Browsing by Author "Gimeno Mallench, Lucía"

Background and objectives: Self-reported psychological variables related to pain have been posited as the major contributors to the quality of life of fibromyalgia (FM) women and should be considered when implementing therapeutic strategies among this population. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of low-pressure hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on psychological constructs related to pain (i.e., pain catastrophism, pain acceptance, pain inflexibility, mental defeat) and quality of life in women with FM. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial. Thirty-three women with FM were randomly allocated to a low-pressure hyperbaric oxygen therapy group (HBOTG) (n = 17), who received an 8-week intervention (5 sessions per week), and a control group (CG) (n = 16). All women were assessed at baseline (T0) and upon completion of the study (T1) for self-perceived pain intensity, pain catastrophism, pain acceptance, pain inflexibility, mental defeat and quality of life. Results: At T1, the HBOTG improved across all variables related to pain (i.e. self-perceived pain intensity, pain catastrophism, pain acceptance, pain flexibility, mental defeat) (p < 0.05) and quality of life (p < 0.05). In contrast, the CG showed no improvements in any variable. Furthermore, significant differences between the groups were found in quality of life (p < 0.05) after the intervention. Conclusions: HBOT is effective at improving the psychological constructs related to pain (i.e. pain catastrophism, pain acceptance, pain flexibility, mental defeat) and quality of life among women with FM.

Drugs are bioactive compounds originally discovered from chemical structures present in both the plant and animal kingdoms. These have the ability to interact with molecules found in our body, blocking them, activating them, or increasing or decreasing their levels. Their actions have allowed us to cure diseases and improve our state of health, which has led us to increase the longevity of our species. Among the molecules with pharmacological activity produced by plants are the polyphenols. These, due to their molecular structure, as drugs, also have the ability to interact with molecules in our body, presenting various pharmacological properties. In addition, these compounds are found in multiple foods in our diet. In this review, we focused on discussing the bioavailability of these compounds when we ingested them through diet and the specific mechanisms of action of polyphenols, focusing on studies carried out in vitro, in animals and in humans over the last five years. Knowing which foods have these pharmacological activities could allow us to prevent and aid as concomitant treatment against various pathologies.

Due to medical advances and lifestyle changes, population life expectancy has increased. For this reason, it is important to achieve healthy aging by reducing the risk factors causing damage and pathologies associated with age. Through nutrition, one of the pillars of health, we are able to modify these factors through modulation of the intestinal microbiota. The Mediterranean and Oriental diets are proof of this, as well as the components present in them, such as fiber and polyphenols. These generate beneficial e ects on the body thanks, in part, to their interaction with intestinal bacteria. Likewise, the low consumption of products with high fat content favors the state of the microbiota, contributing to the maintenance of good health.