Friday is the best day of the week for an easy question – so is glymphatica word? Yes. It is a specialized form of the lymphatic system which exists in the brain to help with fluid flow between areas of the brain and from intracellular areas to the blood vessels. The g is added to refer to fact that glial type of brain cells work in combination with the brain’s lymphatic system – making it the glymphatic system. (pp 844-846, Neuroscience, 6th Ed.)
Slightly more interesting and more difficult easy question/answer – turns out the glymphatic system is most active while we sleep. The brain tissue shrinks quite a bit during sleep allowing easier fluid flow and likely facilitating movement of nutrients to the brain cells and removal of toxins from them. Since exercise and sleep are both linked to better health of myelin – more regeneration/less demyelination – is it likely that the better function of the glymphatic system is involved? — Probably but I have to read more about that idea. I just thought of it and likely others have thought of it before me and written medical papers about it but I only just learned of the glymphatic system today. (I enjoy words and health.)
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
Reference: pp 844-846, Neuroscience, 6th Edition, Editors D. Purves, G.J. Augustine, D. Fitzpatrick, W.C. Hall, A.S. LaMantia, R.D. Mooney, ML. Platt, L.E. White, (Sinauer Associates, Oxford University Press, 2018, New York) (Barnes&Noble)
Work is progressing on the development of pumpkin seed flour for use as a food thickening substance for use in gravies or other sauces or stews. It would increase the protein, essential fatty acids, and other trace nutrient content of the resulting foods. (10) The use of pumpkin seeds in the diet may also prove to be protective against cancer and liver or kidney injury; and as a good source of antioxidants such as carotenoids (vitamin A family of nutrients) the use of pumpkin seeds in the diet may prove to be helpful against many conditions that involve excess oxidative stress. (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) They are also a source of vitamin E (tocopherols), other phytosterols, and linoleic acid, a beneficial polyunsaturated fat. Pumpkin seed oil may be helpful in wound healing. (15) Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of phospholipids, (16), which are important for skin and membrane health.
Pumpkins are considered a drought tolerant plant for gardeners. Adequate water is needed to grow larger pumpkin and squash but the vines can survive limited water conditions. The seeds of other summer and winter squash are also nutrient rich and also may be more drought tolerant plants. (11, 12) Enough but not too much water at the right times are critical. Flooding or severe drought may both harm the garden yield. Mulching and drip irrigation or other watering methods applied at optimal stages of growth can be the water thrifty solution for best yield. (13, 14)
The seeds of butternut squash and some types of winter squash can be collected when trimming the squash and later toasted and eaten as a crunchy nutritious snack. India grocery markets may also have shelled squash seeds available for sale. They are slightly smaller and paler in color than the shelled pumpkin kernels in the image above.
Magnesium is one of the beneficial nutrients found in pumpkin seeds. It is a mineral that is needed in greater quantity during pregnancy and high blood pressure/hypertension can be a symptom of deficiency. Preeclampsia and the more severe eclampsia are complications characterized by high blood pressure and edema/swelling that can occur during pregnancy. Toxins collect in the excess fluid buildup and can risk a brain condition similar to hypertension encephalopathy in the more severe eclampsia. Seizure activity can result and death for the woman and expected infant are risks. Magnesium is used as an intravenous or intramuscular injection to reduce risk of the seizures during eclampsia. The mineral seems to help protect the blood brain barrier and reduce swelling in the brain during eclampsia. It’s role as an antioxidant to reduce free radical toxins may be involved but the exact mechanism for its benefit in eclampsia is not known. (2, page 139)
More information about preclampsia is available in a previous post, and more information about food sources and supplement sources of magnesium is also available in a previous post.
I have several writing projects in draft mode however they overlap – pumpkin seeds, a good source of magnesium and zinc, helped my previous prenatal clients who had a history of preeclampsia or high blood pressure in a previous pregnancy prevent a reocurrence of the problem. Why? Possibly because of the magnesium and other beneficial nutrients which could be protecting the blood brain barrier and might then also be helpful for preventing harm to oligodendrocytes and protect against demyelination – a risk that can occur with some types of encephalopathy (3).
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
Mehmet Kaya, Bulent Ahishali, Chapter 9: The role of magnesium in edema and blood brain barrier disruption, page 139, in the book edited by Robert Vink, Mihai Nechifor, Magnesium in the Central Nervous System, University of Adelaide Press, 2011, adelaide.edu.au, free ebook pdf, https://www.adelaide.edu.au/press/titles/magnesium/magnesium-ebook.pdf (2)
M. Gossell-Williams, A. Davis, N. O’Connor, Inhibition of Testosterone-Induced Hyperplasia of the Prostate of Sprague-Dawley Rats by Pumpkin Seed Oil. Jun 2006, Vol. 9, No. 2 : 284 -286.
C. Z. Nkosi, A. R. Opoku, S. E. Terblanche, Antioxidative effects of pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepo) protein isolate in CCl4-Induced liver injury in low-protein fed rats.
Fahim AT Abd-el Fattah AA Agha AM Gad MZ Effect of pumpkin-seed oil on the level of free radical scavengers induced during adjuvant-arthritis in rats. In: Pharmacol Res (1995 Jan) 31(1):73-9 ISSN: 1043-6618
Suphakarn VS Yarnnon C Ngunboonsri P, The effect of pumpkin seeds on oxalcrystalluria and urinary compositions of children in hyperendemic area. In: Am J Clin Nutr (1987 Jan) 45(1):115-21 ISSN: 0002-9165
Matus Z Molnar P Szabo LG [Main carotenoids in pressed seeds (Cucurbitae semen) of oil pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo convar. pepo var. styriaca)] Olajtok (Cucurbita pepo convar. pepo var. styriaca) magjabol nyert presmaradek ossz-karotinoid-tartalmanak es karotinoid-osszetetelenek meghatarozasa. In: Acta Pharm Hung (1993 Sep) 63(5):247-56 ISSN: 0001-6659 (Published in Hungarian) * The main carotenoids included per the Pepo Farms site: “The main components of the press-residue were lutein [3,3′-dihydroxy-alpha-carotene = (3R,3’R,6’R)-beta,epsilon-carotene-3,3′-diol; 52.5%] and beta- carotene (beta,epsilon-carotene; 10.1%). In addition to the above- mentioned pigments it was successful to reveal the presence of violaxanthin, luteoxanthin, auroxanthin epimers, lutein epoxide, flavoxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin, 9(9′)-cis-lutein, 13(13′)-cis- lutein, 15-cis-lutein (central-cis)-lutein, alpha-cryptoxanthin, beta- cryptoxanthin and alpha-carotene (beta,epsilon-carotene) in small quantities.” (4)
Bardaa S, Ben Halima N, Aloui F, et al. Oil from pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) seeds: evaluation of its functional properties on wound healing in rats. Lipids in Health and Disease. 2016;15:73. doi:10.1186/s12944-016-0237-0. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827242/ (15)
After just one day of increased stretching exercises in addition to my usual hiking my legs are feeling better. The stretching exercises for lymphedema shared in a video link in the last post help move fluid by muscle power. Lymphatic vessels run parallel somewhat to the blood vessels but have no heart pumping action to circulate the fluid to the lymph nodes where it mingles with blood vessels and immune system white blood cells. The movement of the surrounding muscles is needed to help move fluid through the lymphatic vessels. They are near the skin surface so very gentle massage motions towards the areas of drainage can also help. Lymphatic massage is a special type of massage that may be medically recommended after lymph node surgery or for lymphedema. (Read more: How to Perform Lymphatic Drainage Massage.)
Exercise can help reduce inflammation by promoting the movement of the fluid around cells and in the lymphatic vessels to lymph nodes for detoxification and eventual excretion once it is absorbed into the blood vessels. Exercise has also been found helpful for mitochondrial health which help provide the body energy and protect against myelin loss. (1)
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
The importance of glycine within the Bovine basic myelin protein seemed visually obvious, however I itemized all of the amino acid chain just to double check. Glycine is most prevalent and the other point that became clear is that most amino acids (cysteine is not included) are incorporated so having a good variety of protein foods in the diet including all the essential amino acids would be important:
Gly – glycine – 25 (Conditional, may be needed in diet)
Arg – arginine – 18 (Conditional, may be needed in diet)
Ser – serine – 18 (Conditional, may be needed in diet)
Ala – alanine – 14 (Nonessential, we can make it)
Lys – lysine – 13 (Essential in the diet)
Pro – proline – 12 (Conditional, may be needed in diet)
His – histidine – 10 (Essential in the diet)
Leu – leucine – 10 (Essential in the diet)
Asp – aspartic acid – 9 (Nonessential, we can make it)
Gln – Glutamine – 8 (Conditional, may be needed in the diet)
Phe – phenylalanine – 8 (Essential in the diet)
Thr – threonine – 7 (Essential in the diet)
Tyr – tyrosine – 4 (Conditional, may be needed in the diet)
Ile – isoleucine – 3 (Essential in the diet)
Val – valine – 3 (Essential in the diet)
Asn – asparagine – 2 (Nonessential, we can make it)
Glu – glutamic acid – 2 (Nonessential, we can make it)
