Rose Hip and L. Plantarum Reduce Colon Ischemia Injury.

Posted on October 15, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

Loss of colon circulation (ischemia) followed by the return of the circulation (reperfusion), as seen in colon surgery, was studied in mice. The result of ischemia/reperfusion is inflammation with reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS cause lipid peroxidation with damage to the fatty layers of the cells of the intestinal wall. The bacteria of the colon […]

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Conditions: Colon ischemia, Colon surgery, Inflammation

Supplements: Lactobacillus plantarum, Probiotics, Rose hips, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Miscellaneous: Enterobacter species, Lipid peroxidation

Functional Foods for Coronary Heart Disease.

Posted on June 30, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

The authors attempt to evaluate a method of evaluating scientific information about foods and supplements for reduction of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The risk factors for cardiovascular disease are high blood levels of total cholesterol, high triacylglycerol (a word proposed to replace triglyceride), high LDL cholesterol and low levels of HDL cholesterol. The […]

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Conditions: Cardiovascular disease, Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertriglyceridemia, Inflammation

Supplements: Fish oil, Guar gum, Modified citrus pectin, Oat fiber, Omega-3 fatty (linolenic) acid, Plant sterols (Phytosterols), Psyllium (Plantago psyllium), Soluble fibers

Foods: Fish

Miscellaneous: HDL-cholesterol, Immune system, LDL-cholesterol, Nutrients

Antioxidant Polypenols from Tart Cherries.

Posted on March 17, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

The authors did a number of lab studies of tart cherries (Prunus cerasus) in the laboratory. The extracts of tart cherries showed the ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation, a test for anti-oxidant activity. Lipids are complex fats. CONCLUSION: According to the authors, tart cherries, Montmorency and Balaton, have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. To read the […]

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Conditions: Inflammation

Supplements: Tart cherry concentrate.

Foods: Balaton cherries, Montmorency cherries, Tart cherrries (Prunus cerasus)

Miscellaneous: Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Fats, Lipid peroxidation, Lipids

Multiple Sclerosis, an Autoimmune Inflammatory Disease.

Posted on February 27, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered to be an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the myelin layer around the neurons. Abnormal cells from the thymus produce chemicals that destroy the myelin in MS. Geographic studies of MS implicate a role for vitamin D abnormalities and for dietary pattern influence on the disease. Dietary […]

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Conditions: Autoimmune disease, Inflammation, Malabsorption, Multiple sclerosis, Respiratory infections, Sinusitis, Viral infection

Supplements: Adaptogens, Digestive enzymes, Histamine, Multivitamins, Omega-3 fatty (linolenic) acid, Probiotics, Thiol antioxidants

Foods: Fish

Miscellaneous: Acid-base balance, Hyperbaric oxygen, Myelin, Neurons, Prolactin

Cancer of the Skin Prevention by Milk Thistle (Silymarin.)

Posted on February 25, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

Silymarin is an extract of the herb Milk thistle (Silybum marianum.), which is a flavonoid. Silymarin has been shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer due to chemical exposure and due to UV light exposure in animal studies. Silymarin has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory characteristics in previous animal studies. The […]

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Conditions: Inflammation, Oxidation, Skin cancer

Supplements: Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), Silymarin

Miscellaneous: Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Carcinogens, Immunomodulatory, UV (ultraviolet) light

Collagen-Induced Arthritis and Green Tea.

Posted on February 23, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

Green tea polyphenols (GTP) have been found to be anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic in animals. In three studies mice given GTP had 33 to 50 percent less arthritis than the control animals that did not receive GTP. Inflammatory index tests in the GTP fed animals were lower than in the controls, showing the benefit of GTP. […]

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Conditions: Arthritis, Autoimmune disease, Inflammation, Oxidation, Rheumatoid arthritis

Supplements: Antioxidants, Green tea extract

Foods: Black tea (Camellia sinensis), Green tea (Camellia sinensis)

Miscellaneous: Anti-inflammatory, Anticancer, Epicatechin, Polyphenols

Immune-Enhancing Diets.

Posted on February 17, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

The following supplements are said to have immune-enhancing benefits (“putative benefits”): Arginine. Omega 3 fatty acids. Glutamine. Nucleotides. Arginine amino acid intake is essential for the return to health of severely ill patients although the human body can synthesize arginine. The body breaks arginine down rapidly for the production of NO (nitric oxide) in illness […]

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Conditions: Burns, Immune depression, Inflammation, Post-surgical, Severely ill

Supplements: Amino acids, Arginine, DNA, Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), Flax oil, Glutamine, Nucleotides, Omega-3 fatty (linolenic) acid, RNA

Foods: Fish, Flax seed, Soybeans

Miscellaneous: Immune-enhancing, Nitric oxide (NO), Surgery

Plant Sterols as Functional Food.

Posted on February 10, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

This article reviews the history of research on plant sterols, which are natural components of the human diet that are related to cholesterol. Plant sterols have been shown in human studies to lower serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and they work through reduction of cholesterol absorption. Plant sterols also have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidation properties and […]

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Conditions: Cancer, Inflammation, Oxidation, Pregnancy

Supplements: Carotenoids, Plant sterols (Phytosterols)