Written by: Christine M Greene, PhD, MBA, CSCS
About the Author: Christine graduated from UCONN with her PhD in Nutritional Science, where she did her thesis on lipid metabolism. She also holds an MBA in Health Care Administration as well as maintaining her certification as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the NSCA. Dr. Greene is a professor at the University of Hartford and is the Director of Team Sports and Nutrition for CherryPharm.

---

Get More Fighting Power in Your Diet
Here’s a little known fact. The millions of processes that go on in your body every day are akin to rusting. You are oxidizing as you sit! Alarming as that is, it is perfectly natural. Breathing, muscle contractions, excretion, absorption, digestion, etc. are all normal physiologic functions that cause the body to produce free radicals. The production of free radicals is a chemical process called oxidation. While oxygen is an important component of this oxidative process, we obviously couldn’t survive without it. Our bodies deal with those changes through a series of reactions that occur thousands of times during our day. We’ll skip the rest of the chemistry lesson and simply say that scientists have found that the production of free radicals produces greedy oxygen molecules that are desperate to find an electron to complement their outer electron orbit. Oxygen will take that electron from any other molecule it can in order to satisfy that greed, even our DNA. That can wreak havoc on the cells in our bodies if we are not properly maintained.Specific age-related problems most likely linked to free radicals include vision loss, heart disease, skin damage, declining mental faculties, the effects of aging, and cancer. Luckily, antioxidants can counter, scavenge, and deactivate these damaging free radicals. Thousands of studies spanning decades of research consistently and repeatedly show that maintaining a high antioxidant defense system lowers a person’s risk for disease, stimulates the immune system, protects brain neurons from damage, and possibly even slows the aging process. Oxidative stress associated with disease occurs when oxidative damage exceeds our antioxidant defenses. Eating or drinking food products that contain antioxidants may slow the progression of these age-related diseases

Antioxidants reportedly slow the disease process by supplying that greedy oxygen with the electron it is seeking. Using antioxidants to prevent or slow the progression of certain diseases is an idea not totally embraced by the medical field – yet. But, it is gaining momentum. “It is clear that up to 70% of strokes and 80% of heart disease can be prevented by changes in diet and lifestyle,” says Balz Frei, Ph.D., director of Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute, as reported in the April 2004 issue of Health. Many health care professionals believe the benefits of antioxidants apply to virtually all the major systems of the body, including the cardiovascular system, immune system and neurons in the brain. Consuming foods high in antioxidant capacity has been touted as a means of slowing the aging process due to the antioxidant’s ability to quench free radicals within the body. But to get the full benefit of natural antioxidants, they need to be consumed in sufficient quantity, each and every day.

Even if your doctor has yet to jump on the antioxidant bandwagon, consuming produce remains part of a healthy diet. Proper nutrition includes eating your ‘colors’, which means selecting whole, fresh fruits and vegetables by the variety of seasonal colors that they offer. Look for foods that range in color from yellow to red to purple. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are the reason we see the variety of colors, so select accordingly. Many vegetables are high in antioxidants even though they are green in color. This is because chlorophyll will mask the antioxidants contained, so do not shun green fruits or vegetables! And remember, the more intense the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more antioxidants it has and the better it is for you.

The following table lists a few fruits and vegetables with accompanying ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity – or antioxidant) potential. This laboratory procedure measures the total antioxidant capacity of foods in their various forms and states. ORAC measures how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb and deactivate (Ou 2001). The more oxygen radicals a food absorbs, the higher its ORAC score. The higher the ORAC score, the better a food may be in helping our bodies fight diseases like cancer and heart disease. The form of the food is very important here. Fresh juice is different from concentrated, cooked vegetables differ in antioxidant capacity than do fresh. Nutrition experts estimate a person needs to consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units a day to reach a significant antioxidant capacity in the blood associated with health benefits. Using the table below, you will see the antioxidant capacity of your favorite fruits and vegetables.

You can print this table and post it to your fridge for future reference when you make your grocery list. Remember, the higher the ORAC value, the better the food is for you.

Approved by: Christine M Greene, PhD, MBA, CSCS
About the Approver: Christine graduated from UCONN with her PhD in Nutritional Science, where she did her thesis on lipid metabolism. She also holds an MBA in Health Care Administration as well as maintaining her certification as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the NSCA. Dr. Greene is a professor at the University of Hartford and is the Director of Team Sports and Nutrition for CherryPharm.

---

Diet and Disease

According to an American Cancer Society report, 30%-40% of cancers are directly related to dietary choices. Diet also plays a very important role in the development of other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Common dietary recommendations for preventing chronic diseases include eating a minimum of 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, eating fatty fish twice a week and eating a diet low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.

The emphasis on eating colorful fruits and vegetables has grown over the past several years due to the ever-increasing body of research linking fruit and vegetable consumption to a reduction in chronic disease risk. In addition, scientists are continuing to build upon the body of evidence indicating that phytonutrients can help minimize free radical damage, tame inflammation, slow the aging process, stimulate the immune system and reduce one’s risk of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, cataracts and osteoporosis.

Why Tart Cherries?

Over 900 naturally occurring phytonutrients have been isolated from food and while the health benefits of many of these have been elucidated, these phytonutrients typically work together synergistically in the body making food a better choice than supplements. And, though all fruits and vegetables have their own unique health benefits, berries often stand out among the very best disease fighting foods. Tart cherries, in particular, contain unique anti-inflammatory anthocyanins that are non-selective cyclo-oxygenase (Cox-1 and Cox-2) inhibitors along with other powerful antioxidants and bio-active compounds. In fact, studies indicate that tart cherries and/or cherry phytonutrients can reduce inflammation and inhibit tumor growth, improve blood flow and reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.

Research has shown that consuming 45 cherries per day reduces systemic markers of inflammation including C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a blood marker now being used to assess cardiovascular disease risk. Unfortunately, cherries are a seasonal fruit and most juices get broken down by harsh food processing conditions such as the concentration process and/or time spent in lengthy distribution channels, heat, light and oxygen destroy beneficial phytonutrients.

Retaining the Phytonutrients

A company called CherryPharm (Geneva, NY) has worked with food scientists at Cornell University to create an innovative juice extraction and pouring technique that retains maximum cherry anthocyanins and other bioactive compounds. Each minimally processed 8 oz bottle is made from whole fruit – not from concentrate – and is the equivalent of 50 cherries.

For years many forward thinking health professionals have emphasized the importance of nutrition for preventing disease and disability. By incorporating health-promoting foods such as tart cherries or a minimally processed juice made from whole fruit such as cheribundi into our diets, we can help reduce inflammation and attenuate free radical damage thereby decreasing our risk for disease and enhancing our health.

Written by: Malachy McHugh, Ph.D
About the Author: Malachy McHugh received his Ph.D in Exercise Physiology in 1999 from the University of Wales, Bangor. Since 1999, Dr. McHugh has been the Director of Research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT) at Lenox Hill Hospital in New Your City. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, member of the Orthopedic Research Society and an adjunct professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at New York University.

---

The New York Rangers were the first professional athletes to start drinking a new tart cherry juice as part of their daily training regimen. Thanks to a growing body of literature providing indirect evidence on the beneficial effects of cherries for various inflammatory conditions, the team’s medical staff hoped that it could help with the rigors of the NHL season — and they have been pleased with the results.

The all-natural juice, cheribundi, was developed at Cornell University and clinically tested on an inflammatory condition that most people recognize — exercise-induced muscle damage. Soreness, weakness and stiffness that occur 1–2 days after relatively unfamiliar exercise are highly reproducible responses. When compared to placebo, taking cheribundi for 4 days pre and post exercise significantly reduced the symptoms of muscle damage. Strength loss (the best indicator of muscle damage) averaged only 4% with cheribundi compared to 22% with placebo. Pain was also reduced.

These results published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (Connolly et al 2006) are impressive considering all the interventions that have been shown to be ineffective. Stretching, massage, ultrasound and electrical muscle stimulation have all been shown to be unproductive. More importantly, most studies have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have minimal impact on the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage.

The apparent medicinal effects of cherries are attributed to the numerous phyto-nutrients with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. However, the pertinent issue with cherries, as with other so-called “functional foods”, is how much to consume to get results. The challenge is to find a naturally potent product that is convenient and has not been broken down by exposure to harsh food processing techniques. CherryPharm appears to have solved the issues of degradation and convenience with their “not from concentrate” juice — each 8 fl. oz. bottle contains the equivalent of 50 tart cherries.

There remains a lot to learn about medicinal effects of “functional foods” such as cherries. Despite the size of the dietary supplement industry, the health benefits of most products are probably optimized by consuming those foods in their natural state rather than in a concentrated or encapsulated or powdered form. Unfortunately, the dearth of clinical studies supporting health benefits of foods and supplements starkly contrasts with the number of products in the marketplace. This makes published reports showing efficacy on products such as cheribundi all the more important.

Written by: Malachy McHugh, Ph.D
About the Author: Malachy McHugh received his Ph.D in Exercise Physiology in 1999 from the University of Wales, Bangor. Since 1999, Dr. McHugh has been the Director of Research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT) at Lenox Hill Hospital in New Your City. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, member of the Orthopedic Research Society and an adjunct professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at New York University.

---

The term “functional food” refers to an added benefit that goes beyond basic nutrition – examples might include fiber found in bran cereal and probiotics in yogurt. Now there is a growing body of literature demonstrating a strong anti-inflammatory effect from cherries. The first human study was completed in 1950 showing the effectiveness of eating cherries in the management of arthritis and gout. Since then, published animal studies have linked cherry consumption to anti-inflammatory, pain inhibiting, and anti-carcinogenic effects. Other recent human studies have confirmed that plasma urate levels were significantly reduced within 5 hours of eating 45 cherries, and that circulating inflammatory markers such as C-Reactive Protein (CRP) were also significantly reduced after daily consumption of fresh cherries. Interestingly, elevations in CRP have been implicated in the etiology and pathogenesis of numerous diseases including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and obesity.

The medicinal effects of cherries are attributed to the naturally occurring phyto-nutrients containing unique anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, the pertinent issues with cherries, as with all “functional foods” are (1.) how much to consume to get results and (2.) the practicality of consumption. Research has established that 45 cherries per day can reduce systemic markers of inflammation in healthy adults, but eating that quantity can be onerous and expensive, not to mention impossible for a seasonal fruit. Therefore, the challenge is to find a naturally potent solution that has not been broken down by the typically harsh food processing conditions in commercial food production. A company called CherryPharm appears to have solved the efficacy and convenience issues with their “not from concentrate” all-natural cherry juice based on an innovative juice extraction and pouring technique — each bottle contains the equivalent of 50 whole cherries and has over 13,000 ORAC units.

cheribundi was developed at Cornell University and its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects have been demonstrated in several independent double blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies. Results from three separate in vivo trials include significant reductions in post exercise muscle damage (CK, AST), inflammation (CRP, IL6, uric acid), and oxidative stress (TBARS). These findings are impressive because no other product — all natural or otherwise — has ever been shown to have these combined effects. Additional in vivo studies showed cheribundi to increase Total Antioxidant Capacity, protect cells from oxidative stress, and even improve sleep in elderly patients with insomnia. cheribundi is the first food ever to show these kinds of clinical results making it a true “functional food.” But perhaps more importantly this all-natural juice may have even broader applications for the management and even prevention of other clinical pathologies that incur elevated inflammation and/or oxidative stress.

There remains a lot to learn about the medicinal effects of “functional foods” such as cherries but it is widely accepted that potential efficacy is enhanced when foods are consumed in their natural state as opposed to concentrated, encapsulated or powdered forms. And while many food, beverage, and supplement marketers enthusiastically tout the health benefits of their products, the general lack of clinical studies supporting these claims is alarming. This makes published, peer-reviewed, scientific reports on successful nutritional interventions such as cheribundi all the more important.

Approved by: Christine M Greene, PhD, MBA, CSCS
About the Approver: Christine graduated from UCONN with her PhD in Nutritional Science, where she did her thesis on lipid metabolism. She also holds an MBA in Health Care Administration as well as maintaining her certification as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the NSCA. Dr. Greene is a professor at the University of Hartford and is the Director of Team Sports and Nutrition for CherryPharm.

---

Traditional Post-exercise Recovery

There are many factors that can influence an athlete’s success: for example, strength and conditioning, sport-specific training, nutrition, rest and recovery all play important roles. However, the least well-known but arguably most important aspect is recovery. Athletes who routinely push their physical limits but don’t fully recover can experience lingering soreness, inflammation, fatigue, poor performance and an increased risk of developing injuries. Therefore, proper management of recovery can lead to improved training and more importantly, enhanced performance potential.

Most athletes are unaware of how the body produces elevated blood markers of post-exercise muscle damage, inflammation and oxidative stress  these are the terrible triad that will inhibit recovery. Likewise, there persists a popular misconception that damaging exercise is necessary, as in a no pain no gain approach to training. However, research has shown that mitigating muscle damage actually leads to greater gains over time. So, while strength coaches work hard to build and train muscles, it stands to reason that similar attention should be given to attenuating the root cause of so many chronic overuse injuries through improved recovery.

PREcovery – Speeding the Recovery Process

Until recently post-exercise recovery focused primarily on hydration, replenishment of energy (protein + carbohydrates) and treatment of muscle damage symptoms. But a company called CherryPharm from Geneva, NY has challenged traditional thinking with an all-natural tart cherry juice that when taken PRE exercise has been clinically shown to reduce post-exercise muscle damage, inflammation and oxidative stress concurrently, thereby protecting the body and speeding recovery. Independent university and hospital research on the cheribundi juice have led to multiple published, peer-reviewed, scientific journals along with a growing list of elite athletes and teams now incorporating the juice into their daily regimens.

While all fruits and vegetables are nutritionally beneficial, tart cherries contain unique anti-inflammatory anthocyanins that are non-selective cyclo-oxygenase (Cox-1 and Cox-2) inhibitors as well as other antioxidants and bio-active compounds. Research has shown that consuming 45 cherries per day reduces systemic markers of inflammation including C-Reactive Protein (CRP). However, typically harsh food processing conditions often destroy the beneficial compounds found in fruit like tart cherries. To ensure efficacy of their product, CherryPharm has worked with food scientists at Cornell University to create an innovative juice extraction and pouring technique to retain maximum cherry phyto-nutrients. Each minimally processed 8 oz bottle is made from whole fruit – not from concentrate – and is the equivalent of 50 whole cherries.

This concept of PRECOVERY is exciting because it demonstrates that a nutritional intervention can actually prevent inflammation before it begins and impact how the body responds to exercise. It also highlights the benefits of consuming nutrient-rich whole foods such as minimally processed cheribundi tart cherry juice as part of the recovery process that can lead to improved training and optimal performance.

Approved by: Christine M Greene, PhD, MBA, CSCS
About the Approver: Christine graduated from UCONN with her PhD in Nutritional Science, where she did her thesis on lipid metabolism. She also holds an MBA in Health Care Administration as well as maintaining her certification as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the NSCA. Dr. Greene is a professor at the University of Hartford and is the Director of Team Sports and Nutrition for CherryPharm.

---

How Diet Affects Our Skin

Skin care is generally associated with applying topical creams and taking prescription medications but it is important to understand that what we eatplays a vital role in the health and integrity of our skin. Certain foods contain beneficial compounds that may attenuate the damaging effects of free radical exposure, boost collagen and even help mitigate underlying inflammation. Interestingly, many skin conditions including acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis are considered primary inflammatory diseases.

Why Tart Cherries?

One such beneficial food is tart cherries, which are rich in powerful antioxidants including anti-inflammatory anthocyanins, vitamin A, melatonin and other bioactive compounds. Research has shown that tart cherries act as non-selective cyclo-oxygenase (Cox 1 and Cox 2) inhibitors, enzymes that play a significant role in the many inflammatory processes in our bodies. For example, increased Cox 2 expression has been found in patients with psoriasis while both Cox 1 and Cox 2 levels are elevated in patients with acne vulgaris.

Vitamin A – Vitamin A in the form of retinol is essential for maintaining the health and functioning of skin cells. In fact, vitamin A in pharmacological doses is used to treat acne and aging (topically in the form of retinoids and internally as Accutane).
Anthocyanins – Studies show that anthocyanins limit inflammation, limit tissue degradation, improve local circulation, protect human skin cells from the damage caused by UV light exposure and promote a strong collagen matrix.
Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that may reduce the affects of aging by scavenging harmful free radicals and reducing inflammation.

But as with all foods, retention of natural compounds throughout processing, shipping and storage is critical – exposure to heat, light and oxygen lead to irreparable break down.

So when it comes to diet and skin care, it is important to understand that what we eat can have a significant impact on how we look and feel. Be sure to seek out foods that are nutrient-rich to begin with and are available as close to their natural state as possible – for example, many grocery store juice brands start with concentrated juice and have additives or preservatives. Therefore, always read labels and understand that less is more when it comes to food processing. Tart cherries and cheribundi are an excellent example.

Approved by: Christine M Greene, PhD, MBA, CSCS
About the Approver: Christine graduated from UCONN with her PhD in Nutritional Science, where she did her thesis on lipid metabolism. She also holds an MBA in Health Care Administration as well as maintaining her certification as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the NSCA. Dr. Greene is a professor at the University of Hartford and is the Director of Team Sports and Nutrition for CherryPharm.

---

How Inflammation Contributes to Disease

Many diseases and conditions have their roots embedded in inflammation. For example, inflammation of arterial plaque contributes to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (inflammation leads to plaque rupturing, which blocks arteries) making atherosclerosis an inflammatory disease. Local or systemic inflammation contributes to myriad other diseases and conditions including sarcopenia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea and possibly Parkinsons disease. And, aside from inflammation contributing to the disease process itself, many diseases such as scleroderma lead to inflammation as a side effect.

Physicians can measure levels of inflammation through a variety of markers. Some inflammation is normal and essential, especially if you have an injury or cold. But, chronic inflammation is unhealthy and can contribute to the pathogenesis of disease. Psychological stress, environmental triggers and the food we eat can activate the inflammatory process. Additionally, our own bodies can play a role in an internal cascade of inflammation. For instance, fat tissue releases signaling molecules that can increase inflammation in the body.

When it comes to nutrition, trans fats increase inflammation and polyunsaturated vegetable oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids also increase pro-inflammatory eicosanoids (especially in the absence of adequate omega-3 fatty acid intake). Likewise, a diet high in refined sugars and high glycemic foods that increase blood sugar and spike insulin may also increase inflammation. And, food intolerances and/or allergies can also contribute to elevated inflammation.

Taming Inflammation With Tart Cherries

The good news is that there are certain foods capable of taming inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids can decrease pro-inflammatory markers while increasing anti-inflammatory markers. And, foods rich in specific antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, can decrease systemic inflammation. Tart cherries are particularlyrich in anthocyanins. In fact, research has shown that consuming 45 cherries per day reduces systemic markers of inflammation including C-Reactive Protein (CRP) an increasingly common marker used to assess cardiovascular disease risk.

Unfortunately, cherries are seasonal and most juices get broken down by harsh food processing conditions, shipping and storage. But a company called CherryPharm (Geneva, NY) has worked with food scientists at Cornell University to create an innovative juice extraction and pouring technique that retains maximum cherry phyto-nutrients. Each minimally processed 8 oz bottle of juice is made from whole fruit not from concentrate and is the equivalent of 50 whole cherries. And several independent, double-blind, placebo controlled studies have confirmed the efficacy of this juice in multiple conditions including post-exercise muscle damage, inflammation, oxidative stress and insomnia.

So, while research continues to explore the link between inflammation and the development of disease, greater emphasis should be placed on nutrition strategies for reducing inflammation. By incorporating inflammation-fighting foods we can enhance our health by decreasing our risk for disease.