Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia [1], which impact is presently moderate if we consider the future forecasts, as they predicted that 1 in 85 people or 1,75% will be affected by Alzheimer's disease by 2050 [1,2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) calculated the total amount of people affected by Alzheimer's disease would be about 25 million worldwide by 2025 [3], actual figures estimate that today, that amount has reached the incredible figure of 33.9 million! people affected by Alzheimer's disease [4], and foreseen to triple in the coming 40 years, affecting some 800,000 people in the UK alone [7].

In spite Alzheimer's disease can occur at any age, it is very seldom that cases are reported between the age of 40 to 50 years, and chances to get affected by Alzheimer's disease are increasing between 60 and 65 years old.

The University of Leeds published an article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry about their findings on how these two compounds, namely Resveratrol from red wine and green tea active constituent epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) [7] can prevent the deposition of  β-amyloid plaques and prevent Alzheimer's disease. Image left: Tea harvest by Oli Studholme under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0).

CAMELIA SINENSIS

Family: Teaceae
Genus: Camelia
Common name: Green tea

Many have been the properties and health benefits of Ginkgo biloba that have attracted the attention of most of us in the past years. Ginkgo biloba, a tree known for being among the most resistant  tree species that ever existed on earth, has been claimed to be able to inhibit the progression of human colon cancer cells [8], being effective also in the treatment of dementia [9], and as a pilot study suggested in 2005 even improve cognition in patients of multiple sclerosis (MS), more exactly the study suggested ginkgo biloba improved attention in patients of multiple sclerosis [14].

These raise among multiple sclerosis patients the common believe that Ginkgo biloba would eventually help them to improve cognitive problems associated with the disease. This has been just turn down by a study published in the journal of Neurology [14], according to which Ginkgo biloba does not improve cognitive performance in patients suffering multiple sclerosis. Image left: Ginkgo biloba by ginkgogz under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

GINKGO BILOBA

Family: Ginkgoaceae
Genus: Ginkgo
Common name: Ginkgo biloba, 銀杏, イチョウ, pinyin, yín xìng, Hepburn, ichō or ginnan, Maidenhair Tree

In spite some of the properties and health benefits of Coconut oil have been extensively broadcasted by the media (fighting Alzheimer's disease for example), some others have not yet been mentioned, mainly due to the fact that they were so far "unknown properties" that coconut oil was never thought to exert.

One of this properties refers to the ability that Coconut oil has to fight certain types of bacteria, among them some strains of Streptococcus bacteria which are common inhabitants of the mouth [14].

It was already known that digested coconut oil is able to attack the bacteria causing tooth decay, however, it wasn't until now that researchers from Athione Institute of Technology found how enzyme-modified coconut oil strongly inhibited the growth of most strains of Streptococcus bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium that is a major cause of tooth decay [14]. Image left: Coconut oil by Phu Thinh Co under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0).

COCOS NUCIFERA

Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Cocos
Common name: Coconut

Ginkgo biloba is already known for being one of the most resistant  tree species that ever existed on earth, being the living specie left from the ginkgoales, a group from which only fossils are left.

Ginkgo biloba belongs to a  group of trees, the ginkgoales, with an existence on earth dated more than 200 million years ago. Ginkgo biloba has resisted over the years to pests of insects, viruses, bacterias, fungi and many others without perishing, being able to live as long as 1,000 years, but how?

GINKGO BILOBA

Family: Ginkgoaceae
Genus: Ginkgo
Common name: Ginkgo biloba, 銀杏, イチョウ, pinyin, yín xìng, Hepburn, ichō or ginnan, Maidenhair Tree