Garlic is good for the heart, can also check Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

#garlic #heartdisease #health #Alzheimer’s #Parkinson's Garlic has a bad stench but is good for the heart. It possesses life-saving attributes and even has the power to prevent age-related neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. A study undertaken by Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center has revealed that aged garlic extract reduces dangerous plaque buildup in arteries which, in turn, prevent the progression of heart disease and this is the leading cause of death worldwide.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 22 January 2016.

As indicated by lead study author Dr Matthew Budoff, the study demonstrates the benefits of garlic that can reduce the accumulation of soft plaque and also prevent the formation of new plaque in the arteries, which can be a reason for heart disease.
The study involved 55 patients aged between 40 and 75, each of whom were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Each of hem was screened before the study to measure their total coronary plaque volume. Screening was also done for their dense calcium, non-calcified plaque and low-attenuation plaque. These screenings were conducted through cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA).
After that, each participant was either given a placebo or a dose of 2,400 milligrams of aged garlic extract every day for a period of one year. Then, a follow-up screening was conducted and it was found that those who had taken aged garlic extract had slowed the total plaque accumulation by 80 per cent. They also reduced soft plaque and demonstrated regression for low-attenuation plaque.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Take two chocolate bars every day and reduce the risk of heart attacks

This would be sweet music to the ears of chocolate manufacturers because research carried out by Aberdeen University has revealed that eating up to 100g of chocolate every day can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 16 June 2015.

As per the findings, those who had a higher intake of chocolate had a 23% reduced risk of stroke as compared to those who had none - even after taking account of other factors. Moreover, eating more chocolate (100g is around two bars of Dairy Milk a day) also resulted in an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 25% reduced risk of associated death.
The study was carried out on around 21,000 adults who participated in the EPIC-Norfolk study. This study was tracking the impact of diet on long-term health of approximately 25,000 men and women in Norfolk. The study concluded that there was no evidence that cutting out chocolate could lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Around 20% of participants did not eat any chocolate but the average daily consumption of those who did ranged round 7g and very few went up to 100g. Eating more chocolate meant higher intake of energy intake and a diet that contained more fat and carbohydrates and less protein and alcohol.
Of course, more intake of chocolates leads to increase in weight, hence, those who are overweight should observe necessary care.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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A glass of red wine or a handful of peanuts can check memory loss

#resveratrol #alzheimer #redwine #memory Research carried out in the Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Texas has revealed that a glass of red wine or a handful of peanuts can go a long way to check loss of memory – the reason is that both these contain a crucial antioxidant Resveratrol as reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 6 February 2015. In the opinion of experts, a compound found in common foods like red grapes could even prove their worth in the battle against Alzheimer's disease because these as well some types of berries contain the antioxidant that has the ability to protect the cells from age-related damage, researchers say. Resveratrol is normally associated with its potential to prevent heart disease, but the team of American research scientists believe that it also has positive effects on the hippocampus – this is an area of the brain that is critical to functions such as memory, learning and mood. Based on experiments done on mice, the study has provided evidence that resveratrol treatment in late middle age can help to improve memory and mood function in old age.

Texas horror – 13 monkeys roasted to death in Covance Research center

#covance #primates In two separate incidents, a total of 13 monkeys were roasted alive in a south Texas research facility – the macaque monkeys died of hyperthermia in overheated rooms and the men involved could face federal penalties. This has been informed by a US Department of Agriculture spokeswoman.
As per reports, a federal inspector found that two animals died in September when a thermostat malfunctioned at Covance Research Products in Alice. The malfunction caused the room temperature to soar. In a similar incident one month later, 11 primates died when a thermostat override switch failed.
Covance is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, and makes available animal testing to aid in the development of drugs for an array of ailments, from heart disease to diabetes. The company had notified USDA after the second incident, and corrective steps were taken. These included plans to install temperature alarms in all animal housing rooms, according to a report dated 21 November by the federal inspector.
The primates that died were cynomolgus monkeys – these are a type of macaque that is often used in medical research. Michael Budkie, executive director of Ohio-based Stop Animal Exploitation Now, has revealed that he has filed a complaint with USDA seeking a fine of more than $100,000 against Covance because it was a clear case of negligence due to which the animals were literally cooked to death on two separate incidents. Such negligence deserves the maximum penalty.

Research shows that drinking out of cans is harmful

#eathealthy A research was conducted by South Korea on 60 adults of over 60-years-of age to find out the effect of longtime drinking directly from cans. Members of the group were given the drinks of soy milk in cans and in glass bottles. Subsequent urine tests revealed that those who drank from cans saw BPA levels up to 1,600% higher than those who drank from bottles. It seems that cans and plastic bottles are lined with a controversial chemical called BPA, and while the CDC indicates that the effects are unclear, the research in South Korea on chronic exposure has linked it to high blood pressure and heart rate issues. In fact, BPA and blood pressure rose significantly in can-drinkers within a matter of a few hours indicating the adverse effects. Hence, it is advisable that people should think twice before drinking regularly from cans or plastic bottles, considering the findings related to #HeartHealth. As has been noted, a 5 mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure by drinking two canned beverages may cause clinically significant problems, particularly in patients with heart disease or hypertension.

New study reveals that carbs, not fats, result in diabetes and heart diseases

A new study conducted on 16 middle-aged, obese adults for 21 weeks and now published in the Nov. 21 journal PLOS ONE has revealed that the ancient concept that fats cause diabetes and heart disease can be thrown out of the window.
The study was funded by a grant from the Dairy Research Institute, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the Egg Nutrition Center, and the Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation and the researchers have confirmed that the funders did not have any role in the design of the study or the decision to publish the findings.
The study has apparently shown that doubling the saturated fat in a person's diet does not drive up the levels of saturated fat in the blood but the carbohydrates does. As per the study, it was the carbohydrates that were to blame for increased levels of a type of fatty acid linked to heart disease and type-2 diabetes.
The general belief till now was that saturated fats from meat and dairy products were the main culprit in promoting heart disease and most health authorities never doubted this but maintained this stance.
But, in recent years, scientists have observed the ill effects of totally replacing saturated fat with carbohydrates, particularly the simple carbs that are found so commonly in processed foods.
Based on a 2009 analysis that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition it was found that replacing saturated fats with carbs had no benefit towards reducing heart diseases. However, replacing the bad fats with polyunsaturated fats found in fish, olives and nuts did.