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HERBNET
EZINE FOR
November 2006 |
HERBNET'S ONLINE
EZINE
Welcome to the November, 2006, sporadic email health newsletter
of The Herb Growing & Marketing Network.....
The following is blatant self-promotion:
HerbNET is an information site provided by The Herb
Growing & Marketing Network....the largest trade
association for the herb industry with around 1200
members....we offer a
weekly
online trade journal The Bu$iness of Herbs, 400+ page
annual resource guide, free classified advertising, free
listings in our Herbal Green Pages Online Green Pages
Herb World -- The Herbal Green Pages
(http://www.herbworld.com/green_pages.htm
), conferences, and regional seminars, lower phone rates,
credit card merchant status, internet
design and marketing work (for herb businesses only); very
reasonable hosting rates and lots more....all for only $95 a
year (in North America....higher elsewhere.....Membership
Form http://www.herbnet.com/shop/
Our
association does offer reasonable hosting for websites
specializing in herb and natural product sites. And we're
good for both new businesses and old. We offer a lot of
support (emotional as well as technical) and keep you
linked to our other hosted sites to improve your search
engine ranking. We also design and critique websites as
well. For details.....click
here.
We help
members a lot with a variety of promotion assistance and
if you want to know more about that, drop
me a line and I'll send you a listing of all the ways
we promote your business.
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The
November,
2006, HerbNET magazine is online
HerbNET - Magazine - Letter From the Herbalist
with profiles on
Cabbage Tree, Cahngzhu, Black
Horehound, Honewort, Herb Patience, Herb Christopher,
and Red Hogweed
Use our "Search" function in the left hand
border. It will help you find exactly what you're looking
for. If you enjoy these profiles and want an easy-to-use
reference guide with 1800 of them, consider purchasing our Herbalpedia.
Searchable, indexed by English and Latin names as well as
by Ayurvedic and Chinese names as well. For details and
to order....click
here :-)
I've spent
the past few months revamping our network and we're so
excited that we want to share. Our Bu$iness of
Herbs is now a weekly online publication and we want
everyone to see what we're offering. If you want
to check us out, we're offering 8 weeks free of our
newsletter. Simple
drop an email with your name, business name,
address or website if you have one and we'll put you on
the list. We're hoping you enjoy it so much you'll
want to join and continue. This publication is
really for natural products businesses or those thinking
they'd like to have one. It covers regulations,
marketing, commercial production, and other subjects
helpful to a business. Your choice is to have the
past 7 issues plus the upcoming one or start with this
next issue and continue for 7 additional weeks.
Let me know. And we're offering a special. If you
join/renew by November 15, 2006, we'll give you $10 off
the membership fee. $85 instead of $95 in North
America ($100 instead of $110 outside N.A.)....the
special is NOT in the shopping cart, so put discount in
the comments section and we'll charge you accordingly.
We're also
back on a monthly basis with this newsletter. It
helps to get organized. :-)
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CHINA...leaving this week.
By the time you probably read this, we're on our way back
to China with the CT School of Herbal Studies.
This is an incredible experience and hopefully we'll be
offering it again next year. If you want to see
last year's pictures,
visit the pictures here.
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This
month in our ezine:
Pomegranate helps with
Alzheimer's
Pine bark extract could improve diabetic microangiopathy
Red Wine linked to slowing Alzheimer's
Resveratrol in red wine could cut colorectal cancer
risk.
Curcumin could slow mental decline in elderly people by
49 per cent
Cinnamon extract could ease metabolic syndrome.
Almonds could suppress appetite, tackle obesity.
Pecans could prevent heart disease
Walnuts
could protect arteries after high-fat meal.
Green vegetable compounds may protect against breast
cancer
Daily vegetables could slow loss of mental function
Antioxidant, polyphenol-rich Mediterranean diet could
slash Alzheimer’s risk.
Black tea may speed up recovery from stress.
Dried plums: Bone boosting functional food ingredient?
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FRUIT JUICE
--A recent animal study in the
US,
shows
that a daily glass of pomegranate juice could halve the
build-up of harmful proteins linked to Alzheimer’s
disease. Even though the exact mechanism of how
Alzheimer’s is still not clear, more support for the
bild-up of plaque from beta-amyloid deposits is
gathering acceptance. These deposits are associated
with an increase in brain cell damage and death from
oxidative stress. The researchers from the
Vanderbilt
University
Medical
Center
found that people drinking juices three or more times
per week were 76 per cent less likely to develop signs
of Alzheimer's disease than those who drank less than
one serving per week. This was after taking into account
dietary intake of vitamins E, C and beta-carotene.
BOTANICALS
--Pine bark extract could improve diabetic microangiopathy.
 Daily
supplements of the French maritime park bark extract,
Pycnogenol, could improve blood flow that deteriorates
due to diabetic microangiopathy by 68 per cent, says a
new study. The remarkable result adds to an ever
growing list of potential health benefits for the
extract, which already includes hypertension, asthma,
chronic venous insufficiency, osteoarthritis, deep vein
thrombosis, diabetes management, diabetic leg ulcers and
ADHD. The new study is important because diabetic
microangiopathy (DM) is said to affect practically every
person with diabetes. Blood flow measurements by laser
Doppler were taken when patients were lying down and
standing up. For people with DM, the ability of blood
capillaries to adapt to increased pressure from lying
down to standing is impaired. When patients were lying
down, supplementation with Pycnogenol is reported to
have improved capillary blood flow by 34 per cent,
compared to 4.7 per cent in the placebo group. When
patient’s blood flow was measured in a standing
position, supplementation is said to have improved
capillary blood flow by 68 per cent, compared to 8 per
cent in the placebo group. By measuring swelling in the
ankle of the participants it was also possible to assess
the degree of ‘capillary leakage’, which develops ten
minutes after passing from lying down to standing up.
Comparison of Pycnogenol supplementation and the placebo
showed that the pine bark extract reduce swelling by
14.5 per cent.
RED
WINE
--Red wine again linked to slowing Alzheimer’s. A
Mount Sinai School of Medicine study found giving mice
with amyloid plaques red wine slows their memory loss
and brain cell death - adding to a body of science
linking compounds in the beverage to slowing the
Alzheimer's disease-related symptom. In another study,
wine-drinking mice learned to escape from a maze
significantly faster than mice drinking alcohol-spiked
water or water. The wine intake was the equivalent of a
five-ounce glass of red wine per day for women and two
for men. This reinforces previous studies where a red
wine compound, resveratrol, has been linked to a
reduction in the onset of dementia.
--Resveratrol
in red wine could cut colorectal cancer risk.
Drinking more than three glasses of red wine a week
could cut the risk of colorectal cancer by almost 70 per
cent, researchers told the 71st Annual Scientific
Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in
Las Vegas. The potential benefits of the wine have been
put down to the resveratrol content of the wine, and
adds to an ever growing body of science linking the
compound to a range of beneficial health effects,
including brain and mental health, and cardiovascular
health. The new research, by Joseph Anderson, and his
colleagues from the Stony Brook University in New York
looked at the drinking habits of 360 red and white
drinkers with similar lifestyles and found that, while
white wine consumption was not found to have any
association with colorectal cancer incidence, regular
red wine consumption was linked to a 68 per cent reduced
risk of the cancer. And the researchers told attendees
that the active component in wine that may be behind the
apparent benefits is most likely resveratrol, an
anti-fungal chemical that occurs naturally under the
skin of red wine grapes. However, experts are quick to
warn that moderation is the key. A study from Harvard
University last year reported that people who have three
or more alcoholic drinks per day have a significantly
higher risk of stroke. Lowest risk was observed for
those who had one, or maybe two, drinks every other day.
LATEST ON SPICES
--Curcumin could slow mental decline in elderly people
by 49 per cent,
suggests a study of non-demented Asian people by
improving the body’s ability to clear the build
up of plaques in the brain that are linked to
Alzheimer’s disease according to The Singapore National
Mental Health Survey of the Elderly from the National
University of Singapore. Although the mechanism of
Alzheimer’s is not clear, significant data exists
supporting the build-up of plaque from beta-amyloid
deposits. Recent research (Journal of Alzheimer’s
Disease, Vol. 10, pp. 1-7) from the
US
appeared to indicate that curcumin could help the body’s
immune system clear away these deposits and reduce the
risk of developing the disease. When the researchers
looked at the consumption of curry with measures of
cognitive impairment (scores below 23 on the MMSE), it
was reported that those who consumed curry “often or
very often” were associated with a 49 per cent reduced
risk of cognitive impairment, compared to those who
never or rarely consumed. Eating curry “occasionally”
was associated with a 38 per cent reduced risk. The
study has several limitations, including not taking into
account vegetable and fat intake, which form part of
curries, and the accuracy of the self-reporting of curry
consumption. Given these limitations, the researchers
noted that the results should be “interpreted with
caution,” and stated that dietary intakes may have
changed as a result of the onset of dementia in some of
the subjects. Some experts recommend however that
consumers wishing to make use of curcumin's properties
consume it in supplement form rather than eating more
curries, which tend to be rather high in fat in their
Western form.
--Cinnamon extract could ease metabolic syndrome.
A
daily supplement of cinnamon extract may boost
antioxidant defenses and reduce the oxidative stress
linked to the metabolic syndrome, suggest results from a
small placebo-controlled, double-blind study from the
US. The study showed that the active compounds
found in cinnamon extract may be helpful in reducing the
risk of these diseases by providing cells protection
from harmful oxidation. The new study, presented
earlier this month at the 47th American College of
Nutrition annual meeting, adds to a growing body of
research reporting that active compounds in cinnamon may
improve insulin sensitivity in people with impaired
fasting blood sugar levels. The study is said to be the
first to show an effect of cinnamon extracts on
antioxidant status in humans and adds further support to
the potential beneficial effects on glucose metabolism.
ABOUT NUTS:
--Almonds could suppress appetite, tackle obesity.
A handful of almonds, a rich source of flavonoid
antioxidants, vitamin E and magnesium, may enhance the
feeling of fullness in people and aid weight management,
suggests a new study. A new study, presented at
the North American Association for the Study of Obesity:
The Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2006,
reports that eating a handful or two of almonds every
day may fit into this category. The new research, funded
by the Almond Board of California, looked at the effect
of supplementing the diet of 20 overweight women with
two servings (300 calories) of almonds a day for ten
weeks. The women were divided into two groups, one
eating almonds for ten weeks and then no almonds, while
the other ate no nuts for ten weeks and then the
almonds. At the end of the study, the researchers, led
by Richard Mattes from Purdue University, found that
there were no changes in energy intake or body weight
after almond supplementation. No changes in body fat,
body weight, and
BMI
were observed. The results need to be repeated in larger
and longer intervention trials. Mechanistic studies are
also needed to determine which compounds in the almonds
could be exerting the potential satiating effect, and
how this effect is achieved.
--A
recent study at
Loma
Linda
University
in
California shows that a handful of pecans a day could
reduce the risk of heart disease likely because of the
high vitamin E content by slowing down the oxidation of
blood lipids by up to 7.4 percent.
--ALA-rich
walnuts could protect arteries after high-fat meal.
Walnuts, a rich source of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA), could improve artery function and heart health
and may be more important in a Mediterranean-type diet
than olive oil, suggests a small study from Spain.
The study, funded by the California Walnut
Commission and the Spanish Ministry of Health,
investigated the effects of the addition of walnuts or
olive oil to a fatty meal on a series of markers for
cardiovascular health. Twelve healthy people and 12
patients with high cholesterol levels were randomly
assigned to a high-fat meal (80 g fat, 35 per cent
saturated fat) supplemented with 40 grams of walnuts or
25 grams of olive oil. One week later, the participants
were crossed over to eat the other supplemented high-fat
meal. The researchers analyzed the activity of blood
vessels after the meal, lipoprotein levels, markers of
oxidative stress, and plasma levels of asymmetric
dimethylarginine (ADMA), a by-product of protein
metabolism that is said to interfere with the amino acid
L-arginine for nitric oxide (NO) production. NO has been
shown to act upon smooth muscle in blood vessels and
increase blood flow (vasodilation). The Barcelona
researchers report that blood flow in the arm, so-called
flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the brachial artery, was
improved in the people with high cholesterol after
consumption of the walnut-supplemented meal (24 per cent
increase) while the olive oil-supplemented meal actually
resulted in a decrease in FMD (36 per cent decrease).
However, lipoprotein levels decreased in similar
quantities after both meals, while plasma ADMA
concentrations were unaffected.
VEGGIES’ RESEARCH
--Green vegetable compounds may protect against breast
cancer.
Compounds found in broccoli and other green vegetables
could inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells,
according to an in vitro study. The
cancer-fighting properties of broccoli, a member of the
crucifer family of vegetables, are not new and previous
studies have related these benefits to the high levels
of active plant chemicals called glucosinolates. These
are metabolised by the body into isothiocynates, and
evidence suggests these are powerful anti-carcinogens.
The main isothiocynate from broccoli is sulforaphane.
Other studies have proposed that the compound
indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical found naturally
in cruciferous vegetables, could also have potential
prevention activity against hormone-responsive tumours,
such as breast, ovarian and prostate cancer.
--Eating about three portions of green leafy,
yellow and
cruciferous vegetables every day could slow loss of
mental function as we age by 40 per cent, suggests a new
study.
The study, funded by the National Institute of Aging,
used data from 3,718 participants (62 per cent female,
60 per cent African American, average age 74). Dietary
intakes were assessed using a 139-item food frequency
questionnaire and mental function was assessed at by
four different tests: the East Boston Tests of immediate
memory and delayed recall, the Mini-Mental State
Examination, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, taken
at the start of the study and then again after three and
six years. After adjusting the results for potential
confounders such as age, sex, race, educations, and
cardiovascular risk factors, Dr. Morris and her
colleagues found that consuming an average of 2.8
vegetable servings ever day was associated with a 40 per
cent decrease in cognitive decline, compared to those
who ate an average of 0.9 servings every day.
MORE
ON DIET
--Antioxidant, polyphenol-rich Mediterranean diet could
slash Alzheimer’s risk.
Greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet could
cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by a whopping 68 per
cent, suggests a multi-ethnic study from the US.
Although the mechanism of Alzheimer’s is not clear, more
support is gathering for the build-up of plaque from
beta-amyloid deposits. The deposits are associated with
an increase in brain cell damage and death from
oxidative stress. It is against the oxidative stress
that the Mediterranean diet could offer protection.
After adjusting the results for possible confounding
factors, such as age, education, BMI, smoking status,
and ethnicity, the researchers reported that people with
the highest adherence to a model Mediterranean diet were
associated with a 60 per cent lower risk of Alzheimer’s
disease, compared to people with the lowest adherence to
the diet. When the researchers took into account a
series of cardiovascular variables, such as history of
stroke, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and
plasma lipid levels, the associations for the high
adherence group grew stronger, with an associated risk
reduction of 68 per cent.
TEA
RESEARCH
--Black tea may speed up recovery from stress.
Drinking black tea could reduce stress hormone levels
and help ease the burden of heart disease, says the
first randomized clinical trial into the effects of the
beverage on stress. The researchers, from
UCL
and Unilever Research Colworth, found that drinking four
cups of black tea every day for six weeks reduced blood
levels of the stress hormone cortisol by 20 per cent
more than the placebo group, backing up the ‘old wives
tale’ that tea helps people relax. The study, published
on-line ahead of print in the journal
Psychopharmacology (doi 10.1007/s00213-006-0573-2),
recruited 75 healthy young male volunteers (average age
33). The men were put through a four-week wash-out
period before the study, withdrawing consumption of tea,
coffee, other caffeinated drinks, aspirin, ibuprofen,
dietary supplements, and various fruit and vegetables
rich in flavonoids. They were then randomly assigned to
the black tea group (37 men, four cups of black tea per
day) or the placebo group (38 men, a caffeinated drink
identical in taste, but devoid of the active tea
ingredients) for six weeks. Both groups were subjected
to challenging tasks, while their cortisol, blood
pressure, blood platelet and self-rated levels of stress
were measured. In one task, for example, the subjects
were asked to verbally respond in front of camera and
argue their case after being exposed to one of three
stressful situations (threat of unemployment, a shop
lifting accusation or an incident in a nursing home).
The tasks triggered significant increases in blood
pressure, heart rate and subjective stress ratings in
both of the groups, and no difference was observed
between the groups concerning blood pressure or heart
rate. However, 50 minutes after the task, cortisol
levels had dropped by an average of 47 per cent in the
tea drinking group compared with 27 per cent in the fake
tea group. The researchers also found that blood
platelet activation – linked to blood clotting and the
risk of heart attacks – was lower in the tea drinkers,
and that this group reported a greater degree of
relaxation in the recovery period after the task.
FRUITS
--Dried plums: Bone boosting functional food ingredient?
Using dried plums as functional food ingredients could
be a way of boosting bone health, if research from an
animal study can be repeated in humans. The
study, led by Brenda Smith and published on-line ahead
of print in the journal Bone (doi:
10.1016/j.bone.2006.05.024) divided 60 male Sprague–Dawley
rats into five groups. One group was sham-operated (sham
group) and four groups of rats had their testes removed
(orchidectomized). As men reach the age of 40 and
beyond, the level of testosterone decreases by about one
per cent per year, leading to weaker muscles and thinner
bones. The researchers castrated the rats to model low
testosterone levels on bone strength and the subsequent
effects of dried plums. The orchidectomized rats were
further divided into four groups and assigned to eat one
of four diets: a standard semi-purified diet (control),
or the control diet supplemented with different amounts
of dried plums (provided by the California Dried Plum
Board) – five per cent (low-dose), 15 per cent
(medium-dose) and 25 per cent (high-dose). After 90
days the researchers found that both the medium-dose and
high-dose dried plum supplementation totally prevented
the orchidectomized-induced decrease in bone mineral
density (BMD) in the whole body, femur, and lumbar
vertebra. The researchers said that, despite the
promising findings, “a significant amount of work
remains”. The most burning questions were concerning
the identity of the bioactive components responsible for
the apparent benefits, and the specific mechanism behind
the effects.
If
you're an herb business, help your business and support us by joining The
Herb Growing & Marketing Network
We'll see you next month....and if you have any suggestions of what you'd like to see on HerbNET, drop me a line.
Maureen Rogers
The Herb Growing & Marketing Network
and HerbNet's Slave
email us
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