Food and Mood Community News - Jan 2007

Extracted from FOOD AND MOOD COMMUNITY NEWS: JANUARY 2007 people exploring the connection between what we eat and how we feel

MEDIA NEWS

Food for the Brain’s school food campaign
On Friday 5th January switch on to ITV's Tonight with Trevor Macdonald from 8.00-8.30pm and again on Weds January 10th on GMTV on the Lorraine Kelly Show (from 8.30am onwards) for coverage of Food for the Brain’s school food campaign. Patrick Holford, CEO of Food for the Brain Foundation will be available after the programme from 9.30am on the Wednesday for a Live Web Chat.

Junk Food and Violence
Japanese children "consume incredible amounts of soft drinks and junk food," says Hiroshi Osawa, a retired psychology professor at Iwate University. According to Iwate, the consequences go beyond poor nutrition and expanding waistlines. This junk food diet may be contributing to Japan's alarming juvenile crime wave. According to Osawa, "There is a connection between diet and violence."Researches at Tsukuba University recently examined the potential link between junk food and juvenile crime. Their survey of 270 adolescent delinquents froud them 25% more likely than other children to eat junk food and three times as likely to skip breakfast. A survey of 12,000 students by teachers in Hiroshima found that 10% of them reported eating breakfast and dinner alone, suggesting an unsupervised diet.Some nutritionists say there is a sound basis for the junk food/violence theory. A diet high in sugar but low in vitamins and minerals, they explain, can result in a dangerous chemical imbalance. First, consumption of sweets and other simple carbohydrates causes the child's blood sugar to spike. This signals the body to release sugar-neutralizing insulin to regain equilibrium. But often the body overreacts, causing blood sugar levels to plummet too low, making the child tired and irritable. Then the body reacts again, producing adrenaline and triggering hyperactivity or even violence. The pattern is so common that the Japanese have coined a new term, kireru, or "snapping" to describe it.

Clearly a factor in the growth of junk food diets in Japan is the growing prominence of fast food restaurants like McDonald's. But McDonald's has vigorously defended the nutritional value of its food and a Tokyo spokesman for the global hamburger chain responded to the theory by calling the franchise "a fun place for families to eat.""Volatile blood sugar levels make sugar-sensitive people edgy and reactive. You may fly off the handle or cry at the drop of a hat. Sugar-sensitive people can have episodes of anger which seem to overtake them without reaction." Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph. D. from Potatoes Not ProzacArticle from ToDo Institute, sent in by Hasandra Heyward email: hrheyward@yahoo.com

Woman killed by caffeine overdose
The Sussex Express (1 December 2006) contained a shocking reminder of the potency of caffeine. The newspaper reported that a 47 year old woman had committed suicide from an overdose of approx 300 ProPlus tablets, which are available over-the-counter. Each tablet contains 50mg, or the equivalent of a strong cup of coffee. The coroner’s report said they should not be taken by people with a history of anxiety and they can interfere with certain types of medication. More information on ProPlus at http://www.mypharmacy.co.uk/alternative_medicines/medicines/p/pro_plus/pro_plus.htmFrom

Equazen’s EFA Research winter newsletter: http://www.equazen.com/default.aspx?pid=402#durham:

Nutrition in Brain Development and Aging: Role of Essential Fatty Acids.
The article concludes that the latest challenge is to integrate existing scientific knowledge and further develop applied research on successful ways to preserve optimal cognitive function throughout the life span. Optimal brain development requires the provision of core nutrients such as zinc, copper, iron, iodine, folate and retinol. All of these nutrients are considered vital to support neurogenesis during pregnancy and fetal development. The authors are currently carrying out an evaluation on the preventative effects of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to cognitive decline. They are also exploring the role of nutrition and physical activity in preserving muscle status and functional status in older people (the OPAL study). Nutrition Reviews, 64, 5. Uauy, R. & Dangour, A.D. (2006).

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Treatment in 174 Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: OmegAD Study. The results showed that at six months the decline did not differ between groups. However, in a subgroup with very mild cognitive dysfunction a significant reduction in the MMSE decline rate was observed in the fatty acid supplementation group. A similar result was observed in the placebo group when they crossed over to active fatty acid supplementation. The authors concluded that fatty acid supplementation in patients with mild to moderate AD did not delay the rate of decline but for patients with very mild cognitive decline positive effects were observed. Archives Neurology, 63. Freund-Levi, Y., Eriksdotter-Jonhagen, M.D., Cederholm, T., Basun, H., Faxen-Irving, G., Garlind, A., Vedin, I., Vessby, B., Wahlund, L.O. & Palmblad, J. (2006).

The role of dietary fatty acids in children’s behaviour and learning.
The article discusses a number of open studies that have been carried out in County Durham and neighbouring education authorities in the North of England on children with various developmental disorders. Evidence suggests that these children may have a deficiency in essential fatty acids, specifically omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and supplementation with fish oil nutrients seem to positively impact their concentration, performance and behaviour as shown in standardised assessments. Nutrition and Health, 18, 233-247. Portwood, M. (2006).

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Mood disorders.
The authors concluded that research showing deficits in omega-3 fatty acids may be a contributing factor to mood disorders and thus potentially offer a therapeutic method of treatment. They also encourage future research on the efficacy of omega-3 supplementation to unipolar and bi-polar depressive disorders to pursue which is likely to be more effective: EPA or DHA. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163, 6. Parker, G., Gibson, N.A., Brotchie, G., Rees, A.M. & Hadzi-Pavlovic, D. (2006).

The following items are forwarded from the Mental Health Foundation latest news and archive:

Doubts cast on organophosphate poisoning as cause of Gulf War Syndrome depression
New research casts doubt on the belief that organophosphate poisoning causes symptoms of depression among Gulf War veterans and farmers, who are exposed regularly to these chemicals 21/12/2006 More information at: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/news/?EntryId=48548

Conference to help students with eating disorders
A national charity has today revealed it staging a major conference in East Anglia which aims to help universities support students with eating disorders. 14/12/2006 More information at: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/news?EntryId=48229

One in five think partner drinks too much
One in five people believe their partner drinks too much alcohol, according to a survey published today 08/12/2006 More information at http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/news/?EntryId=48116

Taste tests 'could aid treatment of depression'
Taste tests could provide a fast and effective method of treating depression, according to a University of Bristol study. 06/12/2006 More information at http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/news/?EntryId=48000

Schools junk food ban proposals under spotlight
Education minister Hugh Henry will be questioned today on Executive plans to ban junk food from schools. 06/12/2006 More information at http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/news/?EntryId=48002

The following items are from Alternative Mental Health/Safe Harbor newsletter based in the US. More info at AlternativeMentalHealth.com:

HERB CURCUMIN MAY HELP DEPRESSION
Curcumin, a yellow pigment of the spice turmeric, commonly found in curry, has proven to be a cornucopia of health benefits. It has already been found to be a potential cancer preventative and rejuvenator of the liver, bones, and cartilage. In 2004, UCLA researchers found it effective in preventing brain deterioration that contributes to Alzheimer's Disease, thus possibly explaining why inhabitants of India over age 65, where curcumin is consumed regularly, have less than a 1% rate of Alzheimer's Disease. A study done at Peking University in 2005 offers strong evidence that curcumin may be helpful against depression. The herb is an active component in Xiaoyao-san, the traditional Chinese medicinal formula which has been used to effectively manage stress and depression-related disorders in China. The study used the force swim test in rats, a common method of testing antidepressants that forces rats to swim in a tank to create stress and depression symptoms. The study also used another test in rats which causes depressive symptoms, the removal of the olfactory bulbs, brain regions that contribute to the sense of smell. In both instances, curcumin significantly reduced the symptoms of depression. In the case of the surgically-altered rats, low levels of brain chemicals such as serotonin "were completely reversed by curcumin administration." The research is reported in the September 2005 issue of Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior.

SCIENTISTS WORRY ABOUT TOXINS' EFFECTS ON BRAIN HEALTH
Researchers reporting in the November 8 issue of The Lancet claim that toxic chemicals may be causing a broad array of brain disorders in children—more than is realized by the medical field—due to inadequate regulation and lack of knowledge of their full neurological effects. The combined Danish and American research team identified more than 200 industrial chemicals, including metals, solvents and pesticides, which have potential to damage the brain. Referring to them as the "tip of a very large iceberg," the team noted that some of them are already known to cause neurobehavioral effects, even at low levels. The scientists point out that exposure to chemicals such as lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], arsenic, and toluene during early fetal development can cause brain injury at doses much lower than those affecting adult brain function. It stands to reason that the same may be true of others on the list that have not been as fully investigated. Additionally, while prevention programs, such as with lead, are highly successful today, it was many years after the toxicity of these substances was known for such social controls to be established. If that delay is multiplied by the number of potential neurotoxins in our modern world, the impact on developing brains could be considerable.

For more at http://www.foodandmood.org

If you would like to see other things included on my blog contact me at Nutrition Naturally.