PETER'S PRINCIPLES - August 12, 2007
Jerry from Ypsilanti emails asking if there is anything he could add to his diet to help fight Alzheimer's disease?
Jerry, try spicing up your foods. A new study found a chemical in the spice turmeric helps rid the blood of a brain plaque protein, which causes Alzheimer's.
Researchers took the blood of Alzheimer's patients. In some samples they added the turmeric compound, the others they left alone. They discovered the blood was better at deleting the disease causing protein when the turmeric chemical was present. Researchers hope it may be possible to give Alzheimer's patients blood infusions of the turmeric chemical to help their immune system delete the brain plaque ingredient.
Ann from Lincoln Park emails asking with all the fruits and vegetables in season right now, which ones are the best to eat?
A team of researchers looked at more than 1,000 foods to see which ones pack the most antioxidants. Antioxidants are the good stuff in food that can help fight off disease. Topping the list of the most powerful antioxidant foods are blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, walnuts and artichokes. The researchers also determined cooking appears to increase the antioxidant potential of most foods, except for grains such as pasta and rice.
