Dr Sanjay Gupta says "Time is of the Essence for Stroke Patients" Tart cherries linked to reduced risk of stroke

Tart cherries linked to reduced risk of stroke

In addition to positive heart health benefits, cherry-rich diet suggests decrease in stroke risk in University of Michigan animal study

ANN ARBOR, Mich. 

For the millions of Americans at risk for heart disease or diabetes, a diet that includes tart cherries might actually be better than what the doctor ordered, according to new animal research from the University of Michigan Health System.

The new research from the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory suggests that tart cherries not only provide similar cardiovascular benefits as the prescribed medications, but can also reduce the risk of stroke, even when taken with these pharmaceutical options.

The results, which were seen in stroke-prone rats, were presented Tuesday, April 23 at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting in Boston.

The group’s previous research has shown that intake of U.S.-produced, Montmorency tart cherries activates PPAR isoforms (peroxisome proliferator activating receptors) in many of the body’s tissues. Researchers believe that anthocyanins – the pigments that give the fruit its red color – may be responsible for PPAR activation.

PPARs regulate genes involved in fat and glucose metabolism, and when modified can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. PPAR agonists, among them medications such as Actos (pioglitazone), act in a similar way but cardiovascular side effects have limited their use.

“Our previous research has shown that Montmorency tart cherries can have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and can reduce risk factors like high cholesterol and diabetes,” says E. Mitchell Seymour, Ph.D., supervisor of the Cardioprotection Research Laboratory. “While prescribed drugs improve the outlook for certain risk factors, they’ve also shown to have undesirable side effects. We wanted to see if a tart cherry-rich diet might provide similar cardiovascular benefits without the risk of heart attack or stroke.”

The researchers compared the effect of tart cherries and the drug Actos in stroke-prone rats by measuring the animals’ systolic blood pressure as well as locomotion, balance, coordination, all of which can show the aftereffects of a stroke.

By putting the rats through various physical tests, such as walking on a tapered beam and climbing a ladder, the researchers found that compared to Actos, tart cherry intake significantly improved balance and coordination, and at the same time lowered blood pressure.

While the research results indicate that rats who consumed only tart cherries had the best results, those who had the combination of tart cherries and Actos also did better than those who only took the drug. Seymour cautioned that the results can’t be applied directly to humans, but they are a potentially positive sign for those taking medications.

“We weren’t sure if the risk for stroke would decline in animals taking both tart cherry and the drug,” Seymour says. “It turns out that the cherries did have a positive effect even when combined with the medication.”  

Steven Bolling, M.D., a U-M cardiac surgeon and the laboratory’s director, said the study adds to the group’s growing body of research linking cherries to positive heart health. The results provide the groundwork for continued investigation into the topic, he says.

“This research is the first to link to cherries to a reduction in stroke-related symptoms,” Bolling says. “It gives us a good preclinical model to further explore the positive stroke-related benefits of an anthocyanin-rich diet.” 

According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta
"Time is of the essence for Stroke Patients"

Learn more here -Time is of the Essence for Stroke Patients

Most people don't recognize stroke symptoms or realize how small the window is for successful treatment.  

Take Control of your situation!  

OPC-3

There are basic preventive measures that can reduce your risk of having a stroke:

• Keep high blood pressure in check by exercising, eating wisely and, if needed, with medication.
• Watch out for cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet. That can reduce the plaque in your arteries.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight contributes to other stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• If you’ve already suffered a stroke or TIA, your doctor may recommend medication to prevent having another. Learn more from Dr. Sanjay here

If you cannot get the anthocyanins from your diet then you must supplement.  Get the anthocyanins though a supplement ( OPC-3 or ORAC ) Try an isotonic blend so your body can absorb 95% of the product compared to a pill or capsule you get max of 35%.
Remember if someone continues doing what they have always done then they will have what they have always had.  It is time to make a change for your own health.

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet: Health Central

The Mediterranean Diet

Much has been said about the healthy effects of the Mediterranean diet--lower mortality rates, fewer cases of heart disease and less chronic illness in that region.  Now researchers at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Navarra in Spain have published a study focusing on what makes the diet so healthy.

How did they do the study?

For four years, researchers worked with more than 11,000 university students, first asking them to provide their dietary intake.  Mediterranean foods such as like fruit, fish, nuts, cereals, and vegetables were positively valued, while meat, alcohol, and dairy products were negatively valued.  A questionnaire was used to measure the students’ quality of life after four years of monitoring their eating habits. 

What did they find?

Researchers found that participants who stuck to the Mediterranean diet had better mental and physical wellness, as well as a significantly better quality of life.  The scientists created a Mediterranean food pyramid that outlines the main diet factors:

• Daily water consumption should be 2 liters.
• Meals should contain vegetables, fruit, cereals, and dairy.
• Olive oil should be the main source of fat, but lean animal proteins such as eggs, fish, and seafood are also permitted.
• Sugar and sweets should be limited; However small amounts aren’t harmful.

Other recommendations include limiting meats and sweets, consuming moderate amounts of poultry, eggs, and dairy weekly, consuming fish and seafood several times a week, and basing all meals on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, seeds, and herbs. 

Other key components to following the Mediterranean diet include plenty of exercise, focusing on plant-based foods, replacing butter with healthy fat such as olive oil, using herbs and spices to flavor foods instead of table salt,  limiting red meat to once a month, and drinking red wine in moderation. ( Try Resveratrol for all the benefits of red wine )

So what’s the significance?

Find out what your body is missing ---Its Free to Try

While researchers can’t pinpoint the exact reason students showed better mental health and physical quality of life, the Mediterranean diet is believed to be a major factor.  Additionally, improved physical health will generally boost your mental health in the long run. 

Simply adding fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean meat, and cereal to your diet, while limiting sweets, could be the first step to fighting illnesses such as heart disease and minor depression by boosting your overall mood. For those with a family history of mental illness or heart disease, adding a fairly non-restrictive diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, can be a good strategy for increasing wellness.  

Barbara Walters Live to 150 Special: Resveratrol

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Longevity/Story?id=4543291&page=3

Resveratrol
David Sinclair, co-founder of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Mass., has found a protein in our bodies that could be the key to resetting our biological clocks.
He made the discovery by randomly testing tens of thousands of cells, searching for the chemical that would activate that protein -- resveratrol.
"We found them by accident. We stumbled upon this molecule from red wine. And when I looked at the computer, [I asked,] what is this resveratrol?" said Sinclair. "And [when I] found that it was in red wine … [well,] I almost fell off my chair. Because of course we have all heard that red wine is good for you."
But to see the benefits, you would need to drink about 1,000 bottles a day. Since that was not the solution, Sinclair went back to the lab and found a way to make resveratrol a thousand times more potent.
"What we have discovered is that resveratrol works on a gene, which is called SIR T1, and this is a gene, which controls the aging process," said Sinclair. "Resveratrol seeks out that gene and switches it on."
Sinclair tested these high doses of resveratrol on mice. When compared on treadmills side by side, the mouse, when given this intensified form of resveratrol, ran twice as far as the mouse who was not fed the molecule. The supplement had major health benefits as well.
"They were eating a high fat diet, a fatty diet, and they lived just as long as a lean, healthy mouse. They didn't get heart disease, cancer, even osteoporosis, and they lived 30 percent longer," he said.
Humans have the same exact gene that is activated by resveratrol, so Sinclair believed it could have similar benefits in people.
Realizing the blockbuster potential for his new pill based on an intensified and improved form of resveratrol, Sinclair teamed up with biotech entrepreneur Chris Westphal and together they raised more than $100 million for further research.
"I think we've passed the turning point in our understanding of the aging process, " said Sinclair.
"We think that we can increase healthy life span. So if you're in your 80s, you'll be behaving as if you were in your 50s."
In the first human trial, a form of resveratrol called SRT501 successfully treated type II diabetes, one of the major diseases of aging.
"The major killers of Western society are exactly the diseases that should be able to be treated with the drugs we're developing," Sinclair states.
He and Westphal plan to get regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration within five years.

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New Study: Pycnogenol® Reduces Heart Failure

05/16/2007
New Study: Pycnogenol® Reduces Heart Failure

May 16, 2007 – GENEVA, Switzerland – A study to be published in an upcoming edition of the journal of Cardiovascular Toxicology reveals Pycnogenol®, natural pine bark extract from the French maritime pine tree, helps prevent damage that high blood pressure causes to the heart. The study demonstrates Pycnogenol® counteracts the “wearing out” of the heart, which may aid the five million Americans living with heart failure. Previous studies have shown Pycnogenol® supplementation to be associated with improved cardiovascular health, such as cholesterol reduction, blood pressure control and prevention of thrombosis.

In hypertension, the over-worked heart gradually wears out, resulting in the weakening of the heart muscle and increasing of heart chamber volume. This process (known as cardiac remodeling) may eventually cause heart failure when the heart insufficiently supplies the body with oxygenated blood. The study showed that Pycnogenol® prevents the heart from getting worn out during hypertension. Cardiac chamber walls showed a significantly higher rate of collagen connective tissues than control groups.

“Alternative treatments such as Pycnogenol® are crucial components in the fight against heart disease,” said Dr. Ronald Watson, professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Arizona and a lead researcher of the study. “The effectiveness of Pycnogenol® supplementation is a great option for many people who want an alternative to prescription medications such as beta blockers or ACE inhibitors. This new study shows Pycnogenol® administers a therapeutic effect to limit the degenerative process in patients predisposed to congestive heart failure, such as the aged.”

The study was conducted at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Elderly female mice (18 months old) were randomly divided into four groups: control mice, mice receiving Pycnogenol® only, mice receiving L-NAME only (a substance which causes arterial constriction) and mice receiving both Pycnogenol® and L-NAME. Pycnogenol® and L-NAME were administered in tap water and the study was approved by the Animal Review Committee at the University of Arizona.

One group of hypertensive mice received Pycnogenol® in drinking water for four weeks and another group of hypertensive mice was left untreated. After five weeks, the hearts of the latter control group had significantly increased in size as a result of hypertension. In the Pycnogenol® treated group, hypertension and heart function parameters resembled those found in healthy control mice with healthy blood pressure.

“This study provides evidence that oral administration of Pycnogenol® reversed cardiovascular remodeling induced by L-NAME by blocking nitric oxide production, which leads to hypertension and finally cardiomyopathy,” said Watson.

After a detailed investigation of the heart tissue, Watson found Pycnogenol® supplementation to significantly enhance the connective collagen matrix of cardiac tissue. Whereas the chronic hypertension in mice led to a significant loss of connective collagen fibers, Pycnogenol® significantly increased the collagen presence, resulting in stronger cardiac chambers.

According to the American Heart Association nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure, and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The mortality rate for heart failure affects 80 percent of men and 70 percent of women within 12 years of obtaining cardiovascular diseases. According to Watson, cardiac remodeling is considered an important therapeutic target to battle this disease.

Watson presented the new research this month at the SupplySide East Educational Conference and Trade Show in Secaucus, NJ. Previous clinical research shows Pycnogenol® to battle coronary heart disease and stroke, high blood cholesterol and hypertension. Research shows Pycnogenol® to diminish the major cardiovascular risk factors simultaneously while offering a safe, natural approach.

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