| Your brain is your greatest asset but it | | | | Benefits of Dietary Antioxidants |
| is also your body's most vulnerable | | | | What safeguards can healthy people take |
| organ. It requires constant support from | | | | to reduce risk of diseases and |
| other major organs and is your most | | | | especially to protect their brains from |
| susceptible organ to oxidative stress | | | | oxidative stress over a lifetime? |
| during aging. | | | | The simplest answer is to follow a diet |
| Here are some brain facts: | | | | that includes abundant sources of |
| 1. Your brain makes up only 2% of your | | | | antioxidant chemicals derived from plant |
| total body weight but requires 20% of | | | | foods. Evidence for the benefits of such |
| your heart's output of blood to sustain | | | | a dietary regimen has only been |
| the amount of oxygen that it needs. | | | | demonstrated in experiments with animals |
| 2. Your brain is the most | | | | up until now, but the results are |
| oxygen-demanding organ in your body. | | | | convincing. Over the past eight years, |
| 3. Your brain uses chemicals | | | | the research activities of Dr. Jim |
| (neurotransmitters) to relay important | | | | Joseph of the US Department of |
| messages to other parts of your body. | | | | Agriculture, Boston, have focused on how |
| These same chemicals are also involved | | | | to protect the brain from oxidative |
| in chemical reactions that produce | | | | stress with dietary use of |
| damaging free radicals. | | | | antioxidant-rich plants such as |
| 4. If your brain cells become weak or | | | | strawberries, cranberries, elderberries, |
| die they cannot repair themselves. Their | | | | blueberries and spinach. |
| functions then can be permanently lost | | | | Dr. Joseph's research findings-a message |
| if cell death or damage occurs. | | | | closely pertinent to this essay-can best |
| Given these susceptibilities, your brain | | | | be represented by a quote from one of |
| is especially vulnerable to conditions | | | | his research reports in 1998: "increased |
| that threaten oxygen supply, such as in | | | | antioxidant protection through diets |
| head injury, stroke, lung diseases and | | | | comprised of fruits and vegetables |
| heart failure. Under these conditions, | | | | identified as being high in total |
| brain activity will continue even | | | | antioxidant activity might prevent or |
| without enough oxygen. This can cause | | | | reverse the deleterious effects of |
| problems that lead to extreme levels of | | | | oxidative stress on neurons." |
| oxidative stress and the over-production | | | | Summary: Oxidative stress is a major |
| of damaging free radicals. | | | | factor in brain aging. This stress can |
| In diseases like Alzheimer's and | | | | be combated or balanced by including |
| Parkinson's, other damaging factors are | | | | dietary antioxidants into your daily |
| at work. In Alzheimer's disease, a toxic | | | | life. The best way to do this is by |
| protein called beta-amyloid, forms in | | | | eating lots of colorful fruits and |
| your brain tissue. This protein acts as | | | | vegetables each day. |
| an irritant and causes inflammation in | | | | Reading |
| your brain. This inflammation then | | | | * Lau FC, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA. The |
| causes the production of free radicals | | | | beneficial effects of fruit polyphenols |
| that can destroy any membranes and cells | | | | on brain aging. Neurobiol Aging. 2005 |
| in their path. | | | | Dec;26 Suppl 1:128-32. |
| Parkinson's disease results from | | | | * Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Denisova |
| unregulated production of the brain | | | | NA, Prior RL, Cao G, Martin A, |
| chemical dopamine which, with the help | | | | Taglialatela G, Bickford PC. Long-term |
| of free radicals, becomes toxic to the | | | | dietary strawberry, spinach, or vitamin |
| brain cells that control your motor | | | | E supplementation retards the onset of |
| functions. | | | | age-related neuronal signal-transduction |
| Even in a healthy brain, oxygen radicals | | | | and cognitive behavioral deficits. |
| are produced every moment during normal | | | | J Neurosci. 1998 Oct 1;18(19):8047-55. |
| high-oxygen demand of neuronal activity. | | | | * Joseph JA, Nadeau DA, Underwood A. The |
| In a healthy brain, enzymes and | | | | Color Code. Hyperion, New York, 2002. |
| nutritional antioxidants neutralize | | | | Copyright 2006 Berry Health Inc. |
| these radicals. | | | | |