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Pomegranate juice found to combat systemic inflammation throughout the body
University of Bologna (Italy) & University of Auckland (New Zealand), November 18, 2022
The researchers from the University of Bologna and the University of Auckland looked at the effects of the juice of the pomegranate in particular, which has already been shown to help conditions like diabetes, atherosclerosis and prostate cancer. Chronic inflammation, a response by the body to infection and tissue damage, has been linked to the development of disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and psoriasis. After analyzing an extensive number of existing studies on pomegranate, they found plenty of evidence that shows pomegranate juice can indeed help inflammation-related diseases, although they pointed out that a definitive relationship has not been officially established. Most of the scientific research on pomegranate’s health benefits has been carried out on cell culture or animal models, they point out, and clinical trials with humans are generally lacking. They found that pomegranate seems to show the most promise in fighting cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and diabetes, but the researchers urge care, calling on further studies to determine its specific effects and explain why the fruit juice seems to help chronic inflammatory diseases. A Case Western study published in the Journal of Inflammation, for example, found that the extract of pomegranate significantly inhibited the buildup of damaging proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease by as much as a half. This effect is being attributed to its ability to protect against the oxidative stress that leads to beta-amyloid deposits. Researchers have also demonstrated its potential to help those with prostate, colon and breast cancer. In studies where tumor cells were treated with pomegranate, cell migration dropped and the cancer was stopped from spreading to other areas of the body. Pomegranate juice came out on top in a study of beverages known for their antioxidant content carried out by the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California – Los Angeles’s David Geffen School of Medicine. While all of the beverages examined – blueberry juice, acai berry juice, green tea, white tea, Concord grape juice, orange juice, pomegranate juice and red wine, had impressive amounts of antioxidants, pomegranate juice outperformed them all when it came to polyphenols and protective benefits. Its antioxidant potency composite index was a full 20 percent higher than any of the other drinks that were put through the rigorous testing.
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Handful of walnuts daily cuts risk of asthma
University of North’s Carolina, November 20, 2022
Here’s another reason for you to eat more walnuts as a type of vitamin E, found in these nuts, may prevent the risk of asthma attacks by reducing airway inflammation. According to researchers, sufferers of a common breathing condition, taking it as part of the study, were also found to have less sticky mucus in their lungs. Gamma-tocopherol is a major form of vitamin E, which is abundant in nuts like walnuts and pecans and in the legume peanut, as well as seed oils such as corn, soybean and sesame. Senior study author Professor Michelle Hernandez from the University of North’s Carolina school of medicine said epidemiologic data suggested that people with high amounts of vitamin E in their diet were less prone to asthma and allergic disease. The team randomly analysed participants into two groups, one that received gamma tocopherol supplement and other that received a placebo for two weeks. After a three-week period break, the findings indicated that when people were taking the vitamin E supplement, they had less eosinophilic inflammation. In addition, those who were taking vitamin E were also found to have lower levels of proteins called mucins, which affect the stickiness of mucus. Mucins are often elevated in asthmatics.
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Using vapes may set the stage for dental decay
Tufts University, November 23, 2022
A vaping habit could end up leading to a tarnished smile, and more frequent visits to the dentist. Research by faculty from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine found patients who said they used vaping devices were more likely to have a higher risk of developing cavities. With CDC surveys reporting that 9.1 million American adults—and 2 million teenagers—use tobacco-based vaping products, that means a lot of vulnerable teeth. The findings of this study on the association between vaping and risk of caries—the dental term for cavities—serve as an alert that this once seemingly harmless habit may be very detrimental, says Karina Irusa, assistant professor of comprehensive care and lead author on the paper. The study was published in The Journal of the American Dental Association. Irusa says that the recent Tufts finding may be just a hint of the damage vaping causes to the mouth. “The extent of the effects on dental health, specifically on dental decay, are still relatively unknown,” she says. “At this point, I’m just trying to raise awareness,” among both dentists and patients. This study, Irusa says, is the first known specifically to investigate the association of vaping and e-cigarettes with the increased risk for getting cavities. She and her colleagues analyzed data from more than 13,000 patients older than 16 who were treated at Tufts dental clinics from 2019-2022. While the vast majority of the patients said they did not use vapes, there was a statistically significant difference in dental caries risk levels between the e-cigarette/vaping group and the control group, Irusa found. Some 79% of the vaping patients were categorized as having high-caries risk, compared to just about 60% of the control group. The vaping patients were not asked whether they used devices that contained nicotine or THC, although nicotine is more common. It’s also been observed that vaping seems to encourage decay in areas where it usually doesn’t occur—such as the bottom edges of front teeth. “It takes an aesthetic toll,” Irusa says.
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Study finds link between foods scored higher by new nutrient profiling system and better long-term health outcomes
Tufts University, November 22, 2022
The idea that what we eat directly affects our health is ancient; Hippocrates recognized this as far back as 400 B.C. But, identifying healthier foods in the supermarket aisle and on restaurant menus is increasingly challenging. Now, researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts have shown that a holistic food profiling system, Food Compass, identifies better overall health and lower risk for mortality. In a paper published in Nature Communications, researchers assessed whether adults who ate more foods with higher Food Compass scores had better long-term health outcomes and found that they did. Introduced in 2021, Food Compass provides a holistic measure of the overall nutritional value of a food, beverage, or mixed meal. It measures nine domains of each item, such as nutrient ratios, food-based ingredients, vitamins, minerals, extent of processing, and additives. Based on scores of 10,000 commonly consumed products in the U.S., researchers recommend foods with scores of 70 or above as foods to encourage; foods with scores of 31-69 to be eaten in moderation; and anything that scores 30 or below to be consumed sparingly. For this new study, Food Compass was used to score a person’s entire diet, based on the Food Compass scores of all the foods and beverages they regularly consume. For this validation study, researchers used nationally representative dietary records and health data from 47,999 U.S. adults aged 20-85 who were enrolled between 1999-2018 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Deaths were determined through linkage with the National Death Index (NDI). Overall, researchers found that the mean Food Compass score for the diets of the nearly 50,000 subjects was only 35.5 out of 100, well below ideal. “One of the most alarming discoveries was just how poor the national average diet is,” said O’Hearn. “This is a call for actions to improve diet quality in the United States.” A higher Food Compass diet score was associated with lower blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol, body mass index, and hemoglobin A1c levels; and lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome and cancer. A higher Food Compass diet score was also associated with lower risk of mortality: for each 10-point increase, there was a 7 percent lower risk of death from all causes. Food Compass also boosts scores for ingredients shown to have protective effects on health, like fruits, non-starchy vegetables, beans and legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, seafood, yogurt, and plant oils; and lowers scores for less healthful ingredients like refined grains, red and processed meat, and ultra-processed foods and additives. “We know Food Compass is not perfect,” said Mozaffarian. “But, it provides a more comprehensive, holistic rating of a food’s nutritional value than existing systems, and these new findings support its validity by showing it predicts better health.”
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Acupuncture can relieve lower back and pelvic pain often experienced during pregnancy
Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, November 21, 2022
Acupuncture can significantly relieve the lower back and/or pelvic pain frequently experienced by women during their pregnancy, suggests a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in BMJ Open. And there were no observable major side effects for newborns whose moms opted for the therapy, the findings indicate, although only a few of the published studies included in the analysis evaluated outcomes, such as premature birth, note the researchers. To add to the evidence base, the researchers trawled research databases for relevant clinical trials that compared the pain relief afforded to pregnant womengiven acupuncture, alone or when combined with other therapies, with other/no/dummy treatments, as well as the potential impact on their newborns. The final analysis included 10 randomized controlled trials, involving 1,040 women. Every study was published between 2000 and 2020, and carried out variously in Sweden, the UK, the U.S., Spain and Brazil. The moms-to-be were all healthy, 17 to 30 weeks into their pregnancy on average, and had lower back and/or pelvic pain. Pooled data analysis of the trial results for nine studies suggested that acupuncture significantly relieved pain during pregnancy. Four of those studies reported on the potential of acupuncture to restore physical function, and the results showed that this was significantly improved. Quality of life was recorded in five studies. When the results of these were pooled, the findings suggested that acupuncture significantly improved this too. Pooled data analysis of four studies indicated that there was a significant difference in overall effects when acupuncture was compared with other or no interventions. The researchers conclude that acupuncture merits closer attention for its potential to ease pain at a time when it’s preferable to avoid drugs because of their potential side effects for mother and baby.
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6 Health Benefits Of Rutin, And Where To Find It
GreenMedInfo, November 24, 2022
Rutin is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powerhouse found in a variety of delicious food that may boost your health via multiple avenues, from promoting healthy circulation to providing pain relief.
Rutin is one of about 4,000 types of flavonoids that are found abundantly in plants. Also known as rutoside and vitamin P, rutin is a flavonol that acts as an active constituent in tea leaves, apples, buckwheat, most citrus fruits and passion flower, for example, with nutraceutical effects that have been valued since ancient times.
Medicinal plant compounds often have a range of biological activities that are both impressive and varied. Rutin is no exception, with a number of pharmacological activities that include:
Six Top Reasons to Try Rutin
Rutin is perhaps best known for its ability to ward off oxidative stress via potent antioxidant properties. This makes it valuable in a number of disease conditions and even as a tool for healthy aging. Rutin, for instance, reduces skin aging by strengthening dermal density and elasticity, and is found in more than 130 registered therapeutic medicinal preparations.
GreenMedInfo.com has additionally compiled nearly 70 pharmacological actions related to rutin, along with 136 diseases that it may be useful for. Some of its top health benefits follow.
Rutin has demonstrated benefits to the central nervous system, including prevention of neuroinflammation, anticonvulsant activity and antidepressant effects. Rutin may be useful for recovery after stroke and also shows promise for Alzheimer’s disease.
With an ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, rutin may benefit the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases and helps to remove the inflammatory component of neurodegeneration.
Rutin not only has analgesic and antinociceptive effects but also antiarthritic effects, making it an ideal natural option for arthritis.The plant compound has been found to suppress oxidative stress in people with rheumatoid arthritis,while also inhibiting both the acute and chronic phases of inflammation in an arthritis rat model.
Rutin has beneficial effects on the endocrine system, including antidiabetic and anti-hypercholesterolemic effects. Rutin helps fight diabetes by decreasing carbohydrates absorption from the small intestine, increasing the uptake of glucose into tissues and stimulating the secretion of insulin from beta cells, leading to antihyperglycemic effects as well as protection against the development of diabetic complications.
Rutin is also useful for protecting against age-related metabolic dysfunction, with research suggesting it inhibits age-related mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, as well as endoplasmic reticulum, or ER, stress, which is related to proteins that are not properly folded.
Consuming rutin, either from foods or supplements, may be an effective way to block the formation of blood clots. Research by Harvard Medical School researchers suggests that rutin is effective against both platelet-rich clots that form in arteries and fibrin-rich clots that form in veins.
Rutin was found to be a “champion compound” for inhibiting protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), which plays a role in the initial stages of clot formation. A nano-formulation of rutin was also found to exert powerful antithrombotic effects by inhibiting PDI,while rutin may also augment the production of nitric oxide in human endothelial cells, which is useful for blood pressure and cardiovascular system health.
In terms of improved circulation, rutin is a venoactive compound, which means it may be useful for symptoms of chronic venous diseases (CVD). The compound has been demonstrated to reduce severity of lower leg pain, leg cramps, heaviness and itching, as well as edema (swelling), in people with CVD.
Rutin’s anticancer properties have been extensively studied. In human leukemia cells, rutin led to a significant reduction in tumor size, and it’s known to inhibit cancer cell growth by cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. It also inhibits proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer cell lines and shows promise for use in ovarian and color cancers, as well as neuroblastoma.
Rutin has antiulcer effects, as it inhibits the gastric proton pump that sends acid to your stomach. It also has potential against inflammatory bowel disease, not only due to its antioxidant effects but also by suppressing the release of proinflammatory mediators and the expression of inflammatory proteins.
Top Sources of Rutin
As noted in the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, “An ancient saying ‘an apple a day, keeps doctor away’ seems to be true as rutin, one of the important constituents of apples, has a wide array of biological activities.”
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