“No Need to Get Salty” Or Is There? Sodium Functionality as a Consideration in Nutrition Public Health Policy

Aim: Public health professionals focus on both downstream (individual) and upstream (population-level) interventions to reduce sodium consumption and prevent sodium-related chronic diseases. Effective upstream interventions specifically aimed at reducing dietary sodium intake include the implementation of comprehensive nutrition standards that restrict the amount of sodium contained in foods available for purchase. The aim of this work was to identify sought-after foods that did not meet the Philadelphia Nutrition Standards’ sodium limits and reformulate those foods to be standards-compliant and consumer-acceptable. Subject and Methods: Two foods were reformulated for compliancy with the Philadelphia Nutrition Standards’ sodium limits and consumer acceptability: the hoagie roll and soft pretzel. Reformulation included sensory testing and engaging potential manufacturing partners to investigate products’ commercial potential. Results: While hoagie roll reformulation led to a local company manufacturing and selling the reformulated product, soft pretzel reformulation stalled due to lack of consumer acceptability of the reformulated product. Salt contributes desirable characteristics in the texture, taste, and appearance of the soft pretzel, the absence of which consumers found unacceptable. Conclusion: Product reformulation holds great potential to create lower-sodium foods that otherwise have all of the characteristics of the higher-sodium “original” products but requires an understanding of the role of salt in product recipes. Reducing salt without considering its multiple functions in food may result in a product that is unacceptable or even unsafe. A simple four-step tool can help public health practitioners evaluate the extent to which products are suitable for reformulation.

Summary of 32 Patients with Cardiac Syndrome X Treated by TCM Therapy of Regulating Qi Relieving Chest Stuffiness and Promoting Blood Circulation

Objective： To evaluate the clinical effect of Liqi Kuanxiong Huoxue method （宽胸活血,LKH, traditional Chinese medicine, TCM therapeutic method for regulating qi, relieving chest stuffiness and promoting blood circulation） in treating patients with cardiac syndrome X （CSX）. Methods： The prospective, non-randomized controlled study was conducted on 51 selected patients with CSX, who were non-randomly assigned to 2 groups, the treated group treated with LKH in addition to the conventional treatment （32 patients）, and the control group treated with conventional treatment （19 patients） like nitrate, diltiazem hydrochloride, etc. The treatment course was 14 days. The changes of such symptoms as angina pectoris, TCM syndrome and indexes of treadmill exercise test before and after treatment were observed. Results： After treatment, such symptoms as chest pain and stuffy feeling and palpitation in the treated group were improved more than those in the control group （P〈0.05）; the total effective rate on angina pectoris and TCM syndrome in the treated group was better than that in the control group （P〈0.05）. The treadmill exercise test showed that the maximal metabolic equivalent （Max MET）, the time of angina onset and ST segment depression by 0.1 mV were obviously improved after treatment in both groups, but the improvement in the treated group was better than that in the control group respectively （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： The LKH method could reduce the frequency of angina attacks and improve the clinical condition of patients with CSX.