Blueberries help fight Alzheimer’s
Billed as a super fruit for its power to potentially lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, a new study has found that blueberries can also help reduce the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s. Blueberries are loaded with healthful antioxidants substances, which could help prevent the Alzheimer’s — an increasingly common form of dementia — effects such as decline in cognitive skills and memory, the study said. The results of the study showed that consumption of blueberries led to an improvement in cognitive performance and brain function when compared with people who took the placebo. Also, the patients demonstrated improved memory skills and access to words and concepts. A functional magnetic resonance imaging of the participants revealed an increased brain activity. “Our findings add further support to the notion that blueberries can have a real benefit in improving memory and cognitive function in some older adults,” said lead researcher Robert Krikorian.
Fish intake delays puberty in girls
A recent study has linked fatty fish consumption to delayed puberty in girls and red meat intake to early onset of periods. The University of Michigan researchers evaluated six years of data from 456 girls aged 5 and 12 years participating in the Bogota School Children Cohort in Colombia and found that girls who ate red meat started their periods earlier than those who didn’t, while the ones who consumed fatty fish started their menstrual cycles much later. Study results revealed that girls who ate fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines at least once a week experienced their first menstrual cycle significantly later than those who ate it once a month.
Beer latest weapon against cancer
Scientists have found that beer contains a key ingredient that could be used in the war against cancer and disease. Hops, which give the tipple its distinctive bitter taste, pack a surprisingly healthful punch with their ability to halt bacterial growth and disease. They contain acids called humulones and lupulones which scientists hope to be able to turn into drugs. University of Idaho researchers are working to extract the compounds and also find a way of creating them in the lab. Kristopher Waynant said that they were “very close” to achieving this after a lot of “trial and error”. He is planning to collaborate with biologists and medical researchers to develop active agents for pharmaceuticals to treat cancers or inflammatory diseases from the beer-inspired compounds. The study is due to be presented at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.