For generations, cerebral palsy was a condition that provided no answers to the medical community other than advancements that were made with regards to the ability to diagnose and treat this lifelong condition. There was research taking place that attempted to pinpoint the cause or causes of cerebral palsy, but any type of prevention or cure seemed to be eons away. In recent years, there has been progress made on that front that truly offers hope to people, and much of this progress involves making use of the incredible technological capabilities that we now possess that make things possible that were beyond our wildest dreams even 20 or 30 years ago.
As such, when people see a headline that describes the potential discovery of a new weapon in the fight against cerebral palsy, most would assume that it would involve something extremely advanced such as new brain imaging, a new medication or some form of laser that would help people who suffer brain damage early in life. However, based on the results of a preliminary study that was done in Canada, that ‘new weapon’ may be as simple as something that grows from soil – broccoli sprouts.
Scientists at the University of Alberta have been doing studies on rats that involved having pregnant subjects ingest broccoli sprouts. Those researchers found that if broccoli sprouts were consumed before a fetal injury was inflicted on the brain, between 60 and 80 percent of the effects of those injuries were prevented. If the pregnant rats consumed broccoli sprouts after a brain injury was inflicted on the fetus, those injuries dropped by a factor of 40 percent.
This is a potentially remarkable study mostly because of how accessible broccoli sprouts are for most people and how easy it would be for pregnant women to incorporate regular helpings of them into their diets. Broccoli sprouts, which are basically pieces of broccoli that have not yet matured to full ripeness, have long been known as a powerful antioxidant, but it seems as though the medical community is just now beginning to learn more about the actual power of healing that they possess.
Given the results of this study, the researchers and many who have seen the results are calling for additional study on this topic, especially in humans. If it turns out that the results are similar in our species, then broccoli sprouts could someday become extremely important for the diets of pregnant women. The presence of this antioxidant could help to protect fetuses if they suffer brain injuries before, during or not long after they are born.
Any progress that’s made in the fight against cerebral palsy is encouraging. Too many children are diagnosed with this condition now, and too many of them suffer from cerebral palsy because of mistakes made by medical professionals during birth. If your child has been harmed in this manner, contact the New York medical malpractice lawyers at The Fitzgerald Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.