Casting for the Cure

With everybody thinking green to preserve the planet, the next time you have a choice of white, green, or black, you might want to choose green—tea that is—to help preserve your heart.

There are thousands of varieties of teas available, each with a different taste, different health benefits, and varying levels of caffeine. While these differences are decided by growing region, when they were harvested, and processing method—all teas come from a plant called Camellia sinensis.

Green tea is currently the #1 choice due to its high level of antioxidants, which appear to help detoxify and fight cancer, help lower blood pressure, fight gingivitis and cavities, and help regulate blood sugar levels. Green teas are often mixed with fruits or scented with flowers and have only 5 to 10 percent the caffeine of coffee.

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Could that morning pot of gold prevent Multiple Sclerosis (MS)? While many experts recommend limiting caffeine because of possible negative effects on diabetes and some other medical conditions, a recent study has shown coffee to have warded off the animal form of MS.

The new study involved mice that were given a shot to force the mice to develop a condition like MS in humans. However, those that were given the equivalent to 6 to 8 cups of coffee a day avoided developing the animal form of MS, called EAE or experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, stated Dr. Linda Thompson, a member of the team reporting the findings in the National Academy of Sciences.

During the study, researchers monitored the progress of mice that would normally have developed EAE. Thompson explained that the caffeine prevented one of the four building blocks of DNA, known as adenosine, from binding to the adenosine receptor in the mice. Because adenosine wasn’t able to bind to the receptor, it prevented the white blood cells known as T cells, from reaching the central nervous system and starting the domino effect that leads to EAE.

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A new study from the UK suggests that low levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol is linked to poor memory, and decline in memory, in middle aged adults.

The study is the work of researchers at University College, London, and is published in the 30th June issue of the Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology journal of the American Heart Association.

The authors examined the relationship between fasting levels of blood fats and short term verbal memory in 3,673 male and female middle aged adults who were taking part in the Whitehall II longitudinal study.

Blood samples were taken at two measuring points: at mean age 55 and mean age 61, and tested for lipid or blood fat levels, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides. The participants also completed short term memory tests at the two measuring points.

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Food may not be the major cause of hyperactivity in children. Genetics, brain function and parental actions such as smoking may be just as important.

A review of scientific evidence found only a minority of children were actually affected by what they eat. A combination of food, genetics and environmental toxins are more likely to be involved, with no single factor to blame.

Foods which might affect behaviour, in particular table sugar were studied. No adverse effects were seen in children who had a sugary drink versus a drink with artificial sweetener. Parents often believe their children’s diet is making them hyperactive and think changes in the food provided is the answer to the problem. However changing your child’s diet is not likely to settle their over active behaviour.

ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) has a strong genetic link, with half the children born of parents with diagnosed ADHD likely to develop the disorder themselves. Chemical imbalances in the brain are also involved and studies have found that children with the condition have on average 4% smaller brains. Genes may interact with environmental toxins such as alcohol in the womb, lead, and parental smoking to cause later problems with attention span.

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