Hey Guys and Gals,
Sorry I took so long to post. I’ve been super busy with other things that might help me achieve financial freedom. I will try to get the last two parts of Phytonutrients without such a huge pause between them.
I’m happy to report that my back is feeling much better. I had to bite the bullet and decide to accept walking as an exercise for right now. I really can’t do anything strenuous or that is going to cause too much stress on my back. I guess when I look at the bigger picture, this is the best thing. Hopefully within a couple of months I’ll be back to Insanity, but in the mean time it’s push-ups, pull-ups and walking. Wish me luck. I would love to hear about how everyone is doing and what their workout routines are doing for them. Also, feel free to comment about phytonutrients if you know something I don’t or have any questions.
See you soon!
3. How do phytonutrients protect against disease?
“The following are commonly proposed mechanisms by which phytonutrients may protect human health. More research is needed to firmly establish the mechanisms of action of the various phytochemicals.
Phytonutrients may:
| Serve as antioxidants |
| Enhance immune response |
| Enhance cell-to-cell communication |
| Alter estrogen metabolism |
| Convert to vitamin A (beta-carotene is metabolized to vitamin A) |
| Cause cancer cells to die (apoptosis) |
| Repair DNA damage caused by smoking and other toxic exposures |
| Detoxify carcinogens through the activation of the cytocrome P450 and phase II enzyme systems |
What is the evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption protects human health?
6. What is the present status of the art of phytonutrients research?
Population studies have linked fruit and vegetable consumption with lowering the risk for chronic diseases including specific cancers and heart disease. However, media and consumer interest in phytonutrients and functional foods is far ahead of established proof that documents the health benefits of these foods or food components for humans. Phytonutrients research is experiencing remarkable growth. Hopefully, more specific information on phytonutrient consumption and human health will be forthcoming in the near future. For now, it appears that an effective strategy for reducing risk of cancer and heart disease is to increase consumption of phytonutrient-rich foods including fruits, vegetables, grains and teas.
Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, April 2005.
SOURCE: USDA, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Md.
Evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption protects human health is accumulating from large population (epidemiological) studies, human feeding studies, and cell culture studies. Listed below are a few selected population studies from the literature linking fruit and vegetable consumption to health. For an excellent review concerning vegetables, fruit, and cancer prevention, see Steinmetz and Potter, Journal of the American Dietetic Association 1996; vol 96: pp 1027.
Evidence That Carotenoids Are Protective
Fruit and vegetable consumption has been linked to decreased risk of stroke — both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. Each increment of three daily servings of fruits and vegetables equated to a 22% decrease in risk of stroke, including transient ischemic attack (Gillman et al. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1995; vol 273; pp 1113).
Elderly men whose intake of dark green and deep yellow vegetables put them in the highest quartile for consumption of these vegetables had about a 46% decrease in risk for heart disease relative to men who ranked in the lowest quartile. Men in the highest quintile had about a 70% lower risk of cancer than did their counterparts in the lowest quintile. The differences in vegetable consumption between high and low intake rankings were not striking. Men in the highest quartile or quintile consumed more than two (>2.05 and >2.2) servings of dark green or deep yellow vegetables a day; those in the lowest quartile or quintile consumed less than one serving daily (<0.8 and <0.7). This suggests that small, consistent changes in vegetable consumption can make important changes in health outcomes (Gaziano et al. Annals of Epidemiology 1995; vol 5: pp 255 and Colditz et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1985; vol 41: pp 32).”
3. How do phytonutrients protect against disease?
The following are commonly proposed mechanisms by which phytonutrients may protect human health. More research is needed to firmly establish the mechanisms of action of the various phytochemicals.
Phytonutrients may:
| Serve as antioxidants |
| Enhance immune response |
| Enhance cell-to-cell communication |
| Alter estrogen metabolism |
| Convert to vitamin A (beta-carotene is metabolized to vitamin A) |
| Cause cancer cells to die (apoptosis) |
| Repair DNA damage caused by smoking and other toxic exposures |
| Detoxify carcinogens through the activation of the cytocrome P450 and phase II enzyme systems |
What is the evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption protects human health?
6. What is the present status of the art of phytonutrients research?
Population studies have linked fruit and vegetable consumption with lowering the risk for chronic diseases including specific cancers and heart disease. However, media and consumer interest in phytonutrients and functional foods is far ahead of established proof that documents the health benefits of these foods or food components for humans. Phytonutrients research is experiencing remarkable growth. Hopefully, more specific information on phytonutrient consumption and human health will be forthcoming in the near future. For now, it appears that an effective strategy for reducing risk of cancer and heart disease is to increase consumption of phytonutrient-rich foods including fruits, vegetables, grains and teas.
Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, April 2005.
SOURCE: USDA, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Md.
Evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption protects human health is accumulating from large population (epidemiological) studies, human feeding studies, and cell culture studies. Listed below are a few selected population studies from the literature linking fruit and vegetable consumption to health. For an excellent review concerning vegetables, fruit, and cancer prevention, see Steinmetz and Potter, Journal of the American Dietetic Association 1996; vol 96: pp 1027.
Evidence That Carotenoids Are Protective
Fruit and vegetable consumption has been linked to decreased risk of stroke — both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. Each increment of three daily servings of fruits and vegetables equated to a 22% decrease in risk of stroke, including transient ischemic attack (Gillman et al. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1995; vol 273; pp 1113).
Elderly men whose intake of dark green and deep yellow vegetables put them in the highest quartile for consumption of these vegetables had about a 46% decrease in risk for heart disease relative to men who ranked in the lowest quartile. Men in the highest quintile had about a 70% lower risk of cancer than did their counterparts in the lowest quintile. The differences in vegetable consumption between high and low intake rankings were not striking. Men in the highest quartile or quintile consumed more than two (>2.05 and >2.2) servings of dark green or deep yellow vegetables a day; those in the lowest quartile or quintile consumed less than one serving daily (<0.8 and <0.7). This suggests that small, consistent changes in vegetable consumption can make important changes in health outcomes (Gaziano et al. Annals of Epidemiology 1995; vol 5: pp 255 and Colditz et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition1985; vol 41: pp 32)” (Frequently Asked Questions About Phytonutrients, 2012, Para 1-9).
Frequently Asked Questions About Phytonutrients. (2012). Retrieved March 14, 2012 from http://www.webmd.com/diet/phytonutrients-faq#1
Like this:
Be the first to like this post.
