Recently I read this wonderful rich article on the Magical Healing Powers of certain foods
which explained very scientifically the reasons and research associated with it so you may
benefit from this knowledge here
Magical healing powers of plants and food
by: CLARE PEDDIE, SCIENCE REPORTER
CENTURIES after the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, said "Let food be thy medicine",
Doctors are learning to prescribe specific foods for their beneficial effects on the heart, blood and brain.
Healthy foods contain "hidden ingredients" with medicinal qualities that scientists are only just beginning to understand.
These "bioactive" compounds include omega-3 fatty acids in fish,
resveratrol in red wine and peanuts, lycopene in tomatoes and antioxidants in a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
UniSA researcher Dr Narelle Berry said scientists first became aware of the potential benefits when studies of population health linked a low incidence of disease to dietary factors.
"They started to look at what's known as the French paradox, where high saturated fat in the diet is linked to a very low incidence of cardiovascular disease," she said.
It turned out there was something special about red wine.
Similarly, Inuit people living in the Arctic had a high-fat diet but low incidence of cardiovascular disease.
Fish oils have since been shown to have a protective effect.
For Kuna Indians in Panama, cocoa kept blood pressure in check. At the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre,
Dr Berry wants to find out how these ingredients act to regulate blood pressure and other aspects of the blood system.
Her PhD student Rachel Wong is working with a wild green oat extract, to see whether it can improve attention and concentration in older adults. Ms Wong said she wanted to prove the benefits of bioactive ingredients so that people could make informed choices about their diet and the value of any supplements.
"I was doing human movement and exercise science," she said. "I did all the electives on nutrition - human nutrition, sports nutrition, nutrition and weight management - so I think that generated my interest in this area, using foods to try to improve pre-existing conditions or even prevent the development of disease."
Cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, is the leading cause of death in Australia. It claims the life of one person every 10 minutes.
Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh, from the University of Adelaide, said most of these plant-based ingredients were "readily available, relatively inexpensive and scientifically shown to assist in reducing a number of risk factors associated with the development of cardiovascular disease".
"There is considerable research being conducted in Adelaide by scientists like those from the CSIRO and the University of South Australia regarding bioactives in plants that can help the public to maintain optimal cardiovascular health," she said.
"If individuals can increase their daily intake of plant-based ingredients that contain bioactives such as omega-3 oils (found in canola as well as oily fish), polyphenolic antioxidants and resveratrol (found in red grapes), mint, curry, cinnamon,
cocoa and oats, then they will maintain optimal health and
prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease."
by: CLARE PEDDIE, SCIENCE REPORTER
CENTURIES after the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, said "Let food be thy medicine",
Doctors are learning to prescribe specific foods for their beneficial effects on the heart, blood and brain.
Healthy foods contain "hidden ingredients" with medicinal qualities that scientists are only just beginning to understand.
These "bioactive" compounds include omega-3 fatty acids in fish,
resveratrol in red wine and peanuts, lycopene in tomatoes and antioxidants in a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
UniSA researcher Dr Narelle Berry said scientists first became aware of the potential benefits when studies of population health linked a low incidence of disease to dietary factors.
"They started to look at what's known as the French paradox, where high saturated fat in the diet is linked to a very low incidence of cardiovascular disease," she said.
It turned out there was something special about red wine.
Similarly, Inuit people living in the Arctic had a high-fat diet but low incidence of cardiovascular disease.
Fish oils have since been shown to have a protective effect.
For Kuna Indians in Panama, cocoa kept blood pressure in check. At the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre,
Dr Berry wants to find out how these ingredients act to regulate blood pressure and other aspects of the blood system.
Her PhD student Rachel Wong is working with a wild green oat extract, to see whether it can improve attention and concentration in older adults. Ms Wong said she wanted to prove the benefits of bioactive ingredients so that people could make informed choices about their diet and the value of any supplements.
"I was doing human movement and exercise science," she said. "I did all the electives on nutrition - human nutrition, sports nutrition, nutrition and weight management - so I think that generated my interest in this area, using foods to try to improve pre-existing conditions or even prevent the development of disease."
Cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, is the leading cause of death in Australia. It claims the life of one person every 10 minutes.
Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh, from the University of Adelaide, said most of these plant-based ingredients were "readily available, relatively inexpensive and scientifically shown to assist in reducing a number of risk factors associated with the development of cardiovascular disease".
"There is considerable research being conducted in Adelaide by scientists like those from the CSIRO and the University of South Australia regarding bioactives in plants that can help the public to maintain optimal cardiovascular health," she said.
"If individuals can increase their daily intake of plant-based ingredients that contain bioactives such as omega-3 oils (found in canola as well as oily fish), polyphenolic antioxidants and resveratrol (found in red grapes), mint, curry, cinnamon,
cocoa and oats, then they will maintain optimal health and
prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease."
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