Kdk Ahuja

The effect of 4-week chilli supplementation on metabolic and arterial function in humans

Objective:To investigate the effects of regular chilli ingestion on some indicators of metabolic and vascular function.Design:A randomized cross-over dietary intervention study.Setting:Launceston, Australia.Subjects:Healthy free-living individuals.Intervention:Thirty-six participants (22 women and 14 men), aged 46±12 (mean±s.d.) years; BMI 26.4±4.8 kg/m2, consumed 30 g/day of a chilli blend (55% cayenne chilli) with their normal diet (chilli diet), and a bland diet (chilli-free) for 4 weeks each. Metabolic and vascular parameters, including plasma glucose, serum lipids and lipoproteins, insulin, basal metabolic rate, blood pressure, heart rate, augmentation index (AIx; an indicator of arterial stiffness), and subendocardial-viability ratio (SEVR; a measure of myocardial perfusion), were measured at the end of each diet. In a sub-study, during week 3 of each dietary period, the vascular responses of 15 subjects to glyceryl-trinitrate (GTN) and salbutamol were also studied.Results:For the whole group, there were no significant differences between any of the measured parameters when compared at the end of the two dietary periods. When analysed separately, men had a lower resting heart rate (P=0.02) and higher SEVR (P=0.05) at the end of the chilli diet than the bland diet. In the sub-study, baseline AIx on the chilli diet was lower (P<0.001) than on the bland diet, but there was no difference in the effects of GTN and salbutamol between the two diets.Conclusion:Four weeks of regular chilli consumption has no obvious beneficial or harmful effects on metabolic parameters but may reduce resting heart rate and increase effective myocardial perfusion pressure time in men.

Dietary Supplementation with Chickpeas for at Least 5 Weeks Results in Small but Significant Reductions in Serum Total and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterols in Adult Women and Men

Aim: To compare the effects of a chickpea-supplemented diet and those of a wheat-supplemented diet on human serum lipids and lipoproteins. Methods: Forty-seven free-living adults participated in a randomized crossover weight maintenance dietary intervention involving two dietary periods, chickpea-supplemented and wheat-supplemented diets, each of at least 5 weeks duration. Results: The serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly lower (both p < 0.01) by 3.9 and 4.6%, respectively, after the chickpea-supplemented diet as compared with the wheat-supplemented diet. Protein (0.9% of energy, p = 0.01) and monounsaturated fat (3.3% of total fat, p < 0.001) intakes were slightly but significantly lower and the carbohydrate intake significantly higher (1.7% of energy, p < 0.001) on the chickpea-supplemented diet as compared with the wheat-supplemented diet. Multivariate analyses suggested that the differences in serum lipids were mainly due to small differences in polyunsaturated fatty acid and dietary fibre contents between the two intervention diets. Conclusions: Inclusion of chickpeas in an intervention diet results in lower serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as compared with a wheat-supplemented diet.

Can interactive, motion-capture-based rehabilitation in an inpatient stroke population increase physical activity levels for people undergoing rehabilitation for stroke?

Abstracts of the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia 23 – 25 August 2017. Queenstown, New Zealands of the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia 23 – 25 August 2017. Queenstown, New Zealand The Path to RecoveryBackground: High intensity targeted practice aids functional recovery for stroke survivors, however clients spend much of their time in rehabilitation being inactive. Interactive, motion-capture-based rehabilitation provides an option for therapy that may be more engaging and motivating. Aims: To determine if interactive, motion-capture-based rehabilitation can increase the activity levels of stroke survivors in inpatient rehabilitation compared to usual care, particularly during therapy time. Methods: Patients (n ź 66) admitted to two subacute rehabilitation units with recent (<6 months) stroke were randomly allocated into usual care or an intervention group. The intervention group used the Jintronix system (http://www.jintronix.com/), utilising a motion-capture camera to allow body movements to drive gameplay, completing prescribed games targeting their rehabilitation needs. The control underwent group exercises on one unit and 1:1 therapy with a rehabilitation assistant on the other unit. Both groups wore ActivPAL (PAL Technologies, Glasgow, UK) activity monitors continuously for seven days. Activity levels were quantified by percentage of time spent upright and compared using t-tests. Results: During therapy time, the intervention group spent more time in upright positioning (UP) performing standing and stepping tasks (55 %UP), than the usual care group (45 %UP) (p ź 0.01). Activity levels for awake hours of the day were similar between the groups (usual care 14 %UP, intervention 12 %UP, p ź 0.24). Conclusions: These results demonstrate that using the technology platform increased the amount of time in standing activity during therapy. The implications of this for reducing sedentary time and improving functional mobility warrant further investigation.Resumen de la ponencia presentada al: 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia 23 – 25 August 2017. Queenstown, New Zealand