The need for an online collection of traditional african food habits

Amongst the difficulties facing the indigenous people of Africa today is the deleterious shift from traditional food habits to the processed and packaged food products of western-owned corporations. This nutrition transition has been implicated in the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) throughout Africa. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether there is a current need to document traditional African food habits via an online collection in an attempt to stimulate further research in this area and potentially improve the health status of indigenous Africans threatened by the nutrition transition. A systematic  search was performed to assess possible gaps in online collections focused on traditional African food habits. A questionnaire was administered to opinion leaders in the nutritional sciences at the 18th International Congress of Nutrition (ICN) in Durban, South Africa, September 2005, to determine the level of awareness of the importance of traditional African food habits within the context of the nutrition transition, and to determine the support among this cohort for an online collection of traditional African food habits. Our systematic review resulted in nine collections being identified. None of these collections were specifically  designed to raise  awareness of traditional African food habits however. Findings from the survey revealed that 86% of our cohort agreed that Africa is currently undergoing a  nutrition transition. Nearly 80% believed that knowledge of traditional African food habits is being lost. Indigenous African interviewees noted reduced consumption of sorghum and millet and an increased   consumption of wheat and rice within their region of origin. Approximately 82% believed that there was currently a gap in online collections focused on presenting information on traditional African food habits. Ninety-two percent of the cohort indicated their preparedness to make use of a novel, online collection of data on traditional African food habits. The findings revealed a critical need to collate and present data on traditional African food habits via a novel, online collection that could be used to stimulate education and research of food habits and their health implications, to provide a well-rounded forum in which such information is presented and shared.Key words: Africa, traditional foods, wild species, dietary practices, information networks and database

Efeitos do exercício físico durante a hemodiálise em indivíduos com insuficiência renal crônica: uma revisão Effects of physical exercise during hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal insufficiency: a literature review

As principais alterações observadas em indivíduos com insuficiência renal crônica são anemia, hipertensão arterial sistêmica e atrofia muscular, que levam à baixa capacidade aeróbica e perda de força muscular. Assim, parte do tratamento desses indivíduos consiste em programas de exercício físico. O objetivo desta revisão da literatura foi documentar os efeitos agudos e as adaptações crônicas, cardiovasculares e musculares em indivíduos no estágio final da doença renal, submetidos a programas de exercício físico durante a hemodiálise. Foram selecionados artigos científicos nas bases eletrônicas Medline, Lilacs e PEDro, assim como no acervo de periódicos da biblioteca da Faculdade de Medicina da UFMG. Foram analisados 13 artigos envolvendo exercício físico aeróbico associado ou não a fortalecimento muscular durante a hemodiálise, variando quanto à intensidade, freqüência e duração da intervenção. A maioria demonstrou que exercícios físicos realizados durante a hemodiálise promovem efeitos benéficos na melhora da capacidade aeróbica, força muscular e no controle dos fatores de risco cardiovasculares, auxiliando a remoção dos solutos durante a hemodiálise. Embora o tema seja ainda pouco explorado, a literatura disponível evidencia benefícios do exercício durante a hemodiálise sobre a capacidade aeróbica e força muscular dos pacientes.<br>Main alterations seen in patients with chronic renal insufficiency are anemia, systemic arterial hypertension, and muscular atrophy, which lead to low aerobic capacity and loss of muscle strength. Hence part of these patients treatment consists in programs of physical exercise. The purpose of this literature review was to assess muscle and cardiovascular acute effects and chronic adaptations in end-stage renal disease patients submitted to physical exercise during hemodialysis. After browsing through Medline, Lilacs and PEDro databases, as well as searching for periodic articles at the UFMG Medicine School library, 13 articles were selected, related to aerobic exercise associated or not to muscle strengthening during hemodialysis. Studies varied as to exercise intensity, frequency and duration. Most articles found that physical exercise performed during hemodialysis favoured better aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and control of cardiovascular risk factors, helping solute removal during hemodialysis. Though the subject is scarcely studied, available literature shows that exercises during hemodialysis are beneficial to patients' aerobic capacity and muscle strength

Morphological, Electrophysiological, and Metabolic Characteristics of Skeletal Muscle in People with End-Stage Renal Disease: A Critical Review

Purpose: Fatigue is one of the most frequent debilitating symptoms reported by people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on haemodialysis (HD) therapy. A wide range of underlying abnormalities, including skeletal muscle weakness, have been implicated as causes of this fatigue. Skeletal muscle weakness is well established in this population, and such muscle weakness is amenable to physical therapy treatment. The purpose of this review was to identify morphological, electrophysiological, and metabolic characteristics of skeletal muscles in people with ESRD/HD that may cause skeletal muscle weakness

Safety and side effects of non-pharmacological interventions as a therapy for cancer

Persons diagnosed with cancer are increasingly using non-pharmacological interventions as a therapy for cancer, either independently or in addition to usual medical treatment. Within mainstream medical systems, information availability and access to these therapies is generally limited and patients’ usage is commonly self-initiated. Self-initiation raises issues regarding personal safety, efficacy of the intervention, and the minimisation of potential side effects. A search was undertaken to identify relevant scientific literature related to the use of 15 non-pharmacological interventions widely used in cancer populations as therapy: acupuncture, biofeedback, exercise, meditation, music, visualization/guided imagery, yoga, kinesiology, massage, reflexology, healing touch, Qigong, Reiki, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. These interventions were classified as mind-body, touch-based or energy-based therapies. This literature search was not intended to be a systematic review, but a comprehensive assessment of current scientific publications relating to the safety and side effects of each intervention. This chapter reveals that such interventions had been used in a number of different countries worldwide, in a variety of cancer populations, to address approximately 23 different symptoms associated with the experience of cancer. For all of the interventions reviewed, the recorded occurrence of side effects was minimal. Safety issues and precautions were rarely discussed in the literature relating to these non-pharmacological therapies, apart from the literature relating to the use of exercise. For hospitals considering the use of non-pharmacological interventions, a framework to facilitate the safe administration of non-pharmacological interventions as a therapy for cancer is presented. There are six main elements of this framework: the considered selection of non-pharmacological interventions, recruitment of quality practitioners, provision of oncology education and preparation for the care of persons with cancer, the use of clinical practice guidelines for each intervention, careful monitoring of persons receiving non-pharmacological interventions, and adherence to the principles of occupational health and safety. It is important that these elements are addressed by hospitals offering non-pharmacological interventions. In addition, the provision of detailed and accurate information to enable patients to continue certain therapies independently and after hospitalisation is also essential