I’m a surgeon and gut health expert—the No. 1 magical food I eat every day for a longer life

 Alcohol is fermented but surely that doesn't count; See this

There May Be No Safe Amount of Booze When It Comes to Dementia Risk

Safest level of alcohol consumption is none, worldwide study shows

My succinct comments here: for more details you can read my vast number of posts.

Smarter People Tend To Drink More Alcohol. 

Men must drink with male friends twice a week to stay healthy, study finds

• alcohol (209 posts to December 2011) 

I’m a surgeon and gut health expert—the No. 1 magical food I eat every day for a longer life

As a heart surgeon, people often ask what supplements I take. I tell them that yes, targeted ones can help, but the daily habit that consistently delivers real results for my patients and me are fermented foods.

Fermented foods don't come with a trendy label or a miracle marketing claim, but they do something far more important: support the trillions of microbes living in your gut, which influence digestion, immunity, metabolism and inflammation. All these factors play a major role in how fast we age.

Modern nutrition tends to focus on macros, calories and willpower. In my experience, that's backwards. The real question is whether you're feeding the ecosystem inside you.

Forget supplements. Here's what makes fermented foods magical

Your gut is made up of an entire community. When that community is diverse and resilient, it helps your gut lining stay strong and your immune system respond appropriately rather than overreact.

Fermented foods can shift the environment in your gut in a direction that supports better balance. 

You don't need to start fermenting vegetables in mason jars to get the benefits. A few simple choices can make fermented foods a daily habit. Of course, you should always check with your health provider before making any drastic changes to your diet.

1. Coffee and tea

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Most people don't realize coffee beans are fermented during processing, and many teas are, too. This matters because fermentation reduces bitterness and makes plant compounds, especially polyphenols, more available. Your gut bacteria thrive on polyphenols, and for many people, coffee and tea are the easiest daily sources.

As for coffee, lighter roasts contain more polyphenols. I always avoid adding milk or cream to my tea or coffee because dairy binds to polyphenols, reducing their benefits. If you want a creamier drink, choose a nut milk like walnut or hazelnut.

2. Kombucha

If you want an intentionally fermented drink, kombucha can be a smart option — as long as you choose wisely. Many brands are essentially soda in disguise. 

Look for low sugar (under 5 grams), real tea and no fruit juice "cover-ups." A small serving can provide organic acids and compounds that support gut diversity. The key is to treat kombucha like a tool, not something you sip all day.

3. Yogurt (goat or sheep)

At breakfast, yogurt is one of the most accessible fermented foods, but the type matters. I prefer unsweetened goat or sheep yogurt over most conventional cow yogurt.

One reason is that most cow dairy products contain A1 beta-casein, a protein that can break down into compounds that may promote inflammation and increase gut permeability in susceptible people, even those who think they tolerate dairy.

A2 dairy is generally a better option than standard A1, but goat and sheep are still my first choice for daily use. And skip flavored yogurt. If it tastes like dessert, it functions like dessert.

4. Kefir

Kefir is an even bigger upgrade. It contains strains of beneficial bacteria, plus beneficial yeasts and organic acids that support gut balance. If yogurt is the entry point, kefir is fermented on steroids. As with yogurt, choose unsweetened versions and, when possible, goat, sheep or water kefir.

5. Fermented vegetables (sauerkraut and kimchi)

If I had to name the single most powerful daily fermented food, it would be fermented vegetables, especially sauerkraut and kimchi. These foods deliver beneficial bacteria along with fermentation byproducts that can support gut barrier function and immune signaling.

When you buy them, ideally choose raw, unpasteurized versions from the refrigerated section. But don't shy away from the regular jars and cans; they are just as good. You don't need a lot. Start with a forkful a day.

Dr. Steven Gundry, MD, is a former cardiac surgeon, founder of GundryMD, and author of the bestselling books "The Gut-Brain Paradox″ and "The Plant Paradox." For over two decades, his research has focused on the microbiome's role in chronic disease and longevity. He received his degrees from Yale University and the Medical College of Georgia, and completed his surgical residency at the University of Michigan. Follow him on Instagram @drstevengundry.

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This Food Is A Probiotic Powerhouse & It's Hiding In Your Cheese Drawer by mindbodygreen

 I highly doubt your competent? doctor has enough pull or brains to get artisan cheese into your food supply.

This Food Is A Probiotic Powerhouse & It's Hiding In Your Cheese Drawer

14 Foods That Protect Gut Health and Slow Biological Aging by Super Age

 Do you really think your doctor is competent enough to get this into your diet protocol?  I bet you don't even have a diet protocol, do you?

Do you prefer your doctor, hospital and board of director's incompetence NOT KNOWING? OR NOT DOING? Your choice; let them be incompetent or demand action!

Let's see how long your stroke medical 'professionals' HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY FUCKING INCOMPETENT IN THIS! And they still have a job after over a decade of incompetence?

cranberries (15 posts to June 2013)

fermented foods (7 posts to May 2016)

coffee (389 posts to February 2012)

green tea (29 posts to September 2012)

fiber intake (13 posts to May 2013)

14 Foods That Protect Gut Health and Slow Biological Aging

Fermented soy boosts memory in older adults

Will your incompetent? doctor not get the dietician to immediately update the diet protocols for all stroke survivors? Oh, your DOCTOR WILL DO NOTHING LIKE USUAL!

Fermented soybeans are soybeans that have undergone a process using bacteria or mold to break down their components, changing their texture and flavor. Popular examples include Japanese nattō, known for its slimy texture and strong smell, and Indonesian tempeh, a firm cake with an earthy flavor. Other examples include miso, soy sauce, and stinky tofu.  In a groundbreaking 12-week trial, researchers discovered that a daily dose of fermented soy could sharpen memory in older adults, especially women over 70, hinting at a simple, diet-based way to support brain health with age.

At least miso and tempeh are palatable.

Study: Effects of Fermented Soy on Cognition in Older Adults: Outcomes of a Randomized, Controlled Trial. Image credit: Garna Zarina/Shutterstock.com

A recent Nutrients study investigated the effects of fermented soy on cognitively healthy older adults. It found that fermented soy intake significantly improved memory in these adults.

Aging population and dementia

The increased life expectancy has contributed to an aging population, along with an overwhelming increase in dementia cases worldwide. A healthy diet and other lifestyle factors reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation increase the risk of neuronal damage and age-related cognitive decline (ARCD). Several studies have highlighted the neuroprotective effects of plant-based foods due to the presence of high levels of antioxidants, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, such as polyphenols. Phytonutrients reduce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, promoting cognitive and cerebrovascular function.

Asian people commonly consume soy, which is rich in important secondary metabolites, such as phenolic flavonoids and isoflavones (daidzein and genistein). These metabolites possess antioxidant and estrogen-like properties, which benefit skeletal, cardiovascular, and cognitive health.

The available observational studies and clinical trials on soy and cognition in older adults have presented contradictory results, possibly due to the limited bioavailability of key isoflavones in their native glycoside forms. Previous studies have shown that fermented soy has an improved nutritional profile because, in this form, isoflavone glycosides are converted into aglycones, which are highly bioactive and are readily absorbed. Furthermore, fermentation enhances soy's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are plausible mechanisms for improving its neuroprotective effects.

Most human-based research has assessed the cognitive benefits of fermented soy in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). For instance, a 12-week trial revealed the potential benefits of a probiotic fermented soybean powder on improving attention and memory composites. This treatment also enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in older adults with MCI. Considering the benefits of fermented soy, it is essential to understand its effect on cognitively healthy older adults.

About the study

The current study performed a 12-week, triple-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the cognitive effects of a non-probiotic, fermented soy product in cognitively healthy older adults. Healthy men and postmenopausal women 65 years and older were recruited from Loma Linda, USA. Any individuals with neurodegenerative disease and MCI, undergoing kidney dialysis and cancer treatment, and those who were intolerant or allergic to soy or dairy products were excluded.

Participants were advised to continue their usual physical activities, diet, and other lifestyle habits and refrain from taking any supplements that could affect cognition and immunity during the study period.

A total of 76 participants met the eligibility criteria, of whom 61 agreed to participate in this study. These candidates were randomized into either one of two groups: fermented soy (n = 33) and control (n = 28), stratified by sex. Household members were also randomized together into the same group. Participants consumed two pre-measured packets of Q-Can Plus® (fermented soy powder) or whey-based placebo powder each day for 12 weeks.

Q-Can Plus® is a non-probiotic fermented soy product, patented by BESO Biological Research Inc. The fermented soy powder contained 4.5g of fat, 8.4g of carbohydrates, 9.4g of protein, 5.6g of fiber, and 36.3mg of isoflavones per day. The placebo powder contained 15.6g of carbohydrate, 1.0g of fat, 8.5g of protein, 0g of fiber, and 0mg of isoflavones. Both fermented soy and placebo powders were flavored with cocoa and monk fruit sweetener.

Participants completed questionnaires on demographics, diet, stress, sleep, physical activity, and use of alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Participants’ height, body mass index (BMI), and body composition were measured at baseline.  Every month, the participants met the study clinician and completed questionnaires about their experience with the intervention product. At baseline and after 12 weeks, all participants underwent a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests.

Study findings

The majority of the randomized participants were postmenopausal women 70 years and older. An individual assigned to the placebo group was removed because of a recent MCI diagnosis. The overall dropout rate was 22%, comprising five participants in the placebo group and eight in the fermented soy group. The reason for most dropouts was linked to the palatability of the intervention.

A total of 47 participants completed the study (fermented soy group: 25 and control: 22). The mean age of participants who completed the study was 74.0 years, and the mean age of participants who dropped out was 71.7 years. Interestingly, Hispanic participants exhibited a higher dropout rate compared to Whites and other racial groups.

The fermented soy and control groups did not significantly differ in participant characteristics or cognitive scores. Approximately 90% of participants adhered to the fermented soy and placebo interventions. After adjusting for baseline scores, the fermented soy group exhibited a modest yet statistically significant improvement limited to memory scores (p = 0.041) compared to the placebo group. No significant between-group differences were found in other cognitive domains or in overall global cognition.

Exploratory analyses revealed a more prominent effect among postmenopausal women who were 70 years and older. These post hoc analyses indicated that women in this subgroup experienced improvements in both memory and global cognition. However, the authors cautioned that these findings should be interpreted carefully due to the analyses' small sample size and exploratory nature. A mean improvement in memory scores of 8.47% was estimated for the fermented soy group, compared to 2.05% for the placebo group.

Conclusions

The current study suggests that fermented soy may support memory function in older adults. Modest improvements in memory, and exploratory evidence for global cognition, were observed among postmenopausal women 70 years and older. However, the authors emphasized that these results are hypothesis-generating and that causality cannot be inferred. Larger and longer-term studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Rather than recommending consumption outright, the researchers propose that fermented soy could be a promising dietary component to help maintain cognitive health and potentially delay cognitive decline when integrated into an overall healthy lifestyle.

Download your PDF copy now!

Journal reference:

Harvard nutritionist says these are the 4 best changes you can make to your diet for a healthy brain

 Didn't your competent? doctor get the nutritionist to create a hospital diet protocol on this? They've known about the need for years! I guess you don't have a functioning stroke doctor do you?

• polyphenols (23 posts to September 2012)

• fiber intake (13 posts to March 2013)

• fermented foods (4 posts to May 2017)

• probiotics (33 posts to November 2012)

Harvard nutritionist says these are the 4 best changes you can make to your diet for a healthy brain

he decades-old saying "you are what you eat" has grown increasingly true as we learn just how important our diets are for immunity, longevity and even mental health.

"Many people don't realize that there's a way in which the food we eat impacts our mental wellbeing," according to Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and author of "Calm Your Mind with Food."

"The food we eat, as it gets digested, interacts with the trillions of microbes in the gut microbiome, and gets broken down into different substances, which then subsequently over time impact our mental wellbeing. Some of the foods that are less healthy, if we're eating them, set the gut up for inflammation."

DON'T MISS: 4 simple ways to eat for longevity in the new year, according to a Harvard nutrition expert

Inflammation in the gut can lead to several adverse mental health symptoms, Naidoo says, including anxiety.

"By tweaking your diet back to a healthier norm, you can actually help to relieve some of these symptoms," she notes.

Here are four simple changes you can make to your diet for better brain health.

The 4 best changes you can make to your diet for a healthy brain

1. Increase the fiber you eat

"An easy first step is to increase the fiber in your diet," Naidoo says.

"An increased intake of total dietary fiber" was associated with a lower chance of developing depression, according to a study published in "Complementary Therapies in Medicine" in 2021.

The best way to get fiber in your diet is to obtain it from plant-based foods, Naidoo says.

These are a few great food sources that are high in fiber:

• Colorful vegetables like leafy greens
• Beans and other legumes
• Flax seeds
• Healthy whole grains

2. Get more polyphenols

Naidoo refers to this method as getting a "kaleidoscope of color" in your diet by eating colorful foods that are high in polyphenols. Different plants and vegetables of different colors "represent a level of biodiversity needed by the gut microbes," she says.

Aim to eat more foods rich in polyphenols like:

• Carrots
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Nuts, especially hazelnuts and pecans
• Black olives

"All of these are hugely important, because they have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties [and] fiber, plus multiple micronutrients that our bodies need," Naidoo says.

3. Eat foods rich in probiotics

A healthy gut is great for our brains, and our guts love probiotics. And you can get more of the healthy bacteria from fermented foods.

"A study published in 'Cell,' a very highly reputable journal, done by a research group at Stanford University a couple of years back, showed that adding fermented foods to your diet lowers inflammation," Naidoo says.

Naidoo recommends finding a fermented food that appeals to you, whether it be kefir, kimchi, yogurt or kombucha.

4. Use more herbs and spices

One of the simplest ways to improve your gut health, which can also promote healthy brain health, is by adding more spices and herbs to your diet, Naidoo says. It's "something people often overlook," she adds.

"Spices and different types of fresh herbs are rich in plant polyphenols, high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties," Naidoo says.

You can spice up your meals with:

• Turmeric and a pinch of black pepper
• Capsaicin from chili peppers
• Mint
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Ginger
• Garlic

"They flavor up your food [and] they add depth, whether you make a soup or roast vegetables or a piece of salmon," Naidoo says, but they're also "a powerful part of our kitchen that we can lean into."

Did Fermentation Drive Human Brain Evolution?

I look at this and see that fermenting wine and beer might be helpful even now to keep our brains functioning at a good clip. Don't listen to me, I'm not medically trained.

Did Fermentation Drive Human Brain Evolution?

Summary: Recent research proposes that fermentation, rather than cooking, was the crucial dietary change that enabled the significant growth of the human brain.

The researchers argue that pre-digested, fermented foods provided more accessible nourishment, bridging the gap between the evolution of larger brains and the later advent of cooking.

This theory is bolstered by evidence like the smaller large intestine in humans compared to other primates, indicating adaptation to easier-to-digest foods.

The hypothesis opens new avenues for exploring the impact of fermented foods on human health and the gut microbiome, potentially linking it to both physical and mental well-being.

Key Facts:

1. Human brains began to enlarge 2.5 million years ago, a million years before the earliest evidence of cooking, suggesting another dietary change spurred this growth.
2. The study posits that the consumption of fermented foods provided the necessary caloric intake to fuel larger brains in our ancestors.
3. The human gut’s adaptation to fermented foods and their prevalence in all cultures support this hypothesis.

Source: Harvard

The large, capable human brain is a marvel of evolution, but how it evolved from a smaller primate brain into the creative, complex organ of today is a mystery.

Scientists can pinpoint when our evolutionary ancestors evolved larger brains, which roughly tripled in size as human ancestors evolved from the bipedal primates known as Australopithecines. But why it happened when it did – what spurred that change – has remained elusive.

While some have theorized that the use of fire, and the subsequent invention of cooking, gave our ancestors enough nourishment for our larger-brained ancestors to become dominant, a new theory points to a different spark: fermentation.

Hecht suggested that an additional study of brain responses to fermented and non-fermented foods might be useful, as might one of olfactory and taste receptors, perhaps using ancient DNA. Credit: Neuroscience News

The key to understanding how our brains grew is most likely rooted in what – and how – we eat, said Erin Hecht, one of the authors of “Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion,” which has just been published in Nature Communications Biology.

“Brain tissue is metabolically expensive,” said the Human Evolutionary Biology assistant professor. 

“It requires a lot of calories to keep it running, and in most animals, having enough energy just to survive is a constant problem.”

For larger-brained Australopiths to survive, therefore, something must have changed in their diet. Theories put forward have included changes in what these human ancestors consumed or, most popularly, that the discovery of cooking allowed them to garner more usable calories from whatever they ate.

But the problem with this theory is that the earliest evidence places the use of fire at approximately 1.5 million years ago – significantly later than the development of the hominid brain.

“Our ancestors’ cranial capacity began increasing 2.5 million years ago, which conservatively gives us about a 1-million-year gap in the timeline between brain size increasing and the possible emergence of cooking technology,” explained Katherine L. Bryant, one of the paper’s co-authors and currently a researcher at the Institute for Language, Communication, and the Brain at Aix-Marseille Université in France.

“Some other dietary change must have been releasing metabolic constraints on brain size, and fermentation seems like it could fit the bill.”

Added Hecht: “Whatever changed in their diets had to have happened before brains started getting bigger.”

She continued, noting that during the last few years researchers have postulated other options, such as the consumption of rotting meat. In this new paper, Hecht and her team offer a different hypothesis: that cached (or saved) food fermented, and that this “pre-digested” food provided a more accessible form of nourishment, fueling that bigger brain and allowing our larger-brained ancestors to survive and thrive through natural selection.

The shift was probably a happy accident. “This was not necessarily an intentional endeavor,” Hecht posited. “It may have been an accidental side effect of caching food. And maybe, over time, traditions or superstitions could have led to practices that promoted fermentation or made fermentation more stable or more reliable.”

This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the human large intestine is proportionally smaller than that of other primates, suggesting that we adapted to food that was already broken down by the chemical process of fermentation. In addition, fermented foods are found in all cultures and across food groups, from Europe’s wine and cheese to Asia’s soy sauce and natto, or soy beans.

Hecht suggested that an additional study of brain responses to fermented and non-fermented foods might be useful, as might one of olfactory and taste receptors, perhaps using ancient DNA. For the evolutionary biologist, these are all fertile areas for other researchers to pick up on. (Hecht’s focus is more on “how brain circuits have evolved to support complex behaviors” with research on both living humans and dogs.)

As research progresses, Bryant sees possibilities for a wide range of benefits. “This hypothesis also gives us as scientists even more reasons to explore the role of fermented foods on human health and the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome,” she said. “There have been a number of studies in recent years linking gut microbiome to not only physical but mental health.”

About this evolutionary neuroscience research news

Author: Anne Manning
Source: Harvard
Contact: Anne Manning – Harvard
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
“Fermentation technology as a driver of human brain expansion” by Erin Hecht et al. Communications Biology

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Fermented foods for better gut health

They seem to be missing my favorite fermented foods.
Beer is fermented grains;
Wine is fermented grapes;
Sake is fermented rice.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fermented-foods-for-better-gut-health-2018051613841
Posted May 16, 2018, 10:30 am

Kelly Bilodeau
Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Naturally fermented foods are getting a lot of attention from health experts these days because they may help strengthen your gut microbiome—the 100 trillion or so bacteria and microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. Researchers are beginning to link these tiny creatures to all sorts of health conditions from obesity to neurodegenerative diseases.
Fermented foods are preserved using an age-old process that not only boosts the food’s shelf life and nutritional value, but can give your body a dose of healthy probiotics, which are live microorganisms crucial to healthy digestion, says Dr. David S. Ludwig, a professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Not all fermented foods are created equal

The foods that give your body beneficial probiotics are those fermented using natural processes and containing probiotics. Live cultures are found in not only yogurt and a yogurt-like drink called kefir, but also in Korean pickled vegetables called kimchi, sauerkraut, and in some pickles. The jars of pickles you can buy off the shelf at the supermarket are sometimes pickled using vinegar and not the natural fermentation process using live organisms, which means they don’t contain probiotics. To ensure the fermented foods you choose do contain probiotics, look for the words “naturally fermented” on the label, and when you open the jar look for telltale bubbles in the liquid, which signal that live organisms are inside the jar, says Dr. Ludwig.

Try making your own naturally fermented foods

Below is a recipe from the book Always Delicious by Dr. Ludwig and Dawn Ludwig that can help get you started.
Spicy pickled vegetables (escabeche)
These spicy pickles are reminiscent of the Mediterranean and Latin American culinary technique known as escabeche. This recipe leaves out the sugar. Traditionally, the larger vegetables would be lightly cooked before pickling, but we prefer to use a quick fermentation method and leave the vegetables a bit crisp instead.

• 2 cups filtered water
• 1 to 1-1/4 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 jalapeño or a few small hot chiles (or to taste), sliced
• 1 large carrot cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds or diagonal slices
• 1 to 2 cups chopped cauliflower or small cauliflower florets
• 3 small stalks celery (use only small inner stalks from the heart), cut into 1-inch-long sticks
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cabbage leaf, rinsed

Warm the water (no need to boil). Stir in the sea salt until it dissolves completely. Set aside to cool (use this time to cut the vegetables). Add the vinegar just before using. The brine can be made ahead of time and stored in a sealed glass jar on the counter to use when ready to pickle.
Set a quart-size canning jar in the sink and fill it with boiling water to sterilize. Empty the jar and tightly pack the vegetables and bay leaf inside to within 1 to 2 inches from the top of the jar. Pour the brine over the vegetables to fill the jar to within 1 inch from the top. Wedge the cabbage leaf over the top of the vegetables and tuck it around the edges to hold the vegetables beneath the liquid.
Set jar on the counter and cover with a fermentation lid. (Alternatively, use a standard lid and loosen it a bit each day for the first few days, then every other day, to allow gasses to escape.) Let pickle for three to five days, depending on the indoor temperature. Check the taste after a couple of days, using clean utensils. Vegetables will pickle faster in warmer climates. Make sure the vegetables stay packed beneath the level of the liquid and add salted water (2 teaspoons sea salt dissolved in 1 cup warm filtered water) as needed.
When the vegetables are pickled to your liking, seal the jar with a regular lid and refrigerate. Vegetables will continue to slowly pickle in the refrigerator. They will keep for about one month. Taste for saltiness before serving and, if desired, rinse gently to remove excess salt.
Calories: 1 (per 1 tablespoon)
Carbohydrate: 0 g
Protein: 0 g
Fat: 0 g
Excerpted from the book Always Delicious by David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD, and Dawn Ludwig. Copyright © 2018 by David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD, and Dawn Ludwig. Recipe reprinted with permission of Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved. 

Could blueberry vinegar tackle memory loss?

I don't know and neither will your doctor. Don't do this.
https://www.mdlinx.com/internal-medicine/top-medical-news/article/2017/12/21/7498426/?

Healthline/Medical News Today

Scientists might have discovered a potential new treatment for dementia, in the form of blueberry vinegar. In the recent study, researchers show how the fermented product improved short-term memory in mice with amnesia.
Dementia is one of the fastest-growing health burdens across the globe, with one person developing the disease every 3 seconds.
It is estimated that 50 million people worldwide live with dementia. By 2050, this number is expected to reach 131.5 million.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for around 60–80% of all cases. It is characterized by problems with learning and memory, and it affects around 5.5 million adults in the United States alone.
Shocking statistics such as these highlight the desperate need for new ways to prevent and treat dementia.
Previous research has suggested that some natural compounds, such as those in blueberries, may help to reduce dementia-related memory loss.
As the researchers of the latest study note—including Beong Ou Lim, of Konkuk University in the Republic of Korea—research has shown that fermentation can increase the bioactivity of natural compounds.
They write, "Fermented products, such as vinegar, might act to preserve the phenolic compounds that are easily oxidized during food processing and that are impacted by factors, such as maturity, storage, and processing."
With these factors in mind, Lim and colleagues sought to investigate whether or not vinegar made from blueberries might be effective for reducing memory loss.
The team recently published its findings in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Short-term memory improved in mice
In order to reach their findings, the scientists induced amnesia in mice by giving them a drug called scopolamine. The mice were then given 120 milligrams per kilogram of blueberry vinegar or 120 milligrams per kilogram of blueberry extract every day for 1 week.
The team found that the mice given the blueberry vinegar showed a reduction in the breakdown of acetylcholine in their brains. Low levels of acetylcholine have been identified in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, the authors note.
The study also revealed that blueberry vinegar led to a rise in brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the mice, which is a protein that plays a role in the growth and maintenance of nerve cells.
The researchers tested the memory of the mice with Y-maze tests and avoidance tests. They found that the blueberry vinegar led to better performances in both tests, which they say demonstrates its potential to boost short-term memory.
Commenting on the potential implications of their findings, the researchers write:

"BV [blueberry vinegar] may be a promising functional material or food for the protective agents of amnesia-related cognitive impairment."

That said, the team notes that further studies are needed to confirm whether or not blueberry vinegar can improve memory problems in people with dementia.
—Honor Whiteman

The Everyday Foods Which Reduce Social Anxiety - fermented foods

I use the fermented foods of beer and wine to reduce social anxiety. Don't do this.  You likely have a lot of anxiety about not  recovering 100%.
http://www.spring.org.uk/2015/06/the-everyday-foods-which-reduce-social-anxiety.php

People who are particularly neurotic may benefit from this group of common foods — plus exercise.

People who eat more fermented foods have lower social anxiety, a new study finds.
The benefit is particularly noticeable amongst people who are highly neurotic.
Neurotic people are prone to anxiety.
Fermented foods that are a regular part of the Western diet include milk, cheese, yoghurt and bread.
They typically contain probiotics, which are likely behind the benefit.
(For more on how to deal with anxiety, find out about PsyBlog’s anxiety ebook, “The Anxiety Plan”.)
Professor Matthew Hilimire, one of the study’s authors, said:

“It is likely that the probiotics in the fermented foods are favorably changing the environment in the gut, and changes in the gut in turn influence social anxiety.
I think that it is absolutely fascinating that the microorganisms in your gut can influence your mind.”

The study asked around 700 young adults to keep track of what they ate over a month.
The researchers controlled for how much exercise people did and how healthily they ate.
Dr DeVylder explained the results:

“The main finding was that individuals who had consumed more fermented foods had reduced social anxiety but that was qualified by an interaction by neuroticism.
What that means is that that relationship was strongest amongst people that were high in neuroticism.”

The study also found that the more exercise people did, the lower their social anxiety.
The researchers are planning an experiment to back up the results of this survey.
Dr DeVylder said:

“However, if we rely on the animal models that have come before us and the human experimental work that has come before us in other anxiety and depression studies, it does seem that there is a causative mechanism.
Assuming similar findings in the experimental follow-up, what it would suggest is that you could augment more traditional therapies (like medications, psychotherapy or a combination of the two) with fermented foods — dietary changes — and exercise, as well.

Dr Jordan DeVylder, another of the study’s authors, said:

“This study shows that young adults who are prone towards anxiety report less social anxiety if they frequently consume fermented foods with probiotics.
These initial results highlight the possibility that social anxiety may be alleviated through low-risk nutritional interventions, although further research is needed to determine whether increasing probiotic consumption directly causes a reduction in social anxiety.”

The study is to be published in the journal Psychiatry Research (Hilimire et al., 2015).

Antihypertensive Effect of Fermented Milk Products Under the Microscope

This is not proven yet so your doctor doesn't have to do anything about updating diet stroke protocols just yet. But s/he should be collaborating on research studies to prove this out. No collaboration, the stroke department head should be fired for not setting appropriate goals and objectives.

Antihypertensive Effect of Fermented Milk Products Under the Microscope

Potential health benefits of functional foods based on new lactic acid bacteria offer opportunities for food developers, report investigators in the Journal of Dairy Science®
Over the past decade, interest has been rising in fermented dairy foods that promote health and could potentially prevent diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure). Functional dairy products that lower blood pressure and heart rate may offer consumers an effective alternative to antihypertensive drugs if their effectiveness can be demonstrated. Investigators reporting in the Journal of Dairy Science® review the scientific basis of reported claims and identify opportunities for developing products based on new lactic acid bacteria.
Hypertension affects more than one billion people throughout the world, according to the World Health Organization. It is an important risk factor for developing other cardiovascular diseases, stroke, renal failure, cerebrovascular accidents, and many other medical complications. Although hypertension can be treated with drugs, these often involve significant side effects. Scientists are therefore seeking out food substances that can help reduce or prevent hypertension.
“Fermented milk has been promoted as a nonpharmacological treatment for hypertension, mainly because of the lack of undesirable side effects, but as yet, there is insufficient evidence to support this according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA),” explained lead investigator Belinda Vallejo-Córdoba, PhD, of the Center for Food Research and Development, Sonora, Mexico. “The most studied bioactive peptides derived from dairy proteins are antihypertensive peptides; however, existing studies need to be evaluated before a health claim may be associated with products. With this in mind we have carefully reviewed in vitro and in vivo and clinical studies of fermented milk containing antihypertensive peptides.”
The team of investigators established that the most common strategy to select fermented milks with antihypertensive potential was to identify angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides by in vitro studies. However, they observed that some strains inhibiting ACE activity in vitro did not reduce blood pressure in rats. They evaluated 13 studies with spontaneously hypertensive rats and seven randomized controlled clinical trials in which an antihypertensive effect was demonstrated. Most were based on Lactobacillus helveticus.
Scientifically proven health claims and acquisition of exclusivity rights of using novel food ingredients in functional food products has been observed as a critical factor in ultimate success of these food products in the market. The investigators note that several fermented milk products already on the market attribute their antihypertensive effect to the bioactive peptides present in the fermented milk and draw attention to the fact that some of these commercial products possess intellectual property rights. However, they point out that these products may also contain minerals such as potassium and calcium, which may have a positive effect on blood pressure.
“Although much research related to antihypertensive peptides has already been done, there is a great need for exploration of new lactic acid bacteria that possess the ability to generate this bioactivity as well as good technological properties for the production of fermented dairy products. As commercial fermented milks with antihypertensive effects are scarce and most of the current products are based on Lactobacillus helveticus, there is a great opportunity here,” commented Dr. Vallejo-Córdoba.
The authors recommend future studies to include in vitro lactic acid bacteria screening for ACE-inhibitory effects, in vivo studies with spontaneously hypertensive rats, and clinical trials to test the efficacy of the fermented milk product. “It is also important to develop the regulatory legislation that allows the introduction of health claims for functional dairy foods, especially in countries where this subject is underdeveloped,” Dr. Vallejo-Córdoba concluded.

• Full bibliographic information“Invited review: Fermented milk as antihypertensive functional food,” by L. M. Beltrán-Barrientos, A. Hernández-Mendoza, M. J. Torres-Llanez, A. F. González-Córdova, and B. Vallejo-Córdoba (DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-10054), Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 99, Issue 6 (June 2016), published by Elsevier. The article is openly available at http://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(16)00169-7/pdf