Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) consumption and blood thiocyanate concentration in rats

Purpose – Flaxseed (FL) is a nutrient rich seed but contains cyanogenic glycosides, which can release hydrogen cyanide (HCN) into the body after consumption. This study aims to determine the cyanogenic content of raw and heated (1708C, 15 min) flaxseed as well as its effect on the blood thiocyanate (SCN2) concentration, a derivate of HCN, in rats. Changes in liver and kidney enzymes level of blood are further studied. Design/methodology/approach – Rats were assigned into groups of control, 10 percent, 20 percent and 30 percent of either raw or heated FL, in basal diet, for duration of 30 days. Cyanogenic content of FL analyzed using picrate method and blood thiocyanate concentration analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. Findings – Raw ground flaxseed had 251.14 ^ 9.11 mg HCN/kg food, which significantly reduced by 8.5 percent after heating. Generally heated FL groups showed lower (but not significant) blood thiocyanate compared to raw FL groups. Blood SCN elevated by increasing the dosage of flaxseed. However, only in 30 percent raw FL group the difference was significant ( p , 0.05). Liver and kidney enzymes were not changed significantly in all groups ( p . 0.05). This study suggests that consumption of flaxseed in high dosage (20 percent to 30 percent) is better to be in heated form to result in lower blood thiocyanate concentration. Originality/value – This study may provide better understanding for safer usage of flaxseed in animals and even human interventional studies and may be applicable to flaxseed consuming food industries

Lifestyle and self-management determinants of hypertension control in a sample of Australian adults

© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Background: Poor hypertension control can increase the risk of cardiovascular, renal and kidney diseases, and increase the social and economic burden of the disease. Methods: This study aimed to explore the lifestyle and self-management skills (medication adherence, self-monitoring, self-efficacy) determinants of hypertension control in a sample of hypertensive Australians. In a cross-sectional design, a total of 233 hypertensive adults completed a survey. Hypertension control was categorised as good control if hypertensive individuals managed to reduce their blood pressure (BP) < 140/90 mmHg, otherwise it was categorised as poor control. Data were analysed using bivariate analysis and hierarchical logistic regression. Results: 55% of the participants had poor BP control. A significantly higher frequency of poor BP self-monitoring was observed in individuals with poor control compared to their counterparts. Poor self-monitoring and a sedentary lifestyle were associated with higher odds of poor control (OR: 5.33, 95% CI: 1.78–15.93; p < 0.01, and OR: 4.69, 95% CI: 1.00–22.25; p < 0.05, respectively). No significant association was observed between other variables and hypertension control. Conclusion: Successful BP control for hypertensive individuals may require interventions and strategies that assist with improving BP self-monitoring skills and increasing physical activity. Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therap

Effect of raw and heated flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) on blood lipid profiles in rats

Flaxseed is a nutrient rich seed and lipid profiles improving effect of it has long been studied. Effect of heating as a part of food processing on its beneficial characteristics is not clarified in literature. This study aims to provide complementary information on effect of different dosages of raw and heated flaxseed on lipid profiles. Sprague Dawley rats were fed with 10%, 20% or 30% of either raw or heated flaxseed in the basal diet for 30 days. Total cholesterol significantly reduced in all flaxseed groups and high density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly increased in 20% raw and 30% raw and heated flaxseed groups. Significant reduction of low density lipoprotein cholesterol only observed in 30% raw flaxseed groups. It is concluded that 30 days consumption of flaxseed may significantly reduce total cholesterol and increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol in blood. Oven heating may not have significant effect on lipid profile improving effect of flaxseed

Dietary patterns, nutrition knowledge, lifestyle, and health-related quality of life: Associations with anti-hypertension medication adherence in a sample of Australian adults

© 2017, Springer International Publishing AG. Introduction: Poor anti-hypertension medication (AHT) adherence can increase disease costs and adverse outcomes. Hypertensive individuals who have a better nutrition knowledge may lead a healthier lifestyle, have a better health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and greater confidence to change behaviour. On this basis, they may have better treatment adherence. Aim: To explore the association between the above-mentioned variables and AHT adherence in a group of Australian adults with high blood pressure (BP) in a cross-sectional clinical and community-based study. Methods: Adults with high BP (n = 270) completed a questionnaire including: food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), nutrition knowledge, HRQoL, self-efficacy of diet and exercise, lifestyle and AHT adherence sections. Bivariate analysis and hierarchical logistic regression were used to explore the data. Results: Three dietary patterns were identified from the FFQ, using factor and cluster analyses (Western, Snack and Alcohol, and Balanced). We observed that following a Western dietary pattern, having lower exercise self-efficacy and shorter sleep duration were more dominant in the poor AHT adherence individuals compared to their counterparts. A positive association was observed between self-efficacy and sleep duration with AHT adherence. A Western dietary pattern was prevalent in high BP participants which slightly reduced the likelihood of good adherence. Conclusion: A healthier dietary pattern, better exercise self-efficacy and adequate sleep (more than six hours a night) may increase the likelihood of AHT adherence in individuals with high BP. Interventions focusing on improving these variables are required to confirm the findings of this study

Health check: should healthy people take probiotic supplements?

A visit to the supermarket these days can feel more like walking through a pharmacy, with an ever-expanding range of milks, yoghurts, pills, powders and speciality foods promoting their “probiotic” prowess. Advocates of probiotics have hailed them as the answer to all sorts of health issues and conditions. But what exactly are probiotics? And, more importantly, should you be taking them

A review of fasting effects on the response of cancer to chemotherapy

Background & aims: Studies suggest that fasting before or during chemotherapy may induce differential stress resistance, reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy and enhancing the efficacy of drugs. In this article, we review the effects of fasting, including intermittent, periodic, water-only short-term fasting, and caloric restriction on the responsiveness of tumor cells to cytotoxic drugs, their protective effect on normal cells, and possible mechanisms of action. Methods: We could not perform a systematic review due to the wide variation in the study population, design, dependent measures, and outcomes (eg, type of cancer, treatment variation, experimental setting, etc.). However, a systematic approach to search and review literature was used. The electronic databases PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, and Embase were searched up to July 2020. Results: Fasting potentially improves the response of tumor cells to chemotherapy by (1) repairing DNA damage in normal tissues (but not tumor cells); (2) upregulating autophagy flux as a protection against damage to organelles and some cancer cells; (3) altering apoptosis and increasing tumor cells' sensitivity to the apoptotic stimuli, and preventing apoptosis-mediated damage to normal cells; (4) depleting regulatory T cells and improving the stimulation of CD8 cells; and (5) accumulating unfolded proteins and protecting cancer cells from immune surveillance. We also discuss how ‘fasting-mimicking diet’ as a modified form of fasting enables patients to eat a low calorie, low protein, and low sugar diet while achieving similar metabolic outcomes of fasting. Conclusion: This review suggests the potential benefits of fasting in combination with chemotherapy to reduce tumor progression and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy. However, with limited human trials, it is not possible to generalize the findings from animal and in vitro studies. More human studies with adequate sample size and follow-ups are required to confirm these findings

Dietary patterns, nutrition knowledge and lifestyle: Associations with blood pressure in a sample of Australian adults (the Food BP study)

This study examined the association between dietary patterns, nutrition knowledge and lifestyle with blood pressure (BP) in a sample of Australian adults. Adults with normal and high BP were included in a cross-sectional study. Dietary intake data was collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Nutrition knowledge and lifestyle surveys were included in the questionnaire. Dietary patterns were extracted using factor analysis followed by cluster analysis. Associations were analysed using logistic regression. Four hundred and seven participants were included. Three dietary patterns were identified: Western; Snack and alcohol; and Balanced. Participants with high BP had a higher intake of Western and a lower intake of Balanced dietary pattern. A significant and higher frequency of discretionary foods and oils consumption, as well as lower nutrition knowledge score and activity frequency, were observed in the high BP group. Regression analysis indicated that the intake of Western and Snack and alcohol dietary patterns increases the likelihood of having high BP by 2.40 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28–4.49) and 2.76 (95% CI: 1.52–5.00), respectively, when nutrition knowledge and lifestyle were controlled for as moderator variables. The likelihood of high BP was not associated with nutrition knowledge, but increased with physical inactivity. This study indicates that poor dietary patterns and inactivity are associated with increases in the likelihood of high BP, and the association is not influenced by nutrition knowledge. These findings indicate the importance of developing public health strategies with an emphasis on improving the dietary patterns of individuals to prevent and control high BP in Australian adults

Caffeine content and perceived sensory characteristics of pod coffee: Effects on mood and cognitive performance

Encapsulated (Pod) coffee is increasingly popular and available in a range of flavor and intensity profiles. This study examined consumption of different coffee Pods on mood and cognitive performance. Thirty-eight participants (n=6 males, 32 females; age: 23.9±5.4 years; weight: 64.3±11.9 kg; BMI: 22.4±2.7 kg·m-2; mean±SD) completed 3 trials, consuming either Cosi, Dharkan, or Kazaar Pods following overnight caffeine abstention. Mood and cognitive performance (choice reaction-time (CRT), visual scanning (VS), Stroop) were measured before and 30 min post coffee consumption. Sensory characteristics were measured during coffee consumption. Accuracy, Reaction Time (RT) central tendency and whole RT distributions were analyzed. Bitterness, flavour-intensity, aroma and perceived caffeine content ratings increased for Cosi, Dharkan and Kazaar Pods respectively. Reduced ratings of sleepiness and headache; and increased ratings of concentration, alertness, excitement and happiness were observed with all Pods. Coffee improved CRT latency (before: 469±55 vs. after: 459±50 ms; p=0.031), but not visual scanning performance. Stroop RTs were faster after coffee (before: 854±193 vs. after: 766±156 ms; p<0.001); with control, congruent and incongruent trials facilitated by different aspects of the RT distribution. Consumption of Nespresso® Pod coffee improves mood and cognitive performance irrespective of caffeine content, habitual caffeine use and Pod sensory characteristics. However, the effects on cognitive function appear to be task dependent. © 2018 The Author(s)

Analysis of dietary intake, diet cost and food group expenditure from a 24-hour food record collected in a sample of Australian university students

Aim: University students often cite increased monetary cost as a major barrier to improved eating behaviours. Here, we examine food expenditure behaviours in a sample of Australian university students. Methods: Students (n = 147) collected and analysed a 24-hour food record to determine their food group and nutrient intakes, then costed the food and non-tap water beverages consumed in the amounts recorded. Diet cost and food group expenditure (absolute and relative to total diet cost) were calculated and compared across socio-demographic characteristics. Spearman's Rho correlations and partial correlations (controlling for energy intake) were also used to identify associations between diet cost and intake. Results: The median (IQR) 24-hour diet cost was $12.42 ($7.06). However, students who worked ≥20 h·wk had a higher diet cost than those who worked <20 h·wk (P =.002) or were unemployed (P =.002). Relative food group expenditure also differed by sex, employment status and whether special dietary requirements were reported (P's <.05). For instance, males reported spending a smaller relative amount on the fruit and vegetables food groups and a larger relative amount on discretionary choices than females (P's < 0.05). Higher diet costs were also associated with greater intakes of the fruit, vegetables and lean meat and alternatives food groups, protein, alcohol, water and calcium, and lower intakes of the grain foods food group and carbohydrate (P's <.05). Conclusions: These findings provide insight into university students' food expenditure behaviours and may assist health professionals to develop targeted strategies and tailored advice aimed at improving their dietary behaviours. −1 −

Can sesame consumption improve blood pressure? A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials

© 2017 Society of Chemical Industry Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, stroke and renal failure. Sesame consumption may benefit blood pressure (BP) owing to its high polyunsaturated fatty acid, fibre, phytosterol and lignan contents. To clarify this, a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials was conducted. The PubMed (MEDLINE), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Cochrane Library (Central) databases were systematically searched until August 2016. Eight controlled trials with a total of 843 participants met the eligibility criteria. A random effect meta-analysis showed that sesame consumption can reduce systolic BP (−7.83 mmHg, 95% CI: −14.12, −1.54; P < 0.05, I 2 = 99%) and diastolic BP (−5.83 mmHg, 95% CI: −9.58, −2.08; P < 0.01, I 2 = 98%). To reduce the heterogeneity, the meta-analysis was limited to high methodology quality trials (n = 4), which resulted in a significant reduction in systolic BP (−3.23 mmHg, 95% CI: −5.67, −0.79; I 2 = 33%) and a non-significant reduction in diastolic BP (−2.08 mmHg, 95% CI: −4.85, 0.69; I 2 = 62%). This study concluded that sesame consumption can reduce systolic and diastolic BP. However, further investigations with larger sample sizes and better methodology quality are required to confirm the BP-lowering effect of sesame consumption. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry