The Benefits of Berries

 By Ryan Saba

Berries have been shown to be some of the healthiest foods on the planet.  Low in calories, high in fiber, and containing vitamins and mineral your body needs to function optimally, berries are nutritional powerhouses.

Extremely powerful antioxidants, berries protect your body from inflammation.  With their high oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values – a method of measuring antioxidant capacities – berries help to prevent negative effects on the body by turning off inflammation signals, making them a vital part of our diet. These little power foods may be simple but they have been shown to poses a variety of amazing benefit from protecting the heart all the way to enhancing vision. Try Isotonix Maximum ORAC 

Heart Protection
One of the primary benefits of berries is their ability to improve heart health and blood flow throughout the body.  One way this is done is by reducing the buildup of harmful plaque on blood vessel walls, which reduces the risk of arteries hardening.  By keeping arteries clean and avoiding the buildup of plaque, the heart can work more efficiently, reducing the potential of heart attacks and other heart disease related conditions. 

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Below is Dr. Steven Lamm a practicing internist, faculty member at New York University School of Medicine, and the Director of Men's Health for NYU Medical Center discussing Pycnogenol and its amazing benefits in Isotonix OPC-3

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Also, incorporation of berries into your diet has been shown to reduce oxidation of LDL – or “bad” – cholesterol. Oxidation, the process by which cells and tissue break down, is a key factor in heart disease because oxidized LDL can inflame arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks. Reducing the oxidation levels of LDL cholesterol not only improves overall heart function, but also reduces long term risks of heart disease. Learn more about an exclusive isotonic form of Pycnogenol in (OPC-3)

Powerful Antioxidants
Even though taste is often what we like most about berries, their color is what makes them so good for us.  The rich blues, deep purples and bright reds are a result of a group of phytochemicals called flavonoids. These pigments help to counter cell damage in our bodies caused by free radicals.  Over time, free radicals contribute to disease and are one of the primary factors in the aging process.

Antioxidant compounds protect our bodies from the oxidative damage that is caused by everything from poor diet, environmental toxins and even vigorous exercise.  By neutralizing free radicals, flavonoids may help to reduce the risk of cancer and aid in memory and other brain functions that begin to decline as we age.

Vision Enhancement
Various forms of berries contain lutein, a carotenoid important for healthy vision. Reduced eye function and the degeneration of vision are some of the most common problems associated with aging.  With the ability to protect against glaucoma and cataract progression, berries have been show to promote overall eye health. Berries have also been shown to enhance vision, especially at night, by supporting the regeneration of rhodopsin in the eyes.  This process helps the eyes to adjust better during periods of darkness and also reduces the permeability of the fine blood vessel walls throughout the eye. Berries have also been shown to protect against retinopathy, a condition the leads to impaired vision and blindness due to blood accumulation in the retina.

Sometimes the simplest things offer the best benefits.  Berries are some of the most powerful (and delicious) disease-fighting foods available. Introducing them into your diet – ideally two or three types each day – can improve various areas of health and overall well being.

More Produce Cuts Cancer Risk

More Produce (Organic or Not) Cuts Cancer Risk  By Kimberly Beauchamp, ND People concerned about the risks of eating nonorganic produce, will be happy to hear that they can eliminate cancer from their concerns. Researchers teamed up to compare the cancer prevention effects of fruits and vegetables and the potential increased cancer risk from pesticide exposure from these foods, and the findings published in Food and Chemical Toxicologyreport that the benefits of eating produce far outweigh potential cancer risk caused by conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. The researchers used an analysis done by The World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute of Cancer Research in 2007 to estimate the number of cancer cases that could be prevented every year if half of the people in the United States ate 80 grams (one serving) more of fruits and vegetables each per day. They also used information from the USDA Pesticide Data Program to estimate the number of cancer cases from pesticide exposure that could be attributed to eating this much more produce. They found that if half of the US population were to eat one more serving of fruits and vegetables each per day 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented every year, and up to 10 cancer cases could be caused every year by an increase in pesticide exposure. “The positive health effects that could result from an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables will greatly exceed any putative negative effects that might be associated with the increased intake of pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables,” concluded the researchers, a team formed between the consulting firm, Exponent, and the University of California, Davis. It should be noted that the study was sponsored by the Alliance for Food and Farming and the authors have consulted for agrochemical companies. Know the risks The study helps sheds light on the gap between public perceptions of what causes cancer and what’s actually been proven. Some cancer risk factors can’t be prevented, like family history or age. Others, you can do something about. Here are some well-known risk factors and the cancers they may cause: Smoking and other tobacco use increases the chances of developing cancer of the lung, larynx, mouth, esophagus, bladder, kidney, throat, stomach, pancreas, and cervix. Obesity/overweight increases the risk of breast, colon, kidney, esophagus, and uterine cancer. Alcohol increases the risk of developing mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, liver, and breast cancer. Sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light increase the risk of several forms of skins cancer. Certain hormones, like those used to treat menopausal symptoms in women may increase the chance of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer. The take-home message? Don’t use tobacco products, maintain a healthy weight, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, use alcohol in moderation (no more than a couple of drinks per week), use sunscreen and protective clothing especially during prime sunburn hours, and explore other options for managing menopausal symptoms. (Food Chem Toxicol 2012: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.08.055)

Multivitamins may cut lung cancer risk in smokers

Multivitamins may cut lung cancer risk in smokers

Multivitamins may cut lung cancer risk in smokers
By Stephen Daniells, 13-Jan-2010
Related topics: Research, Antioxidants, carotenoids, Phytochemicals, plant extracts, Vitamins & premixes, Cancer risk reduction

Multivitamins, folate, and green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of developing lung cancer in current and former smokers, says a new study from the US.

Higher intakes of certain micronutrients may reduce a process called methylation which affects gene signaling. Many genes involved in critical cell functions, including cell division, are methylated in lung tumours, showing the potential of the micronutrients to reduce the risk of lung cancer, according to findings published online ahead of print in Cancer Research.

The role of micronutrients in smokers is controversial with some studies; most notably the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Trial, reporting that beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer.

The new study, supported by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, showed that reduced gene methylation with the intake of multivitamin supplements that are rich in phytochemicals, such as vitamin C, carotenoids, lutein, folic acid, and vitamins A and K. Such micronutrients are also present green leafy vegetables.

“This is the first cohort-based study to identify dietary factors associated with reduced promoter methylation in cells exfoliated from the airway epithelium of smokers,” wrote the researchers, led by Steven Belinsky, PhD, from the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute in Albuquerque.

“Novel interventions to prevent lung cancer should be developed based on the ability of diet and dietary supplements to affect reprogramming of the epigenome,” they added.

‘Impressive’ study

Commenting independently on the study, a spokesperson for ingredient supplier DSM told NutraIngredients that the study illustrates how complex micronutrient research is.

“It impressively shows, for example, that supplements containing beta-carotene, conceivably increasing the risk of lung cancer in heavy smokers when taken in extremely high doses over years, have the potential to reduce cancer risk even in smokers,” said the spokesperson.

“Additionally, the study is further evidence that nature-identical, synthetic micronutrients in multivitamins can be effective in disease risk reduction as micronutrients from vegetables and fruits.”



Study details

Just over 1,100 current and former smokers participating in the Lovelace Smokers Cohort submitted sputum samples and completed questionnaires regarding their dietary intake. The sputum samples were used to examine the degree of methylation of eight genes commonly silenced in lung cancer and associated with risk for this disease.

People who ate at least 12 servings of green leafy vegetables per month had a 17 per cent lower risk of methylation, while a daily folate intake of at least 750 micrograms was associated with a 16 per cent lower risk.

Current multivitamin users had a 43 per cent lower risk of gene methylation, added the researchers, although there was no association between the duration of use and methylation..

More research needed

Sudhir Srivastava, PhD, chief of the Biomarkers Research Group at the NCI called for additional research to independently validate the study’s observations, and also to help resolve contradictions between varying studies.

“This particular study used a well-planned design and can serve as a basis for future identification of the mechanistic targets of these dietary factors,” said Srivastava, who was not involved in the study.

“Such studies are important steps for the future success of chemopreventive strategies.”

Source: Cancer Research
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-3410
“Multi-Vitamins, Folate, and Green Vegetables Protect Against Gene Promoter Methylation in the Aerodigestive Tract of Smokers”
Authors: C.A. Stidley, M.A. Picchi, S. Leng, R. Willink, R. Crowell, F.G. Flores, H. Kang, T. Byers, F.D. Gilliland, S.A. Belinsky

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