Fruits vs.

Vitamins
- fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of atherosclerosis

"'Studies of human eating habits] indicate a relationship between an

increased intake of fruits and vegetables and a reduced risk of
atherosclerosis. This study aimed at comparing effects of fruits and
vegetables with the vitamins and minerals contained in them on
antioxidant 'protective] status and risk markers. 43 subjects were
randomized to three groups 'one of which then] consumed a basic diet
free from vegetables for 24 days and another group consuming either
600 grams 'about 2 1/4 cups] of fruits and vegetables or a vitamin
supplement. A third set took a placebo 'essentially empty pill.]...
"In conclusion, '2 1/4 cups] of fruits and vegetables resulted in a larger
decrease in ...cholesterol concentration and an increase in...glutathione
reductase 'natural detoxifying agent] activity compared with a vitamin
and mineral supplement or placebo."
Source of "Fruits vs. Vitamins - fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of
atherosclerosis"
By Dragsted, Loft, Nielsen, & Sandstrom, Res. Dept. of Human Nutrition,
The Royal Veterinary and Agri. U., Frederiksberg, Denmark, The Inst. of
Food Safety and Toxicology, Danish Veterinary and Food Admin.,
Copenhagen, and Inst. of Public Health, U. of Copenhagen, Denmark. In
FASEB Annual Meeting, 2001.

Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease - Why

They Happen
What research shows may be the answer. Is Ginkgo Biloba one part of it?
In the 1481 research reports we scanned recently, a common pattern of
causality of both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease were
revealed. It appears to be the chemical activity of an enzyme called
cholinesterase.
But how to reduce or eliminate cholinesterase? Further examination of the
findings revealed several substances which may be helpful. One of them is
Ginkgo Biloba.
Please note that we do not diagnose or prescribe, as physicians do. We
merely report on medical-scientific findings from respected medical
journals.
Following is a condensation of a report sent to us by Dr. Koji Nakanishi of
the Department of Chemistry, Columbia U., New York City.
"The tree Ginkgo biloba was mentioned in the Chinese Materia Medica
5000 years ago...Fossil records show that the Ginkgo 'family] was present
some 180 million years ago.
"The Ginkgo takes its name from the 'word] ginkyo in Japanese and
yinhsing in Chinese; both words translate to 'silver apricot' referring to the
appearance of the Ginkgo nuts.
"Although recent research has focused on the medicinal value of the
leaves, almost nothing is known in terms of the molecular...basis of the
mode of action of the Ginkgo biloba extract. The extracts were reported to
behave as an anti-asthmatic, scavenge radicals, reduce cerebral
insufficiency, alleviate the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer-type
dementia, and improve short-term memory in healthy subjects...

"While numerous investigations have attempted to determine the effects

of the individual constituents of Ginkgo biloba extracts on the central
nervous system, this aspect is still not well understood...
"Among numerous effects displayed by the extract EGb 761 in the central
nervous system, those related to Alzheimer's Disease, dementia and
memory are of particular importance. Alzheimer's Disease represents the
most common form of dementia among those over 65 years of age and is
now the third most expensive health care problem in the US, exceeded
only by cancer and cardiovascular disease...
"In two pivotal studies, a total of 549 Alzheimer's Disease patients were
evaluated for the effect of EGb 761. In both studies, the extract
significantly slowed the loss of cognitive 'awareness] symptoms of
dementia, and regression on certain data points was delayed 7.8 months.
An indirect comparison with similar date for the currently available
Alzheimer's Disease treatments, Aricept 't.m.] (9.5 months) and Exelon
't.m.] 5.5 months, both acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, placed EGb 761
between these two drugs.
"Aside from the above-mentioned clinical trials, many clinical studies have
been performed with extracts of G. biloba, and virtually all trials report
positive results regarding various aspects of cerebral insufficiency.
interestingly, Beaufour Ipsen (France) and Yuyu Industrial Co. (Korea) are
developing EGb 761 in advanced clinical trials for treatment of mild
cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases 'of which are
included Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.]...
"Ginkgolides 'extracts of Ginkgo] have long been promoted as memoryenhancing natural products, and the work from this and other laboratories
has provided some evidence that this is obviously the case..."
NOTE: Two things. One, the majority of the over 1400 reports we
observed, pointed to the action of the harmful enzyme cholinesterase as
the culprit in both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease although
the above study focused on Alzheimer's.
Two, it should be noted that an earlier report in The Lancet found an
exceedingly wide gap between the actual content of Ginkgo extracts and
the package-stated contents as sold in health food and drug stores in
England. The same could be assumed to be the case in the U.S.
We use therefore, two different brands containing 60 mg. each per day as
a PART of our total intake of cholinesterase inhibitors.
Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease - Why They Happen
Bibliography
Bioorganic & Molecular Chemistry, vol. 13, 2005 Dr. Koji Nakanishi of the
Department of Chemistry, Columbia U., New York City.