The relationship between nutritional facts and temperament of selected Iranians' frequent food items: a summative content analysis study

Introduction

Dietary intake is considered as a major determinant factor in health maintenance as well as primary and secondary prevention of diseases. The knowledge on the relationship between food nutritional facts and their temperament (Mizaj) can be helpful in the integrative Iranian medicine and modern nutrition approach to individualized diet planning.

Material and methods

This study was carried out in three phases using a summative content analysis method: 1) Extraction of the Iranians' frequent food items through an academic discussion panel of nutritionists and MDs, PhDs of Iranian medicine; 2) Determination of the extracted food items' temperament and nutritional facts; 3) Statistical analysis of the extracted data using SPSS software.

Results

Foods with warm temperament had higher mean levels of energy and polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as iron, zinc, and manganese. On the other hand, the mean values of total fatty acids, cholesterol, vitamin B12, and retinol were significantly higher in wet temperament foods. Additionally, the dryness of food items had a positive significant association with total carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Finally, wet foods had higher amounts of moisture and vitamin A.

Conclusions

The results of the present study revealed that warmness of food items is associated with higher amounts of macronutrients as well as cell growth and proliferation related micronutrients. Moreover, foods with dry temperament had higher amounts of minerals. Further studies, especially food analytical studies, are required to validate the accuracy of aforementioned findings.

The Effects of Different Temperaments on Vascular Parameters: A Pilot CrossOver Randomized Controlled Trial

Background:

According to the Persian Medicine (PM) point of view, the function of the cardiovascular system and the risk of cardiovascular events would be different between subjects having warm and cold temperaments. Moreover, different foods in terms of temperament may lead to different acute and chronic effects on the body.

background:

According to the Persian Medicine (PM) point of view, the function of the cardiovascular system and probable future cardiovascular events would be different in warm and cold temperament subjects. Moreover, different foods in terms of temperament may lead to different acute and chronic effects in the body.

Objectives:

We investigated the postprandial effects of PM-based warm and cold test meals on arterial stiffness indices in healthy men with warm and cold temperaments.

objective:

We investigated the postprandial effects of PM-based warm and cold test meals on arterial stiffness indices in healthy men with warm and cold temperaments.

Methods:

Twenty-one eligible warm or cold temperament subjects with a similar range of age, weight, and heights were enrolled in this pilot cross-over randomized controlled trial study during February- October 2020. Two test meals (cold and warm PM-based temperament foods) were designed as different interventions. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse wave analysis (PWA) was obtained at the baseline state (following 12 hours fasting), 0.5, 2, and 4 hours after the test meal consumption during each test day.

Results:

Warm temperament participants had higher values of lean body mass, total body water, and protein content (P = 0.03, 0.02, and 0.02, respectively). Cold temperament individuals had higher aortic heart rate (HR) following 12 hours of fasting (P <0.001). On the other hand, the augmentation pressure (AP) of warm temperament individuals was higher than the colds (P= <0.001).

Conclusion:

According to the results of the present study, although warm temperament individuals could have higher arterial stiffness at the fasting state, arterial stiffness indices had a greater reduction following warm-temperament meal intake compared to cold-temperament meal.

Trial Registration number::

International Clinical Trials Registry Platform IRCT20200417047105N1 (Where the full trial protocol can be accessed)

other:

Temperament, Arterial stiffness, Complementary medicine

Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidative and Antibacterial Activities of the Persian Medicine-Based Maolasal Honey: An Experimental Study

Background: Maolasal is a honey-induced product which may lead to several beneficial effects from the Persian Medicine (PM) point of view. Heating process as a major step of Maolasal preparation may decrease the honey quality and deteriorate thermal treatment indicators of honey. Methods: This study was conducted on four honey samples (from different floral sources). Maolasal preparation process was done according to one of the most important PM references “Gharabadin Kabir”. Thermal treatment indices, antibacterial and antioxidative activities of products were measured. Results: The 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) concentrations of PM-based Maolasal samples of polyfloral, monofloral, and sugar honey were higher than 40 mg/kg; while PM-based Maolasal sample of monofloral honey had acceptable HMF concentration (38.9 mg/kg). Proline content of all samples decreased thorough Maolasal preparation and simple heating processes in all samples and these reductions were greater in monofloral honey and sugar honey Maolasal samples.  Maolasal preparation processes decreased diastase activity of all samples. Although Maolasal preparation process led to sucrose content reduction in the three Maolasal samples, sucrose content of Maolasal sample of monofloral honey was higher than its raw sample. Maolasal preparation process increased total phenolic content of all samples. Finally, Maolasal preparation process led to an increase in antibacterial and antioxidant activities of all the samples. Conclusion: Maolasal samples reduced diastasis activity and proline content and increased HMF concentration. Maolasal preparation process may lead to an increase in antibacterial and antioxidative activities of honey which may be helpful for special preventive/therapeutic medicinal objectives.

Possible molecular mechanisms of glucose-lowering activities of Momordica charantia (karela) in diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent metabolic disorder which is characterized by impaired glucose tolerance, with a relative or absolute insulin deficiency and profound changes in the metabolism of macronutrients. Traditional and complementary medicine is therapeutic strategies that have both been applied to improving glycemic control. Momordica charantia is one of the plant-based, folk medicines that used for improving glycemic control. We aimed to review, the effects of M. charantia on blood glucose with a clarification of the molecular pathways involved. Of the compounds derived from the plants, the insulin-like peptide, charantin, and the alkaloid vicine, have been reported to have hypoglycemic effects. Different mechanisms contribute to the antidiabetic activities of M. charantia, these include increasing pancreatic insulin secretion, decreasing insulin resistance and increasing peripheral and skeletal muscle cell glucose utilization, inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption and suppressing of key enzymes in the gluconeogenic pathways.

Evaluation of Patients' Rights Observance According to Patients' Rights Charter in Educational Hospitals Affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences: Medical Staffs' Views

Introduction

To supply quality services and healthcare, it is evident that medical ethics and patients’ rights, while providing medical and healthcare services need to be observed. This study was conducted to evaluate observance of the Patients’ Rights Charter among medical staff of educational hospitals affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in four educational hospitals in Mashhad on eighty physicians, nurses, nurse aids and medical students. Data were collected using a two-part inventory of patients’ rights, including demographic data and inventory of patients’ rights observance. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-16 as well as descriptive statistics, independent t-test, chi-square, Spearman correlation coefficient and Pearson correlation.

Results

Mean age of subjects was 36.3±8.3. Observance of human rights was perfect by 84.4 percent of subjects. The highest amount of observance of patients’ rights was related to the area of respecting patients’ privacy and observing the principle of confidentiality, which was evaluated to be perfect by all subjects (100%). The lowest value of patients’ rights observance was related to presenting appropriate and adequate information for patients, which was perfect among 48.1% of subjects. There was no significant relation between personal details (age, gender, education and career) and observance of patients’ rights (p>0.05).

Conclusion

Although in this study, the observance of patients’ rights by medical staff is optimal in most areas, the area of providing appropriate and adequate information needs to be promoted. Therefore, it is suggested that more stringent regulatory policies be compiled and implemented to the items of Patients’ Rights Charter along with training courses, to strengthen medical staff’s awareness in this regard.