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degenerative diseases
Flavanoids
Flavonols, flavones and isoflavones belong
to the 3 subclasses of flavonoids. Flavonols
and flavones have similar C-ring structure
with a double bond at the 2-3 position.
Flavones, as opposed to flavonols, lack a
hydroxyl group at the 3-position. Major
flavonols include quercetin
(3,5,7,3,4-pentahydroxyflavone),
kaempferol (3,5,7,4-tetrahydroxyflav-one)
and myricetin
(3,5,7,3,4,5-hexahydroxyflavone).
Sources of antioxidants
Allium sulphur
compounds:
Anthocyanins:
Beta-carotene:
Catechins:
Copper:
Cryptoxanthins:
Flavonoids:
What is a serving ?
One medium-sized fruit or vegetable is the
simplest form of a serving. A serving can be
125 ml or 1/2 a cup of raw, cooked, frozen or
canned vegetables or fruit. A perfect
example is a small glass of orange, carrot or
tomato juice. Drinking juice made from
concentrate will not do. Instead, buy real
juice with pulp which includes all the
essential nutrients. The serving is a
convenient yet vague term, perhaps of
237-250 ml. A slice of bread is a serving.
Diet
1/ Choose a VARIETY of foods.
2/ Balance the food you eat with physical
activity. Maintain or improve your weight.
3/ Choose a diet with plenty of grain
products, vegetables and fruit.
4/ Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat and
cholesterol.
5/ Get a diet moderate in sugars, salt and
sodium.
Lower
1,600
Moderate
Higher
2,200
2,800 calories
Grain Group Servings
6
9
11
Vegetable Group Servings
3
4
5
Milk Group Servings
2-31
2-31
2-31
Meat Group2 (ounces)
5
6
7
Total Fat3 (grams)
53
73
93
Total Added Sugars4 (teaspoons)
6
12
18
Fruit Group Servings
2
3
4
Cholesterol
When there is too much cholesterol in the
blood, it builds up in the walls of the arteries
to become atherosclerosis or hardening of
the arteries. When blood cannot circulate
normally, there may be chest pains and even
a heart attack.
These values are: Total cholesterol LDL (low
density bad ! cholesterol) the main source
of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the
arteries, HDL (high density good !
cholesterol) helps stop cholesterol from
building up in the arteries. Triglycerides are
another form of fat in blood.
The diseases
Obesity
The central issue might be lack of discipline to
control overeating, but this conclusion may be
wrong. Still, eating can be viewed as one more
addiction, and next our society makes this a
moral issue thus making it too easy to insult
fat people. Nevertheless, the food addict lives
in his own world and will have to break his
own chains.
Obesity has 30.0 or more BMI, whereas
overweight is 25.0-29.5 BMI. The normal range
is 18.5-24.9 BMI. Below 18.5 BMI is the
condition anorexia nerviosa in young women
who grievously undereat.
Diabetes
Insulin is not produced in Type 1 and not
properly used in Type 2 diabetes.
High carbohydrate, high fiber diets can
reduced insulin dosage by 40 %, fasting blood
glucose by 6-27 % and serum cholesterol by
10-32 %. See also Jenkins et al, N Engl J Med
1993: 329: 21-26.
Like obesity, diabetes is an extremely active
field that is expected to take great strides
now. Nonetheless, diabetes will kill those who
do not follow their diet.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis takes place in the major
arteries and is the underlying cause of heart
attacks, stroke and peripheral artery
disease. The earliest detectable lesions,
called fatty streaks, contain macrophage
foam cells that are derived from recruited
monocytes. More advanced lesions, called
fibro-fatty plaques, are the result of
continued monocyte recruitment and
smooth muscle cell migration and
proliferation.
Hypertension
One central theme is enough oxygen for normal
cardiac function.
Angina pectoris has chest pain arising from the
heart due to a lack of oxygen to the heart
muscle. It can be brought on by exercise,
emotional upset or heavy meals. Normally the
arteries that supply blood to the heart can cope
with an increased demand, but if coronary artery
disease (CAD) is present or high blood pressure,
the blood flow is restricted. CAD affects men
over age 35 and postmenopausal women.
Stroke
A stroke or "brain attack" occurs when a blood
clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks,
interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain.
Brain cells begin to die, and damage occurs.
Abilities controlled by that area of the brain are
lost. These abilities include speech, movement
and memory. Some people recover completely
from strokes, but more than 2/3 of survivors will
have some type of disability.
The risk of having a stroke is perhaps 1 % per
year. Reduce cholesterol. Try an aspirin a day,
but this is surely not for everyone.
Cancer
More fruit less meat and other advice for
general dietary improvement are simply
repeated for cancer prevention. Decisive
facts seem illusive.
More mutations thanks to exposure of DNA
to more free radicals can lead to various
cancers. Still, if Just give us the facts is
applied, little might be forthcoming.
Conclusions
The replacement of animal by plant proteins
has been repeatedly suggested. It seems
obvious that the heavily advertized foods
are the high calorie ones. These tasty highenergy foods are the ones to avoid! More
fruits, vegetables and fiber in the diet can
combat the obesity epidemic. As the
development of chronic lifestyle diseases are
strongly influenced by diet, and as we
CONTROL our diets, the timely dissemination
of nutritional knowledge seems imperative.
Up with soy and down with fried chicken!
Otherwise, just blame the genes.