J Nutr, Apr 2012

Find a cause for laughter. It’s April fool’s day. Bonus for Buddha’s birthday, April 8, 566 BC. I was delighted to read A 97 Yr Old Japanese Physician’s Formula For Life.

SYNOPSES OF THE JOURNAL of NUTRITION ARTICLES THIS MONTH

1. Fish oil decreases unnecessary inflammation that is harmful, but increases useful inflammation that is needed. These results indicate that dietary fish oil can attenuate the inflammatory status in homeostasis but intensify the immune response upon inflammation.

2. How genistein (in soy) reduces inflammation and plaque. One of the key early events in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is inflammation-triggered endothelial activation, which leads to the adhesion of monocytes to the endothelium followed by their transmigration into the subendothelial space. Recently, the bioactive compound genistein, a major isoflavone in soy and red clover, has drawn wide attention due to its potential beneficial effects on some of the degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and hormone-related cancers.

3. Fiber rich diets are associated with favorable lipid profiles. Dietary lignans are commonly present in the human diet and are especially abundant in oilseeds, cereals, and cruciferous vegetables (1–3). After ingestion, a major fraction of dietary lignans undergo an extensive metabolism by the gut microflora that results in the formation of 2 major metabolites, END3 and ENL (4), which are generally called enterolignans. Urinary Enterolignan Concentrations Are Positively Associated with Serum HDL Cholesterol and Negatively Associated with Serum Triglycerides.

4. Whole grain beats refined grain causing fat loss when dieting.

5. Vitamin D and soft white cheese reduces osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

6a. When pregnant, too much vitamin A may harm fetal bones. 6b. Too much folate or vitamin B12 cause dermatitis in offspring.

7. Infant malnutrition persists in adult attention deficits. Infantile malnutrition is known to be associated with cognitive and behavioral impairment during childhood and adolescence. Infantile malnutrition may have long-term effects on attentional processes nearly 40 y after the episode, even with excellent long-term nutritional rehabilitation and independent of socioeconomic conditions in childhood and adolescence.

8. 30% of the world is deficient in iodine. Salt iodization has been introduced in many countries to control iodine deficiency. Our aim was to assess global and regional iodine status as of 2011 and compare it to previous WHO estimates from 2003 and 2007.

*To review the disclaimer. *To ask Nutrition Investigator (Roc) a question.
Roc Ordman for appointments or phoning pls email 24hrs ahead
Professor, Biochemistry, Beloit College
http://chemistry.beloit.edu/Ordman out of office Thursdays

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Dogen Zenji said that only the foolish think that concern for others is at one’s own expense. It is not so, benefiting others and oneself is altogether one thing.