An apple a day...

The apple, lat. malus domestica, is one of the world's most economically and culturally important and at the same time most nutritious fruits.

A healthy fruit rich in nutrients and bioactive substances!

Not only in expert circles, but also among consumers there is no doubt that apples are healthy and have a holistic health benefit.

Modern life sciences, on the other hand, have only partially succeeded in proving, on the basis of evidence and epidemiology, the millennia-old experience of Ayurvedic medicine and the traditions of Hildegard von Bingen on the usefulness of the apple for human health [1].

But, can the apple even protect us from a visit to the doctor?

New research results prove, for example, that apples contain anti-diabetic, pharmacologically active substances [2] and even essentially support the cellular energy metabolism [3].

The apple also has its own microbiome, the so-called "apple phytobiome", which might enter and interact with our intestinal microbiome when we eat them [4].

At the same time it contains such prebiotically active ingredients that support the balance of our intestinal microbiome, the intact intestinal barrier and the gut-associated immune system [5-7].

The apple as a medicine, prebiotic and probiotic - the all-rounder in our everyday life, which can even protect us from a visit to the doctor?

Rethink the "slogan" of the apple!

The proverbial healthy attitude, which is already promised to the dose of one apple per day, is of course naive, too reductionist and not systemic enough - but very memorable!

That is why I have slightly reworded the old "advertising slogan" of the apple and used it as my personal leitmotif for many years, In this way it illustrates very well my systemic, scientific work and modern transdisciplinary way of thinking on holistic concepts of health maintenance and also stands for my personal style of concrete and memorable scientific communication.

Transdisciplinary networking of health experts is essential!

Only the interplay of nutrition, exercise and behavior-based measures in combination with good and comprehensible professional information can have a systemic influence on the so-called “health span” of a person.

This insight, in turn, has the positive consequence that experts from these health areas are already networking across the boundaries of their respective disciplines, sharing their knowledge and experience and working together.

I am newcomer to LinkedIn and would like to provide my expertise and my native network to actively support the development of this health network also through this forum!

 An apple a day - is not enough.

References:

1.        Patocka, J., et al., Malus domestica: A Review on Nutritional Features, Chemical Composition, Traditional and Medicinal Value. Plants (Basel), 2020. 9(11).

2.        Moradi-Marjaneh, R., M. Paseban, and A. Sahebkar, Natural products with SGLT2 inhibitory activity: Possibilities of application for the treatment of diabetes. Phytother Res, 2019. 33(10): p. 2518-2530.

3.        Sommella, E., et al., A Boost in Mitochondrial Activity Underpins the Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Annurca Apple Polyphenols on Hepatic Cells. Nutrients, 2019. 11(1).

4.        Vepstaite-Monstavice, I., et al., Distribution of apple and blackcurrant microbiota in Lithuania and the Czech Republic. Microbiol Res, 2018. 206: p. 1-8.

5.        Puertolas-Balint, F. and B.O. Schroeder, Does an Apple a Day Also Keep the Microbes Away? The Interplay Between Diet, Microbiota, and Host Defense Peptides at the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier. Front Immunol, 2020. 11: p. 1164.

6.        Koutsos, A., et al., Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model. Nutrients, 2017. 9(6).

7.        Shinohara, K., et al., Effect of apple intake on fecal microbiota and metabolites in humans. Anaerobe, 2010. 16(5): p. 510-5.