Foods from roots/plants:  

Arabidopsis Plant

Look at medical proof, in July 2011 by online publication of Nature, investigated why Arabidopsis does its major stem-growing in the dark—a pattern common to most plants. Biologist Steve Kay and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, report that a specific trio of proteins regulates the rhythm in Arabidopsis stems. Arabidopsis thaliana helped scientists not very long ago too unearth new clues about the daily cycles of many organisms, including humans. This is the latest in a long line of research, much of it supported by the National Institutes of Health, that uses plants to solve puzzles in human health. While other model organisms may seem to have more in common with us, greens like Arabidopsis provide an important view into genetics, cell division and especially light sensing, which drives 24-hour behavioral cycles called circadian rhythms.

Some human cells, including cancer cells, divide with a 24-hour rhythm. One of the main human circadian rhythm genes, cryptochrome, has been associated with diabetes and depression. Both of these discoveries grew from work with plants.

T group of proteins, called the evening complex, interacts in the early evening to silence two genes that usually promote plant growth. When the evening complex’s activity trails off a few hours before dawn, proteins release the brakes on growth and plants enter their nightly phase of rapid stem elongation.

When the plant is mutated the three genes that code for the evening complex, this makes the Arabidopsis biological clock run out of sync—stems grew unusually long and flowered early.

Scientists aren’t yet certain why night is the best time for stems to grow, but Kay speculates it has to do with using resources efficiently. Plants pick up carbon and nitrogen during the day, then store these essential nutrients as starch and proteins. “In the later night, they can release these resources in a coordinated fashion to provide the building blocks for stem growth,” says Kay. “

Our understanding of human health and the role of clocks in health and disease can greatly benefit from studying how clocks work in plants,” he adds.

Scientists are interested in answering basic biological questions, but others who work with plants have their eyes on future disease therapies. Plant-based molecules, for instance, are being used to target reservoirs of HIV that hide out in their hosts. At the University of California, Berkeley, chemist Jay Keasling has look over the years for simple ways to get microbes to produce greater quantities of these plant-based molecules at lower cost.

How plants like Arabidopsis suppress harmful genes may also help improve HIV therapies. A team of biologists led by Craig Pikaard at Washington University in St. Louis is investigating RNA polymerases, chemicals important in determining which genes get switched on, to learn how plants silence harmful virus-derived genes. Similar silencing pathways could be harnessed for HIV therapies.

More generally, scientists are looking toward plants as a medicinal source. Chemist Sarah O’Connor at MIT is genetically engineering periwinkle plants, the natural source of the anticancer drug vinblastine, to produce variations of the drug with halogens attached. Halogens make some medicines last longer in the body, meaning that probing periwinkle’s capabilities could make cancer treatments more effective.

Plant compounds present in carrots and parsley may one day support more effective delivery of chemotherapy treatments, new research has found. Specific plant compounds are able to inhibit transport mechanisms in the body that select what compounds are absorbed into the body, and eventually into cells. These same transport mechanisms are known to interfere with cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Some further examples of good compounds coming from plants for human lives are:

Flavonoids are one class of secondary plant metabolites that are also known as Vitamin P or citrin. These metabolites are mostly used in plants to produce yellow and other pigments which play a big role in coloring the plants. In addition, Flavonoids are readily ingested by humans and they seem to display important anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-cancer activities. Flavonoids are also found to be powerful anti-oxidants and researchers are looking into their ability to prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Flavonoids help prevent cancer by inducing certain mechanisms that may help to kill cancer cells, and researches believe that when the body processes extra flavonoid compounds, it triggers specific enzymes that fight carcinogens. Good dietary sources of Flavonoids are all citrus fruits, which contain the specific flavanoids hesperidins, quercitrin, rutin, berries, tea, dark chocolate and red wine that includes many of the health benefits attributed to these foods come from the Flavonoids they contain.

Phytic acid is the main method of phosphorus storage in plant seeds, but is not readily absorbed by many animals (only absorbed by ruminant animals). Not only is phytic acid a phosphorus storage unit, but it also is a source of energy and cations, a natural antioxidant for plants, and can be a source of mycoinositol which is one of the preliminary pieces for cell walls.

Phytic acid is also known to bond with many different minerals, and by doing so prevents those minerals from being absorbed; making phytic acid an anti-nutrient. There is a lot of concern with phytic acids in nuts and seeds because of its anti-nutrient characteristics. In preparing foods with high phytic acid concentrations, it is recommended they be soaked in after being ground to increase the surface area. Soaking allows the seed to undergo germination which increases the availability of vitamins and nutrient, while reducing phytic acid and protease inhibitors ultimately increasing the nutritional value. Cooking can also reduce the amount of phytic acid in food but soaking is much more effective.

Phytic acid is an antioxidant found in plant cells that most likely serves the purpose of preservation. This preservation is removed when soaked, reducing the phytic acid and allowing the germination and growth of the seed.

Atropine is a type of secondary metabolite called a tropane alkaloid. Alkaloids contain nitrogens, frequently in a ring structure, and are derived from amino acids. Tropane is an organic compound containing nitrogen and it is from tropane that atropine is derived. Atropine is synthesized by a reaction between tropine and tropate, catalyzed by atropinase. Within Atropa belladonna atropine synthesis has been found to take place primarily in the root of the plant. The concentration of synthetic sites within the plant is indicative of the nature of secondary metabolites.

Gossypol has a yellow pigment and is found in cotton plants. It occurs mainly in the root and/or seeds of different species of cotton plants. Gossypol can have various chemical structures. It can exist in three forms: gossypol, gossypol acetic acid, and gossypol formic acid. All of these forms have very similar biological properties. Gossypol is a type of aldehyde, meaning that it has a formyl group. The formation of gossypol occurs through an isoprenoid pathway. Isoprenoid pathways are common among secondary metabolites. 3Gossypol’s main function in the cotton plant is to act as an enzyme inhibitor. An example of gossypol’s enzyme inhibition is its ability to inhibit nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked enzymes of Trypanosoma cruzi. Trypanosoma cruzi is a parasite which causes Chaga’s disease.

For some time it was believed that gossypol was merely a waste product produced during the processing of cottonseed products. Extensive studies have shown that gossypol has other functions. Many of the more popular studies on gossypol discuss how it can act as a male contraceptive. Gossypol has also been linked to causing hypokalemic paralysis. Hypokalemic paralysis is a disease characterized by muscle weakness or paralysis with a matching fall in potassium levels in the blood. Hypokalemic paralysis associated with gossypol in-take usually occurs in March, when vegetables are in short supply, and in September, when people are sweating a lot. This side effect of gossypol in-take is very rare however. Gossypol induced hypokalemic paralysis is easily treatable with potassium repletion.

Believe or not, plants enhanced our lives.

Tune in tomorrow of specific names of compounds in foods we eat to help your health derived from plants.

“It’s amazing how many subtle ways we are connected to plants, and science proves it. Without plants, life on Earth simply would not exist. Through the process of photosynthesis, plants produce oxygen, as well as purifying the air of pollutants. Plants convert the carbon dioxide people and animals exhale into fresh oxygen. Plants can also filter out dangerous toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and mold particles from our homes and offices.

Likewise, plants can raise the ambient humidity of a room as they transpire moisture into the air, creating a more comfortable environment to breathe in. The more plants you have in your office or apartment garden, the more they can improve the air quality around you.

If you already have your ēdn SmallGarden growing, a few complimentary low-maintenance houseplants known to actively purify air are the Snake Plant, Peace Lily, Spider Plant, Pothos Ivy, and Dracaena.”

edn (https://www.edntech.com)

Plants by 20% can improve memory, attention span and concentration outside in wildlife.  Studies have even shown that tasks performed while under the calming influence of nature are bettered performed (from sitting with our pets to being outdoors with mother nature in pleasant weather to that individual’s mind—from rain to a pleasant sunny day with birds chirping or even by a rain fall dropping near the person).

Keeping ornamental plants in the home and in the workplace increases memory retention and concentration. The calming influence of natural environments is conducive to positive work environments by increasing a person’s ability to concentrate on the task at hand. Work performed under the natural influence of ornamental plants is normally of higher quality and completed with a much higher accuracy rate than work done in environments devoid of nature. Going outside or being under the influence of plants can increase memory retention up to twenty percent, a recent University of Michigan study showed (Sewach). The effect of nature in the home and in the workplace serves to stimulate both the senses and the mind, improving mental cognition and performance. (Bisco Werner 1996; Brethour 2007; Frank 2003; Pohmer 2008; Serwach 2008; Shibata, 2001, 2004; Yannick 2009).

Even take parks or places like botanical gardens that both often play as a host to educational programs and special events, which do contribute to the awareness of culture and education of the community, especially children.  The better the environment the better the effect.  Example take a highly criminal area as opposed to a lesser one. Installing a park or botanical garden in a community has many direct benefits to residents, but an auxiliary benefit of having such a naturalized landmark in the community is the special events and cultural opportunities it brings to people who might not otherwise be exposed. Botanical gardens and zoos often create educational programs for children in order to teach them how the value of being environmentally-conscious and conserving the environment. They can also impact adults in the community as well, creating a cultural awareness of the importance of natural environments. Parks and gardens foster an appreciation for nature that often instills in residents a sense of responsibility for the caring of and protection of the environment. (Appleseed, Inc. 2009, Dubey 2007, Nadel 2005, Phipps Botanical Gardens and Conservatory 2010)

Parks and urban green spaces impact people’s health by providing them with an inexpensive (often free) and convenient recreational service. There is a positive correlation between the presence of a park in a neighborhood and the level of physical activity of the residents; people are much more likely to exercise when there is a no-cost, aesthetically pleasing area or facility for them to use.  Many are more out to do simple (walking) or more intense (running) outside to even handball or basketball do just mental exercise (reading) all outdoors in nice parks as opposed to a high urban area of just warehouses and buildings with no park or in a work out place with all just nautilus and weights all over the public place that has high probability of picking up cold, flu, infections.  Why?  In high probability your exposed to much more germs and bacteria as opposed to a park or your own home in or outside.   Less host build up of germs and bacteria.  Public places are high percentage in where you pick up germs and bacteria.

Believe it or not is helps in the healing process.  Shrubs, trees, and flowers have a practical application in hospitals.  Whether the the presence of plants are in the patients hospital rooms or viewed outside the room seeing beautiful parks via their window greatly reduces the time necessary to heal. The soothing effects of ornamental flowers and plants are so great that simply having daily views of flowers and other ornamental plants in landscaped areas outside patient recovery room significantly speed up recovery time; now if unfortunately the patient is terminal it’s a much greater atmosphere to be around than just four walls.

Ornamental plants affect the levels of compassion that people feel for others. Studies have shown that people who spend more time around plants are much more likely to try and help others, and often have more advanced social relationships. People who care for nature are more likely to care for others, reaching out to their peers and forming shared bonds resulting from their common interests.

Spending time in nature gives people an increased feeling of vitality, increasing their energy levels and making them feel more animated. Their performance levels are, in turn, increased by this improved state of mind. Natural environments induce a positive outlook on life, making people feel more alive and active. When people experience increased vigor, they put more of themselves and their energy into their work.  People who spend more time outside in nature have a significantly more positive outlook on life than people who spend a great deal of time indoors, based on the majority.

One of the more obvious benefits of plants and trees is that many of them have valuable medicinal properties. Cultivating plants helps humanity because it provides opportunities for additional scientific studies of the possible positive medicinal values of plants. Natural herbal remedies are simple and holistic methods for treating common illnesses and maladies.

Simply regarding STRESS, plants help people with dealing with it in a positive way.  How you ask; by helping many people transform their stress into a more positive emotion, this can be done commonly done in America in a pent house, back yard to farming, gardening-it gives people an excellent coping mechanism for their daily frustrations. Plants to even nurturing them helps reduce stress levels and gives people a way to cope with their negative feelings, in letting them release rather than build up.   Gardening can have therapeutic effects on people who have undergone trauma, either mental or physical. The act of nurturing a plant can provide victims with a way to work through their issues and heal their wounds, whether they are on the surface of the skin or deeper. Cultivating plants also improves their mental states and helps to put them in a better place for recovering. Gardening is a therapeutic tool.

Beautifying traffic medians not only improves the aesthetics of the roadways, it also affects driver attitudes. Studies show that drivers are more at ease on roadways with natural landscaping, and are much more inclined to think positively about the community that they are driving through if the roadways are beautiful. Furthermore, adding trees to roadways creates a sort of natural obstruction which could reduce the likelihood of cars crossing medians into oncoming traffic lanes. This improves driver safety and makes the community a safer place for everyone to live in.

Believe it or not plants enhance our lives! 

“Ticks are most active in the spring in most climates, but they do not disappear in the fall. Fall is often the time of year pet parents find the most ticks. This is due to ticks settling into fall foliage for a nice, cozy winter.  Remember the fall is right around the corner!  Ticks are not just a summer problem. While some types of ticks may slow down when it gets colder, others are just getting started. A lot of the risk depends on the species of ticks you are dealing with, and your region of the country. Simply put, ticks should be considered as a year-round health threat, with autumn being a major tick season.”

PetHealthNetwork

“Aortic aneurysms can be hard to find because early symptoms often don’t exist. It’s only until the blood vessel ruptures that symptoms appear.  Most aneurysms come with few warnings signs until tearing or rupturing occurs.   Although aneurysms contribute to more than 25,000 deaths in the United States each year, it’s actually possible to live with and successfully treat an aortic aneurysm.  Early detection is vital, however.”.

Penn Medicine

“Dry skin, itching, bruises, wrinkles, age spots, skin tags, skin cancer, and more can all happen to your skin as you get older. Your skin is the largest organ in the body, and it’s valuable to take the proper steps to keep your skin healthy. “

Dermatology Center (https://www.wvdermcenter.com)

“Menopause is a point in time 12 months after a woman’s last period. The years leading up to that point, when women may have changes in their monthly cycles, hot flashes, or other symptoms, are called the menopausal transition, or perimenopause.

The menopausal transition most often begins between ages 45 and 55. It usually lasts about 7 years but can last as long as 14 years. During the menopausal transition, the body’s production of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones made by the ovaries, varies greatly. Bones become less dense, making women more vulnerable to fractures. During this period, too, the body begins to use energy differently, fat cells change, and women may gain weight more easily.”

NIH National Institute on Aging

“The call for articles on the long term health effects of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks (9/11) has resulted in twenty-three papers that add a significant amount of information to the growing body of research on the effects of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster almost two decades later. The attacks on 9/11 were a paradigm altering event in US history and have had major repercussions in the political landscape and response to terrorism. The toll of 9/11 includes the continued impact of accumulated health effects among those who were directly exposed to either the air pollution or re-suspended material that resulted from the collapse of the two WTC towers, and physical injuries or psychological trauma. This includes a wide range of physical and mental health disorders that continue to plague thousands of people 20 years later as well as newly identified conditions emerging as a result of prolonged disease latency.  Respiratory and lung problems are among the most prevalent and highly persistent physical health problems arising from 9/11 exposure to dust clouds from the collapsing building and the subsequent re-suspension of dust ”

U.S. Library of Medicine/National Institute of Health

“Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is the condition of having a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) of no known cause (idiopathic).  Although most cases are asymptomatic, very low platelet counts can lead to a bleeding.Detection of antiplatelet antibodies in the blood is considered to confirm the diagnosis of ITP.[1] Treatment should be restricted to those patients with moderate or severe thrombocytopenia who are bleeding or at risk of bleeding. It should be limited in duration unless demonstrated that symptomatic thrombocytopenia persists. Patients with mild, asymptomatic thrombocytopenia, discovered incidentally on a routine blood count, should not be treated.”.

NCBI (U.S. Narional Library of Medicine/National Institute of Health)