Green Vegetables Protect the Heart

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Green Vegetables Protect the Heart    Dr. Fuhrman   info@drfuhrman.com

Green leafy vegetables are superior to other foods in their nutrient density, and unsurprisingly, greater intake of leafy greens is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.^{1, 2} Greater consumption of cruciferous vegetables (a family of vegetables known for their anti-cancer effects, it includes many leafy greens such as kale, cabbage and bok choy), are similarly associated with lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and from all causes.³ Oxidative stress is known to be a significant contributor to the development of cardiovascular disease. Our antioxidant defenses are a combination of dietary compounds and the body’s own antioxidant enzymes, and there is evidence that when we eat cruciferous vegetables, their phytochemicals signal the body to produce its own protective antioxidant enzymes, by activating a protein called Nrf2.
Nrf2 is a transcription factor, a protein that can increase or decrease the expression of certain genes. Nrf2 works by binding a specific sequence present in genes called the antioxidant response element (ARE). In the presence of certain phytochemicals, Nrf2 travels to the nucleus of the cell to induce that cell to produce natural antioxidant enzymes and protect against inflammation.^{4, 5} Essentially, Nrf2 is a messenger through which beneficial phytochemicals from the diet turn on the body’s natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection mechanisms.
For example, one study on sulforaphane (a phytochemical found in broccoli) showed that once activated, Nrf2 suppresses the activity of adhesion molecules on the endothelial cell surface to prevent binding of inflammatory cells and therefore retard atherosclerotic plaque development.⁶ Another study showed that sulforaphane and other isothiocyanates (cruciferous vegetable phytochemicals), by activating Nrf2, blocked inflammatory gene expression and oxidative stress in endothelial cells inhibiting aging of the vascular tree.⁷ Sulforaphane also helps maintain the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, a vascular system that is crucial for proper brain tissue function, via activation of Nrf2.⁸ The point is that cruciferous vegetables are essential for excellent health and promotion of maximum lifespan.
Other phytochemicals that can activate Nrf2, iunclude anthocyanins (found in berries), EGCG (found in green tea) and resveratrol (found in grapes and peanuts).^{5, 9, 10} Exercise may also activate Nrf2.¹¹ In contrast, smoking suppresses the protective actions of Nrf2; human endothelial cells exposed to the blood of smokers compared to non-smokers showed decreased Nrf2 expression, reducing antioxidant defenses.¹² Not surprising that smoking and green vegetables have opposite effects!
Research on phytochemicals and the protective effects Nrf2 is still in its early stages, and as we learn more, we can expect exciting advances in the understanding of how phytochemicals work to promote health and extend lifespan.
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References:

1. Hung HC, Joshipura KJ, Jiang R, et al: Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of major chronic disease. J Natl Cancer Inst 2004;96:1577-1584.
2. Joshipura KJ, Hu FB, Manson JE, et al: The effect of fruit and vegetable intake on risk for coronary heart disease. Ann Intern Med 2001;134:1106-1114.
3. Zhang X, Shu XO, Xiang YB, et al: Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;94:240-246.
4. Donovan EL, McCord JM, Reuland DJ, et al: Phytochemical activation of Nrf2 protects human coronary artery endothelial cells against an oxidative challenge. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2012;2012:132931.
5. Han SG, Han SS, Toborek M, et al: EGCG protects endothelial cells against PCB 126-induced inflammation through inhibition of AhR and induction of Nrf2-regulated genes. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2012;261:181-188.
6. Zakkar M, Van der Heiden K, Luong le A, et al: Activation of Nrf2 in endothelial cells protects arteries from exhibiting a proinflammatory state. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2009;29:1851-1857.
7. Huang CS, Lin AH, Liu CT, et al: Isothiocyanates protect against oxidized LDL-induced endothelial dysfunction by upregulating Nrf2-dependent antioxidation and suppressing NFkappaB activation. Mol Nutr Food Res 2013;57:1918-1930.
8. Zhao J, Moore AN, Redell JB, et al: Enhancing Expression of Nrf2-Driven Genes Protects the Blood Brain Barrier after Brain Injury. J Neurosci 2007;27:10240-10248.
9. Cimino F, Speciale A, Anwar S, et al: Anthocyanins protect human endothelial cells from mild hyperoxia damage through modulation of Nrf2 pathway. Genes Nutr 2013;8:391-399.
10. Ungvari Z, Bagi Z, Feher A, et al: Resveratrol confers endothelial protection via activation of the antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2010;299:H18-24.
11. Muthusamy VR, Kannan S, Sadhaasivam K, et al: Acute exercise stress activates Nrf2/ARE signaling and promotes antioxidant mechanisms in the myocardium. Free Radic Biol Med 2012;52:366-376.
12. Fratta Pasini A, Albiero A, Stranieri C, et al: Serum oxidative stress-induced repression of Nrf2 and GSH depletion: a mechanism potentially involved in endothelial dysfunction of young smokers. PLoS One 2012;7:e30291.

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go! Island - Nanaimo Loaves & Fishes Spring Food Drive, March 27th 2015

THANK YOU Nanaimo Loaves and Fishes, Peter Sinclair,  ALL volunteers, City and Port of Nanaimo, personal donations, Kait Burgan and Shaw TV for reporting this good news and making our community a better place to live. For more information: http://www.nanaimoloavesandfishes.org/, Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/nanloavesfishes and Twitter - https://twitter.com/nanaimofoodbank

WASH your fresh Fruits and Vegetables

• anne Frenchyy

  asked on Nanaimo Only Free Stuff. https://www.facebook.com/groups/231749293562346/808913015845968/?comment_id=808960662507870&notif_t=group_comment_reply

  2 hrsQuestion.. Is superstore safe To go shopping now??! M curious.

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• Joanne Pick FYI You can contract the hepatitis A virus by ingesting food or drinks that have been contaminated by human waste. This was the most likely cause of the outbreak, someone didn't wash their hands after using the washroom and went back to work touching food.

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• Kathy Weir FYI good info glad its back to normal for staff and customers my friend and her hubbie shop there and had to get shots the store posted that was very responsible and great

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Chris J. Slater Most likely culprit is a CUSTOMER who went to the toilet and didn't wash their hands. Sheer laziness or inconsiderate, I see it all the time in the public washrooms; which is why I ALWAYS wash my produce before consuming to get any contamination removed.. Chris J. Slater @ http://grownfoods.blogspot.ca/ and https://www.facebook.com/GROWNFOODS


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• Cathy Sanders my husband is a food service manager. A sick employee tested positive for hep A after seeking medical attention for illness. it is standard then to close any food related. investigate and clear. it wouldnt be hand washing. my husband manages allot of staff. unless your standing at a sink watching your not going to know who washes and who doesn't

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• Joanne Pick I have over 25 years experience in food and hospitality and yes it more than not that it comes from improper hand washing. Whether an employee came down with it or not, all that means is that they ate something that someone else had touched without proper hand washing.

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• Joanne Pick http://www.twinrix.ca/en/about-hepatitis-a-b.html
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Help keep hepatitis A and B out of your travel plans. Visit twinrix.ca.

  Twinrix® is a vaccine that helps prevent hepatitis A...

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• Joanne Pick This site shows how you get Hep A and Hep B

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• Cathy Sanders ok doc J

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• Cathy Sanders LOL.

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• Adrianne Frenchyy Thanks

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• Chris J. Slater Thanks Cathy Sanders, are you speaking specifically about this Superstore instance where your husband works as a food service manager or generally? Are you saying the cause was "A sick employee tested positive for hep A after seeking medical attention for illness." and "It wouldn't be hand washing." because if so you are making an actionable statement on behalf of Superstore and now your husband is liable for not providing adequate supervision. If true that "sick employee" should be fired. Realistically, Love many, trust few , always paddle your OWN canoe. People, we need to look after our own responsibilities, which is why I ALWAYS wash my produce with a product called FIT, a fruit and vegetable wash to remove carnuba wax, residual pesticides, viruses and nose picks. http://www.walmart.com/.../Fit-Fruit-Vegetable.../10818519 However, to save money, http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/001127b.cfm. My greater problem: avoiding GMO!
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Fit: Fruit & Vegetable For Soaking Wash, 32 oz - Walmart.com

  Buy Fit: Fruit & Vegetable For Soaking Wash, 32 oz at

  walmart.com

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• Chris J. Slater Okay so your fruits an veggies are clean, what will you do with them? Another Smoothie
  Updated over a year ago. GET YOUR GROWNFOODS NOW! G = Green R= Raw O= Organic W= Wet or Wild N= Natural FOODS - Alive, the xfactor that only God can create, but PEOPLE can use! How to make Green, Raw, Organic, Wet or Wild, Natural FOODS into the most awesome, refreshing and nutritious drink. A Green Smoothie! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...

  
  

  GrownFoods added 33 new photos to the album: Another Smoothie.

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  G = Green
  R= Raw
  O= Organic
  W= Wet or Wild
  N= Natural
  FOODS - Alive, the xfactor that only God can create, but PEOPLE can use!
  

  How to make Green, Raw, Organic, Wet or Wild, Natural FOODS into the most awesome, refreshing and nutritious drink. A Green Smoothie!

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Eat This: 7 Healthiest Foods

Eat This: http://www.eatthis.com/7-healthiest-foods-on-planet

7 Healthiest Foods on the Planet

By Cecelia Smith
Some foods are so healthy they earn the title of “super foods.”
They’re edible ammo, the Power Rangers of the produce aisle—color-coded, disease-fighting ninjas with superior strength and unique weaponry to enhance immune function, combat an army of health antagonists and help you lose weight. They are, in fact, the healthiest foods on the planet. What are these foods? And how can you get your fill? Here’s the ultimate Eat This, Not That! list of the super-charged produce and the tips you need to maximize the benefits. Read em, eat em, and reap the bennies.

 

1 Apples with the skin on (Wash do not peel, Grownfoods)

An apple a day keeps the doctor away—at least if you keep the peel on. While traditional advice for saving the skin was based mainly on its fiber content (an average apple provides 4.5 grams, or nearly two servings of Metamucil), there’s a growing body of research to suggests its actually polyphenols in the peel—non-digestible compounds capable of doing everything from increasing sexual pleasure to reducing cholesterol—that are responsible for the apple’s doctor defense. In fact, one study showed 75 grams of apple reduced “bad” cholesterol levels by 23 percent compared to an equivalent serving of notoriously fiber-rich prunes. The health a-peel doesn’t stop there. New research suggests polyphenols can fight cancer, and promote the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut that aids weight loss.
Get the Benefits: Tart Granny Smith apples reign supreme when it comes to healthy fiber and polyphenol content, research suggests.

 

2  Lentils  (Cooked food, Grownfoods)

Lentils are like the Chuck Taylors of nutritional all-stars—old-school, somewhat pedestrian in style, yet hugely popular the world over. The edible pulse has been a part of the human diet for some 13,000 years—an inexpensive form of vegetarian protein and fiber touted by health experts for its ability to reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, promote fat metabolism and dampen appetites. Lentils are a resistant starch, a slow-digesting fiber that triggers the release of acetate—a molecule in the gut that tells the brain when to stop eating. In fact, a systematic review of clinical trials on dietary pulses found that people who ate a daily serving of lentils (about 3/4 cup) felt an average 31 percent fuller compared to a control diet. And a second study found a diet rich in blood-sugar stabilizing foods like lentils could reduce disease-related inflammation by 22 percent!
Get the benefits: Replacing meat with lentils can increase a recipe’s fiber content while lowering saturated-fat. Swap four ounces of ground beef (280 calories) for a cup of cooked lentils (230 calories) in your chili, and you’ll boost fiber by 16 grams while slashing 22 grams of fat from your meal.

 

3 Walnuts

The genus name for walnuts comes from the Roman phrase Jupiter glans, or “Jupiter’s acorn,” which shows you just how godly the Romans believed the nut to be. And still today, the meaty walnut is highly regarded for its nutritional awesomeness. In fact, a new scientific study suggests a handful of walnuts contains almost two times as many disease-fighting antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other nut! As one of the best dietary sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts have proven particularly good for the heart. One study showed a 2-ounce daily snack was enough to significantly improve blood-flow to and from the heart. And a second, five-year study found a 1-ounce portion of walnuts, three or more times per week could slash risk of heart disease by more than half!
Get the Benefits: High temperatures can destroy walnuts’ volatile oils, while prolonged exposure to air can cause the nuts to become rancid. Buy walnuts raw and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a heart-healthy snack that loves you back.

4 Oats (Get your wild oats, hand harvest, clean and eat raw GF)

Adults crave it, kids will eat it, even horses love it. What’s the heart-healthy whole grain seventy-five percent of U.S. households have in their pantry? You guessed it: oatmeal. Oats are rich in a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan and the anti-inflammatory compound avenanthramide—which, together, help prevent against obesity-related health problems including heart disease and diabetes. One 10-year study in the American Journal of Public Health found that eating one serving of oatmeal (1 cup cooked) two to four times a week resulted in a 16 percent reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes. A daily bowl showed an even greater risk reduction of 39 percent. And a second study showed that three servings of whole grains per day, including oats, was as effective as medication in lowering blood pressure, reducing risk of heart disease by 15 percent in just 12 weeks. Need one more reason to trade in your Wheaties? A Colorado State University study showed that oats lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels more effectively than wheat. And research in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition suggests oatmeal may be the most filling breakfast in the cereal aisle—resulting in greater and longer-lasting feelings of satiety than ready-to-eat breakfast cereal.
Get the Benefits: Steel-cut or rolled oats are the least processed, and will get you the most bennies for your buck; the nutrition stats are almost identical, with steel-cut oats sitting just a tad lower on the glycemic index. And think beyond the breakfast bowl: use rolled oats as a swap for breadcrumbs, or pulse into flour for baked goods!

 

5 Watercress  (That ditch with running water, likely has Watercress growing there - GF)

Recently crowned superfood numero uno, watercress may be king of the produce aisle as a nutrient powerhouse. A study report published by the Centers for Disease Control that ranked 47 fruits and vegetables by amounts of 17 disease-fighting nutrients positioned watercress at number one. Kale didn’t even make the top 10! Gram for gram this mild-tasting and flowery-looking green contains four times more beta carotene than an apple, and a whopping 238 percent of your daily recommended dose of vitamin K per 100 grams—two compounds that keep skin dewy and youthful. The beauty food is also the richest dietary source of PEITC (phenylethyl isothiocyanate), which research suggests can fight cancer. Results from a trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest a daily dose of 85 grams of raw watercress (that’s about two cups) could reduce DNA damage linked to cancer by 17 percent.
Get the Benefits: A cup of watercress provides 4 calories. Yes, FOUR. So go ahead and eat the whole bag. Exposure to heat may inactivate PEITC, so it’s best to enjoy watercress raw in salads, cold-pressed juices and sandwiches.

 

6  Olive Oil

The world’s first Olympians circa 776 BC were rewarded jugs of olive oil for their athletic feats. And today’s health experts consider regular intake of the “liquid gold” equally valuable. Regular intake of virgin olive oil—a monounsaturated fat characteristic of the Mediterranean diet—is associated with low incidences of cancer, heart disease and other obesity-related problems as well as a lower risk of stroke. A recent study in the journal PLOS ONE showed that firefighters, a group known to have a high prevalence of obesity, who adhered to a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil showed a 35 percent decreased risk of metabolic syndrome, as well as a 43 percent lower risk of weight gain. Research suggests oleic acid in olive oil can even spot reduce belly fat! The health benefits have a genetic basis. Studies show phenols in virgin olive oil can effectively “turn off” genes associated with inflammation seen in metabolic syndrome.
Get the Benefits: "Extra virgin” refers to olive oil that’s been cold-pressed from olives, and is considered the freshest and fruitiest. Additionally, look for a dark tin or bottle, an estate name, the USDA organic seal and a date (don’t buy anything pressed more than 2 years ago). Then drizzle and dress (and don’t be afraid to cook) with your EVOO; researchers found it to be more stable for pan-frying at high heat than corn, soybean and sunflower oils.

 

7  Tomatoes

Of all the non-starchy “vegetables," Americans eat more tomatoes and tomato products than any others. And that’s good news, researchers say, because tomatoes are particularly rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that, unlike most nutrients in fresh produce, increases after cooking and processing. Dozens of studies suggest a relationship between regular intake of lycopene-rich tomatoes and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, skin damage and certain cancers. One recently published study showed men who eat over 10 portions a week of tomatoes have an 18 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer. And a second study showed a tomato-rich diet may help protect postmenopausal women from breast cancer by increasing levels of adiponectin—a hormone involved in regulating blood sugar and fat levels. Need one more reason to love lycopene? Researchers found a concentrated “tomato pill” improved the widening of the blood vessels in patients with cardiovascular disease by over 53 percent compared to a placebo.
Get the Benefits: In addition to cooking your tomatoes, consider splurging on organic. Research suggests organic tomatoes may have higher levels of disease-fighting polyphenols and vitamin C than conventionally-grown varieties.

Dr. McDougall on Health