How To Clean Your Arteries With One Simple Fruit

The future of cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment will not be found in your medicine cabinet, rather in your kitchen cupboard or in your back yard growing on a tree.

Pomegranate Found To Prevent Coronary Artery Disease Progression

A new study published in the journal Atherosclerosis confirms that pomegranate extract may prevent and/or reverse the primary pathology associated with cardiac mortality: the progressive thickening of the coronary arteries caused by the accumulation of fatty materials known as atherosclerosis.[i]

Mice with a genetic susceptibility towards spontaneous coronary artery blockages were given pomegranate extract via their drinking water for two weeks, beginning at three weeks of age. Despite the fact that pomegranate treatment actually increased cholesterol levels associated with very low density lipoprotein-sized particles, the treatment both reduced the size of the atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic sinus (the dilated opening above the aortic valve) and reduced the proportion of coronary arteries with occlusive atherosclerotic plaques.

Remarkably, the researchers also found that pomegranate extract treatment resulted in the following beneficial effects:

• Reduced levels of oxidative stress


• Reduced monocytie chemotactic protein-1, a chemical messenger (chemokine) associated with inflammatory processes within the arteries.


• Reduced lipid accumulation in the heart muscle


• Reduced macrophage infiltration in the heart muscle


• Reduced levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and fibrosis in the myocardium


• Reduced cardiac enlargement


• Reduced ECG abnormalities

How can something as benign and commonplace as a fruit extract reverse so many aspects of coronary artery disease, simultaneously, as evidenced by the study above?  The answer may lie in the fact that our ancestors co-evolved with certain foods (fruits in particular) for so long that a lack of adequate quantities of these foods may directly result in deteriorating organ function.  Indeed, two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling argued that vitamin C deficiency is a fundamental cause of cardiovascular disease, owing to the fact that our hominid primate ancestors once had year-round access to fruits, and as a result lost the ability to synthesize it.  [see Linus Pauling vitamin C lecture on GreenMedTV]

Discussion

This study adds to the already extant body of clinical research indicating that pomegranate can help unclog your arteries.  For instance, back in 2004, the journal Clinical Nutrition published the results of a three year clinical trial in an Israeli population, finding that the daily consumption of pomegranate juice reversed carotid artery stenosis by up to 29% within 1 year.  Remarkably, the blockages in the control group increased 9%, indicating that pomegranate’s artery unblocking effects were even greater than at first apparent. [ii]

Pomegranate’s value in cardiovascular disease is quite broad, as evidenced by the following experimentally confirmed properties:

• Anti-inflammatory: Like many chronic degenerative diseases, inflammation plays a significant role in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. There are five studies on GreenMedInfo.com indicating pomegranate’s anti-inflammatory properties.[iii]


• Blood-Pressure Lowering: Pomegranate juice has natural angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting properties, [iv] and is a nitric oxide enhancer, two well-known pathways for reducing blood pressure. [v] Finally, pomegranate extract rich in punicalagin has been found reduce the adverse effects of perturbed stress on arterial segments exposed to disturbed flow.[vi]


• Anti-Infective: Plaque buildup in the arteries often involves secondary viral and bacterial infection, including hepatitis C and Chlamydia pneumoniae.[vii] Pomegranate has a broad range of anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.


• Antioxidant: One of the ways in which blood lipids become heart disease-promoting (atherogenic) is through oxidation. LDL, for instance, may be technically ‘elevated’ but harmless as long as it does not readily oxidize. Pomegranate has been found to reduce the oxidative stress in the blood, as measured by serum paraoxonase levels.  One study in mice found this decrease in oxidative stress was associated with 44% reduction in the size of atherosclerotic lesions. [viii]

For additional research on pomegranate’s heart friendly properties read our article: Research: Pomegranate May Reverse Blocked Arteries

Also, view our dedicated research section on reversing arterial plaque: Clogged Arteries

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Resources

• [i] Aishah Al-Jarallah, Fatima Igdoura, Yi Zhang, Christine B Tenedero, Elizabeth J White, Melissa E Macdonald, Suleiman A Igdoura, Bernardo L Trigatti. The effect of pomegranate extract on coronary artery atherosclerosis in SR-BI/APOE double knockout mice. Atherosclerosis. 2013 May ;228(1):80-9. Epub 2013 Mar 7. PMID: 23528829


• [ii] Michael Aviram, Mira Rosenblat, Diana Gaitini, Samy Nitecki, Aaron Hoffman, Leslie Dornfeld, Nina Volkova, Dita Presser, Judith Attias, Harley Liker, Tony Hayek. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):423-33. PMID: 15158307


• [iii] GreenMedInfo.com, Pomegranate’s Anti-Inflammatory Properties


• [iv] Mahalaxmi Mohan, Harshal Waghulde, Sanjay Kasture. Effect of pomegranate juice on Angiotensin II-induced hypertension in diabetic Wistar rats. Phytother Res. 2009 Dec 17. PMID: 20020514


• [v] Filomena de Nigris, Maria Luisa Balestrieri, Sharon Williams-Ignarro, Francesco P D’Armiento, Carmela Fiorito, Louis J Ignarro, Claudio Napoli. The influence of pomegranate fruit extract in comparison to regular pomegranate juice and seed oil on nitric oxide and arterial function in obese Zucker rats. Nitric Oxide. 2007 Aug ;17(1):50-4. Epub 2007 May 5. PMID: 17553710


• [vi] Filomena de Nigris, Sharon Williams-Ignarro, Vincenzo Sica, Lilach O Lerman, Francesco P D’Armiento, Russell E Byrns, Amelia Casamassimi, Daniela Carpentiero, Concetta Schiano, Daigo Sumi, Carmela Fiorito, Louis J Ignarro, Claudio Napoli. Effects of a pomegranate fruit extract rich in punicalagin on oxidation-sensitive genes and eNOS activity at sites of perturbed shear stress and atherogenesis. Cardiovasc Res. 2007 Jan 15;73(2):414-23. Epub 2006 Sep 1. PMID: 17014835


• [vii] Yasunori Sawayama, Kyoko Okada, Shinji Maeda, Hachiro Ohnishi, Norihiro Furusyo, Jun Hayashi. Both hepatitis C virus and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection are related to the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients undergoing lipid lowering therapy. Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi. 2006 Aug;97(8):245-55. PMID: 17087362


• [viii] M Aviram, L Dornfeld, M Rosenblat, N Volkova, M Kaplan, R Coleman, T Hayek, D Presser, B Fuhrman. Pomegranate juice consumption reduces oxidative stress, atherogenic modifications to LDL, and platelet aggregation: studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 May ;71(5):1062-76. PMID: 10799367

© February 15, 2018 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

The post How To Clean Your Arteries With One Simple Fruit appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Do Pomegranates Protect Against Neurodegeneration?

The CDC estimates around 5.3 million Americans are living with some form of Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to double by 2050. ^[1] Dementia, a generalized term used to describe neurodegeneration, is a disabling issue that have definitive roots in lifestyle and nutritional habits. While genetics may play a role in brain health, it’s lifestyle that is the driving force behind the progression of hereditary variables. A recent study is suggesting pomegranate, a red deciduous fruit rich in polyphenols, may be a potent protector against mental degeneration.

The Wonder Power of Pomegranate

One of the main factors in Alzheimer’s disease is the formation of amyloid plaque in the brain. This plaque divides irregularly and leads to beta amyloid, proteins that clump together and prevent proper cell-to-cell signaling. Certain metals–aluminum in particular–have been strongly implicated in the deposits of beta amyloid. ^[2] Research shows that exercise may reduce the extracellular accumulation of this plaque in the frontal cortex, possibly slowing or preventing the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia. ^[3]

A recent study looking at the effects of freeze-dried pomegranate found the fruit inhibited the formation of these plaques as well as the swelling of irritation in the brain normally accompanying Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. ^[4] Pomegranate is a highly-concentrated source of antioxidants, and it’s this fact that may be one of the contributing factors to the fruit’s neuro-protective properties. Pomegranate extract may provide even more benefit than the whole fruit, since it’s much more concentrated. This is one of the reasons we added pomegranate extract to Cell Fuzion™, choosing only the highest quality extract with a condensed source of polyphenols.

How to Protect Your Brain

Other than consuming pomegranate and small, antioxidant-rich berries, there are certain lifestyle habits you should adopt to protect the long-term health of your brain. As previously mentioned, exercise is essential for preventing amyloid plaque buildup. Getting enough sleep and managing blood sugar levels also appears to have beneficial effects on brain health. In fact, research shows Alzheimer’s disease is another type of diabetes, where the brain has a difficult time utilizing glucose for energy. ^[5] Reducing your grain and refined sugar carbohydrates could be helpful in this regard. Also, keeping your heart health in check may be helpful, as studies indicate atherosclerosis significantly raises dementia risk. ^[6]

What are you concerns with dementia? What steps have you taken to protect brain health?

References:

1. Hebert LE, Scherr PA, Bienias JL, Bennett DA, Evans DA. Alzheimer disease in the US population: prevalence estimates using the 2000 census. Arch Neurol. 2003 Aug;60(8):1119-22.


2. Exley C, House E, Polwart A, Esiri MM. Brain burdens of aluminum, iron, and copper and their relationships with amyloid-β pathology in 60 human brains. J Alzheimers Dis. 2012;31(4):725-730.


3. Paul A. Adlard, Victoria M. Perreau, Viorela Pop, and Carl W. Cotman. Voluntary Exercise Decreases Amyloid Load in a Transgenic Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. The Journal of Neuroscience, 27 April 2005, 25(17): 4217-4221; doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0496-05.2005.


4. Velagapudi R, Baco G, Khela S, Okorji U, Olajida O. Pomegranate inhibits neuroinflammation and amyloidogenesis in IL-1β-stimulated SK-N-SH cells. Eur J Nutr. 2015 Jul 10.


5. Kaushik Shah, Shanal DeSilva, and Thomas Abbruscato. The Role of Glucose Transporters in Brain Disease: Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2012; 13(10: 12629-12655. doi: 10.3390/ijms131012629.


6. Silvestrini M, Viticchi G, Falsetti L, et al. The role of carotid atherosclerosis in Alzheimer’s disease progression. J Alzheimers Dis. 2011;25(4):719-26. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2011-101968.

Pomegranate Strikes to the Heart of Cancer Malignancy

Ever since chemotherapy and radiation became the ‘standard of care,’ oncology has been in the Dark Ages. Could the scientific community finally be waking up to the incomparable cancer-killing power of foods to cure what conventional treatment only makes worse? 

One of the most important discoveries in biology and medicine of the past fifteen years is that cancer stem cells are largely responsible for the failure of conventional cancer treatment. These cells, which represent a small population of tumor cells (~ 1:1000), are cancer cells characterized by stem cell properties such as self-renewal and the ability to give rise to all cell types found in a particular cancer sample. These cells drive tumor development, progression, metastasis and drug resistance and are highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. To the contrary, these conventional treatments actually increase their number and malignancy.^1,2 

You can learn more about this critically important topic by watching my video below:

The discovery of cancer stem cells at the heart of cancer malignancy reveals that the present-day standard of care in oncology is doing far more harm than good. It also indicates a desperate need for safer, more effective alternatives that exhibit selective cytoxicity, i.e. the ability to kill only the cancer and cancer stem cells while leaving unharmed non-cancerous tissue.

In previous articles we have reported on various cancer stem cell killing strategies and substances, including turmeric, along with two dozen other foods and plant compounds here. I’ve also reported on the fact that radiotherapy wavelengths actually transform non-cancerous cells into cancer stem cells, and chemotherapy causes their enrichment in what remains of the tumor after treatment; a result which may explain why cancer often comes back even more aggressively following treatment. For all the research I have gathered on the topic thus far, visit our Cancer Stem Cell database.

Given that the cancer stem cell populations are the primary cause of treatment resistance and malignancy, any new research that sheds light on this topic has powerful implications for those who wish to use their food as medicine.

Pomegranate As A Cancer Stem Cell Killer

A recent study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology looked at the effects of a pomegranate extract on cancer stem cells. Titled, “In vivo relevant mixed urolithins and ellagic acid inhibit phenotypic and molecular colon cancer stem cell features: A new potentiality for ellagitannin metabolites against cancer,” the new study proposes that colon cancer stem cells (CSCs) “offer a novel paradigm for colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment.”

The researchers looked at how colon metabolites of polyphenols from pomegranate interact with and affect CSCs.  Specifically, the researchers looked at “the effects against colon CSCs of two mixtures of ellagitannin (ET) metabolites, ellagic acid (EA) and the gut microbiota-derived urolithins (Uro) at concentrations detected in the human colon tissues following the intake of ET-containing products (pomegranate, walnuts).” [emphasis added]

The researchers confirmed that these mixtures were able to suppress colon CSCs taken from the primary tumor of a patient with colorectal cancer. They showed these mixtures altered the phenotypic and molecular features of colonospheres — the cancer stem cell based micro-colonies of cells that can become invasive and lethal cancers with time — consistent with cancer suppression.

According to the study authors, “These data support a role for polyphenols metabolites in the control of colon cancer chemoresistance and relapse and encourage the research on the effects of polyphenols against CSCs.”

It is my belief that as research like this accumulates the medical community will be lead to embrace plant-based alternatives to chemotherapy in favor of what I would call biochemotherapies, whose mechanisms of action are informational as well as physical in nature. As I have discussed elsewhere, it is plants (and the relatively infinitely more complex set of ‘biochemistries’ inherent within them) that cure cancer not chemicals.

Additional Resources

Pomegranate has been extensively researched to possess a wide range of therapeutic properties. Learn more by visiting our database on the topic: Pomegranate Health Benefits.

You can also learn more about the importance of cancer stem cells by reading the following articles on our website:

References

¹The Cancer Stem Cell Promoting Properties of Chemotherapy 

² Study: Radiation Therapy Can Make Cancers 30x More Malignant

© June 1, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.