Grapes May Prevent Alzheimer's

Resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine, may be prove to be a potent weapon in the battle against Alzheimer's. Fights Amyloid-Beta Peptides A study has shown that it lowers levels of the amyloid-beta peptides, which are responsible for the plaques leading to Alzheimer's disease. Scientists administered resveratrol to cellsthat produce human amyloid-beta; they found that levels of amyloid-beta in the treated cells dropped significantly. Further Research Needed It is uncertain, however, if simply eating a resveratrol-rich diet will have the same effect; follow-up research is therefore being conducted to identify the molecular mechanisms that resveratrol triggers to fight Alzheimer's. The compound may act by stimulating the proteasome, a multi-protein complex that can digest other proteins. Could Fight Other Diseases Resveratrol may also be effective in fighting other human amyloid-related diseases such as Huntington's, Parkinson's and prion diseases. It can, for example, protect neurons against amyloid-like polyglutamines, which accompany Huntington's disease. Journal of Biological Chemistry November 11, 2005; 280(45): 37377-37382Science Daily November 4, 2005 Dr. Mercola's Comment:I've been telling you about resveratrol, the natural polyphenol found in grapes, peanuts, berries and red wine that fights cancer, for quite a while now. It always amazes me how science continues to uncover more and more benefits of simple natural whole food products. While alcoholic beverageshave some benefit they are not your best source of these beneficial nutrients. If you want to boost your consumption of resveratrol, stick with natural sources like whole grape skins (pass up the meat of the grape, which has no resveratrol but a lot of extra fructose). Although red wine also contains resveratrol, and many health experts feel it is fine in moderation, I am not so certain about this. This is largely because I am convinced the alcohol itself is actually a neurotoxin, which means it can poison your brain. Additionally, it has the strong potential to seriously disrupt your delicate hormone balance. Alzheimer's is serious business and we are in the midst of an Alzheimer's epidemic. Grape skins that have reservatrol are useful but only a small part of a Total Health apporach to reduce all chronic illness. I also urge you to review my recent guidelines that can protect you from Alzheimer's without taking a drug:

• Follow the nutrition plan paying special attention to avoiding sugar
• Eat plenty of high-quality omega-3 fish oil
• Avoid most fish and remove mercury
• Exercise for three to five hours per week
• Eat a nutritious diet based on your body's unique metabolic type
• Eat plenty of vegetables (also according to your metabolic type)
• Avoid flu vaccinations
• Try Wild Blueberry IQ, an all-natural, whole fruit softgel made from wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content that are known to guard against Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases
• Keep your mind active
• Since worry accelerates your risk of Alzheimer's, learn an effective energy psychology tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique