When I was growing blueberry bushes the major 'foe' was mockingbirds.
They would sit on the next door neighbor's fence watching and
waiting for the berries to get ripe. And then gorge themselves when they were.
Infernal birds!
Posted on 05/11/2022 7:03:05 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Researchers led by UC's Robert Krikorian, Ph.D., found that adding blueberries to the daily diets of certain middle-aged populations may lower the chances of developing late-life dementia.
Krikorian explained that about 50% of individuals in the U.S. develop insulin resistance, commonly referred to as prediabetes, around middle age. Prediabetes has been shown to be a factor in chronic diseases, he said.
"We had observed cognitive benefits with blueberries in prior studies with older adults and thought they might be effective in younger individuals with insulin resistance," said Krikorian. "Alzheimer's disease, like all chronic diseases of aging, develops over a period of many years beginning in midlife."
Half of the participants received powders that contained the equivalent of one-half cup of whole blueberries, while the other half received a placebo.
Participants were also given tests that measured certain cognitive abilities that decline in patients with aging and late-life dementia, such as executive functions like working memory, mental flexibility and self control.
Krikorian said those in the blueberry-treated group showed improvement on cognitive tasks that depend on executive control.
"This was evident as reduced interference of extraneous information during learning and memory," Krikorian explained.
Patients in the blueberry group also had lower fasting insulin levels, meaning the participants had improved metabolic function and were able to more easily burn fat for energy.
Krikorian said the blueberry group displayed an additional mild degree of higher mitochondrial uncoupling, a cellular process that has been associated with greater longevity and reduced oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to symptoms like fatigue and memory loss.
"This last finding was exploratory but points to an interesting, potential mechanism for blueberry benefits," he said.
Thr main takeaway from the current study is that regular blueberry supplementation into at-risk middle-aged diets may lower the chances of developing late-life dementia.
(Excerpt) Read more at mdpi.com ...
A half cup of blueberries has about 40 calories.
Now, strawberries make you steam over your own target tow line...
😄
Only if it’s not contaminated with pesticides
this is cheaper than that sea squirts thread
Wild blueberries are so much better than cultivated ones. Of course if you’re searching for wild ones you better know your environment. The bear might get you. They love blueberries too.
Here’s where common names sometimes make plant identification more difficult. In the eastern and southeastern US, plants known as huckleberries belong to the genus Gaylussacia.
Throughout the Pacific Northwest, wild huckleberries are classified in the genus Vaccinium, right along with blueberries.
So, do wild huckleberries provide the same benefits? We eat a lot of them during the summer.
Can Blueberries Aid Memory in Older Adults?
The Blueberry – and its Scandinavian counterpart, the Bilberry – are rich sources of flavonoids, particularly the kind known as anthocyanins. Researchers have long been interested in the effects of these flavonoids on brain functioning. Studies, for example, have shown positive mental gains in older animals when blueberries were added to their diet. [See: Staying Healthy, Jan, 2008 at sciencebasedhealth.com]. Now, results from a small pilot study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture and Tufts University suggest that these berries may support brain function in people too (1).
In this study, the first of its kind, older people with early memory problems and an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s, took a daily drink of about 500 ml (17 ounces) of blueberry juice for a 3 month period. Results showed significant improvements in learning and word-list recall, a measure of short-term memory. A trend toward reduced symptoms of depression was also observed.
While the investigators stressed that these findings need to be confirmed in a larger and controlled trial, they were encouraged that consistent supplementation with blueberries could be a way to forestall brain aging. It’s believed that the flavonoids in blueberries and bilberries may enhance connections and communication between nerve cells, and stimulate nerve cell regeneration.
(Just for fun throwing this in!)
Omega-3 Linked to Younger Biological Age
Telomeres are the genetic material at the end of chromosomes that shorten as cells replicate (the process by which cells divide and make copies of themselves). With each replication telomeres get shorter, and when they are used up, the cells are destroyed. Many experts believe that telomere length may be a marker of biological aging.
Previous studies have shown that telomeres are vulnerable to oxidative stress, and certain antioxidant nutrients have been linked to maintaining telomere length. [See: Staying Healthy, Nov, 2009].
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco recently reported that higher blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are linked to a lower rate of telomere shortening over a 5 year period in people with stable coronary artery disease (2). Telomeres shortened more rapidly in those with the lowest blood levels of EPA and DHA, while they grew shorter more slowly in those with the highest levels of these 2 fatty acids. Omega-3s have been shown to reduce markers of oxidative stress and increase levels of antioxidant enzymes, which may account for their protective effect.
The researchers noted that several studies have shown that high dietary intake of marine omega-3s is associated with longer survival in people with cardiovascular disease. While it’s not established that the omega-3 and telomere connection plays a role in the better survival rate, it could be a contributing factor.
When I was growing blueberry bushes the major 'foe' was mockingbirds.
They would sit on the next door neighbor's fence watching and
waiting for the berries to get ripe. And then gorge themselves when they were.
Infernal birds!
inhaled glutathione (with nebulizer) supposed to have similar results-
Fred MacMurray as the bad guy
I wonder, how many tons-per-day would it take to get Biden to the point where he could form an intelligent thought?
I need some blueberry muffins. I had a recipe up for a few days and haven’t felt up to it.
Heh
And something about the fruit sugars in blueberries- your body doesn’t process it very well. It won’t affect your glycemic index.
CC
Blueberry stuffed sea squirts is back on the menu.
Glutathione is on the list for treating Long Haul Covid Syndrome.
BooBerrys Yippee !!
I think the fiber in fruit slows down the sugar absorption, why you should not just drink the juice. Just bought a bottle of blueberry kefir yesterday to try to get a twofer, blueberries and gut critters.
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