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