by Lewis Chang, PhD Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Increased intake of EPA and DHA is beneficial for cardiovascular health, cognitive function, mental health, maternal and child health, immunity and inflammation. EPA and DHA supplements are becoming more and more popular across a wide diversity of people; from healthy individuals to vulnerable populations with impaired health. Higher omega-3 concentrations may compete with fatty acids such as arachidonic acid for metabolizing enzymes. The interaction results…

by Bianca Garilli, ND It has been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the case of the growing obesity epidemic and the concurrent increase in insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), it is important to understand the relationship between obesity and IR, and to identify biomarkers which can aid in the identification and prevention of these conditions. Inflammation is thought to be a major driver of the IR process, with evidence…

Dr. Frank Hu is a professor of nutrition, epidemiology, and medicine at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School. In this presentation, he discusses the relationship between saturated and unsaturated fats, sources of carbohydrates, and risk of cardiovascular disease. There have been recent sensationalist headlines on the role of fat in the diet and its relationship to cardiovascular disease. Professor Hu clears up the confusion in this presentation. A recent paper by Professor Hu and…

by Bianca Garilli, ND, IFMCP Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the US and a major cause of serious disability for adults.1 Up to age 75 the incidence of stroke is higher in men, and from years 75-84 both men and women’s risk are equal; after age 84, however, the risk of stroke in women surpasses that of their male counterparts.2 Overall, the lifetime risk of stroke is actually higher in women than men, with a 21% lifetime…

by Bianca Garilli, ND The rise in childhood overweight and obesity has been dramatic over the past three decades, with the number of overweight children tripling in that time frame, resulting in approximately 1 in 5 children (17%) in the US now estimated to be overweight.*1 Furthermore, while more children are becoming overweight, the heaviest children are getting even heavier.1 From 1971-1974 to 2009-2010, the prevalence of obesity in US children increased:**2 From 4.8% to 12.1% in children ages 2-5 From 4%…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Obesity is not age-discriminate, affecting both adults and children quite dramatically over the past few decades. In the United States, nearly one in five children ages 6-19 years old are currently obese, resulting in both long-term health consequences and a financial burden to the individual, family and nation.1 One of the most detrimental effects of the rise in obesity prevalence is the corresponding elevation in cardiometabolic risk factors in the growing child. Commonly, the recommendations for children…

Pain Management: Symptomatic Relief of Inflammation: Robert Bonakdar, MD Inflammation impacts numerous systems and can be challenging to treat. In this talk Robert Bonakdar, MD Director of Pain Management at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, discusses these pathways and ways to approach the inflammatory response upstream to prevent silent and chronic inflammatory states. Understanding inflammation, its stages, and the pathways can help clinicians and researchers improve health outcomes. Presented at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium Annual Conference (IHS) in New York City…

by Lewis Chang, PhD Based on the theory that each blood type (i.e., O, A, B, and AB type) represents distinct genetic traits and ancestral dietary habits, the popular “blood-type diet” advocates eating according to one’s blood type to achieve optimal health. For example, individuals who are type O (“the hunter”) would benefit most from a high-animal protein diet with avoidance of grains, legumes and dairy products; type A (“the agrarian”) are best with a vegetarian diet; type B (“the…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the US: 30 million US adults have diabetes (90-95% type 2 diabetes [T2D]), with another 84 million living with prediabetes.1 The most influential, modifiable risk factors for diabetes include overweight/obesity, lack of physical activity, and smoking.1 With diabetes-related medical costs and lost work/wages totaling $245 billion/year,1 the US cannot afford to let this epidemic remain unchecked. Clinicians who are equipped to implement successful, evidence-based lifestyle interventions for their…

The health and lifestyle choices a mother makes during pregnancy has immense impact on the unborn child during in-utero development and beyond.  It is well known that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome; taking certain medications such as isotretinoin, a common acne drug, can lead to birth defects; and consuming inadequate quantities of folate while pregnant can increase risk of spina bifida and other mid-line defects in the child. Ingesting inappropriate types and quantities of medications,…