Bt-maize, the genetically modified crop, is commonly used in the field because it is resistant to certain insects. The group of scientists tested the Bt crop’s effects on pigs over the short term (31 days), longer term (110 days) and over generations. Scientists fed the piglets Bt-maize and recorded the increasing or declining health of the pigs. The initial results from the study suggest pigs of all ages can safely consume Bt-maize with no detrimental effects.

While it is true that humans and pigs differ, the researchers of the experiment believe that this should provide some comfort to individuals who consume genetically modified corn. Certainly, Bt-maize is not the only genetically modified product on the market, and scientists are hoping to conduct further experiments in order to strengthen their studies on other modified foods.

For now, this study suggests that Bt-maize is safe to consume.

Discussion question: While pigs and humans do have similar gastrointestinal tracts, why might it be premature to conclude that genetically modified Bt-maize is perfectly safe for people to consume?

Article source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124140103.htm

Journal source: http://www.teagasc.ie/news/2012/201201-24a.asp
Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corn_01.JPG

Milk thistle is made up of silibinin, which is a substance that has the ability to prevent lung cancer from spreading in mice. Tumors develop easily in environments of wounded tissues, and silibinin gets rid of the substances that bring attention to the wound-like condition, ultimately deterring the cancer from diffusing in the lung cells of mice. Although it may seem complicated, the process of silibinin is not too complex.

The chain signals in cells have end products—iNOS and COX2—which may be removed by breaking the link that is connected to that signaling chain. It is best to remove these end products since the products have the capability of furthering the spread of tumors. The transcription factors STAT1 and STAT3 actually aid in the assembly of the end products, so in order to destroy the link to the end products and in order to prevent lung tumors from spreading, the transcription factors should also be stopped.

The silibinin not only hindered the transcription factors, stopping COX2 and iNOS from functioning, but it also stopped the lung cancer cells in mice that were already formed.

The natural extract from plants is comparatively cheaper than other various pharmaceutical drugs, yet proves to do the job just fine. Although more research needs to be done on humans, and even on mice, for now it seems very beneficial to have milk thistle extracts handy.

Discussion question: Why does silibinin specifically only prevent lung cancer? Is it possible for silibinin to aid in the fight against other cancers?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115145236.htm
Journal Article: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mc.20851/abstract;jsessionid=99DD827BECFF9A25479033A70646E918.d03t02

Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Milk_thistle_flowerhead.jpg

In order to reach the required daily dosage of fiber, it is important that adolescents find the high-fiber foods attainable and desirable. The study showed that the more an individual consumed fiber, the lower the risk he or she had to develop certain symptoms of metabolic syndrome. A person is said to have metabolic syndrome if he or she has more than three of these symptoms: high level of sugar in the blood, high level of fat in the blood, a large waistline, high blood pressure and shortage of good cholesterol.

Unfortunately, a survey from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey performed from 1999 to 2002 showed that almost three-fourths of the adolescents in the survey had at least one symptom of metabolic syndrome. More than 2,000 teenagers (12 to 19 years of age) participated in the experiment. When comparing the teenagers who consumed the least amount of fiber to the teenagers who incorporated the most fiber in their diets, the teenagers consuming the least amount of fiber increased their risk of metabolic syndrome by three-fold.

The major goal of the study was to show the positive factors of incorporating high-fibrous plant-based substances (fruits, vegetables, beans, wheat and grains, etc) into daily meals. Since these fibrous foods provide various nutrients, healthy vitamins and minerals, there is a growing list of benefits to consider when determining whether to incorporate these foods into meals. With a steady diet of healthy fibers, children can start living healthier lives.

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110130001.htm
Journal Article: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com
Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hordeum-barley.jpg

As levels of obesity start to rise, the number of people with metabolic syndrome (MetS) starts to increase as well. The symptoms defining metabolic syndrome pertain to having an increase in fat around the abdominal area, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. Of course, having high blood pressure alone can make an individual more apt to becoming diagnosed with other problems such as heart disease and type II diabetes. However, at any point in time individuals can tweak parts of their lifestyles (exercise, diet, etc) in order to lose weight and to live healthier. In addition, researchers recently figured out that regularly eating nuts can aid in this battle against MetS.

Since nuts are filled with beneficial nutrients and provide the body with unsaturated fatty acids (the healthy kind of fat) and antioxidants, scientists conducted a study on the benefits of consuming nuts. Unexpectedly, researchers found out that the patients who ate nuts had higher levels of serotonin, a positive substance in the body that lowers hunger cravings and raises feelings of happiness. The scientists realized that there is certainly a connection between munching on nuts and having an increase in levels of serotonin. By eating a generous ounce of nuts a day, your body can already start to receive these benefits. So, if you are trying to lower your symptoms of MetS—and even if you are not—eating nuts is a simple addition that can help you reach your goal.

Discussion question: Do all kinds of nuts provide the same serotonin benefits? Why would it be different to take serotonin pills instead of eating food that can increase levels of serotonin?

Article source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125348.htm
Journal source: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/pr200514h
Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peanuts_with_skin.jpg

The ingredient in the plant that prompts headaches in some people is umbellulone. Scientists exposed this compound to rat and mouse cells and observed that umbellulone elicits a chemical detector to release a certain protein. This protein causes swelling from blood vessels and pain from pressure on the skull and nerves. Peter Goadsby from the University of California, San Francisco, suggests taking steps to target this cellular detector for headache therapy.

But what prompted scientists to study the bay laurel tree in the first place? As a frequent headache sufferer, Pierangelo Geppetti, lead researcher of the Headache Center at the University of Florence, became increasingly intrigued by the plant when he heard a story about a man who encountered intense pain in his head multiple times after trimming trees on his property. Since then, Geppetti has been on a mission to bring this plant to the attention of headache sufferers everywhere!

Discussion Question: Looking at the cellular level, discuss any similarities or differences the bay laurel tree may have with other headache triggers, such as chlorine, cigarette smoke, and formaldehyde.

News article: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/335845/title/Headache_tree_is_a_pain_in_the_brain
Journal article: http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/10/26/brain.awr272.short?rss=1

Picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Umbellularia_californica_02.jpg

The international scientists who conducted these experiments on rats realized that the fruit was beneficial in many ways. For starters, not only are strawberries loaded with antioxidants, but they can also activate the defenses of antioxidants as well as the defenses of enzymes. They are also filled with phenolic compounds, and have the capability of thwarting off stomach ulcers and various gastric diseases.

The inflammation of the stomach mucous membrane and certain gastric illnesses, although usually associated with taking in ethanol (alcohol), may also be developed getting infected by viruses or by taking in nonsteroidal medicines. These anti-inflammatory medicines are taken by individuals who want their bodies to fight against the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. A typical over-the-counter medicine, aspirin, is a primary example of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine. Fortunately, eating strawberries may decrease the unwanted harm done to the stomach’s mucous membrane. For a period of ten days, a group of laboratory rats were fed with a strawberry extract prior to being exposed to ethanol, while a separate group of rats was only given alcohol. There were fewer ulcers found in the rats that were given the strawberry extracts.

Of course, this study doesn’t give you a free pass to drink excessively – there are other problems caused by alcohol besides deterioration of the stomach lining. The researchers conducted the study to provide information to the public about the ability of these strawberry compounds to defend the stomach from harmful substances. While there is still much more research needed to be done in this area, go ahead and load up on those strawberries! Dig in on a bowl of strawberries this weekend and don’t chug down too many beers—all for the sake of your stomach, of course!

Discussion question: What other fruits might potentially ward off the stomach from developing ulcers and various stomach-related illnesses?

Article source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025091541.htm
Journal source: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0025878

Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bowl_of_Strawberries.jpg

How might I decrease the chances of developing osteoarthritis, you ask? Well, for starters, you can load up on fish oil and/or flax oil, which are both rich in omega-3 fatty acids.   The omega-3 fats in both oils will impact the biochemical compounds of the osteoarthritis and may even slow down the development of the disease. However, it is important to keep in mind that these studies have only been done on guinea pigs and we have no evidence of the efficacy of flax/fish oil on osteoarthritis in humans.

While many studies must still be done to conclude the positive effects of consuming high doses of omega-3, for now, it may not be such a terrible idea to start incorporating flax seeds or oils into your meals.  The human body may be able to gain positive benefits in fighting against osteoarthritis, and even other diseases such as heart disease and colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease.

Discussion question: Why (or why not) do you think there might be different outcomes for humans and guinea pigs when consuming high-doses of omega-3s? What downfalls might there be to taking in large quantities of flax seed or fish oil?

News Article:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017111600.htm
Journal Article: http://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(11)00164-6/abstract

Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Young_mountain_flax_seed_pod_T2i_IMG_101_5447_crop_edit.jpg

Last week, an Indian restaurant in Edinburgh, Scotland held a competition to discover who could eat the extra-hot Kismot Killer curry. The two Red Cross workers who oversaw the event were taken aback by the number of ambulances called and number of partakers who were vomiting, fainting, sweating, and panting.
The answer to the question posed above is: yes, chili peppers can cause death. The qualifier is that most people’s bodies would give up long before the person died directly from effects of the chilies. In order to die directly from eating chilies, a 150-pound person would have to eat three pounds of extreme chilies in powder form in one sitting. One would not be able to complete this task without having other extremely adverse bodily reactions.

Chili peppers get their distinctive spiciness from a chemical called capsaicin that evolutionarily served to ward off predators. Capsaicin causes a marked burning feeling when it comes in contact with body tissues. It activates the sympathetic nervous system to expend more energy, causing the body to burn more calories for a given amount of food by increasing the metabolic rate. Capsaicin causes tissue inflammation; if eating in large doses, the lining of the stomach and intestines will be damaged.

In conclusion, eating that extra-spicy curry will not kill you, though it might feel like the world is about to end. Just be prepared with a cup of milk or a spoon of sugar to keep from making a scene at the restaurant!

Discussion question: In the referenced article, the researchers noted that capsaicin increases the body’s metabolic rate. How do you think this could be applied to today’s fitness and weight management market?

News source: http://www.livescience.com/16556-spicy-food-fatal-chili-peppers.html
Journal source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7394809

Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Naga-jolokia_edit1.jpg

The study, published in PLoS Medicine, was conducted on approximately 27,000 people of various ethnicities: Chinese, Arab, Latin American, South Asian, and European. After noting the particular eating habits of the individuals, they determined if there were any modifications of a gene called 9p21, since modifications of the 9p21 gene may increase the likelihood of developing heart disease.  Interestingly, the researchers found consumption of healthier food was correlated to a reduction in 9p21 gene modification.

Moreover, the study revealed that the at-risk individuals who ate raw fruits and vegetables and low-risk individuals had almost the same risks of getting cardiovascular diseases.  So, while more experiments need to be carried out to further comprehend the relationship between certain genes and diseases, it may not be a bad idea to start incorporating more greens and fruits into your diet.

Discussion question: What other benefits can arise from eating more vegetables and fruits? What other sources of foods might fight against diseases?

Article source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011171553.htm
Journal source: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001106

Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vegetables_-_Viktualienmarkt_-_DSC08608.JPG

Specifically, intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs), cells in the gut and skin, play a vital part in improving immune defenses. In one study, after mice were fed a vegetable-poor diet, 70-80% of their IELs disappeared.  IELs form the layer of cells just below the outer epithelial layer and act as a first line of defense while also mending wounds. Marc Veldhoen and his team of the Babraham Institute in Cambridge found that IELs rely on cell-surface proteins called aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhR). These receptors are controlled by the essential dietary elements found in green vegetables. Studies show that mice that are deficient in this vital receptor lack control over the bacteria on their intestinal surface.

Results from another experiment show that mice fed a diet missing the significant and vital compounds in green vegetables have reduced AhR activity and decreased numbers of IELs. These mice are also more susceptible to injury and infection.

Scientists believe these experimental findings in mice may also apply to humans.  So just like mom says: “be sure to eat your vegetables!”

Discussion Question: What are some other ways to improve your immune defense besides eating green vegetables?

News article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121509.htm
Journal article: http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674(11)01136-6

Picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ong_choy_water_spinach.png