeongsang
National University, Korea University and Kyung Hee University.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and currently affects
over 13 million people worldwide. The direct and indirect cost of Alzheimer care is
over $100 bn (€ 81 bn) in the US, while direct costs in the UK are estimated at £15
bn (€ 22 bn).
Although the cause is not clear, more support is gathering for the build-up of
plaque from amyloid deposits. The deposits are associated with an increase in brain
cell damage and death from oxidative stress (free radicals). Anthocyanins and other
cabbage polyphenols protect against free radical damage.
The researchers found apples (of the fruits they tested) offered the best protection.
Banana and orange phenolics still protected 118 and 103% more cells, compared to the
control.
"Our study demonstrated that antioxidants in the major fresh fruits consumed in
the United States and Korea protected neuronal cells from oxidative stress," wrote
the authors. "Therefore, additional consumption of fresh fruits such as apple,
banana, and orange may be beneficial to ameliorate chemopreventive effects in
neurodegenerative disease such as AD," concluded the researchers.
The results follow hot on the heels of a study from Taiwan's National Chung Hsing
University and Food Industry Research and Development Institute, which claimed to be
the first to report that the flavanones hesperidin, hesperetin, and neohesperidin
from citrus could protect against the toxicity of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), as well
as protecting against DNA damage (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, doi:
10.1021/jf072826r).
Source: Journal of Food Science "Effects of Banana, Orange, and Apple on Oxidative
Stress-Induced Neurotoxicity in PC12 Cells" Authors: H.J. Heo, S.J. Choi, S.-G.
Choi, D.-H. Shin, J.M. Lee, C.Y. Lee
Salmon Safety Report on CNN Confuses Consumers
Author claims PCB contents of wild and farmed Salmon are similar; Claim is dubious,
and article ignores nutritional distinctions between farmed and wild Salmon
by Craig Weatherby
A Cooking Light magazine article posted on CNN.com triggered some queries
regarding the relative safety of wild and farmed Salmon. The article's author states
that, contrary to the findings of all of several prior studies, new evidence shows
that farmed Salmon is about as low in PCBs as wild Salmon. Every study we can find
reports that farmed Salmon is five to 10 times higher in PCBs, compared to wild
Salmon.
Key Points
• Wild Salmon remains the safest kind to enjoy unreservedly, but farmed Salmon is
probably safe to eat in moderation.
• Farmed Salmon are not nearly as healthful as wild Salmon, but the difference
relates more to nutritional distinctions than to purity.
• Experts agree that the countervailing benefits of omega-3s outweigh any possible
cancer risk from minuscule levels of PCBs.
In 2004 and 2005, Canadian scientists published two studies, which generated the
first big headlines on the topic of PCBs in farmed Salmon (Hites RA et al 2004;
Foran JA 2005).
As they wrote, "Even the least contaminated farmed Salmon … had significantly higher
contaminant loads … than wild Salmon." (Hites RA et al 2004)
And subsequent studies have found similar purity gaps between farmed and wild
Salmon, which are attributable to the much greater amounts of fish fat in the diets
and bodies of farmed Salmon. (PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants
accumulate in fish fat over time.)
But even if the Cooking Light article is right, and a new study reported
finding lower PCB levels in farmed Salmon than detected previously, wild Salmon
remains the healthier choice.
Farmed Salmon is higher in PCBs ... but not unsafe in moderation
All Salmon are very low in mercury compared with other fish. And wild Salmon is low
in PCBs, compared with meats and dairy.
But farmed Salmon is high in PCBs, relative to wild Salmon and all other animal
foods.
Even if the Cooking Light article is right about farmed Salmon getting
cleaner - and we'll remain skeptical until we see Ms. Callahan's evidence - the
vast majority of available evidence will still suggest two things:
1) People can eat as much wild Salmon as they want, very safely.
2) People probably should not eat farmed Salmon more than twice a week.
Still, farmed Salmon are far from being toxic. These were the key conclusions of a
recent analysis of farmed versus wild Salmon (Dewailly E et al 2007):
• "… while some differences were observed between farmed and wild fish … overall the
concentrations of key contaminants were low, such that the regular consumption of
these fish [farmed and wild Salmon] would not cause significant health risks.
• "… eating farmed Salmon twice a week would likely … approach the lowest …
[tolerable daily intake level for PCBs] … established by the WHO [World Health
Organization]."
While farmed Salmon are not as healthful as wild Salmon, its higher PCB content is
probably less important than its inferior nutritional profile.
IN BETH'S KITCHEN
Broccoli Egg Bake
I have probably put this in before, but I always get so many complements and as
requests for it as it's not in the cookbook (Recipes for Life) so here it is:
Ingredients:
• 12 eggs
• 1 1 cup milk
• dash of sea salt, cayenne pepper, red pepper
flakes and grilled chicken seasonings
(sounds weird, tastes great)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 16 oz. cottage cheese
• 12 oz. grated cheese
(Monterey Jack and white cheddar or
combination are excellent)
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• Chopped broccoli - I use about 3 heads
(about 3 cups)
Directions:
1. Combine Ingredients.
2. Bake at 350 degrees in buttered 9 x13 pan
(I use glass) covered with foil for
45 minutes.
3. Uncover for last 15 minutes until set and
slightly browned on top.
SCRIPTURE
Proverbs 14:30
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Negative emotions cause our pH to drop increasing acidity. An acidic pH will cause
minerals to be pulled out of the bones to buffer the blood - now isn't that
interesting?
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UPCOMING EVENTS!
Mark May 2-3, 2008 down on your calendars!
Dr. Beth will be speaking at the Healing Rooms International Conference with Rev.
Elaine Bonn at Redeeming Love Church in Maplewood, MN. Hope to see you all there!
More info next month!
Mark June 7th down as well.
Dr. Beth will be speaking at the Woman's Conference in Willmar, MN
More details to come soon!
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NUTRITION COUNSELING
with Dr. Beth now available in TWIN CITIES.
Two locations available:
In Golden Valley, call 763-391-7636
In Savage, call 952-746-4404
For more info click here
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QUESTIONS and ANSWERS
Q and A:
Send in your questions... there's a good chance
other's would like to hear the answer too.
contact us by e-mail at
bley@blpublications.com | |
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