Olive oil and haemostasis: platelet function, thrombogenesis and fibrinolysis

Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest nutritional models used in developed countries. The actual interest in this dietary model is based in two main premises. First, the high palatability for the consumer, which aids to the adherence to the model on a life-long basis, and second, the mounting evidence on the beneficial properties that its consumption provokes in cardiovascular risk factors, cancer and cognitive age associated decline. Olive oil is the principal component of Mediterranean diet, both by its predominant position as the main energy source, and its presence in almost all cooked and/or seasoned food. The influence of the olive oil on the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet is well known. Albeit an initial stage in which monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly oleic acid) were studied as the sole player of these effects, the knowledge about the micronutrients has evolved to a much more complex model in which the processing of the oil and the content in some minor contents of the virgin olive oil play a fundamental role. In this article we will review the current evidences that relate olive oil with the haemostatic system.     

Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil and obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus

After decades of epidemiological, clinical and experimental research, it has become clear that consumption of Mediterranean dietary patterns rich in olive oil has a profound influence on health outcomes, including obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes mellitus. Traditionally, many beneficial properties associated with this oil have been ascribed to its high oleic acid content. Olive oil, however, is a functional food that, besides having high-monounsaturated (MUFA) content, contains other minor components with biological properties. In this line, phenolic compounds have shown antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties, prevent lipoperoxidation, induce favorable changes of lipid profile, improve endothelial function, and disclose antithrombotic properties. Research into the pharmacological properties of the minor components of olive oil is very active and could lead to the formulation of functional food and nutraceuticals. Although more data are mandatory the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil does not contribute to obesity and appears to be a useful tool in the lifestyle management of the MetS. Moreover there is good scientific support for MUFA diets, especially those based on olive oil, as an alternative approach to low-fat diets for the medical nutritional therapy in diabetes. The objective of this review is to present evidence illustrating the relationship between Mediterranean diet, olive oil and metabolic diseases, including obesity, MetS and diabetes mellitus and to discuss potential mechanisms by which this food can help in disease prevention and treatment.     

Diet and cancer prevention: the fiber first diet

Diet can play a major role in cancer prevention. The international differences in cancer incidence are largely accounted for by lifestyle practices that include nutrition, exercise, and alcohol and tobacco use. About 50% of cancer incidence and 35% of cancer mortality in the U.S., represented by cancers of the breast, prostate, pancreas, ovary, endometrium, and colon, are associated with Western dietary habits. Cancer of the stomach, currently a major disease in the Far East, relates to distinct, specific nutritional elements such as excessive salt intake. For these cancers, information is available on possible initiating genotoxic factors, promoting elements, and prophylactic agents. In general, the typical diet in the United States contains low levels of the potent carcinogenic agents, heterocyclic amines, formed during the cooking of meats. It provides only about half the potent appropriate fiber intake and is high in calories. About twice as many calories as would be desirable come from fat, certain kinds of which enhance the development of cancers. Other foods with functional properties, such as soy products and tea, can be beneficial. To achieve reduction in risk of certain cancers, diet must be optimized, primarily to reduce caloric intake and the fat component. The latter should be 20% or less of total caloric intake and fiber should be increased to 25- 35 g per day for adults. One approach to achieving these goals is the Fiber First Diet, a diet designed around adequate fiber intake from grains, especially cereals, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, which thereby reduces both calorie and fat intake. Such dietary improvements will not only reduce cancer and other chronic disease risks, but will contribute to a healthy life to an advanced age. A corollary benefit is a lower cost of medical care.      

Food for thought

Do certain kinds of food contain pharmacologically active substances in concentrations that are high enough to have druglike effects when consumed? Are biologically active compounds in food indicative of therapeutic value? Is traditional drug development suitable for testing the merits of food? Is it ethical to test food as a drug on patients? Will dietary disease management remain a pipedream? Is it a fact or fantasy that the Mediterranean diet is beneficial to health? Is a vegetarian diet an elimination therapy, or one of supplementation? What can be learned from animals? Are humans losing the capability of listening to their bodies? In this review, we will address these questions--providing food for thought.     

Dietary small molecules and large-scale gene expression studies: an experimental approach for understanding their beneficial effects on the development of malignant and non-malignant proliferative diseases

Epidemiological studies have repeatedly demonstrated a correlation between nutrition, development and the severity of malignant and non-malignant proliferative diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis. Therefore, the prevention of chronic proliferative diseases through dietary intervention is currently receiving considerable attention. Until now, much of the research is being focused on the cellular and molecular action mechanisms of dietary small molecules explaining their beneficial effects. Dietary chemicals may affect gene expression in several human diseases. However, significant progress has been made and several molecular action mechanisms have been proposed. Alteration of genetical pathways by nutrition, also called "Nutrigenomics", may offer a new approach for understanding the beneficial effects of dietary compounds on the development of severe polygenic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. This review focuses on the nutritional genomics of dietary chemicals with a special emphasis on catechins. Catechins belong to the flavonoid family, which are polyphenolic compounds available in foods of plant origin. Several epidemiological studies have reported that consumption of flavonoids, and especially catechins might function as chemopreventive agents against cancer and cardiovascular diseases.     

通过饮食多酚进行表观遗传修饰和肿瘤化学预防（英文）

Growing evidence indicates that cancer incidence across the world is not similar,and it is more prevalent in certain populations than others,suggesting the critical role for dietary and lifestyle factors.For instance cancer incidence among people from the Indian subcontinent,where most spices are consumed,is much lower than that in the Western World.Spices have been consumed for centuries for a variety of purposes e.g.as flavoring agents,colorants,and preservatives.However,there is increasing evidence for the importance of plant-based foods in regular diet to lowering the risk of most chronic diseases,so spices are now emerging as more than just flavor aids,but as agents that can not only prevent but may even treat disease.Besides suppressing inflammatory pathways,spice-derived nutraceuticals can suppress survival,proliferation,invasion,and angiogenesis of tumor cells.Increasing evidence indicates that genetic alterations are relatively rare,and epigenetic changes(DNA methylation,histone modifications and expression of noncoding RNAs)plays a bigger role in human cancer,and can be easily influenced by environmental,lifestyle and dietary factors,and some estimates suggest that over two-thirds of the cancer incidence can be accounted for by the environmental and dietary factors alone.Among all these factors,diet is probably the single most important factor which may influence carcinogenesis more comprehensively,because diet is readily modifiable and have the potential to modulate multiple epigenetic processes.Polyphenols in dietary botanicals represent a versatile group of phytochemicals with many potentially beneficial activities in terms of disease prevention.Dietary polyphenols(bioflavanoids)have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that might explain their chemopreventive effects.However,the actual therapeutic potential of these compounds may not have been completely realized due to lack of understanding on the effects of these agents on epigenetic modifications.Recent,but limited evidence indicates that some of the polyphenols,including curcumin(from turmeric),genestein(from soy),EGCG(from green tea),diallyl disulfide(from garlic),sulforaphane(from broccoli)and resveratrol(from grapes)may induce epigenetic changes in various cancer cell lines.This presentation will describe some of the current scientific evidence for the role of epigenetic alterations induced by curcumin and boswellia,in support of their anti-cancer activities,which provides a strong scientific foundation for preclinical and human clinical intervention studies in future.     

Epigenetic modifications of gene expression by lifestyle and environment

Epigenetics oftenly described as the heritable changes in gene expression independent of changes in DNA sequence. Various environmental factors such as nutrition-dietary components, lifestyle, exercise, physical activity, toxins, and other contributing factors remodel the genome either in a constructive or detrimental way. Since epigenetic changes are reversible and nutrition is one of the many epigenetic regulators that modify gene expression without changing the DNA sequence, dietary nutrients and bioactive food components contribute to epigenetic phenomena either by directly suppressing DNA methylation or histone catalyzing enzymes or by changing the availability of substrates required for enzymatic reactions. Diets that contain catechol-dominant polyphenols are reported to suppress enzyme activity and activate epigenetically silenced genes. Furthermore, several dietary nutrients play a crucial role in one-carbon metabolism including folate, cobalamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and methionine by directly affecting S-adenosyl-l-methionine. Soy polyphenols block DNA methyltransferases and histone deacetylases to reverse aberrant CpG island methylation. Organosulfur rich compounds such as the sulforaphane found in broccoli appear to normalize DNA methylation and activate miR-140 expression, which represses SOX9 and ALDH1 and decreases tumor growth. The purpose of this short communication is to overview the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of diet and other environmental factors. We discuss the epigenetic contributions of dietary components with a particular focus on nutritional polyphenols and flavonoids as epigenetic mediators that modify epigenetic tags and control gene expression. These mechanisms provide new insights to better understand the influence of dietary nutrients on epigenetic modifications and gene expression.     

Toxicological aspects of the use of phenolic compounds in disease prevention

The consumption of a diet low in fat and enhanced by fruits and vegetables, especially rich in phenolic compounds, may reduce risks of many civilization diseases. The use of traditional medicines, mainly derived from plant sources, has become an attractive segment in the management of many lifestyle diseases. Concerning the application of dietary supplements (based on phenolic compounds) in common practice, the ongoing debate over possible adverse effects of certain nutrients and dosage levels is of great importance. Since dietary supplements are not classified as drugs, their potential toxicities and interactions have not been thoroughly evaluated. First, this review will introduce phenolic compounds as natural substances beneficial for human health. Second, the potential dual mode of action of flavonoids will be outlined. Third, potential deleterious impacts of phenolic compounds utilization will be discussed: pro-oxidant and estrogenic activities, cancerogenic potential, cytotoxic effects, apoptosis induction and flavonoid-drug interaction. Finally, future trends within the research field will be indicated.     

Nutrient requirements and optimisation of intakes

In 1991, dietary reference values were published in the UK. These refer to nutrients and provide the basis for dietary advice. To complement this, practical food-based guidance on how to plan a healthy and balanced diet has been developed. Interest continues in how best to establish guidance which helps individuals modify their diets so as to better match the dietary targets established as a means of promoting health and avoiding disease. Furthermore, in recent years, interest has grown in the potential to optimise nutrition and so promote health and well-being, rather than just avoiding deficiency. This has been accompanied by an awareness that many foods, particularly plant foods, contain substances that may have health promoting properties but are not, as yet, regarded as conventional nutrients.     

Fats and atheroma: a retrial.

The controversy over medical endorsement of dietary measures to reduce cholesterol intake has been reconsidered. The results of several published reports that apparently do not confirm the association between diet, cholesterol concentrations, and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) were found to be largely inapplicable to the argument. Results of primary prevention trials, however, suggested that lowering the cholesterol concentration had a beneficial effect in reducing morbidity from IHD. The "average Western diet" is particularly associated with accelerated or premature atherosclerotic disease, yet the saturated fatty acid component of the diet may be only one of several factors relevant to IHD. Such diets are usually high in refined carbohydrate and total energy intake. Disordered nutrition generally, and other environmental and constitutional factors seem to be important in the aetiology of IHD. A prudent diet, incorporating decreased intake of fats, simple sugars, and refined carbohydrate, with polyunsaturated fats comprising less than 25% of total energy intake, may be the best method of reducing the incidence of IHD and other diseases of overnutrition.     

Nutraceuticals--an emerging era in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases

Foods and nutrients play a vital role in normal functioning of the body. They are helpful in maintaining the health of the individual and in reducing the risk of various diseases. Worldwide acceptance of this fact formed a recognition link between "nutrition" and "health" and the concept of "nutraceuticals" was evolved. Nutraceuticals are medicinal foods that play a role in maintaining well being, enhancing health, modulating immunity and thereby preventing as well as treating specific diseases. Thus the field of nutraceuticals can be envisioned as one of the missing blocks in the health benefit of an individual. More than any other disease, the etiology of cardiovascular disease reveals many risk factors that are amenable to nutraceutical intervention. The scientific literature shows that several ingredients marketed for use in dietary supplements address each of these. The ability of nutraceuticals to positively influence cardiovascular risk factors should be recognized as an enormous opportunity in the treatment of a highly prevalent disease. Nutraceuticals hold promise in clinical therapy as they have the potential to significantly reduce the risk of side effects associated with chemotherapy along with reducing the global health care cost. In this review, an attempt has been made to summarize some of the recent research findings on garlic, omega-3-fatty acids, soy products, dietary fibres, vitamins, antioxidants, plant sterols, flavonoids, prebiotics and probiotics that have beneficial effects on the heart, in order to update the practising clinician on the benefit of using nutraceuticals for the management of cardiovascular diseases.     

Chapter 4: THE ROLE OF GENOTOXIC CARCINOGENS AND OF PROMOTERS IN CARCINOGENESIS AND IN HUMAN CANCER CAUSATION

Abstract: The majority of human cancers have multifactorial environmental causes stemming mainly from lifestyle factors such as use of tobacco products through cigarette smoking, snuff dipping, or chewing, and specific nutritional elements and dietary practices. The mechanisms of these lifestyle factors can be analyzed in terms of specific genotoxic carcinogens, and of epigenetic agents or promoting factors. Tobacco and tobacco smoke contain not only genotoxic carcinogens but also, with a more important ultimate effect, cocarcinogens and promoters. Alcohol acts as a cocarcinogen with tobacco, possibly by modifying the metabolism of carcinogens in select organs. Genotoxic carcinogens as nutritional factors may be found in pickled, salted, and smoked foods and may be responsible for gastric cancer. Vitamins C and E and other antioxidants are effective inhibitors. Other types of genotoxic carcinogens are mutagenic chemicals found in broiled and fried foods, and these may be involved in cancer of the colon, breast, and prostate. Promoting effects derive from a high level of dietary fat, which has been linked epidemiologically and through laboratory studies to a higher risk for these cancers. Possible mechanisms by which fat exerts its effects are an increased concentration of bile acids in the stool, as related to colon cancer, and which may be countered by a high cereal fiber diet, to increase stool bulk. In relation to breast or prostate cancer, fat may exert its effect on complex hormonal balances, and also on membrane composition. These promoting effects, whether associated with tobacco smoke or nutrition, are highly dose-dependent, and provided the insult is not too far advanced, reversible. Thus, lowering the dosage, or eliminating the effect as in smoking cessation should have an appreciable effect in reducing overt disease development, and do so fairly promptly. This may apply also to a reduction of second disease in cases where a first occurrence has been successfully treated by conventional means.     

Impact of nutrition on PCB toxicity

Studies are evolving which suggest that nutritional intervention can modify pathologies of diseases associated with environmental toxic insults. The diet is a major route of exposure to environmental toxins, such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals. Many persistent organics, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bioaccumulate in our bodies and "bioremediation" is extremely difficult. Furthermore, many environmental toxins induce signaling pathways that are oxidative stress-sensitive and similar or the same as the ones associated with the etiology and early pathology of many chronic diseases. There is now increasing evidence that exposure to PCBs can contribute to the development of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Activation, chronic inflammation, and dysfunction of the vascular endothelium are critical events in the initiation and acceleration of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Our studies indicate that an increase in cellular oxidative stress and an imbalance in antioxidant status are critical events in PCB-mediated induction of inflammatory genes and endothelial cell dysfunction. We also have evidence that the plasma membrane microdomains called caveolae play an important role in endothelial activation and toxicity mediated by coplanar PCBs. Caveolae are particularly abundant in endothelial cells and play a major role in endothelial trafficking and the regulation of signaling pathways associated with the pathology of vascular diseases. There is a great need to further explore this nutritional paradigm in environmental toxicology and to improve our understanding of the relationship between nutrition and lifestyle, exposure to environmental toxins and disease. Our studies suggest that certain dietary fats can increase the risk of environmental insult induced by PCBs, while other dietary factors may provide protection. Nutrition may provide the most sensible means to develop primary intervention and prevention strategies of diseases associated with many environmental toxic insults.     

Contrasting effects of non-starch polysaccharide and resistant starch-based diets on the disposition and excretion of the food carcinogen, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), in a rat model.

It has commonly been believed that increasing fibre in the diet should reduce the incidence of cancers, especially those of the colon and rectum. The earliest definitions of dietary fibre restricted the term to plant cell walls in which non-starch polysaccharides are key chemical components. However, new definitions encompass a wider range of materials, including starches resistant to digestion in the colon (resistant starches). Nevertheless, most definitions require that "dietary fibres" show physiological effects considered beneficial against cancer, including enhanced laxation and faecal bulking. On theoretical grounds, such properties might be expected to dilute the concentration of any carcinogen present and move it more rapidly through the colon, thereby reducing bioavailability. We have compared the properties of two dietary fibre preparations that are primarily non-starch polysaccharides with two resistant starch preparations for effects on carcinogen disposition in a rodent model. Although both preparations enhanced laxation and faecal bulking, only the non-starch polysaccharide preparation reduced carcinogen biovailability. Indeed, carcinogen biovailability was significantly enhanced by resistant starch. We suggest that there may be fundamental differences in the manner by which non-starch polysaccharides or resistant starches affect carcinogen disposition, and express concern that the events seen with the resistant starches [RS] are unlikely to be beneficial with respect to protection against cancer by exogenous carcinogens. Furthermore, the data reveal that the observation of enhanced laxation and faecal bulking does not necessarily imply a reduction in carcinogen bioavailability.     

托幼机构膳食及营养状况调查分析

目的了解蚌埠市区幼儿园儿童膳食现状,为编制合理食谱,改善儿童营养状况,达到平衡膳食提供科学依据。方法采用记账法,随机抽取3所幼儿园1 526名儿童进行了膳食及营养状况调查,每个幼儿园调查1月。按电脑程序统一表格,用电脑营养软件进行计算。结果 3所幼儿园蛋白质和热能摄入量均能满足儿童生理需要,平均分别为107.05%、95.34%;3所幼儿园钙摄入量严重不足,平均为39.86%;B园和C园视黄醇摄入量严重不足,平均为31.57%;B园硫胺素、核黄素、抗坏血酸的摄入量均不足;C园热量来源分布不合理,来源于脂肪的能量高达46.57%,来源于碳水化合物热量不足仅37.53%,结论针对存在问题,根据平衡膳食原则和儿童生理特点,改善食谱,确保儿童健康成长。     

Review article: diet and inflammatory bowel disease – epidemiology and treatment

Background  Diet is thought to have an important role in the immunopathogenesis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Aim  To identify dietary constituents as risk factors for development of IBD and the therapeutic efficacy of dietary modifications or enteral nutrition in IBD.
Methods  The Medline and the Cochrane Library were searched for clinical trials and meta-analyses in the scope of diet and nutrition in IBD.
Results  There are many studies in small cohorts of patients that claim that intake of certain diet constituents like fat, refined sugar, fruits, vegetables and fibre affect the expression of IBD. These are often compromised by insufficient data or methodological limitations and do not provide unequivocal evidence to incriminate any particular dietary factor. Among various dietary interventions, none has shown striking efficacy with the possible exception of complete enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition appears effective in both active and quiescent Crohn's disease (CD), but independent meta-analyses have shown enteral nutrition to be inferior to corticosteroids in the management of active CD, when assessed on an intention-to-treat basis.
Conclusions  The current levels of knowledge concerning dietary risk factors for IBD, and the therapeutic efficacy of dietary and nutritional interventions need to be supported by well-designed trials in large cohorts of patients.     

探析影响老年血液透析患者营养的原因及护理对策

目的分析影响老年血液透析患者营养的因素以及护理策略。方法选取本院收治的52例老年血液透析患者,在每次进行血液透析前后分别测量患者的体重,并记录患者的体重情况,膳食调查使用询问法。结果患者的蛋白质以及能量摄取不足,饮食方面缺乏必要的营养常识,饮食结构不合理等造成患者营养不良的情况。结论对老年血液透析患者制定有针对性的护理,能有效防止营养不良的情况,从而达到平衡膳食的目的。     

青岛市示范幼儿园膳食营养状况分析

目的了解青岛市示范幼儿园膳食营养状况。方法膳食调查采取称重法。结果青岛市示范幼儿园热能、锌、钙、视黄醇等营养素1999年低于标准供给量,2005年达到标准供给量。2005年与1999年相比,钙、视黄醇的幼儿园达标率从1999年8.7%和30.4%提高到2005年57.1%和71.4%。但脂肪产热占总热能比例过高、钙磷比例不适宜等问题没有明显改善。结论幼儿园膳食中应多增加含钙丰富的食物,同时控制总热能,减少脂肪摄入。