Pro-inflammatory foods

Several blogs have been devoted to the awareness of anti-inflammatory foods and what they are. This blog is different. Today I’m going to inform all of you which foods are actually pro-inflammatory. You might think you know which foods cause inflammation, but you have no idea(haha).
According to Bonnie C. Minsky writer of “Inflammation = Degenerative Disease” the pro-inflammatory foods to avoid include:
* red meats from corn-fed, antibiotic/hormone laden animals
* saturated fats such as lard and meat fats
* fried foods
* partially hydrogenated (trans fats) found in margarines, chips, candies, cereals and baked goods
* cooking oils that are exclusively corn, safflower, sunflower or soy based
* soft drinks (both high sugar and diet varieties)
* excess sugar (both from heavily processed sources, such as candy and from naturally occurring sources such as fruit juice)
http://www.consciouschoice.com/2004/cc1706/healthconscious1706.html

Another site to look at is: http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/young/life/life_inflammatory.jhtml

This site gives an extremely long and extremely depressing list of the foods that can cause inflammation. I don’t know what all of you eat, but I know what I eat and everything on that list I eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pretty much grass is the only thing not listed. Good luck with your diet!

Could chocolate be healthy?

To eat or not to eat chocolate, that is the question. Studies are popping up everywhere regarding the health effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on the body’s cardiovascular system. Such a study was performed by researchers from Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Participants included 15 healthy adults under the age of 50 and 19 healthy adults over the age of 50. As part of the study, the participants ingested a cocoa beverage every day for four to six days while the researchers documented the changes in function of their peripheral arteries. Overall, blood vessel function in the participants had significantly improved after consumption of the cocoa beverage.

The discovery made in this study shows that flavanol-rich cocoa can and does improve blood vessel function in healthy older people. According to Naomi Fisher, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the study’s co-author states, “Aging is typically associated with deterioration in vessel health, specifically related to function of the critical inner lining, or endothelium. Our findings demonstrate that consumption of this flavanol-rich cocoa can improve the function of blood vessels in a healthy elderly population.” However, she does seem uncertain about the effects of cocoa in elderly adults with already cardiovascular problems. "More research is needed to see if older adults with cardiovascular disease can also experience these improvements following consumption of this cocoa, but these initial findings certainly offer great promise." I guess we shall see in the near future how chocolate, specifically cocoa, can improve our way of eating leading to a healthier lifestyle.

http://www.naturalnews.com/019950.html

Lupus

Lupus has been my latest inquiry. A small, probably, unnoticeable segment connected to the very last page of the “Modulation of cell recruitment by anti-inflammatory agents in antigen-induced arthritis,” article had a memorable picture regarding a lupus case. The real eye catcher wasn’t the enormous butterfly tattoo on the 33 year old woman’s back, but the “ginormous” blotchy red lesion above it. This woman was diagnosed with cutaneous lupus. The cutaneous lupus lesion overlying her butterfly tattoo is one of many symptoms of lupus.
Definition
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which chronic inflammation affects different parts of the body including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain.
The Attack
The role of the body’s immune system, normally, is to make antibodies that protect against invading viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. In such cases of autoimmune disorders like lupus, the body’s immune system isn’t able to distinguish between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. So what happens is the immune system produces antibodies which act against its self. As a result, these antibodies cause inflammation, pain and damage to different portions of the body.
*Inflammation is considered the primary feature of lupus*
Who does it affect?
More than 90% of people with lupus are women. It is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans than in Caucasians.
To learn more about this and in a cool way check out this video:
http://video.about.com/lupus/What-Is-Lupus--.htm

Fibrin and Alzheimer's Disease

Going back to the neuro articles the thing that really stands out to me is how fibrin is concsidered the new target for Alzheimer’s disease. Fibrin correlates to beta-amyloid protein build-up in Alzheimer’s. As the beta-amyloid protein accumulates so does fibrin. According to Justin Paul, a graduate student, and Sidney Strickland, head of the Laboratory of Neurobiology and Genetics, fibrin could be an important fighting tool against Alzheimer’s. Sidney and Paul have discovered “that brains of Alzheimer’s patients have increased fibrin levels,” a finding that had previously been unexplored.

The function of Alzheimer’s is damage to the barrier that blocks blood from percolating into the brain. This damage allows fibrin and other blood proteins to seep through.

The Experiment
The researchers performed various experiments, either decreasing or increasing the deposition of fibrin in the brain’s of mice. An enzyme from snake venom called ancrod, which causes the liver to clear fibrin from the bloodstream, was used to decrease fibrin. To increase it, they used tranexamic acid, which prevents the breakdown of fibrin clots.
The Results
The effects of the experiment were as predicted. The only knew information gained from it was the fact that beta-amyloid protein plaques in the mice’s brain did not change with fluctuating levels of fibrin. However, the inflammatory cells surrounding them did. “The number of microglia associated with each plaque - the number of the little inflammatory cells that get excited by fibrin deposition - are reduced when there’s less fibrin around, and increased when you can’t degrade the fibrin,” Paul says. Also, a decrease in fibrin using ancrod decreased the blood-vessel deterioration in the brain. “So reducing inflammation might be the link to preventing blood-brain damage, as well,” says Paul.
Final Quote
“Fibrin is a critical component for increased inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease. And fibrin and fibrinogen, based on our study, should be considered a new therapeutic target. Although, beta-amyloid may be the cause of Alzheimer’s, alternative approaches need to be considered,” according to Paul.

So Many Anti-inflammatory Products to Chose From

I am amazed at all the anti-inflammatory foods posted by my fellow classmates in this forum. I did some websuring just to see what other unusual things are claimed to have anti-inflammatory properties. Suprisingly and to my relief, I found that grass fed beef (as opposed to grain-fed) and other animal foods may offer some protection from inflammation. Meat from grass-fed animals supposedly has more omega-3 fatty acids while meat from grain-fed has none, but is not lacking in saturated fat. http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/food_and_nutrition/top_10_anti_inflammatory_foods.html

Ashley F. mentioned green tea in her blog, but I am a white tea and aloe vera juice junkie.
There isn’t much difference between green and white tea. Tea leaves destined for white are just harvested earlier than green tea(before the leaves open). I have a preference for white tea because it tastes purer than its green counterpart, has less caffeine, and it undergoes less processing than green tea, therefore it retains much of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea is indicated for reduction of the inflammation associated with arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and skin diseases such as psoriasis. Unfortunately, scientific evidence of the anti-inflammatory benefits of white tea is very limited and is only based on consumption in cultural population.

Unfortunately, like the info on grass-fed livestock, I could not find any primary literature on aloe vera products. What I did find was that aloe vera juice (according to studies I couldn’t find) regulates some components of the Immune system by reducing the incidence of inflammation in the kidneys, and digestive tract, reducing blood flow to tumors, and preventing carcinogens from entering the liver. http://www.ageless.co.za/herb-aloe.htm

I am saddened by the fact that there is so mch hype about foods with anti-inflammatory properties, but not many physicians are taking heed to these benefits and are very quick to prescribe a pill. Instead they should place heavy emphasis on diet and lifestlye changes (if one's physical health can be salvaged-which is almost always the case).

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients At Higher Risk For Unrecognized Heart Disease And Cardiac Sudden Death

Doctors and researchers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn have proven studies that patients with rheumatoid arthritis are at a much greater risk for unrecognized heart disease and cardiac sudden death.

* The risk of heart attack is already there at the time a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis is first made.

* Heart disease can remain silent in those with rheumatoid arthritis. Regular cardiac checkups are important, as is lowering traditional cardiac risk factors, such as taking care of blood pressure and cholesterol and quitting smoking.

* Heart disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients can manifest for the first time as a cardiac sudden death.

This may be because these two diseases have common origins, however the fact that the diseases are multifactoral, is the only known fact. Oftentimes, rheumatoid arthritis patients seek medical attention for unrelated symptoms, and upon ordering an electrocardiogram for a patient, revealed a past 'silent heart attack.' Perhaps patients with rheumatoid arthritis have such severe and constant joint pain, that prescribed medications are allowing them to not be as responsive to chest pains. "We suspect that the systemic inflammation that characterizes rheumatoid arthritis also promotes cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular death," says Sherine Gabriel, M.D. There are still ongoing studies and research to explain this phenomena and means to prevent increased risk.

For full article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050204121639.htm

DAA, PPAR + MCP-1

After reading 'Active spice-derived components can inhibit inflammatory responses of adipose tissue in obesity by suppressing inflammatory actions of macrophages and release of MCP-1 from adipocytes' article, i found another article that talks about a substance inhibiting MCP-1 activity. Dehydroabietic acid (DAA) is an abietic acid derivative contained in Terpenoids of many herbal and dietary plant substances. An experiment done by M-S Kang et al showed that DAA acts as an agonist of PPARs (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors), which is a ligand-activated nuclear transcription factor that regulate lipid metabolism and homeostasis. PPAR-gamma subtypes has been shown to mediate anti-inflammatory effects on macrophages once it is activated so if DAA stimulates PPAR-gamma subtypes release by binding to its receptor then it can induce anti-inflammatory response on macrophages thereby inhibiting the pro-inflammatory cytokine release from macrophages. From their experiment, they found that DAA does indeed inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha) and chemokine (MCP-1). Since DAA activates PPAR, which is important on lipid metabolism and homeostasis, its a valuable medicinal and food component for regulating the inflammatory changes in obese individual.



http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T99-
4RP0MX3-1&_user=56761&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=
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56761&;md5=3f210d5eace7bc095185f91066c889ea

Maybe we can learn from Ayurvedic medicine

After reading the article “Turmeric extracts containing curcuminoids prevent experimental Rheumatoid arthritis” by Janet Funk I wanted to find out a little more about Ayurvedic medicine. In particular I wanted find out what other herbs they believe to have helpful or healing powers. I found a list on Wikipedia called the “list of herbs and minerals in Aryuveda, and most of them have the therapeutic use that Aryuvedas are claiming. I think we could take notes from their culture on some things and not on other things.

For example camphor, is a herb that they use for thirst, obesity, burning sensations, throat problems, asthma, excessive sweats and a few other things. I personally identify it as the main ingredient in moth repellents, however; it has other uses such as embalming, fireworks and rust preventative coating.

It is amazing to see the use of this one herb from one spectrum to another, how it can “help” a person and how it can enhance man made materials in a completely unrelated way.

The website with the list

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_herbs_and_minerals_in_Ayurveda

Metal and Vitamin Toxicity

I have a strong interest in integrative medicine and I think complimenting modern medicine with Ayurvedic practices is a good idea. But upon doing some research I think there is an area where people should limit their intake. The Center for Disease Control found that, “Some Ayurvedic medicines contain metals and minerals that can lead to toxicity of the liver. “During 2000-2003, a total of 12 cases of lead poisoning among adults in five states associated with ayurvedic medications or remedies were reported to CDC.”
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2004 Jul 9;53(26):582-4.
Another study found that herbs, minerals and metals have led to cases of, “status epilepticus,5 fatal infant encephalopathy,6 congenital paralysis and sensorineural deafness,7 and developmental delay.8 Since 1978, at least 55 cases of heavy metal intoxication associated with Ayurvedic HMPs in adults and children have been reported in the United States and abroad. JAMA. 2004 Dec 15;292(23):2868-73.
The medicines that were found to contain it were; Bal Chamcha, Bala Guti, Bala Sogathi, Balguti, Kersaria, Gesari, Karela, Maha Sudarshan Churna, Mahalakshmi Vilas Ras, Navratna Rasa, Safi, Shilajit, Swarna.
So I would take some caution taking more than the prescribed dosage on these medications.
Also I think this applies to any vitamin or mineral. People have the same problem when they take too much vitamin D. It can lead to vitamin toxicity. Sometimes people think the more vitamins the better but that is not true in this case.

Turmeric: The Magical Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Spice

Since most of the articles this week focused on spices, I did some more research on anti-inflammatory spices. I found that the top 12 anti-inflammatory spices are Ginger, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Basil, Cardamon, Chives, Cilantro ,Cloves, Garlic, and Parsley. There seemed to be the most information on Turmeric though. Turmeric is a spice that belongs to the ginger family and it is found in curry. Along with turmeric's role as an anti-inflammatory to treat arthritis, people also use it for other health conditions. Turmeric is an antioxidant that can help prevent cancer and can protect vital organs. It can also be used to treat digestive problems or be made into a paste to help treat skin problems such as cuts, scrapes, acne, and diaper rashes. The website suggested taking 1.5-3g of turmeric a day to help with digestive problems, but for the anti-inflammatory effects you need to take 3-5 g 3 times a day (that doesn't sound so pleasing to me). It's usually taken in by dissolving the powder in water or tea. It can also be dissolved in oils and applied to the skin where it penetrates through follicles and sweat glands. Turmeric has been used for a long time in Chinese medicine and many people believe it is effective. This is more of a recent subject in western medicine that should be studied a lot further. In the mean time we should start dumping turmeric powder in our drinks....who's gonna bring it to frog & firkin?
You can see the turmeric article here http://www.pureinsideout.com/turmeric-curcuma.html
Thanks for a great semester Dr. Cohen!