Rats fed a diet with added blueberry polyphenols antioxidant shown to affect cell-to-cell signaling, receptor sensitivity, inflammatory enzyme activity or gene regulation. Found in many different fruits, vegetables, red wine, grains, honey, and legumes. demonstrated “powerful bone-promoting effects” by turning on genes that enabled more osteoblasts to form and consequently much better bone density. In one of their experiments they took some blood from the blueberry-fed rats and exposed it to baby osteoblast cells.  The cells rapidly turned into fully functioning bone-building carpenter cells. The researchers concluded that “blueberry feeding revealed a mixture of simple phenolic acids that may provide a basis for developing a new treatment to increase peak bone mass and delay degenerative bone disorders such as osteoporosis.”

There are many excellent nutrients that support natural bone building. These work in harmony with your body to balance inflammation in bone, calm down excess demo crew cells known as osteoclasts Type of bone cell that removes old, damaged bone by the process bone resorption., naturally boost the function of bone-building osteoblasts, and supply needed raw materials for bone growth (calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin D, etc). The wonders of nutrition stand in stark contrast to the highly inflammatory bisphosphonate(like Fosamax) drugs that damage bone microarchitecture while inducing swollen bone – resulting in a fraudulent appearance of better bone density when the truth of the matter is bones are being injured.

The power of blueberries is enough to turn Big Pharma’s drugs red with envy. Several new studies continue to document why blueberries are a true superfood that should be regularly part of your diet and/or consumed as high-quality polyphenol concentrates in dietary supplements.

Research scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that feeding blueberries to hamsters lowered their cholesterol¹ by 22% – 27%.  Detailed gene analysis showed that blueberries were changing liver function by enhancing bile synthesis, thereby helping to excrete extra cholesterol into the digestive tract so it could be carried out of the body. This is a type of cholesterol fitness, rather than taking a sledgehammer to the liver as is done with statin Class of drugs aka HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, that are used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme that plays a central role in liver function and cholesterol production. drugs.

Researchers at the Universityof Houstonshowed that aged rats on a blueberry diet had significantly increased memory² scores leading the researchers to state, “These results suggest that a considerable degree of age-related object memory decline can be prevented and reversed by brief maintenance on blueberry diets.”  This supports research out last year in 9 older adults who ingested blueberry concentrates for 12 weeks and experienced significantly improved memory³, leading those researchers to state, “The findings of this preliminary study suggest that moderate-term blueberry supplementation can confer neurocognitive benefit and establish a basis for more comprehensive human trials to study preventive potential and neuronal mechanisms.”

These studies support many earlier studies indicating that blueberry supplements and blueberries in your diet are a great tool for promoting human health.

One of the latest reviews of this large body of emerging literature points out the high value of curcumin and resveratrol  for the prevention of colorectal cancer.  It has been very clear for some time that chronic low-grade inflammation in the colon leads to the expression of genes that eventually result in colon cancer.  Much research has sought to demonstrate that anti-inflammatory medications could be of help.  Such research always runs into the roadblock that all current anti-inflammatory medications have very adverse side effects either to the heart or to the digestive tract itself.  For example, while aspirin and other NSAIDs can reduce COX2 signaling, they also blunt COX1 signaling which is actually needed to generate new cells that line the inside of your digestive tract and are absolutely vital to intestinal health. 

Another comprehensive review of this large literature explains how curcumin can help virtually every chemo drug work better², making tumors much more susceptible to destruction by the drugs.  Remarkably, curcumin has been shown to protect normal organs such as liver, kidney, oral mucosa, and heart from chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced toxicity.  That is fantastic news for any person undergoing cancer treatment.

It is high time that America moves out of the Dark Ages of FDA intentional suppression of free speech and important health information.  The health benefits of curcumin are well documented and have no worrisome downside.  This information can prevent disease and help many struggling cancer patients have a better outcome from their Western medicine cancer treatment.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/23/conjugated-linoleic-acid-from-grass-fed-beef.aspx

Several studies on chocolate are touting new health benefits. Gram per gram it appears that minimally processed chocolate has more antioxidant power than fruit. In the other study it has now been demonstrated that chocolate helps regulate genes involved with cholesterol metabolism and can directly support increased production of helpful HDL Cholesterol High-density lipoprotein that is one of five lipoproteins that enable cholesterol and triglycerides to be transported within the bloodstream to the liver and to the adrenals, ovaries, or testes for the production of steroid hormones. .

In the first study researchers at Hershey¹ compared minimally processed cocoa and dark chocolate powders to fruit powders. They found chocolate had more antioxidant activity and a higher concentration of polyphenols. The name of their study proclaimed that chocolate was the new “Super Fruit.” They do have a valid point. Minimally-processed cocoa is a rich source of health-promoting substances. They also have a bit of a hypocritical PR problem. The processed chocolate they have been selling for decades is little more than sugar-laden junk food that is void of biologically active polyphenols.

The second study indicates that regular consumption of minimally-processed cocoa products could contribute to healthy cholesterol metabolism² – implying that chocolate may help reduce heart disease risk. This study is the first to show that in addition to cocoa’s antioxidant function which can protect LDL cholesterol Low-density lipoprotein. It is a group of lipids and proteins that allow lipids like cholesterol, triglycerides, and fat soluble nutrients (Vitamin A, D, E , K, Q 10, carotenes) to be transported with the water-based bloodstream. from damage, cocoa polyphenols also act as unique regulators of cellular gene function that impacts cholesterol metabolism. Cocoa specifically activates gene signals that promote higher levels of HDL Cholesterol High-density lipoprotein that is one of five lipoproteins that enable cholesterol and triglycerides to be transported within the bloodstream to the liver and to the adrenals, ovaries, or testes for the production of steroid hormones. while lowering the formation of building blocks for LDL cholesterol Low-density lipoprotein. It is a group of lipids and proteins that allow lipids like cholesterol, triglycerides, and fat soluble nutrients (Vitamin A, D, E , K, Q 10, carotenes) to be transported with the water-based bloodstream. . While this mechanism is not central to how your body makes cholesterol, it is certainly helpful as part of a strategy to keep cholesterol metabolism friendly. 

As with all natural mechanisms that assist cholesterol metabolism, they are overwhelmed by a poor diet with too many calories. This data indicates that minimally processed cocoa products in moderation as part of a healthy diet are cardiovascular friendly.

Folic acid, a simple B vitamin, can have a profound effect on reducing the risk for a first heart attack as well as a first stroke.

The most recent meta-analysis points out that lowering homocysteine with folic acid reduces the risk of a first heart attack by 15%.¹  Elevated homocysteine causes platelets to stick together and folic acid solves this problem if the platelets are sticking together due to the common problem of elevated homocysteine.

An earlier meta-analysis found that folic acid reduces the risk of a first stroke by 25%².

Statin drugs, which are widely pushed for prevention of a first heart attack and stroke cost the health care system billions of dollars every year and have recently been exposed as a fraud. They offer very little, if any benefit.  In fact, they may even cause stroke.

Of course, folic acid has many additional benefits including improved hearing, stronger bones, better immunity³, reduction in allergies/asthma, improved cognitive function, and reduced risk for breast and colon cancer.  Imagine the TV commercials if a drug could do all that!

B vitamins are a simple and effective way to help tolerate stress, boost mood, improve energy, and slow brain aging.  They have also been shown to help reduce plaque accumulation in the arteries.  There is the recent Swedish study that followed 31,671 women ages 49 – 83 for 10 years, evaluating the use of a multiple vitamin and the risk for a first heart attack.  The women who consistently used a multiple vitamin for greater than five years had a 41% risk reduction for a heart attack, compared to women who did not take a multiple vitamin.

The fact that folic acid and B vitamins offer some protection against significant cardiovascular issues, should make them a cornerstone in everyone’s daily supplement plan. It’s a good reason for taking a high quality multiple vitamin every day,and an additional B complex if under heavy stress.

Referenced Studies:

If you’d like a great video on how to increase your HGH levels substantially and lower the risk of heart disease, contact me and I’d be happy to send you the info.