Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Ran across this article, found it interesting, so I thought I'd share...

(HealthCastle.com) As summer approaches, we often reach for soothing foods and beverages to keep us cool in the heat. But is it true that some foods can actually keep you cool inside and reduce inflammation as well? There is a growing body of research that suggests chronic inflammation within the human body is linked to diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and Alzheimer’s. What would an anti-inflammation menu look like?

Your Anti-Inflammation Menu

Starters: Load up on phytonutrients and monounsaturated fats

Eating the colors of the rainbow is a practical and achievable strategy to get your phytonutrients, the superb antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. They are great at preventing chronic oxidative stresses that lead to inflammation. Some well-known examples are anthocyanin (in blueberries), resveratrol (in grapes and red wine), and lycopene (in tomatoes). And just because some produce such as cabbage or cauliflower appears colorless, don’t skip it: Both these vegetables are high in potent antioxidants. In addition, many fruits and vegetables are great sources of Vitamin C, itself a well-known antioxidant.

Add nuts for crunch and beneficial monounsaturated fats (which help inhibit many pro-inflammatory metabolic pathways or enzymes). Use fresh herbs liberally, and dress salads lightly with a vinaigrette of your choice, which can be as simple as extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Some great options for your anti-inflammation appetizer: cabbage (all kinds – red, napa, white), cauliflower, mushrooms, nuts (walnuts, almonds and cashews), dark leafy greens, avocado, tomatoes.

Mains: Real whole grains with omega-3 rich seafood and protein

Soy protein sources (tofu, tempeh, and edamame) and whole grains (e.g., amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat) are considered anti-inflammatory because they contain micronutrients that play important roles in antioxidant reactions within the body, such as copper and manganese.

Fish, particularly fatty fish such as salmon, sablefish, and halibut, are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. There is a hypothesis that the typical North American diet (which is high in omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oil blends used in processed foods, and low in omega-3 fatty acids) is associated with higher rates of chronic inflammation and resulting diseases. Many seafood sources of omega-3 fatty acids are also high in Vitamin D, which helps inhibit some pro-inflammatory metabolic pathways in the body.

Condiments: Bring on the spices

Rosemary, ginger, and turmeric have been identified as spices that appear to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. In particular, the compound curcumin in turmeric has been shown to activate certain enzymes within brain cells that are protective against inflammation, oxidative damage, and cell death. Curcumin has also been studied regularly for its anti-cancer properties. Rosemary that is added to marinades has been shown to lower the formation of carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCA) in grilled meats.

To drink: Sip phytonutrients and Vitamin D

It’s easy to drink your phytonutrients, if you include beverages such as green tea, red wine, and coffee. Recent studies in animal models show beneficial effects of various phytonutrients on dilating the airway (helpful in asthma), improving blood lipid profile, moderating the inflammatory compounds circulating in the blood, and preventing uncontrolled cell growth (which leads to cancer). The green tea catechin EGCG has also been shown to protect neurons against oxidative damage.

Speaking of beverages, milk is another easy source of Vitamin D, particularly for those who do not consume fish or other seafood regularly.

The Bottom Line

It turns out many of the foods that can help fight chronic inflammation are the same ones containing the various nutrients needed to keep us healthy in general. This summer, keep yourself cool inside and out by choosing a variety of anti-inflammatory foods from the above list.

Original article can be found HERE

Another Day, Another Drug Study

Can I just say, I love me some drug studies! I'm pretty much on a schedule now of doing drug studies back-to-back-to-back and so on and I'm already plotting the next one I'd like to do. I figured though that I'd fill you guys in on the one that I started today. Actually, I misspoke, I sort of started it today. I went in to give blood and urine so they could establish a baseline to compare the rest of the data with. Friday is the big day in which I actually get to take one of two doses of the drug or a placebo. I of course hope I get the real deal, but hey, somebodies got to take the sugar pill right?

Ok, so what is this drug? Since I'm no medical mind and although I have a pretty good idea of what it is supposed to do according to my doc, I still won't attempt to answer. I will however let Clinical Trials Feeds give you their answer:

Official Title: “A Randomized, Double Blind, Parallel Group, Placebo Controlled 28 Day Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacodynamics of SB-656933 in Patients With Cystic Fibrosis”

Study Drug, SB-656933, is a selective CXCR2 antagonist in development as a novel, once-daily oral anti-inflammatory agent for the maintenance treatment of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). We want to find out if this experimental drug will help decrease inflammation and slow the progression of lung disease. This study compares how well different doses of the experimental study drug (SB-656933) control inflammation in patients with CF. Two doses of the study drug will be assessed against placebo to see which dose works best.

And how will they know if this stuff works? Well, we have to go to ClinicalTrials.gov for that:

Primary Outcome Measures:

• Safety and tolerability of SB-656933 in subjects with cystic fibrosis, including, adverse events, vital signs, clinical laboratory assessments (hematology, chemistry, urinalysis, and VB-1),electrocardiographic (ECG)parameters,and exacerbation of CF [ Time Frame: 28 days and followup ]
  

Secondary Outcome Measures:

• Sputum microbiology at 28 days as measured by bacterial colony counts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus [ Time Frame: 28 days ]
  
• Induced sputum neutrophil number (cells/mL) and percentage (%) [ Time Frame: 28 days ]
  
• Induced sputum inflammatory markers: (e.g. but not limited to: NE, MPO, total protein). [ Time Frame: 28 days ]
  
• FEV1 and FVC [ Time Frame: 28 days and followup ]
  
• Serum and plasma markers of inflammation: (e.g. but not limited to: fibrinogen, CRP, CC-16, MMP8, MMP9, SP-D, CXCL8 (IL-8)) [ Time Frame: 28 days ]
  
• Daily Respiratory Symptom Diary for Cystic Fibrosis (Self Reported Version (Exploratory)) [ Time Frame: 28 days ]
  
• Plasma SB-656933 concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters including area under the plasma drug concentration vs time curve (AUC(0-24), AUC(0-infinity)),maximum observed plasma drug concentration (Cmax)and time to maximum observed plasma drug consent [ Time Frame: 28 days ]

So needless to say, I'm hoping this sucker works cause inflammation is definitely something I battle. I will keep you guys posted on how it's going and let's all hope that this can be another gun in our arsenal in the next handful of years. I guess I better go read the disclosure clause in the contract now :)