Wholesome Diet Research Articles

Therapeutic role of vegetables in Respiratory Diseases – A critical review from Ayurvedic classics.

The concept of Pathya (wholesome diet) is an unique contribution of Ayurveda, which plays an important role in prevention and management of many diseases. “Shakavarga”, a category under dietetics in classical texts of Ayurveda enlisted different vegetables with their properties and indications in different disease conditions. These vegetables can be prescribed as Pathya (wholesome diet) in clinical practice. In the present review, plants described under Shakavarga, indicated as Pathya in different diseases related to Pranavaha Srotas (Respiratory system) were compiled from 15 different Ayurvedic classical texts. Critical analysis of the compiled data reveals that out of 332 vegetables described under Shakavarga, 44 are indicated in respiratory disease like Shvasa (Dyspnoea/Asthma), Kasa (Cough), Peenasa (Chronic rhinitis) and Hikka (Hiccup). Among them, botanical identity of 42 classical plants has been established and maximum number of vegetables belongs to the family cucurbitaceae (10) followed by solanaceae (4). Some of these vegetables have been reported for their various pharmacological activities related to prevention and management of diseases related to Pranavaha Srotas (Respiratory system). These vegetables are reported for their anti-inflammatory (16), antioxidant (14), anti-allergic (6) and antitussive (3) activities. The observed result may be helpful in use of vegetables as Pathya (wholesome diet) and planning further scientific studies about the efficacy of these plants on prevention as well as management of respiratory diseases.

Oral potassium (K+) administered as K+ enriched diet combined with a specially prepared K+ rich food based supplement reduces pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA is a life long painful disease complicated with joint disability, reduced quality of life and longevity. Drug therapy is potentially toxic. Dietary intervention remains controversial. Potassium (K +) is critical to pain neurophysiology. Voltage gated K+ ion channels are downregulated in chronic pain and may develop autoantibodies (Tsantoulas. Trends Neurosci 2014; 37:146 ). Body K+ status may be low in RA (NHANES III, USA). We showed low dietary K+ in Indian (Asian) patients (European League Association Rheumatology meeting 2014). We decided to evaluate the role of K+ to reduce pain in RA.Methods172 consenting patients with painful (>4 cms active pain visual analogue scale) chronic RA were enrolled into a randomized three arm study of 16 week duration as per protocol post ethic clearance. Patients in Arms A and B received structured dietary advice to increase K+ intake. A K+ enriched supplement was further provided to Arm B; Arm C continued routine diet (active control). All arms continued standard of care drug therapy and monitored analgesic rescue. The daily K+ intake was 3.5–4 gm in Arm A and 7.5–8 gm in Arm B. Standard efficacy/safety measures and diet intake were evaluated every month. Compliance checks included serum and urinary K+ assay and personal interviews. We followed the recommendations of the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India (www.ninindia.org). The study (80% power, significant p <0.05) was analysed using SPSS. Arms were matched for several measures and withdrawals (A:8.8%; B:12.1%; C: 8.8%). On view of a low drop out, results of completer analysis are presented (ANOVA).ResultsPatients improved in each arm. On comparison, reduction in pain VAS was significant in Arm B (p=0.03). Similar results were shown for several other pain and efficacy measures that included disease activity clinical and quality of life (SF 36). On combining data and ensuring diet compliance (mean diet K+.3 gm daily), dietary K arms showed superior improvement‐patient global assess (p=0.04), Health Assessment Questionnaire (p=0.03) and SF36 physical score (p=0.03), painful joint counts (p=0.08), mean pain VAS (p=0.06); reduced systolic BP and increased serum cortisol (AM). Only mild adverse events were reported. Results of possible effect of high protein diet, night shade vegetables, Ayurveda (Indian medicine system) diet preferences on pain will be presented. Diet based studies have several challenges and limitations as was the current experience.ConclusionThis first time pragmatic study of active painful RA in Indian (Asian) patients showed a clinically important pain reduction by diet based K+ augmentation over and above the standard care in rheumatology practice. The holistic advantage of using wholesome diet cannot be excluded. Other possible benefits included better disease control, lesser analgesic requirement, improved BP (cardiovascular) status and endogenous serum cortisol. Overall, this seemed to be a gentle and useful adjunct therapy in the management of RA.Support or Funding InformationArthritis Research Care Foundation‐Centre for Rheumatic Diseases

Urbanization and the Two Tails of Malnutrition in Tanzania

It is increasingly recognized that urbanization is accompanied by profound changes in African diets. Some studies hold the hope that urbanization will help eradicate hunger and undernourishment, both still prominent issues in the region. Others have warned that urbanization may actually shift the problem from the left to the right tail of the food consumption distribution, with urban diets being dominated by high-calorie processed foods and an excessive intake of oil and sugar. Throughout the literature, most datasets simply provide aggregated nutritional information and lack the necessary level of granularity hampering investigation into these issues. Most studies also aggregate everything from small towns to megacities into a single ‘urban’ category, potentially missing important heterogeneity with respect to dietary change. This paper overcomes these problems by using a dataset of 1,498 households from Tanzania, each of whom completed a 2-week consumption diary that records detailed information on the quantity and characteristics of all food consumed. This allows us to calculate the macro- and micronutrient content of these diets. Dietary differences across urban and rural households are documented using OLS regressions and the doubly robust estimation method. These analyses are split into separate income groups to account for income heterogeneity. Our results caution against generalizations about urban diets as “right tail” theories have done. Firstly, we observe that the average urban household has a more wholesome diet indicating that micronutrient deficiencies are less prominent. This thus contradicts theories stating that urban diets are unhealthy. On the one hand, low and middle income urban households from our sample area meet the daily recommended values of most nutrients, making their diet more fulfilling compared to that of rural households. On the other hand, rich urban and rural households are found to overconsume, yet urban households tend to be less extreme. Secondly, when disaggregating urban areas into various categories, it is found that secondary towns present favourable diets and although larger cities such as Dodoma and Dar Es Salaam show higher levels of consumption, sufficient micronutrients are taken in and unhealthy substances do not reach alarmingly high levels.

Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Distribution and Antioxidant Capacity in Skin, Pulp and Fruit Extracts of Plum Cultivars

Total phenolic, total flavonoid distribution and antioxidant activity in skin, pulp and fruit extracts of 12 plum cultivars were investigated. The results showed that the levels of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds changed depending on cultivars and fruit parts. The total phenolic content in skin was 4.5 times higher than that in pulp and 3.2 times higher than that in the whole fruit. The total flavonoid content in skin was 18.7 times higher than that in pulp and 9.6 times higher than that in the whole fruit. As the trend observed for antioxidant activity, a positive relationship (correlation coefficient r2 = 0.83–0.92) was presented between total phenolics and total antioxidant capacity. The results confirm that plum is a good source of natural phenolic antioxidants. Practical Applications The present study indicated that plum can contribute to the dietary intake of antioxidants, depending on cultivars and fruit parts. It is among the few studies investigating the distribution of total phenolic, total flavonoids and total antioxidant capacity in the skin, pulp and fruit of plum cultivars. It was observed that the highest values of total phenolic and flavonoid content were obtained from skin extracts. The study highlighted that phenolics and flavonoids in plums may play an important role as radical-scavenging agents that could be used for a healthy human life. This fact may open new perspectives for plum – besides its traditional uses – to be used in assuring a wholesome diet and a healthy life.

CONCEPT OF FOOD SANITATION IN AYURVEDA

Food is the vital breath of living beings that’s why people rush to the food. Complexion, cheerfulness, good voice, life, imagination, happiness, contentment, corpulence, strength, intellect – all these are dependent on food. As it is well known that prevention is better than cure, it’s always advisable to have healthy diet in order to prevent the affliction of diseases. Ayurveda also has the same principle which says Nidana parivarjana meva chikitsam meaning avoiding the causative factors of the diseases is the first step to treatment. Many common health problems can be prevented through a nutritious diet. If wholesome and hygienic diet is given in a planned way, then there is no need to administer medicine and if wholesome diet is not being used then too, there is no need to give medicine as this is not going to cure the diseases in the absence of wholesome diet.

A CASE STUDY ON MUTRASHMARI (UROLITHIASIS) USING YAVAKSHARADI YOGA

Mutrashmari – Urolithiasis is a consequence of complex physico - chemical processes which involves sequence of events in the formation of an y Urinary stone (Urolithiasis) i. e . consequence of imbalance between stone promoters and inhib itors in the kidney. Urinary stones are the major cause of Morbidity. Increased incidence of Urolithiasis in this industrialised world is associated with improved standards of living a nd is strongly associated with race, ethnicity and region of residence. The identification of common, modifiable risk factors for Urolithiasis may result in new approa ch for treatment and prevention. With these objectives in this study , the drug Yavksharadi yoga (Yavakshara and Gokshura) a unique combination mentione d in Yogar atankara wa s selected. In Ayurveda, ‘Yava’ ( Hordeum vulgarae ) and ‘Gokshura’ ( Tribulus terrestris ) are used widely as Pathya (wholesome diet) for the management of Mutrashmari. This has Vedana shamaka (Reduces pain / spasm), Mutrala (Diuretic property) and Ashmari bhedaka (L ithotryptic) properties in it. In the present work we have tried to study the combined action of Yavaksharadi yoga, diet and lifestyle changes with respect to disintegration / expulsion of the calculi and avoidance of recurrence over a p eriod of 18 months.

Food Technological Applications for Optimal Nutrition: An Overview of Opportunities for the Food Industry

Abstract: An increasingly important determinant in food choice is the growing consumer concern about nutrition and health. This focusing of consumer interest on the food supply, and also extensive research and technological developments in food science will provide further opportunities for new product development. The Food‐Based Dietary Guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union (EU) legislation on health claims play an important role in regulating information to the public about a wholesome diet and for improving the availability and affordability of nutritious food choices to consumers. More specifically, the food industry can contribute by reducing the number of energy‐dense products; by improving the nutrient profile of processed food through the reduction of salt, added sugar, trans‐fatty acid, and saturated fat content. As a result, food science and technology are prompted to create a new framework for these food‐based dietary guidelines, principally in the areas of food physics, methods of food storage and preservation, nutrient restoration and fortification of foods, and the development of health‐focused designer foods and functional foods. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of some further opportunities for new product development and nutrition research. Some topics related to the energy reduction of foods include: dilution and structure design, carbohydrate and/or fat substitutes, and inhibition of enzymes in carbohydrate and/or fat digestion; additionally, regulation of some metabolic functions with food‐derived bioactive peptides and probiotics, and enrichment of foods with bioactive compounds are reviewed in this overview as the most promising issues.

The impact of maternal negative affectivity on dietary patterns of 18‐month‐old children in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study

Early dietary habits are formative for dietary habits later in life. Maternal personality might be an important factor in unhealthy feeding of children. The current study aims to assess the degree to which the personality trait of negative affectivity in mothers predicts their child's diet at age 18 months. This study is a part of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. A total of 27 763 mothers completed 3 repeated assessments of negative affectivity before and after childbirth and of the child's diet when the child was 18 months old. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the dietary patterns, and structural equation modeling was used to investigate the relationship with negative affectivity adjusted for socio-demographical variables. Exploratory factor analysis of a foods frequency questionnaire revealed two dietary patterns in the child, labeled unhealthy diet and wholesome diet. The unhealthy diet comprised foods rich in sugar and fat; the wholesome diet comprised foods rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Mothers high in negative affectivity were more inclined to feed their child an unhealthy diet. The results were adjusted for maternal age, years of education, relative income, marital status, number of children, having the child in daycare, maternal smoking, maternal body mass index, and child gender. This study shows that a maternal personality trait, negative affectivity, is related to feeding the child an unhealthy diet after controlling for key socio-demographic variables.

Relationship of prebiotics and food to intestinal microflora.

Dietary carbohydrates that escape digestion in the small intestine, undergo bacterial fermentation in the colon. This process affects the microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract and influences gut metabolism and function. Prebiotics are non-digestible but fermentable oligosaccharides that are specifically designed to change the composition and activity of the intestinal microbiota with the prospect to promote the health of the host. Dietary fiber and non-digestible oligosaccharides are the main growth substrates of gut microorganisms. Their fermentation results in the acidification of the colonic contents and the formation of short chain fatty acids which serve as fuels in different tissues and may play a role in the regulation of cellular processes. Prebiotics specifically stimulate the growth of endogenous microbial population groups such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli which are perceived as being beneficial to human health. In spite of the interesting nutritional properties of prebiotics it is questionable whether a wholesome diet rich in fruit and vegetables needs to be supplemented with prebiotics for optimal health effects.

Mineral composition of Bulgarian wheat bread

The micronutrient composition of the flour, dough and the bread has been investigated by means of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (AES-ICP). The obtained experimental data demonstrate the existence of a low micronutrient content in bread and the necessity for its fortification to provide a really wholesome diet.

Antioxidants in the Finnish press: a battlefield of alternative and conventional medicine

Antioxidants have received a considerable amount of attention in the Finnish mass media. One of the basic points in the Finnish discussion has been the use of nutritional supplements as a source of antioxidants. In this study, we aim to account for the widespread use of antioxidant supplements by examining the public discussion about antioxidants in the Finnish lay press. To do that, we will describe the characteristics associated with antioxidants in the lay articles, find out what advice is given about antioxidant sources in the diet, and see what kind of criteria are used in the comparison between food and supplements as sources of antioxidants. We will also deal with the role of doctors and nutritionists in modifying the public attitudes towards supplement use. The material of this study consisted of 200 antioxidant-related articles published in a newspaper, a women's magazine and two health magazines in the volumes of the years 1988, 1991 and 1994. The representatives of different media were those with the widest circulation. As study methods, we used quantitative and qualitative content analysis of the antioxidant-related articles. The reliability of the classification was tested in a sub-sample by two independent coders. In the study material, antioxidants were associated with vitality and good looks. Opinions on the efficiency of food and supplements as health promoters were conflicting, and it was often feared that our diets do not contain antioxidants in sufficient amounts. Experts in nutrition and medicine adopted a dual role. Acknowledged researchers recommended a balanced diet, but some of the doctors and nutritionists were eager to recommend antioxidant supplements. One of the health magazines clearly supported the alternative medicine. In the case of antioxidants, the role of conventional versus alternative medicine was opposite to the traditional picture. The conventional medicine recommended a wholesome diet, and the alternative therapy offered supplement pills.

Nutrient utilization by Murrah buffaloes ( Bubalus bubalis) from compressed complete feed blocks

Twelve Murrah male buffaloes of 3.5 years age, weighing 370.3 ± 8.41 kg were assigned to three diets in different physical forms with similar ingredient composition comprising of wheat straw, sugarcane molasses, crushed maize, deoiled peanut meal, mineral mixture, sea salt along with vitablend @ 690, 100, 100, 100, 6,4 and 0.2 g kg −1, respectively in a randomized block design. The animals on Diet 1 received wheat straw impregnated with molasses and concentrate mixture separately, while those on Diet 2 were fed the total feed as a complete mix. Diet 3 was offered after moulding complete mix into a compressed complete feed block (CCFB), prepared with the help of indigenously designed and fabricated feed block machine operable on compression technology. A metabolism trial of seven days duration was conducted after 60 days feeding trial in order to assess nutrient utilization and retention as well as plane of nutrition. The physical form of the diet had no significant influence on nutrient utilization as well as on the digestibility of various nutrients. But feeding of CCFB resulted in a significantly ( P < 0.05) higher intake of DM and digestible DM and in turn in the intake of all other nutrients as compared to the feeding of diets in other two ways. Though, daily nitrogen retention was not affected, the feeding of CCFB diet resulted in higher ( P < 0.05) retention of calcium and phosphorus. Thus, CCFB would be a balanced wholesome diet for ruminants. Because of a decrease in the bulk density, the handling, storage and transportation becomes easy and economical. Further, they can be a part of famine feed banks for drought prone regions of developing countries as evolved technology is easy to adapt.

Effects of long-distance running on iron metabolism and hematological parameters.

In 110 well-trained participants of a 1000-km running competition lasting for 20 days hematological parameters, iron metabolism, and their respective changes during the race were investigated. Thirty-nine men and 11 women were accustomed to wholesome vegetarian food (lacto-ovovegetarian), 52 men and 8 women consumed a conventional western diet. In each group 50% of the runners finished the race. Before the competition started red blood cell count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were on average below the values observed in the normal population in all groups. Both male and female runners consuming the wholesome diet showed significantly lower ferritin values than those on a western diet. During the first days of the competition hemolysis occurred leading to increased serum concentrations of bilirubin and iron and decreased haptoglobin levels. Hb concentrations showed a constant decrease during the race. Serum ferritin concentration rose about twofold within the first days and then decreased again without reaching pre-race levels. Serum iron concentrations showed a significant decrease between days 3 and 6. Iron loss was caused by hematuria (25% of all urines tested), gastrointestinal blood loss (10% of all stool specimens tested), and by sweating (4.5 micrograms iron/dl sweat). Our results suggest that especially in female long-distance runners it may be difficult to supply sufficient quantities of iron with the diet.

Do the Public Asylums of England, as at present constructed, afford the greatest facilities for the care and treatment of the Insane?

The treatment of insanity may be said to resemble more a long-continued siege than a vigorous warfare. It is not by action and measures, and certainly not by certain formulæ of medicinal agents that we can hope to make any progress against the disease; not that it is less the province of the medical practitioner to direct the treatment, whatever the means adopted: the progress of the malady has to be watched, and the means of cure varied as circumstances arise. But it is not a well-furnished dispensary, or a large assortment of drugs with which he has to be supplied, his agents are rather careful nursing, wholesome diet, regular employments, diversified amusements, cheerful dwelling, personal cleanliness, and such like; these constitute his materia medica, and these he should have at his command at all times.