If youre having a difficult time quitting smoking make sure to use this powerful antioxidant.
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could one day benefit from an antioxidant compound in broccoli, researchers report. “In COPD, there is critical loss of antioxidant systems, which protect against oxidative stress and inflammation,” explained lead researcher Shyam Biswal, an associate professor in the department of environmental health sciences and the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in Baltimore.
“Even though there is a loss of this system, you can substantially restore it with an activator for this pathway,” Biswal said. A compound in broccoli called sulforaphane has been shown effective in restoring antioxidant gene activity. “So this could be a new way of doing therapy,” Biswal theorized. Make sure to get plenty of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts in your diet.
Source: Defective Antioxidant Gene Regulation in COPD: A Case for Broccoli.
Resveratrol and Fatty Liver Disease
Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine, may prevent against the development of fatty liver disease associated with chronic alcohol consumption, according to a new study. The study, performed with mice, found that resveratrol may activate two molecules that play a role in cell signaling and the breakdown of fats in the liver: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). These molecules are reportedly inhibited by alcohol, leading to fat build-up and fatty liver.
You can order the Institute for Progressive Medicine’s high potency resveratrol formula, ResveraGuard, from our supplement store.
Source: Resveratrol alleviates alcoholic fatty liver in mice.
Another use for Quercitin
Quercetin, the compound most commonly associated with onions and apples may boost the immune system and protect against flu, according to results of a study with mice. Researchers from the University of South Carolina and Clemson University also report that stressful exercise increased the mices susceptibility to flu, but quercetin was found to negate these effects.
Source: Quercetin reduces susceptibility to influenza infection following stressful exercise.
Vitamin D and skin infections
Oral supplements of vitamin D may boost production of protective compounds in the skin, and may ultimate help prevent skin infections, according to a new study. The small study focused on patients with atopic dermatitis, characterized by areas of severe itching, redness and scaling, and found that supplements of vitamin D enhanced the skins ability to produce a peptide called cathelicidin, which protects against microbial invasion. Gallo and his co-workers recruited 14 people with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis and 14 people with normal skin. All of the participants were given daily vitamin D supplements of 4000 IUs for 21 days.
The supplement store at the Institute for Progressive Medicine carries Vitamin D in 1000IU and 5000IU strengths.
Source: Administration of oral vitamin D induces cathelicidin production in atopic individuals.
Vitamin D and autism.
According to a fascinating theory published in the journal, Medical Hypotheses, there may be a connection between children with autism and vitamin D deficiency. This may have been demonstrated by the disappearance of several autistic markers in children with vitamin D deficient rickets treated with high-dose vitamin D.