b'HEALTH BITS & PIECESBy Dan Kenner, Ph.D., LAcNeither Health Freedom News nor I are suggesting that any such medical care or treatment be conducted without competent medical advice and supervision.The Green Mediterranean/High Polyphenols DietAmodifi edMediterraneandietcalled theGreenMediterranean/HighPolyphe-nols Diet has been found to be twice as goodastheclassicMediterraneanDiet, promoting dramatic unstiff ening of the aor-ta compared with the other Mediterranean diets. The aorta is the largest artery of the body and carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the periphery. This study presents Brain Nutrient andlevels while participants with mild, mod- another powerful, potent eff ect of diet on Cognitive Declineerate, or severe plasmalogen depletionage-related proximal aortic stiff ness (PAS). had signifi cant cognitive decline. Reduced stiff ness of the aorta is a predictor Plasmalogens are a type of phospho- of lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The lipid present in almost all tissues in hu- AdeficiencyofplasmalogensinGreenMediterranean/HighPolyphenols mans but are most abundant in the brainbrains with AD might be a consequenceDiet is even better for protecting the heart and heart. They are essential for theirof reduced plasmalogen synthesis, oxida- and other vital organs. critical role in memory, focus, and othertive stress, infl ammation, and/or homeo- Polyphenolsarenaturallyoccurring cognitivefunctions.Plasmalogensarestatic conversion to other phospholipidscompoundsfoundmostlyinfruitslike especially abundant in the brain, heart,to compensate for membrane defi cits.grapes, apples, pears, cherries, and berries and immune cells where they constitutePlasmalogens have been shown to im- along with vegetables, cereals, and beverag-as much as 20% of the total phospholip- prove neurodegenerative pathology andes such as green tea. Resveratrol, found in ids in cell membranes.They also func- cognitive function. It is suggested thatred grapes and other fruits, is a well-known tion as antioxidants in parts of the bodyorallyadministeredplasmalogenscanpolyphenol. Dietary polyphenols can signifi -where there are high levels of oxidation.also alleviate negative mood states andcantlyimprovevariousaspectsofhuman Plasmalogen defi ciency can be demon- sleep problems, as well as enhance men- health. Polyphenols protect the bodys tis-strated in various neurodegenerative dis- tal concentration. sues against oxidative stress and associated orders, such as Alzheimers disease (AD)Goodenowe D, Cook L, Liu J, et al., Peripheral ethanol- pathologies such as cancers, coronary heart and Parkinsons disease. amine plasmalogen deficiency: a logical causative factor indisease, and infl ammation.Alzheimers disease and dementia, Journal of Lipid Re-It was fi rst discovered in 1995 that asearch, 2007, 48(11): 2485-2498, doi: 10.1194/jlr.P700023-decreased level of plasmalogens in theJLR200; Hossain M, Mawatari S, Fujino T, Plasmalogens inhibit neuroinflammation and promote cognitive func-brain is associated with Alzheimers dis- tion, Brain Research Bulletin, 2023, 192: 56-61, at https://ease. Levels of plasmalogens have beendoi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.11.005;WoodP, Mankidy R,Ritchie S, et al., Circulating plasmalogen reported to be reduced by aging in gen- levels and Alzheimer Disease Assessment ScaleCog-eral and are reported to be signifi cantlynitive scores in Alzheimer patients, Journal of Psychi-atry & Neuroscience, 2010,35(1):59-62, at https://doi.reducedamongAlzheimerspatients.org/10.1503/jpn.090059; Fujino M, Fukuda J, Isogai H, et One study showed that there was no cog- al., Orally Administered Plasmalogens Alleviate Nega-tive Mood States and Enhance Mental Concentration: AHoffmann A, Meir A, Hagemann T, et al., A polyphe-nitive decline among Alzheimers diseaseRandomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial,nol-rich green Mediterranean diet enhances epigenetic regu-participants with normal plasmalogenFrontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2022, vol.latory potential: the DIRECT PLUS randomized controlled 10: 894734, at https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.894734. trial, Metabolism,2023, 145(08): 155594,at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155594.24 H EALTHF REEDOMN EWS /F ALL2023'