Strawberry nutrient protects against Alzheimer?s, study finds

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Strawberry nutrient protects against Alzheimer?s, study finds
A new study from researchers at the Salk Institute for
Biological Studies has found that an antioxidant nutrient
in strawberries may help improve memory and protect the
brain from the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers found that fistein -- a flavonoid (plant
chemical) found in strawberries -- improved the memory and
mental function of mice. To test fistein's effects on
memory, the researchers split healthy mice into two groups:
The first received a single dose of fistein, and the second
did not.

To test the animals' memory, the researchers presented the
mice in each group with two objects. Each day, one object
would be swapped for a new object of a different shape.
Memory was tested by timing how long the mice spent on the
new object versus the old object. The researchers found
that the mice supplemented with fistein recalled the
previous day's object more quickly than the control mice.

Pamela Maher, PhD, the study's lead author, said, "Since
the development of a basic understanding of the biochemical
pathways involved in memory formation, the holy grail of
CNS (central nervous system) research in the pharmaceutical
industry is the identification of a safe, orally active
drug that activates memory-associated pathways and enhances
memory."

Maher found that the antioxidant properties of fistein
increased formation of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the
brains of the mice. Fistein was also found to trigger the
activation of memory formation processes within the brain,
and also enabled better memory storage by forming strong
connections between neurons.

Maher believes that because fistein is high in
antioxidants, it could also offer protection against
harmful oxidation in the brain -- a trigger for the
development of neurodegenerative disease.

"That suggested to us that these compounds might be
particularly beneficial, since they might not only protect
neural cells from dying, but might be able to promote new
connections between nerve cells," Maher wrote in her study,
published in the online edition of the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences.

Fistein can also be found in tomatoes, onions, apples,
oranges, grapes, peaches, persimmons and kiwifruit.

This study underscores what myself and many nutrition
experts have been stating for some time: that edible plants
offer the best natural medicine for protecting the nervous
system against degenerative disease.

Nature synthesizes genuine medicines in these plants, yet
it charges no royalties or patent fees, and there's no
prescription required. With the help of healing foods such
as strawberries you can actually eat your way to a
healthier, disease-free life.

----------------------------------------------------
Mike Adams, the "Health Ranger," is the author of "Grocery
Warning" and editor of NewsTarget.com, the leading
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dangers of processed foods, pharmaceuticals, chemotherapy,
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