PEARS MAKE A SWEET CONTRIBUTION TO LONGEVITY
Among the most elegantly shaped edibles, pears have long been classic subjects for still-life artists. But the elegance of these botanical siblings of the apple and rose does not end with their looks. Their texture is unique–grainy but buttery and crisp. They have a special affinity with foods as diverse as cheese and chocolate, raspberries and bitter greens. Pears take to preparation in myriad ways. Poached, baked, saut (c)ed, steamed and pur (c)ed, or stewed, pears may be at their peak when fully ripe (pears ripen best off the tree, at room temperature) and raw.
Nutritionally, pears supply fiber and vitamin C. Functionally, pears contain antioxidants not only as vitamin C but from the flavonoid quercetin, which diminishes the risk of cardiovascular disease by preventing atherosclerotic plaques. It is also anti-inflammatory and lowers blood pressure. By all such mechanisms, it protects the heart and blood vessels, making it a boon to blood flow in the brain.
Now, Dutch researchers report, pears, along with apples, may specifically benefit the brain by protecting against stroke. A large, 10-year study found that persons consuming the most white-flesh fruits and veggies–mainly pears and apples–had a risk of stroke that was 52 percent lower than did those who consumed few white-flesh foods.
There are over 3,000 varieties of pear. Not all are in wide cultivation. But those that are make pears available year-round. Protecting the brain is always in season.
PEARS WITH A KICK
SERVINGS: 4
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
Ingredients
6 cups cold water
4 cups cane sugar
4 Bosc pears, peeled, stem intact
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla
2 1-inch pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned
6 whole cloves
Directions
Place water and sugar in heavy pot and stir well to dissolve sugar. Heat and stir until mixture forms a light syrup, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla, cloves, and ginger to syrup and stir.
Carefully place pears upright in pot and cover pot loosely. (Pear parings may be added to intensify flavor.) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook pears for 30-40 minutes, until just tender.
Remove pears gently from pot to a souffle dish or other high-sided dish.
While pears cool, bring syrup to a boil and cook at moderate heat until syrup reduces, about 15 minutes.
Remove pear parings and cloves with a slotted spoon and discard. Remove ginger with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Ladle 4 tablespoons of syrup over each pear. Strew ginger strips on the pears. Coat pears with more syrup.
Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to two days).
Note: Remaining syrup makes a flavorful base for hot or cold drinks, mixed with boiling water, seltzer, or other fizzy water. Store in a jar.
MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITY ON THE RISE
By Rose Pastore
The prevalence of mental illness is notoriously hard to track. But a new study of thousands of 65-and-under Americans finds that mental health disabilities are on the rise, even as physical disabilities are declining.
Participants rated their difficulty with tasks like walking and shopping, and then identified the underlying causes from a list of conditions including arthritis, obesity, and a single mental health category defined as “depression, anxiety, or emotional problems.”
The rate of mental health disability climbed by a third, from 2 percent of the non-elderly population in 1997 to 2.7 percent in 2009. Study author Ramin Mojtabai, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md., suggests that Americans are beginning to understand that psychic distress can be debilitating and that ailments like depression and anxiety often come with physical symptoms.
If anything, says David Chambers, a researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health, the study highlights the need for more integrated health care, so that a patient who visits his doctor for migraines, say, could also get treatment for the depression that might be causing them. The increase in self-reported mental health disabilities may not be an ongoing trend, however, but a temporary uptick created by the success of awareness campaigns.
ARE CHROMOSOMES TO BLAME FOR CHRONIC PAIN?
By Katherine Schreiber
Can silencing a gene save you from suffering? The extent of pain a person feels is determined in part by the firing rate of nerve cells in the affected area. Blocking a gene that regulates electrical signaling may provide a way to dial down the firing rate and abolish the often crippling pain caused by nerve damage.
To mimic the sensitivity of human chronic pain sufferers, University of Cambridge scientists exposed a nerve in the thighs of mice. Half were genetically engineered so that their pain-sensitive neurons lacked the HCN2 gene. Like humans with chronic pain, the normal mice responded to heat, cold, and minor pinpricks by immediately pulling back. But mice without the HCN2 gene endured the discomfort for longer.
“This is a stunning discovery,” says study author Peter McNaughton. “All modes of pain hypersensitivity were completely absent.”
What does this mean? Not much–yet. “The next challenge is to develop HCN2 blockers that could target pain-sensitive neurons in humans,” says McNaughton. Such drugs won’t hit the market for at least another eight to ten years.
Gene therapy takes time to develop, and often doesn’t pan out at all. Can’t wait? Here are ways to get some relief right now:
1. Exercise: “Being overweight exacerbates chronic pain,” says Mark Borigini, a rheumatologist at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. And strong muscles can take a load off achy joints.
2. Medication: While there’s no magic pill, certain drugs can help, Borigini says, citing pregabalin as one example. And anti-depressants like duloxetine can also reduce pain perception.
3. Sleep: “Those who have better sleep have less pain,” Borigini observes. Try keeping your bedroom as dark as possible.
4. Support: “People with chronic pain often feel alone,” notes Borigini, which worsens their day-to-day difficulties. Support groups can alleviate isolation and enable fellow sufferers to exchange advice. Check your local hospital or contact the Arthritis Foundation for more information.
