Another reason to eat chocolate

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

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The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two


Loma Linda University Health

New studies show dark chocolate improves memory & mood, boosts immunity and reduces stress as well as inflammation. 

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LOMA LINDA, CA — Findings from two studies show that consuming dark chocolate that has a high concentration of cacao (minimally 70% cacao, 30% organic cane sugar) has positive effects on:

1. Stress levels
2. Inflammation
3. Mood
4. Memory
5. Immunity.

Effects of a Regular-Sized Chocolate Bar

“For years, we have looked at the influence of dark chocolate on neurological functions from the standpoint of sugar content - the more sugar, the happier we are," said Dr. Lee Berk. 

While it is well known that cacao is a major source of flavonoids, this is the first time the effect has been studied in human subjects to determine how it can support cognitive, endocrine and cardiovascular health. 

Lee S. Berk, DrPH, , served as principal investigator on both studies. Dr. Berk is associate dean of research affairs, School of Allied Health Professions and a researcher in psychoneuroimmunology and food science from Loma Linda University.

"Positive Impact"

Berk added, "This is the first time that we have looked at the impact of large amounts of cacao in doses as small as a regular-sized chocolate bar in humans over short or long periods of time, and are encouraged by the findings. These studies show us that the higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition, memory, mood, immunity and other beneficial effects.” 

The flavonoids found in cacao are extremely potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, with known mechanisms beneficial for brain and cardiovascular health. The following resultswere presented in live poster sessions during the Experimental Biology 2018 meeting.

Two Studies on Dark Chocolate with 70% Cacao

These results were based on two important studies:

• Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao) Effects Human Gene Expression: Cacao Regulates Cellular Immune Response, Neural Signaling, and Sensory Perception
  
  · This pilot feasibility experimental trial examined the impact of 70 percent cacao chocolate consumption on human immune and dendritic cell gene expression, with focus on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Study findings show cacao consumption up-regulates multiple intracellular signaling pathways involved in T-cell activation, cellular immune response and genes involved in neural signaling and sensory perception - the latter potentially associated with the phenomena of brain hyperplasticity.

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• Dark Chocolate (70% Organic Cacao) Increases Acute and Chronic EEG Power Spectral Density (μv2) Response of Gamma Frequency (25-40Hz) for Brain Health: Enhancement of Neuroplasticity, Neural Synchrony, Cognitive Processing, Learning, Memory, Recall, and Mindfulness Meditation
  
  · This study assessed the electroencephalography (EEG) response to consuming 48 g of dark chocolate (70% cacao) after an acute period of time (30 mins) and after a chronic period of time (120 mins), on modulating brain frequencies 0-40Hz, specifically beneficial gamma frequency (25-40Hz). Findings show that this superfood of 70 percent cacao enhances neuroplasticity for behavioral and brain health benefits.

Berk said the studies require further investigation, specifically to determine the significance of these effects for immune cells and the brain in larger study populations. Further research is in progress to elaborate on the mechanisms that may be involved in the cause-and-effect brain-behavior relationship with cacao at this high concentration.

SOURCE:

• Loma Linda University Health
  Loma Linda University Health includes Loma Linda University's eight professional schools, Loma Linda University Medical Center's six hospitals and more than 900 faculty physicians located in the Inland Empire of Southern California. Established in 1905, Loma Linda University Health is a global leader in education, research and clinical care. It offers over 100 academic programs and provides quality health care to over 40,000 inpatients and 1.5 million outpatients each year.

More good news about chocolate that is dark

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Loma Linda University Health
New studies show dark chocolate improves memory & mood, boosts immunity and reduces stress as well as inflammation. 

---

LOMA LINDA, CA — Findings from two studies show that consuming dark chocolate that has a high concentration of cacao (minimally 70% cacao, 30% organic cane sugar) has positive effects on:

1. Stress levels
2. Inflammation
3. Mood
4. Memory
5. Immunity.

Effects of a Regular-Sized Chocolate Bar

“For years, we have looked at the influence of dark chocolate on neurological functions from the standpoint of sugar content - the more sugar, the happier we are," said Dr. Lee Berk. 

While it is well known that cacao is a major source of flavonoids, this is the first time the effect has been studied in human subjects to determine how it can support cognitive, endocrine and cardiovascular health. 

Lee S. Berk, DrPH, , served as principal investigator on both studies. Dr. Berk is associate dean of research affairs, School of Allied Health Professions and a researcher in psychoneuroimmunology and food science from Loma Linda University.

"Positive Impact"

Berk added, "This is the first time that we have looked at the impact of large amounts of cacao in doses as small as a regular-sized chocolate bar in humans over short or long periods of time, and are encouraged by the findings. These studies show us that the higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition, memory, mood, immunity and other beneficial effects.” 

The flavonoids found in cacao are extremely potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, with known mechanisms beneficial for brain and cardiovascular health. The following resultswere presented in live poster sessions during the Experimental Biology 2018 meeting.

Two Studies on Dark Chocolate with 70% Cacao

These results were based on two important studies:

• Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao) Effects Human Gene Expression: Cacao Regulates Cellular Immune Response, Neural Signaling, and Sensory Perception
  
  · This pilot feasibility experimental trial examined the impact of 70 percent cacao chocolate consumption on human immune and dendritic cell gene expression, with focus on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Study findings show cacao consumption up-regulates multiple intracellular signaling pathways involved in T-cell activation, cellular immune response and genes involved in neural signaling and sensory perception - the latter potentially associated with the phenomena of brain hyperplasticity.

---



• Dark Chocolate (70% Organic Cacao) Increases Acute and Chronic EEG Power Spectral Density (μv2) Response of Gamma Frequency (25-40Hz) for Brain Health: Enhancement of Neuroplasticity, Neural Synchrony, Cognitive Processing, Learning, Memory, Recall, and Mindfulness Meditation
  
  · This study assessed the electroencephalography (EEG) response to consuming 48 g of dark chocolate (70% cacao) after an acute period of time (30 mins) and after a chronic period of time (120 mins), on modulating brain frequencies 0-40Hz, specifically beneficial gamma frequency (25-40Hz). Findings show that this superfood of 70 percent cacao enhances neuroplasticity for behavioral and brain health benefits.

Berk said the studies require further investigation, specifically to determine the significance of these effects for immune cells and the brain in larger study populations. Further research is in progress to elaborate on the mechanisms that may be involved in the cause-and-effect brain-behavior relationship with cacao at this high concentration.

SOURCE:

• Loma Linda University Health
  Loma Linda University Health includes Loma Linda University's eight professional schools, Loma Linda University Medical Center's six hospitals and more than 900 faculty physicians located in the Inland Empire of Southern California. Established in 1905, Loma Linda University Health is a global leader in education, research and clinical care. It offers over 100 academic programs and provides quality health care to over 40,000 inpatients and 1.5 million outpatients each year.

Chocolate for dementia

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Take cocoa's flavanol phytonutrients, leave out the sugar and fat, and you get a health food that improves arterial function. That's a great way to fight strokes and atherosclerosis, common triggers of vascular dementia. See NutritionFacts.org analyze the latest research. 

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TRANSCRIPT:Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. 

The problem with publishing research on chocolate is that the press jumps on it, oversimplifying and sensationalizing the message. Then, the money starts rolling in from candy companies, muddying the message. But, lost in all that is an important idea—that the flavanol phytonutrients in cocoa do appear to be beneficial. 

The sugar in chocolate isn’t good for us; the fat and excess calories in chocolate aren’t good for us; but, “natural cocoa powder can be [considered] a health food.” So, adding cocoa to a smoothie, or oatmeal, or whatever, would be health-promoting. But, ideally, choose unprocessed, un-Dutched cocoa, since the flavanols are what give cocoa its bitterness. So, they try to process cocoa with alkali to destroy them, on purpose. Thus, when it comes to cocoa, “bitter [appears to be] better.” 

In my video on chocolate and artery function, I showed how dark chocolate could improve the function of coronary arteries in the heart within two hours of consumption, using fancy angiography. But, there are some blood vessels you can visualize with your eyes—the blood vessels in your eyes. Two hours after eating dark chocolate; significant improvement in the ability of the little veins in your eyes to dilate. 

What about the blood vessels in your legs? Peripheral artery disease—atherosclerosis in the arteries feeding your limbs, leading to claudication, a crampy pain in your calf muscles when you try to exercise, due to impaired blood flow. So, maximal walking distance and maximal walking time were studied in 20 peripheral artery disease patients, two hours after eating dark chocolate, with a respectable 85+% cocoa, or after eating wimpy milk chocolate. After the dark chocolate, they could walk about a dozen more yards, and about 17 more seconds, than before the dark chocolate. 

But, after the milk chocolate they weren’t even able to walk as far as baseline, and not a single second more. So, there does seem to be something in cocoa that’s helping, but a few seconds here or there aren’t going to cut it. 

How about reversing the atherosclerosis—which we didn’t even think possible, until 1977? Wait—what happened in ’77? Dean Ornish didn’t start publishing on heart disease reversal until 1979. Well, actually, the first demonstration of atherosclerosis reversal with a cholesterol-lowering diet and drugs wasn’t on the coronary arteries going to the heart, but rather the femoral arteries, going to the legs. 

What about the arteries going to the brain? Well, there’s a noninvasive way to measure arterial function within the brain, using transcranial ultrasound. If you ask someone to hold their breath, the brain says uh-oh, and starts opening up the arteries to increase blood flow to compensate. But, if the arteries in our brain are stiffened and crippled by atherosclerosis, they’re unable to open as much and as fast as they should—and so, are said to have a smaller “breath holding index,” which can be a risk factor for stroke. So, researchers designed an experiment in which they compared the results of a target food to something neutral, like oatmeal. So, did they choose like a spoonful of cocoa powder, or something? No. A randomized crossover trial of oatmeal, versus a “deep-fried Mars bar.” 

Wait, why a deep-fried Mars bar? Well, this was published in the Scottish Medical Journal, and, evidently, deep-fried Mars bars are “a snack…strongly [associated] with Scotland.” Wait, is this just an urban legend, or something? No. “627 fish and chip shops in Scotland [were called] to ascertain the delicacy’s availability,” and more than one in five said yeah, we’re selling up to 200 a week. Just follow the signs. Comes out a little something like this. Batter-dipped and deep-dried Snickers bars and pizza were, evidently, less popular. The researchers conclude that it’s “not just an urban [legend]. Encouragingly, [they] did find some evidence of the penetrance of the Mediterranean diet…albeit in the form of deep-fried pizza.” 

Could this be contributing to Scotland having among the highest stroke rate in Europe? Well, they put it to the test, and, interestingly, there was a significant drop in men, compared to women. Maybe men are from Mars, women are from Snickers? 

Regardless, what about chocolate that’s not deep-fried? There’s been a few population studies that have followed people over time, and found that those who ate chocolate appeared to have lower stroke rates—since confirmed by another study. 

But, maybe chocolate consumption just happens to be related to other behaviors that are heart- and brain-healthy? Like hey, people that exercise a lot have to eat more food, period. So, maybe they eat more chocolate? They didn’t see any evidence of that, but you can’t account for everything. To prove cause and effect, you’d have to like randomize people into two groups, and make half eat chocolate, and the other half not, and follow them out for a decade or two—to which one researcher replied, fat chance; you try to get people into a study where they could be randomized to 16 years without chocolate. 

SOURCE:

• NutritionFacts.org

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