by Bianca Garilli, ND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disorder in Western industrialized countries, can be categorized into two major groups – non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), which is not associated with significant inflammation, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with hepatic inflammation.1 Both of these conditions involve hepatic steatosis. The US prevalence of NAFLD is 10-46%.1,2 Worldwide, the prevalence is estimated to be between 6-35%, with some researchers noting up to 50% incidence in the…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Obesity, a preventable condition, has tripled worldwide since 1975, with 340 million children and adolescents between 5-19 years of age with overweight or obesity in 2016 according to the World Health Organization (WHO).1 In children and adolescents, BMI-for-age growth charts are used to determine weight status; >85th and <95th percentile is considered overweight, while ≥95th percentile is obese.2 In the US, overweight and obesity disproportionally affect children of low-income households, whereas the risk of overweight and…

by Bianca Garilli, ND   Polyphenol Overview Polyphenols are naturally occurring secondary metabolites found in plants. In nature they protect against ultraviolet radiation and play a role in defending against pathogens. Over 8,000 polyphenolic compounds have been identified from a large variety of plant species.1 Based on the structure and number of phenol rings they contain, polyphenols are classified into 4 main groups: phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans.1 Phenolic Acids Phenolic acids are found extensively throughout the plant kingdom,…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an urgent public health concern affecting approximately 1 in 59 US children.1-2 This complex neurodevelopmental syndrome is 4x more common in boys than girls and impacts all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, although ASD is more common in white > black > Hispanic children.1 Other developmental, psychiatric, neurologic, chromosomal, and genetic diagnoses are known to co-occur with ASD,3-4 however, the genetic and epigenetic factors that impact autism pathogenesis are…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP Guest: Mark Houston, MD, MS, FAHA, FASH, DABC Drs. Mark Houston and Deanna Minich delve into the science and proper clinical use of omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention and treatment of heart-related conditions. Dr. Houston vets the methodology and validity of 3 major meta-analyses related to omega-3s and heart health outcomes,1-3 helping to demystify the seemingly complex science and conflicting conclusions, so you can understand the data. Drs. Houston and Minich also discuss food…

by Bianca Garilli, ND The 2018 National Physician Burnout & Depression Report published by Medscape surveyed more than 15,000 physicians from 29 specialties on a wide array of topics, one of which was physician burnout.1 The topic of physician burnout has become increasingly important in medicine due to its impact on both the provider’s health and wellbeing, as well as its potential negative impact on patients’ safety and quality of care.1 Physician burnout can be described as a “work-related syndrome…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Physical inactivity prevalence among adolescents aged 11-17 years was estimated to be 81% globally in 2010, where insufficient physical activity (PA) was measured as < 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA daily per WHO guidelines.1 As part of the 60 minute/day exercise recommendation, the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that aerobic activity should be incorporated at least 3 days/week, muscle-strengthening at least 3 days/week, and bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days/week.2 It is well…

by Bianca Garilli, ND I have a patient who doesn’t like vegetables. In fact, this person is also not a fan of water (sans flavoring), exercise, nor high fiber foods such as legumes. This scenario is, in many ways, a perfect setup for a number of lifestyle-related chronic diseases, including hypertension. This patient has been on a cocktail of medications for many years but expressed to me that they’d like reduce the list. So, it was with great excitement that…

by Bianca Garilli, ND For women, the pre- and post-menopausal years represent a time of major change in many aspects of life including spiritual, emotional, and physical. From a physical perspective, shifting levels of sex hormones such as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, and estrogen play critical roles in the transition in and through menopause. It’s during this chapter of a woman’s life that the number of ovarian follicles begin to decline. Their eventual depletion cause the ovaries to no longer respond…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP Guest: Christopher Keroack, MD, IFMCP You may have heard about the ketogenic diet. This high-fat, low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein dietary pattern has experienced a revival of sorts in the mainstream media and dieting world. But, before “keto” was a contemporary fad, how was it used? In fact, there is ~100 years of science supporting the ketogenic diet. To shed light on its history of use and elucidate practical areas of clinical application, Drs. Deanna Minich and Christopher…