PEAK NATURAL PRODUCTS P/L.
EFFECTIVE NATURAL HEALTH CARE
BRAIN FOOD
A majority of brain problems associated with increasing age and injury have been linked to free radical damage of brain tissue. One of the problems in overcoming this damage in the brain is the blood/brain barrier. This is mechanism used by the body for protecting the brain from poisoning and infection. Drugs of only a small structural size are able to cross this barrier and hence the lack of treatments for a range of brain problems.
In Alzheimer's disease a loss of a nicotinic brain receptors is associated with poor cognitive skills. Simple volatile compounds naturally occurring in food herb have been shown to stimulate nicotinic receptors and so improve cognitive skills (J of Ethnopharmacology vol 69 p105). These compounds pass the blood/brain barrier with ease. These same volatile compounds have been shown to protect the brain in strokes, epilepsy and brain injury. For a person not having a brain problem these same compounds can improve cognitive skills.
The following plants are known to contain components that are capable of activating receptors and protecting cells in the brain and potentially improving or maintaining cognitive skills: Melissa Officianalis(lemon balm), Cinnamomum zeylanicum(cinnamon), Syzygium aromaticum(cloves), Myristica fragrans(nutmeg), Alpinia officinarum(galangal) and Zingiber officinale(ginger). Of further interest is the fact that these plants contain powerful natural antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the damaging effects of oxidants on brain and other tissue in the body. We strongly recommend the regular consumption of these food herbs and the fruits and vegetables discussed below in "brain news".
Due to the lack of highly effective drugs for brain problems and the high cost of existing drugs we have formulated a mixture of food herb extracts that have the potential to maximise cognitive skills and minimize damage on brain cells with no or minimal toxic effects. In the case of strokes and traumatic brain injury application of "Brain"as soon as possible after the event is imperative. "Brain" is not a drug and contains only extracts of food herbs. "Brain" has not been trialed but is formulated on known nontoxic effects on brain cells.
Brain News
Red grapes and red grape products contain an amazing array of natural anti-oxidants that have been shown in laboratory studies to modify cellular responses in such diverse parts of the body as the, heart, muscle, genitals, cancer cells and now the brain.
Peak believes that red grapes should be a part of your daily diets because of the obvious health benefits. The latest research is indicative that red grapes may have a significant part to play in resisting the ravenges of Alzheimer's disease. Recent research has implicated hydrogen peroxide damage in the brain with Alzheimer's disease and the anti-oxidants present in Red grapes are highly effective at destroying hydrogen peroxide.
We recommend to all people that they consume a glass of good quality red wine, grape juice or a serving of red grapes every day. Diabetics should exercise caution in consuming grape juice as it contains significant amounts of natural sugars.
Recent research has established a link between Vitamin B12, Folic acid and dementia. Although the link is not entirely conclusive Peak strongly recommends that dementia sufferers should be given a supplement of Folinic acid (more easily absorbed and active form of folic acid) each day and B group vitamins.
Folinic acid also has benefits for heart disease and certain skin conditions.
RECENT NEWS
A daily serve of blueberries in experiments with rats has been shown to be protective against the mental and physical effects of aging. Although this work is still in its early stages it is likely that fruits containing dark pigments will be shown to be protective. These phenol pigments are clearly a necessary dietary component and Peak strongly recommends the consumption of these compounds. There is also strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that consumption of red and purple fruits and vegetables are protective for Alzheimer's & Parkinsons disease and other brain related problems and that these should be included in a healthy diet. Possibly one of the best foods could be organic prunes or organic blueberry fruit straps as they contain concentrated amounts of anti-oxidants.
Oestrogen supplementation for postmenopausal women has recently been shown to assist with memory problems. Loss of oestrogen is associated with lower memory scores in trials with women. If you think this is problem, then discuss replacement therapy with your doctor and or take natural oestrogen supplements.
In groundbreaking research a group of researchers has established that chewing stimulates the hippocampus and significantly reduces the impact of Alzheimer's Disease in an experimental model. (The hippocampus is the first part of the brain to shrink in Alzheimer's.) Lack of teeth and enjoyment of food had previously been casually linked to Alzheimer's but this is the first time that it has been experimentally proven.
In articles in American J of Clinical Nutrition vol 71 621s(2000), Current Opinions in Chemical Biology vol4 184(2000) and J of Biological Chemistry Vol 274 p37111 a completely new basis for Alzheimer's disease, Motor Neurone Disease and CJD is proposed. The build up of plaques in Alzheimer's disease is proposed to be the end result of oxidative stress in the brain not the cause of Alzheimer's. If correct this theory will revolutionize the treatment of a whole range of brain illnesses from Alzheimer's to Parkinson disease to vCJD. The theory suggests that a lack of Zinc in the brain, associated with increase in the acidity of brain tissue causes Copper/Manganese rich protein tangles associated with a number of brain related diseases. Unfortunately increasing zinc in the blood does not appear to correct the problem but rat experiments indicate that "Chelating" agents specific for copper could be highly effective at correcting these problems. Prana Biotechnology in Melbourne Australia is beginning phase one trials with such a product. It could be worth contacting them if you have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's. It is highly likely that the purple/blue natural plant colours found in fresh fruit and vegetables not only act as antioxidants but also mop up abnormal copper levels in the brain associated with protein tangles.
A diet rich in natural antioxidants and naturally occurring Zinc combined with mental and physical exercise still offers the best protection against Alzheimer's. We will update this page as further research is published.
Update
Statins, drugs used for lowering cholesterol have been shown to decrease risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by around 80% the explanation for this is not clear however a recent article in J of Lipid research vol. 45 2004 has shown that
Cholesterol metabolism is disrupted in AD brain.
Nature medicine published an interesting paper suggesting that Huntington's Disease may be treated by ingesting the sugar trehalose. This experiment was carried out in mice however for a person suffering with Huntingtons it is worth exploring(Nat Med Vol 10 2004)
Oxidative stress has been further shown to be a contributing cause of a range of Brain diseases including MS, Huntingtons, Parkinsons and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. (Nature Neuroscience July 2004) This reinforces our view of the importance of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet. In difficult cases we support the use of supplements including lipoic acid, Vit E and C.
MS
Don Stone (Director Biochemical Research)
Having recently been diagnosed with MS like disease manifesting itself as optic neuritis and demylating regions in the brain I have more than a passing interest in the subject. I was surprised by diagnosis in that no one in my family background had ever suffered from MS and the onset was dramatic. About the same time I had a hepatitis B vaccination. I have since found out that Optic Neuritis along with other autoimmune diseases can occur after Hepititus B vaccination (Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2004 Nov-Dec;22(6):749-55. Neurology. 2004 Sep 14;63(5):838-42.)
That didn't help me but was one feasible explanation and I would recommend caution with Hep B vaccinations especially for persons with existing auotoimmune problems and or a family background with autoimmune problems.
The evidence for oxidative damage at a cellular level in all degenerative brain diseases is overwhelming, the scientific argument about whether this is cause or effect is of no particular interest to sufferers. It seems to me as a chemist that if you can stop oxidative damage you can at least delay the onset of more debilitating symptoms and more likely reverse the existing Demylation.
I have attempted to achieve this by diet, exercise, supplements and changes to my body temperature.
Diet
I try to have at least 5 vegetables and 5 fruits every day including at least 2 purple fruit and or vegetables. Purple fruits and vegetables contain compounds that can pass into brain and are highly antioxidant. Things like blueberries, purple plums, cherries, red grapes, purple cabbage beet root fall into this category. I am fortunate in that I live in an area where blueberries are grown and can be purchased reasonably cheaply. In season I eat 2 to 3 kg fresh per week and out of season 1 kg per week. Weight loss is important as a number of degenerative brain diseases cause muscle weakness. In weight loss ketosis occurs and this damps down immune response. I try to maintain a very low cholesterol intake and there is some good scientific evidence that the cholesterol lowering drugs known as statins are extremely beneficial for people with active MS and Parkinson's disease.
Exercise
The problem with MS and other brain diseases is it makes you tired. Hence exercise can be difficult, however exercise damps down the immune system and makes muscles that would normally be wasting in MS much stronger. Getting the balance right is extremely difficult. It has taken me nearly 12 months to get from running 3 km a day to 5 km a day.
As a former 3 hour marathon runner that is pathetic but that is also MS. I still have no real stamina but I am slowly getting fit. I try to go body surfing as often as possible without a wet suit. This benefits me by exercising different muscles and it also chills my core temperature. This speeds up my base metabolic rate and it also resets my immune system to a lower inflammatory state. Even though my exercise regime is difficult I know that if I do not do it I feel worse almost immediately.
Supplements
I take 7 fish oil tablets with each meal and use flaxseed oil as a dressing on my lunchtime salad. I take a Vitamin B complex tablet with each meal. Fish oil and flaxseed oil have been shown to significantly reduce inflammatory responses in the body and damp down immune response. B group Vitamins are used extensively by nerves and Riboflavin (Vit B2) has been shown to be of benefit in brain diseases. As most Western diets are deficient in B group Vitamins, I think they are of benefit in degenerative brain disease.
As a chemist in the natural health care field I am in a good place to experiment with things. I use our product The Rub on my muscles and joints and that allows me to exercise most days however Peak has been experimenting with a weight loss product using The Rub as a base. I have to say the results have been good for me. If I rub this experimental product into muscles it gives me extra energy and much less pain. In early trials I also lost around 10% of my body weight. When this product finally hits the market I intend to run a trial on it for MS sufferers.
Body Temperature
In other auto-immune diseases dropping the body core temperature has been shown to be beneficial as do starvation diets. The underlying effect in both is to reset the body's immune system to a less inflammatory state. I know it sounds harsh but a quick dip in a bath of iced water several times a week or naked in a freezer for as long as you can stand can work wonders. I prefer my body surfing in cold water but any drop in immune response in an autoimmune disease is good.
Drugs
I do not take any drugs for my MS like disease because I believe that I have it under better control than the available drugs. Scientific evidence suggests that most current drug treatments are extremely beneficial for rapidly progressing MS however the evidence for the longer term in my opinion is not very good. The existing drugs appear to be helpful in short term but make longer-term outcomes worse. This applies to most drugs, I would make an exception with Statins(Cholesterol lowering drugs). These would seem to be beneficial where there are major MS lesions. I am not sure whether I am lucky in not having rapidly progressing MS or my health decisions have left me progressing slowly.
When I first lost my sight I dropped my bundle and thought life wasn't worth living but slowly I came to terms with it and started making plans about how to make my life tolerable. Having made these plans and executing them I regained considerable sight and strength and I function nearly normally.
I hope that my thoughts on MS are helpful and I am happy to take criticism or answer questions.