(22-03-11) Eating berries lowers risk of Parkinson's disease

by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) A diet high in the antioxidants found in berries may
significantly reduce both men and women's risk of developing Parkinson's
disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from Harvard University
and due to be presented at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of
Neurology. The study was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Parkinson's disease is an incurable, degenerative nervous disorder that
produces movement-related and cognitive disabilty.

"This is the first study in humans to examine the association between
flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson's disease," author Xiang Gao said.
"Our findings suggest that flavonoids, specifically a group called
anthocyanins, may have neuroprotective effects. If confirmed, flavonoids may be
a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson's
disease."

The researchers interviewed 49,281 men who had participated in the Health
Professional Follow-up Study and 80,336 women who had participated in the
Nurses' Health Study about their intake of numerous foods. They then estimated
participants' flavonoid intake from their consumption of five high-flavonoid
foods: berries, apples, oranges and orange juice, tea, and red wine.

Chocolate is also a high-flavonoid food but was not included in the study.

Participants were followed for between 20 and 22 years, and then flavonoid
intake was compared with rates of Parkinson's disease. The researchers found
that the 20 percent of men with the highest flavonoid intake were 35 percent
less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than the 20 percent of men with the
lowest intake. When the researchers looked specifically at the flavonoid group
known as anthocyanins, which occur primarily in berries, they found that both
men and women with the highest intake were 22 percent less likely to develop
Parkinson's disease than those with the lowest intake.

This is not the first health benefit to be linked to flavonoid compounds in
food.

"Bioflavonoids are excellent antioxidants found in many plant foods," writes
Steve Blake in his book Vitamins and Minerals Demystified.

"As potent antioxidants, they protect us from arterial damage and cancer
formation."

To learn more about how to fight disease with a healthy diet, read the free
NaturalNews.com report "Nutrition Can Save America!" at
http://www.naturalnews.com/report_N....

Sources for this story include:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea... http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-dis...

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