The good news is, the two food-sourced therapies we’re going to look at today are readily available and not priced out of reach of anybody. The bad news is, they’re still experimental. But researchers say don’t let that keep you from trying them. They might help and they can’t hurt…
Red Wine has also been shown to have positive, cleansing effects on your
brain. Wait! Aren’t Red Grapes full of anthocyanins and phenolic
compounds just like Blueberries and Purple Carrots?
Suddenly, the big picture becomes clear!
Blueberries for wound healing…
I remember reading, a long time ago, that North American indigenous peoples traditionally treated wounds and burns with a paste made from mashed Berries and other natural substances from roots and leaves. ‘Okay,’ I thought. ‘Maybe there’s something to it, or maybe the old medicine chiefs and shamans were just counting on the placebo effect to heal their patients.’ But now there’s new clinical evidence that certain compounds in Wild Blueberries (and possibly in other blue and purple fruits and veggies) that actively assist the body in growing new tissue.
A lab study by researchers at the University of Maine (UM), funded by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA) and supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, showed conclusively that the presence of anthocyanins and phenolic acids from Wild Blueberries stimulates the growth of blood vessels that new tissues need to receive nutrients and oxygen.
The discovery is potentially important for diabetes sufferers (whose ability to heal wounds is impaired), patients fighting cardiovascular disease, and those with ischmeia, which can lead to stroke.
We already knew that the anthocyanins in Blueberries and other blue- or purple-skinned fruits and veggies could reduce inflammation, helping our bodies in any number of important ways. Now, it seems, we’ve finally caught up with the ancient tribes on the active healing angle.
The ancient Asians had it right about Green Tea…
We all know that Green Tea is supposed to be healthful in many ways. It is, in fact, a mainstay of the Asian herbalist’s medical arsenal. But we in the west still treat it more as a beverage than a medicine. Now, researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) say they’ve confirmed that compounds found in Green Tea and Carrots can help reverse the effects of dementia, perhaps even Alzheimer’s disease.
For this study, the researchers took a look at two phenolic compounds: EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), a key ingredient in Green Tea, and FA, or Ferulic Acid, which is found in Carrots, Tomatoes, Rice, Wheat and Oats.
“After three months, combination treatment completely restored working memory and the Alzheimer’s mice performed just as well as the healthy comparison mice,” reports Senior Author Terrence Town, a Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience at the USC Keck School of Medicine’s Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute.
Yes, it’s a mouse-level study. But Town says he finds the results ‘very encouraging’.
One major plus to both Blueberry and Green Tea ‘therapies’…
“You don’t have to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to make it to market; you can make these dietary changes today,” notes Town.
My take…
Go for it. Can’t hurt. Might help. Why not?
~ Maggie J.