Combining These Spices Multiplies Their Anti-Inflammatory Benefits, New Research Shows by mindbodygreen

 Is your doctor competent enough to get the dietician to incorporate these into the diet protocol at the hospital? NO? So, your doctor failed at that task! What are YOU going to do about that incompetence? Let it pass? Or pay it forward and get someone competent in the hospital for the next stroke survivor?

Combining These Spices Multiplies Their Anti-Inflammatory Benefits, New Research Shows

Harvard nutritionist says these are the 4 best changes you can make to your diet for a healthy brain

 Didn't your competent? doctor get the nutritionist to create a hospital diet protocol on this? They've known about the need for years! I guess you don't have a functioning stroke doctor do you?

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Harvard nutritionist says these are the 4 best changes you can make to your diet for a healthy brain

he decades-old saying "you are what you eat" has grown increasingly true as we learn just how important our diets are for immunity, longevity and even mental health.

"Many people don't realize that there's a way in which the food we eat impacts our mental wellbeing," according to Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and author of "Calm Your Mind with Food."

"The food we eat, as it gets digested, interacts with the trillions of microbes in the gut microbiome, and gets broken down into different substances, which then subsequently over time impact our mental wellbeing. Some of the foods that are less healthy, if we're eating them, set the gut up for inflammation."

DON'T MISS: 4 simple ways to eat for longevity in the new year, according to a Harvard nutrition expert

Inflammation in the gut can lead to several adverse mental health symptoms, Naidoo says, including anxiety.

"By tweaking your diet back to a healthier norm, you can actually help to relieve some of these symptoms," she notes.

Here are four simple changes you can make to your diet for better brain health.

The 4 best changes you can make to your diet for a healthy brain

1. Increase the fiber you eat

"An easy first step is to increase the fiber in your diet," Naidoo says.

"An increased intake of total dietary fiber" was associated with a lower chance of developing depression, according to a study published in "Complementary Therapies in Medicine" in 2021.

The best way to get fiber in your diet is to obtain it from plant-based foods, Naidoo says.

These are a few great food sources that are high in fiber:

• Colorful vegetables like leafy greens
• Beans and other legumes
• Flax seeds
• Healthy whole grains

2. Get more polyphenols

Naidoo refers to this method as getting a "kaleidoscope of color" in your diet by eating colorful foods that are high in polyphenols. Different plants and vegetables of different colors "represent a level of biodiversity needed by the gut microbes," she says.

Aim to eat more foods rich in polyphenols like:

• Carrots
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Nuts, especially hazelnuts and pecans
• Black olives

"All of these are hugely important, because they have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties [and] fiber, plus multiple micronutrients that our bodies need," Naidoo says.

3. Eat foods rich in probiotics

A healthy gut is great for our brains, and our guts love probiotics. And you can get more of the healthy bacteria from fermented foods.

"A study published in 'Cell,' a very highly reputable journal, done by a research group at Stanford University a couple of years back, showed that adding fermented foods to your diet lowers inflammation," Naidoo says.

Naidoo recommends finding a fermented food that appeals to you, whether it be kefir, kimchi, yogurt or kombucha.

4. Use more herbs and spices

One of the simplest ways to improve your gut health, which can also promote healthy brain health, is by adding more spices and herbs to your diet, Naidoo says. It's "something people often overlook," she adds.

"Spices and different types of fresh herbs are rich in plant polyphenols, high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties," Naidoo says.

You can spice up your meals with:

• Turmeric and a pinch of black pepper
• Capsaicin from chili peppers
• Mint
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Ginger
• Garlic

"They flavor up your food [and] they add depth, whether you make a soup or roast vegetables or a piece of salmon," Naidoo says, but they're also "a powerful part of our kitchen that we can lean into."

Capsaicin and its health benefits

 Your doctor should have been researching this for at least a decade.

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The latest here:

Capsaicin and its health benefits

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers in Australia examine the health benefits associated with capsaicin, with a particular focus on how this compound impacts cognition and cardiovascular health.

Study: Capsaicin: A Potential Treatment to Improve Cerebrovascular Function and Cognition in Obesity and Ageing. Image Credit: Kiattipong / Shutterstock.com

What is capsaicin?

Capsaicinoids, which are the major pungent chemical found in Capsicum-genus plants like chilies, are phenolic compounds that share a vanilloid ring. Capsaicinoids consist of capsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin, homocapsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and homodihydrocapsaicin, of which capsaicin has the highest prevalence. Capsaicin is associated with numerous health benefits including anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-obesity agent, and antioxidant properties.

Capsaicin and cardiometabolic disease

Obesity elevates blood triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and free fatty acids. This contributes to vascular remodeling, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) dysregulation, and atherosclerosis, the latter of which is a major reason for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease.

Capsaicin enhances thermogenesis, fat oxidation, and energy expenditure, all of which contribute to reduced adiposity. This is accomplished by transient receptor potential vanilloid channel 1 (TRPV1) activation and the subsequent lowering of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), which are elevated with higher adiposity.

Previously, TRPV1 activation with capsaicin has been shown to reverse defective macrophage autophagy produced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein, as well as activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling activation, reduce foam cell production, and limit the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

Aging, cognition, and capsaicin

One of the primary symptoms of dementia is impaired cognition, which can result in functional impairment and diminished quality of life in an aging population. Increased oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and persistent low-grade systemic inflammation are related to aging and can subsequently lead to impaired cerebrovascular function and cognitive impairment.

Through TRPV1 activation, capsaicin has been shown to improve cognition in vivo. To this end, TRPV1 activation induced by capsaicin leads to reduced adiposity, oxidative stress, and chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, all of which are associated with both cerebrovascular function and cognition.

Capsaicin improves cognition in mice and humans

Tau proteins, which are involved in microtubule formation, are enriched in the central nervous system (CNS). Abnormal tau proteins can elevate phosphorylation and reduce microtubule binding, subsequently resulting in the formation of amyloid oligomers and aggregated deposits. These amyloid deposits can impair brain function by lowering intra- and inter-neuronal signaling, thus causing cognitive decline.

The intraperitoneal (IP) injection of capsaicin to C57BL/6 mice for two weeks repaired Aβ-induced memory impairments by enhancing hippocampal synaptic function. This may have been due to the increased production of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95), which is a neuroprotective protein that is frequently diminished in Alzheimer's disease.

Cholinesterase enzymatically degrades acetylcholine, which is a potent vasodilatory cholinergic neurotransmitter that reduces with aging. Cholinesterase activity is elevated in Alzheimer's disease, which leads to further reduced levels of acetylcholine.

Cholinesterase inhibitors are currently the first-line therapy for AD. According to research, 13 days of consuming capsaicin-containing chili oleoresin in addition to the anticholinergic scopolamine reduced acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by 50%.

Using a food frequency questionnaire, one study investigated the consumption of chili peppers by 338 community-dwelling individuals in Chongqing, China. To this end, a diet high in capsaicin was associated with considerably higher mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores.

In the aforementioned study, those who ate chilies on a daily basis were younger as compared to those who self-reported weekly intake. This was ascribed to the social assumption that older individuals prefer blander meals.

Taken together, these findings suggest that capsaicin may affect human brain health. However, additional research is needed to determine the consequences of chronic chili consumption on cognition.

The effects of capsaicin on cerebrovascular function

Previous in vitro investigations have revealed that a small dose of capsaicin led to the vasodilation of pial arteries, whereas a higher dose caused vasoconstriction.

In another in vivo study, using a Doppler flowmeter positioned across the middle meningeal artery of rats, researchers assessed the effect of a dural administration of capsaicin on meningeal blood flow. Meningeal afferents released more calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in response to high and low topical capsaicin treatment on the dura mater.

Notably, the release of CGRP was shown to be greater in obese rats in comparison to control rats. This may be related to decreased sensitivity of CGRP receptors to CGRP.

Capsimax

Capsimax is an easily accessible supplement consisting of 2% capsaicinoids derived from 15% to 25% Capsicum extract, 45% to 55% sucrose, and 30% to 35% cellulose gum coatings. This supplement prolongs the release of capsaicin into the small intestine, which eliminates its pungency and other problems related to direct chili or capsaicin administration.

Capsimax has been shown to increase thermogenesis and reduce lipogenesis, as demonstrated by lower fatty-acid binding protein and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma levels.

Similarly, oxidative inflammation and stress were reduced in male Wistar rats administered Capsimax every day for eight weeks in conjunction with exercise, a low-fat, a high-fat diet, or a high-sucrose diet. Lowered nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (NFE2L2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were determined to be responsible for this effect.

Conclusions

Capsimax is a new, safe, and tolerated capsaicin supplement that reduces the likelihood of gastrointestinal distress and other unwanted side effects of capsaicin consumption. Considering the paucity of available preventive therapies for cognitive loss, capsaicin may represent a natural treatment for cognitive decline. Nevertheless, future studies are needed to determine if the ability of capsaicin to reduce cognitive could lead to a reduced risk of diseases like dementia and AD.

Journal reference:

• Thornton, T., Mills, D., & Bliss E. (2023). Capsaicin: A Potential Treatment to Improve Cerebrovascular Function and Cognition in Obesity and Ageing. Nutrients 15(6):1537. doi:10.3390/nu15061537

Dose Escalation and Safety of Capsaicin for Cerebral Perfusion Augmentation

 I think this means you're getting higher blood velocity in your brain. Sounds like a winner to get more oxygen to your brain and maybe save a few neurons from dying. But since this was tested in healthy volunteers your doctor and hospital have the responsibility to initiate research in this on stroke subjects with the objective being to see how many neurons can be saved. 

No initiation of research you need to fire the board of directors, they are not setting correct goals for the hospital and staff.  But since this is not yet proven useful for stroke survivors don't start bringing in ghost peppers(Scoville of 855,000 to 1,041,427). I don't know how to translate Scoville units to μMol(A micromole is a unit of measure defined as 10^-6 (one-millionth) of a mole. The symbol for micromole is commonly umol or μmol.)

Dose Escalation and Safety of Capsaicin for Cerebral Perfusion Augmentation

 

Juan Manuel Marquez-Romero

,

María Raquel Huerta-Franco

,

Miguel Vargas-Luna

,

César Abraham Madrigal-Gutiérrez

,

José Martín Esparza-Hernández

,

María Guadalupe Velázquez-Barcena

Originally published10 May 2021https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.032773Stroke. 2021;52:2203–2209

Abstract

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Background and Purpose:

Sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) electrical stimulation has been studied in the setting of acute ischemic stroke to enhance collateral flow. Capsaicin poses an alternative to chemically stimulate the sphenopalatine ganglion. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the safety and effect of increasing doses of capsaicin upon serial transcranial Doppler markers of cerebral blood flow.

Methods:

We performed serial transcranial Doppler testing in 30 healthy volunteers divided into 5 equal groups. Capsaicin doses ranged from 33 to 165 μMol. We recorded peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities in the middle cerebral artery, arterial pressure, and perceived pungency in 5-minute intervals up to 20 minutes. We then calculated the mean velocity, the pulsatility index, and the cerebral blood flow index.

Results:

The participants’ median age was 21 years (range, 5 years); all reported consumption of capsaicin in their diets. After and during the study, none reported side effects. Perceived pungency peaked at 5 minutes, and by the 20-minute mark, none perceived any pungency. All the tested doses produced the same pattern, consisting of augmentation of the middle cerebral artery mean velocity with the pulsatility index’s diminution. The effects peaked between the 5- and the 10-minute measurements and then returned to basal levels except for the 66-μMol doses, which produced a sustained effect. We found no correlation between perceived pungency and dose, but the middle cerebral artery mean velocity was strongly correlated with the dose administered.

Conclusions:

This study provides evidence supporting the safety and tolerability of oral capsaicin in a population of healthy volunteers. Capsaicin appears to produce effects similar to those of sphenopalatine ganglion electrical stimulation.

Registration:

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04545892.

Capsaicin-loaded nanolipoidal carriers for topical application: design, characterization, and in vitro/in vivo evaluation

I would think that Capsaicin applied to the skin would be great for environmental enrichment and following Margaret Yekutiel in the book, 'Sensory Re-Education of the Hand After Stroke' in 2001 and lead to better recovery? Cheap, easy to do, what is not to like about it except that your doctors have never done ANYTHING that smacked of innovation or thinking outside the box?  You, your children and your grandchildren will continue to be screwed from stroke as long as the existing stroke medical 'professionals' stay in charge. 
 https://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=32956

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Authors Wang XR, Gao SQ, Niu XQ, Li LJ, Ying XY, Hu ZJ, Gao JQ
Received 7 January 2017
Accepted for publication 28 March 2017
Published 22 May 2017 Volume 2017:12 Pages 3881—3898
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S131901
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single-blind
Peer reviewers approved by Dr Thiruganesh Ramasamy
Peer reviewer comments 2
Editor who approved publication: Dr Lei Yang

Xia-Rong Wang,¹ Si-Qian Gao,¹ Xiao-Qian Niu,¹ Long-Jian Li,² Xiao-Ying Ying,¹ Zhong-Jie Hu,² Jian-Qing Gao<sup>1,3

1</sup>Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, ²Zhejiang Provincial Corps Hospital of Chinese People’s Armed Police Forces, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, ³Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for New-Type External and Transdermal Preparations, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China


Abstract: Capsaicin has been used in clinical applications for the treatment of pain disorders and inflammatory diseases. Given the strong pungency and high oil/water partition coefficient of capsaicin, capsaicin-loaded nanolipoidal carriers (NLCs) were designed to increase permeation and achieve the analgesic, anti-inflammatory effect with lower skin irritation. Capsaicin-loaded NLCs were prepared and later optimized by the Box–Behnken design. The physicochemical characterizations, morphology, and encapsulation of the capsaicin-loaded NLCs were subsequently confirmed. Capsaicin-loaded NLCs and capsaicin-loaded NLCs gel exhibited sustained release and no cytotoxicity properties. Also, they could significantly enhance the penetration amount, permeation flux, and skin retention amounts of capsaicin due to the application of NLCs. To study the topical permeation mechanism of capsaicin, 3,3'-dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (Dio) was used as a fluorescent dye. Dio-loaded NLCs and Dio-loaded NLCs gel could effectively deliver Dio up to a skin depth of 260 and 210 µm, respectively, primarily through the appendage route on the basis of version skin sections compared with Dio solution, which only delivered Dio up to 150 µm. In vivo therapeutic experiments demonstrated that capsaicin-loaded NLCs and capsaicin-loaded NLCs gel could improve the pain threshold in a dose-dependent manner and inhibit inflammation, primarily by reducing the prostaglandin E2 levels in the tissue compared with capsaicin cream and capsaicin solution. Meanwhile, skin irritation was reduced, indicating that application of NLCs could decrease the irritation caused by capsaicin. Overall, NLCs may be a potential carrier for topical delivery of capsaicin for useful pain and inflammation therapy.

Keywords: capsaicin-loaded NLCs, prescription optimization, analgesic, anti-inflammation, hot-plate test, carrageenan-induced paw edema

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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How To Make Hot Pepper Cream For Arthritis And Joint Pain

This is totally not to be followed unless your doctor approves. I however will do something like this after my next stroke because the extra sensation is good for prepping your motor recovery.  Just what Margaret Yekutiel wrote in the book, Sensory Re-Education of the Hand After Stroke in 2001
The explanation about it here:
http://www.herbs-info.com/blog/how-to-make-hot-pepper-cream-for-arthritis-and-joint-pain/?c=d

The recipe here:
http://everydayroots.com/arthritis-pain-relief-cream

Don't ever listen to me, my brain is stroke-addled. Your medical doctor knows everything about how to get to 100% recovery, you just need to ask.

Cough reflex induced by capsaicin inhalation in patients with dysphagia

I'm quite positive you will never get this test. Inhaling the hotness of peppers seems unlikely to be approved by your hospital. 

Cough reflex induced by capsaicin inhalation in patients with dysphagia

January 2011, Vol. 131, No. 1 , Pages 96-100 (doi:10.3109/00016489.2010.516013)

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Yoshimasa Imoto ¹, Akihiro Kojima ², Youko Osawa ², Hiroshi Sunaga ³ & Shigeharu Fujieda ¹

¹Division of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Sensory and Locomotor Medicine, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, Fukui

²Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tannan Regional Medical Center, Fukui

³Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maizuru Kyosai Hospital, Kyoto, Japan

Correspondence: Shigeharu Fujieda MD, Chairman of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Sensory and Locomotor Medicine, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, 23 Shimoaizuki, Matsuoka, Yoshida, Eiheiji, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan. +81 776 61 8407. +81 776 61 8118. sfujieda@u-fukui.ac.jp

Abstract

Conclusions: We conclude that the capsaicin inhalation test is useful to directly assess cough reflex and sensation around the larynx, while it indirectly reflects central nervous system function. Objectives: To understand the state of the cough reflex before patients with dysphagia start eating. Methods: We studied the cough reflex by the capsaicin inhalation test in 21 patients with dysphagia and 12 healthy persons without dysphagia. Results: The control group showed a cough reflex at a capsaicin concentration of 2.61 μM (0.98–7.80), while patients with mild dysphagia did so at 7.28 μM (1.95–15.6), those with moderate dysphagia at 22.07 μM (15.6–62.5), and those with severe dysphagia at 71.75 μM (31.2–250). Control vs mild p < 0.01, control vs moderate p < 0.01, control vs severe p < 0.01, mild vs moderate p < 0.01, mild vs severe p < 0.01, moderate vs severe p < 0.05. There was a significant correlation between the grade of dysphagia and the threshold capsaicin concentration that provoked a cough reflex (ρ = –0.796, p < 0.001).

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00016489.2010.516013