This month's bulletin highlights how the pharmaceutical industry attempts to bring unnecessary new drugs into our lives, and the power of natural foods to keep us healthy and happy.
First, you'll hear about the latest attempt to repurpose a failed drug. It's a perfect example of Big Pharma's worst habits.
Then, we'll examine a remarkable study about the ability of a delicious treat to lower high blood pressure without dangerously affecting normal blood pressure.
Finally, we'll learn about the ability of a popular fruit to counteract some of the damage caused by a Western diet.
Pharmaceutical Researchers To Repurpose Obesity Drug For Osteoporosis
A group of pharmaceutical researchers are looking to find a new purpose for a hormone called irisin. Initially labeled the “exercise hormone”, they tried– and failed– to turn the protein into an “exercise pill” that aimed to reduce obesity.
When that endeavor fell flat, they decided to pivot and capitalize on their previous research by experimenting on mice to learn how irisin impacts bone.
Relevant Excerpt
“In a study published in the journal Cell, a team led by scientists at Harvard University Medical School found that injections of irisin in mice increased sclerostin, a protein produced by osteocytes that regulate bone formation. The team argued the findings could lead to future treatments for osteoporosis.
“These results are potential game changers in the fields of metabolism, muscle-bone biology, and exercise,” said the study’s senior author, Bruce Spiegelman, in a statement. “We show that irisin works directly on osteocytes, the most abundant cell type in bone.”1
This is a well-documented pattern in the pharmaceutical industry. When a drug doesn't work or a patent runs out, Big Pharma simply invents a new use for the old drug. Sometimes that involves inventing a whole new disease to treat. The current definition of osteoporosis was invented this way, and since then, new and side-effect ridden drugs are being developed to “treat” it.
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Synopsis
Researchers who tried and failed to create an “exercise pill” based on the hormone irisin are now conducting research to see if they can make an osteoporosis drug using the compound.2 The repurposing of a failed drug is right out of the Big Pharma playbook.
Compound In Chocolate Lowers High Blood Pressure
A new study has found that cocoa flavanols are able to lower high blood pressure, but don't further reduce blood pressure when levels are already normal or low.
This exciting news further emphasizes how our bodies are able to use the health benefits of foods without the risks that pharmaceutical drugs impose.
Relevant Excerpt
“In their study, 11 healthy people consumed six cocoa flavanol capsules or six placebo capsules on alternate days for a week. Each participant received an upper arm blood pressure monitor and a finger clip measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV) — which gauges a patient’s arterial stiffness.
The group took these readings every 30 minutes after consuming cocoa or the brown sugar placebos for three hours. They continued to monitor their blood pressure and pulse wave velocity hourly for another nine hours after that.
Results show that consuming cocoa only led to lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness in participants where those readings were already high. There was no effect when blood pressure was low in the morning.”3
The study also uncovered a previously unobserved effect of cocoa flavanols. Participants experienced a second round of blood pressure regulation eight hours after the initial effect of consuming the cocoa flavonol capsules. The researchers believe this second wave of benefits relates to how gut bacteria metabolize cocoa flavanols.
While the participants in the study were taking cocoa flavonol capsules, as opposed to consuming cocoa, the researchers specifically chose a dosage that is replicable through diet alone.
It's important to note that this study was funded by universities and the Economic and Social Research Council in the UK, and not by an agricultural corporation simply seeking to boost sales of chocolate.
Synopsis
Researchers have found that cocoa flavonols have the ability to lower high blood pressure, but won't cause dangerous dips in blood pressure if levels are already normal or low.
Grapes Help Counteract The Harmful Effects Of Processed Foods
Grapes provide a variety of health benefits, including support for gut bacteria, inflammation reduction from antioxidants, and lowering the risk of heart disease and cancer.
New research suggests that the health-bolstering ability of grapes is so great that it can actually counteract some of the damage caused by an unhealthy diet.
Relevant Excerpt
“In a series of experiments, mice gorged on a high-fat diet typically consumed in western countries. They also received a daily powdered grape supplement equivalent to a small container of the fruit. Results show the lab rodents had less fatty liver and lived longer than their peers.
“The change observed in the study would correspond to an additional four to five years in the life of a human,” says Pezzuto.
The team also finds that grapes improve the function of neurons, protecting against Alzheimer’s disease. They had positive effects on behavior and cognition that were impaired in mice fed high-fat diets without the extract.”4
While this discovery certainly underscores how powerful healthy foods can be, it also ignores the elephant in the room: unhealthy diets. Instead of thinking of beneficial foods as a way to mitigate the disease and early death caused by a typical Western diet, perhaps we should think of them as a replacement for that harmful diet.
Imagine the quality of life possible when healthy foods aren't simply counteracting the harm from processed foods, but are instead extending our lives and health.
Synopsis
Researchers found that the health and longevity benefits of grapes are so great that they can counteract some of the damage caused by an unhealthy diet. Just imagine what they could do for you as part of a healthy diet!
What This Means To You
The pharmaceutical industry continues to develop unnecessary drugs and attempting to find new uses for old failed ones. Meanwhile, science is proving over and over again that the healthy foods provide us with what we need to live long, healthy, happy lives.
Choose a delicious, healthy diet of whole foods that nourishes your body and your bones. The Save Institute makes it easy with Bone Appétit. Bone Appétit is more than a cookbook with 200+ recipes– it's also a tool for learning how to eat better food with healthier ingredients, prepared in ways that preserve their powerful benefits.
Keep enjoying the most delicious delights that nature has to offer– like dark chocolate and grapes! Following that healthy bliss will lead you to the full and active life you deserve!
References
1 https://www.fiercebiotech.com/research/could-a-once-abandoned-obesity-drug-be-revived-osteoporosis
2 “https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2021/5570229
3 https://www.studyfinds.org/chocolate-cocoa-high-blood-pressure/
4 https://www.gutnews.com/grapes-counteract-processed-food-boost-metabolism/
The articles on chocolate, grapes and mushrooms I found very interesting. I’d like to know if you are taking blood pressure medicine for high blood pressure will eating the dark chocolate or putting it in a smoothie regularly enable the blood pressure medicine to be reduced or not have to be taken anymore?
Very interesting article, good to know someone us keeping an eye on the Big Pharma companies
You bet!
Thank you Vivian for such great information!
Question… where can one get the grape powder? And what’s a good food to take to reduce inflammation in the body, especially eye inflammation?
I just want to thank everyone for all this wonderful information. I am currently in a battle with my PCP about taking a osteoporosis medication. I have had several compression fractures, but I am terrified of the osteoporosis medication. I already have many health issues from a medication my mother was given when she was pregnant with me (DES) My doctor says she understands my fears but the only way to prevent me from getting more fractured is to take Reclast. I am using all this info to hopefully get her to view things differently!
My pleasure, Aimee! The Doctor Communication Tutorials downloadable booklet included in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program walks you through the steps you need to take to discuss with your doctor the decision to avoid the drugs and follow a natural protocol instead 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you , Ita.
You’re very welcome, Ita!
Years ago I was alerted through the newsletter to the possible dangers of Big Pharma drugs and vaccines in particular and I am so grateful for that. I did not take the covid vaccine and although I got covid it was more like a heavy cold, with no after effects. With regard to grapes, I understand that they are the worst fruit for pesticides, so is there a way to detoxify them to make them safe for eating?
Glad to know you’re doing well, Mary! The best way to prevent ingesting pesticides is to get organic produce, preferably all but if that’s not possible, at least the fruits and veggies listed in this year’s Dirty Dozen.
Here’s our latest article about the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen:
https://saveourbones.com/update-the-2022-dirty-dozen-and-clean-fifteen-list/
I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis 4 years ago. The GP wanted to start me on Prolia. However, I was already well-read about the medication offered and declined to take up the offer. My GP was horrified. I can still remember the look on her face. So I started taking my own protocol of supplements, we eat well anyway, as I am Coeliac and mostly cook from home. I had regular green smoothies, and a healthy diet and my gut was healing too. Last year I asked the GP for a DEXA scan, as I hadn’t had one in 3 years. The 10-minute Dexa scan took nearly 1 hour, as the machine was setting off error messages that the 2 Radiographers had never seen before. As I have hip replacements, they can no longer scan my hips, so my spine & wrist were scanned. My wrist originally was -4.3 and my spine was around -3.7 indicating a high risk of fracture. The 3-year scan showed marked improvement, my wrist was -1.4 and my spine was -1.1 just sitting below the range of normal, in the Osteopenia range. The reason the Dexa was sending out error messages, as it was doing a comparison with the previous
readings and it couldn’t compute the result, as most people on medication do not show this marked improvement. I was a Nurse/Midwife for 39 years, I am not anti-medication, I am just selective these days. I continue on my supplement protocol of Calcium citrate, Magnesium, Turmeric, and green smoothies. A well-known Australian Cardiologist advises never to use Calcium carbonate (rock calcium), as it does nothing for your bone health and blocks up the arteries to your heart. I find it interesting that the 2 biggest companies that promote calcium for bone health, both contain calcium carbonate. I go to a local heated pool 3 times a week, and I am quite active throughout the day. I hope that I have inspired someone not to be frightened of ignoring the big-pharma medication, as you can improve your osteoporosis/osteopenia and improve long-term health outcomes without the toxic drugs. It isn’t a quick fix, but each day it gets better.
Thanks for sharing your very inspirational story, Christine! Keep up with your good bone health habits and I welcome you to the Saver community 🙂