Fuel for Your Brain

[Daily Health News]

November 23, 2004

In This Issue... Fuel for Your Brain -- People with prediabetes may not be fueling their brains adequately The Best Cures May Be Right in Your Cupboard... Power Produce -- The most nutritionally power-packed fruits and vegetables When Medicine Fails... When Doctors Fail... You're on Your Own FUEL FOR YOUR BRAIN Memory glitches -- forgotten names, fuzzy details -- often are assumed to be part of the aging experience. But several years ago, researchers at the Center for Brain Health at New York University School of Medicine did a study showing that being insulin resistant, or prediabetic (having higher-than-normal blood glucose levels but not high enough to be classified as diabetic), as some 40 million Americans now are, plays an important role in the brain's ability to function in certain areas, including learning and some kinds of memory. Even better is the fact that by addressing the insulin-resistance problems, damage can be reversed. ORIGINAL FINDINGS The original research, released in 2002, studied 30 people between the ages of 53 and 89 who were insulin resistant but otherwise healthy. (Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar or glucose, sending it to the tissue cells, among other things.) After giving the subjects glucose intravenously, the researchers administered cognitive function tests and did magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans. The result: Subjects with the poorest glucose test results -- that is, the glucose lingered in their blood rather than going to the tissues as it would normally -- also had the lowest scores in the cognitive tests. Furthermore, the hippocampus, that part of the brain that is key for recent learning and memory, was smaller than normal. I spoke with Antonio J. Convit, MD, medical director of the Center for Brain Health at New York University School of Medicine in New York City and head of the study, about this work and the follow-up research now going on. He says that while it's been known for some time that diabetes predisposes people to memory problems, his study was the first to provide evidence of a relationship between prediabetes and the brain. Assuming an adequate supply, glucose is the only fuel the brain uses -- unlike other parts of the body, which need many additional nutrients. When the study put the hippocampus to work performing cognitive tests, it needed extra fuel or glucose. But the subjects' insulin resistance prevented proper transportation of glucose to the brain and so deprived the hippocampus of the fuel it needed to do its work well. (Interestingly, in this study the hippocampus was the only part of the brain affected by the lack of glucose.) RESEARCH UNDERWAY Dr. Convit is continuing his study by following a number of the original subjects to evaluate how lifestyle change affects glucose and memory function. Thus far the evidence is anecdotal and it is too early for the long-range analysis, but Dr. Convit happily shares what he has found to date. He says he gave these people what he calls his wrath-of-God speech concerning the health risks they were incurring. Following this wake-up call, a number of them corrected their harmful habits. Those who lost their excess weight and started exercising regularly are having what he terms vastly different results in their tests. They are no longer prediabetic... and their memories have improved, as have their other physical markers, such as cholesterol levels. On the other hand, the subjects who failed to improve their diet and exercise regimen are getting worse in the same areas, he says. THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR The final results of the new study won't be ready for another six months, but Dr. Convit says the take-home message is absolutely unambiguous. If you want your brain to work well, eat a diet that contributes to weight control and good health, and exercise regularly. In fact, exercise is turning out to be a much more critical element than previously thought for contributing to strong brain and insulin functions. In a study with mice, researchers were able to stimulate the essential neurological factors that help create new brain cells. They did this by getting the mice to exercise regularly, and although this was a mouse study, Dr. Convit says there is no reason to think it wouldn't be applicable to humans. EXERCISE STRATEGY Exercise also helps regulate glucose because it increases insulin sensitivity. This is particularly true of any exercise that increases muscle mass, including Pilates and strength or weight training. Dr. Convit says that the best exercise package of all is to do both weight-resistant work and aerobic activities -- and you don't need to do massive amounts. Thirty minutes a day of brisk walking most days will do. At the very least, regular walks, adding steps into your day and climbing stairs whenever possible is sufficient if that is all you can manage. Dr. Convit also urges anyone who might be prediabetic to be tested. The test is not difficult, but it does take time. You start with a fasting glucose test (a blood test first thing in the morning before eating) and then drink a high-glucose liquid. Two hours later, you will have another blood test that will show how effective your insulin is in getting glucose into the tissues. Symptoms of prediabetes include elevated blood pressure, large waist circumference (35 inches or more for women, 40 inches or more for men), elevated triglycerides, a low HDL (the "good" cholesterol) count (below 41 mg/dl) and an elevated blood sugar level. If you have three or more of these symptoms, you are considered likely to be prediabetic. For more details on prediabetes and what it can mean to your overall health, see Daily Health News, September 21, 2004. We all think that our nutrition is complete when we leave the table -- but that is just the start of the feeding process. We must put the right foods into a well-functioning body. Exercise is step one... followed closely by proper nutrition and assistance in getting a prediabetic condition under control. THE BEST CURES MAY BE RIGHT IN YOUR CUPBOARD... "Turn down" your cholesterol by 50%! Just eat one half of this heart-healthy fruit every day. Russian "Rogaine®": Slavic barbers reveal their secret formula for regrowing thick, healthy hair. Restore lost hearing with this simple Mediterranean remedy. The "coleslaw cure" for stomach trouble. Soothes and repairs. Memory problems fixed with this backyard herb. Read on... POWER PRODUCE We know we're supposed to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables each day to get our daily dose of antioxidants -- those plant-based compounds that help bolster immunity and slow the aging process. But a surprising new study by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutritionists reveals that the foods we thought were great sources -- such as strawberries and spinach -- actually are not at the top of the list. The most powerful produce? Small red beans, also known as Mexican red beans. "We were surprised to find that these beans were the number-one source," says lead study author Ronald L. Prior, PhD, research chemist and licensed nutritionist at Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center. "We had expected berries to be the best source." The researchers used a technique called oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) to test the antioxidant power of more than 100 different kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts and spices. His team's findings appear in the June 2004 issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. There were definitely some surprises on the list. Artichokes came in at number seven, prunes at number nine, pecans at number 14 and -- Atkins diet enthusiasts, brace yourselves -- russet potatoes at number 17. Other high-ranking nuts were walnuts and hazelnuts. Although spices are generally consumed in small amounts, many are rich in antioxidants. Ground cloves, ground cinnamon and oregano were highest among those studied. Official standings... Small red beans (dried), also known as Mexican red beans Blueberries (wild) Red kidney beans Pinto beans Blueberries (cultivated) Cranberries Artichokes (cooked) Blackberries Prunes Raspberries Strawberries Red Delicious apples Granny Smith apples Pecans Cherries Black plums Russet potatoes (cooked) Black beans (dried) Red plums Gala apples Although this list is a helpful guide, it doesn't mean you should consume bowls of beans and blueberries at the expense of other produce. Prior advises eating five to nine servings a day of a variety of fruits and vegetables -- and also getting your daily dose of other important nutrients. For example, spinach, which didn't even make the top 20, is a disease-fighting powerhouse, rich in iron, magnesium, folate, calcium and vitamins A, C and E. Remember that produce is often most potent when eaten fresh, rather than frozen, canned or cooked (so eating lots of apple pie this weekend isn't healthful). Exception: Cooked tomatoes are more nutritious than raw. Cooking tomatoes breaks down much of the resilient fibrous structure that can impede the digestion of its antioxidants. The bottom line? Eat your fruits and vegetables to maximize your health, which is exactly what your mother has been saying all along. Be well, Carole Jackson Bottom Line's Daily Health News WHEN MEDICINE FAILS... WHEN DOCTORS FAIL... YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN What if your doctor tells you there's nothing he can do to help? That's what happened to Harry DeCamp. In response, Harry went on an exploration that demonstrated the power of the mind and spirit over scientific know-how. More than 10 years later, he wrote this story of how he overcame the terminal cancer that he was told would doom him within months. Read on... Sources... Fuel for Your Brain Antonio J. Convit, MD, medical director, Center for Brain Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York City. Power Produce Ronald L. Prior, PhD, research chemist, licensed nutritionist, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, Arkansas. You received this free E-letter because you have requested it. You are on the mailing list as [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or... a friend forwarded it to you. You can easily subscribe at this link... http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/e2/e2_signup.html You can easily unsubscribe at this link... http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/e2/e2_unsub.html To change your E-mail address, click here... http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/cust_service/email_prefs_combo.html Help your friends live more healthfully -- forward this E-letter to them. Bonus: It gives you more to talk about -- more constructive talk. This is a free E-mail service of BottomLineSecrets.com and Boardroom Inc. Need to contact us? 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