WATSONVILLE, Calif., Oct 19, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Latest
Research on Foods for Brain Health Discussed at Premiere Neuroscience Meeting of
the Year in Chicago this Week
Diets rich in strawberries, other berries, nuts, and certain spices may lower
age-related cognitive declines and the risk of neurodegenerative disease,
according to James Joseph, Ph.D., of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on
Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Dr. Joseph describes his breakthrough work
on the everyday foods that promote brain health during a presentation this week
at Neuroscience 2009, the 39th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience
being held in Chicago.
Aging often results in mental decline -- and the world's aging population is
large and growing. There are currently 390 million people over the age of 65
around the world with an expected increase to 800 million by 2025. According to
Alzheimer's Disease International, dementia affects one in 20 people over the
age of 65. Some 24 million people worldwide are currently thought to experience
some form of dementia.
"With the rising cost of healthcare and drugs, patients are increasingly turning
to preventive lifestyle actions over which they have some control, such as
exercise and diet," said Dr. Joseph. "Emerging science continues to point to
natural foods as sources of beneficial nutrients that can have some positive
impact on cognitive function."
Strawberries, other berries, nuts, and certain spices contain plant compounds
called polyphenols and other plant chemicals, which are believed to provide
brain health benefits. Although some of the benefit has been attributed to the
antioxidant activity of those compounds, antioxidant activity alone is not
predictive in assessing the potency of these compounds against certain disorders
affected by aging. In fact, in Dr. Joseph's studies, oxidative stress markers
were only modestly reduced by these antioxidant rich foods. The polyphenols in
berry fruit like strawberries may be responsible for other mechanisms including
enhanced neuronal communication and reduced stress signals due to enhanced
neuroprotective stress shock proteins.
According to Dr. Joseph, you can protect yourself against the two major villains
of aging, oxidation and inflammation, by including the following foods in your
diet regularly:
-- Strawberries
-- Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries
-- Walnuts
-- Fish
-- Turmeric (a spice in curry)
California strawberries are grown and available year-round in supermarkets
across the country. As America's favorite fruit, they are an easy addition to a
diet that promotes brain health.
Quick Links:
-- Visit the California Strawberry Commission to get unique recipes from
top chefs.
-- Become a fan at: http://www.facebook.com/castrawberries
-- Twitter: Follow us http://www.Twitter.com/CAstrawberries
About the California Strawberry Commission
The California Strawberry Commission is a state government agency that
represents an industry of more than 500 growers and 60 shippers and processors
of California strawberries. With a focus on food safety education, Commission
strategies also include production and nutrition research, trade relations,
public policy and marketing communications.
SOURCE California Strawberry Commission
URL: http://www.calstrawberry.com
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