Vanguard Neurologist

1. “Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) events through multiple factors. Fish oil has been shown to reduce symptoms in RA and to reduce CV risk. Researchers assessed the effect of an anti-inflammatory dose of fish oil on CV risk factors within a program of combination chemotherapy for patients with early RA. Thirteen patients who chose not to take fish oil were compared with 18 patients who consumed 4 grams of EPA and 10 grams of DHA from fish oil.
“After 3 years researchers examined the content of arachidonic acid (AA) in cells, synthesis of thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin E2, use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), traditional CV lipid risk factors, and disease activity. AA was 30% lower in platelets and 40% lower in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in subjects taking fish oil. Serum thromboxane B2 was 35% lower and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole-blood prostaglandin E2 was 41% lower with fish oil ingestion compared to no fish oil. NSAID use was reduced by 75% from baseline with fish oil and by 37% without fish oil. Favorable changes in fasting blood lipids were seen with, but not without fish oil. Remission at 3 years was more frequent with fish oil use (72%) compared to no fish oil (31%). Researchers concluded that fish oil reduces cardiovascular risk in patients with RA through multiple mechanisms.”
Cleland, LG et.al. “Reductions of cardiovascular risk factors with long term fish oil treatment in early rheumatoid arthritis” 2006; Journal of Rheumatology: 33(10): 1973-1979
2. Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea by Alice Waters; photographs by David Liittschwager; 80 color photographs; December, 2008
“One of America’s most influential chefs, Alice Waters created a revolution in 1971 when she introduced local, organic fare at her Berkeley, California, restaurant, Chez Panisse. Twenty-five years later, she and a small group of teachers and volunteers turned over long-abandoned soil at an urban middle school in Berkeley and planted the Edible Schoolyard.
The schoolyard has since grown into a universal idea of Edible Education that integrates academics with growing, cooking, and sharing wholesome, delicious food. With inspiring images of the garden and kitchen—and their young caretakers—Edible Schoolyard is at once a visionary model for sustainable farming and childhood nutrition, and a call to action for schools across the country.”

3. Dutch researchers prospectively investigated whether organic food consumption by infants was associated with developing atopic manifestations in the first 2 years of life. The KOALA Birth Cohort Study in the Netherlands (n=2764) measured organic food consumption, eczema, and wheeze in infants until age 2 years using repeated questionnaires. Diet was defined as conventional when less than 50 % of food consumed was organic, moderately organic when 50–90 % of food consumed was organic, and strictly organic when more than 90 % of food consumed was organic. Of all the children, 10 % had consumed a moderately organic diet and 6 % a strictly organic diet. Eczema was present in 32 % of infants, recurrent wheeze in 11 % and prolonged wheezing in 5 %.

Venous blood samples taken from 815 infants at 2 years of age were analyzed for total and specific IgE. At 2 years of age, 27 % of children were sensitized against at least one allergen. Consumption of organic dairy products was associated with lower eczema risk, but there was no association with organic meat, fruit, vegetables or eggs, or the proportion of organic products within the total diet with the development of eczema, wheeze or atopic sensitisation. Further studies to substantiate these results are warranted.
Kummeling, I. et.al., “Consumption of organic foods and risk of atopic disease during the first 2 years of life in the Netherlands”, 2008; British Journal of Nutrition; 99:598-605