by Bianca Garilli, ND Increased gestational weight gain (GWG) is of major concern due to its potentially negative impact on a mother’s long term health as well as the health of her newborn. Maternally, raised GWG is associated with postpartum weight retention and obesity later in her life; it may also lead to complications of pregnancy including pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and an increased risk of cesarean birth. Children born to increased GWG mothers may have higher birthweights potentially leading to…

Findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study—which consisted of more than 135,000 individuals from 18 low-, middle- and high-income countries from five continents—showed that: (1) high carbohydrate intake was linked to worse total mortality, whereas high fat intake was linked to lower risk; (2) reducing saturated fat intake and replacing it with carbohydrate was linked to the most adverse effects on blood lipids; and (3) combined fruit, vegetable, and legume consumption at 3-4 servings per day were associated with a…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental syndrome with significant social, communication and behavioral deficits and challenges.1 No cure exists for ASD, although early interventions (birth to 3 years) can yield developmental improvements.1 ASD impacts approximately 1 in 68 children in the US and is 4.5 times more common in boys (1 in 42) than girls (1 in 189).2 Vitamin D’s extraskeletal roles are numerous, including its role as a neurosteroid, impacting both…

by Lewis Chang, PhD The majority of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have metabolic abnormalities. Because reduced diversity in the gut microbiome has been associated with metabolic disorders, researchers have hypothesized that women with PCOS may also exhibit reduced diversity in their gut microbiota, which may be linked to other hormonal imbalances including increased levels of testosterone. Investigators from Department of Reproductive Medicine at University of California San Diego (La Jolla, CA), Department of Biology at San Diego State…

The application of precision medicine in integrative healthcare Jennifer Stagg, ND Jennifer Stagg, ND discusses methods and application for precision medicine in an integrative healthcare setting. Dr. Stagg explores how you can utilize advances in genomics and epigenetics in health promotion and preventative care. She includes recent clinical case studies focused on incorporating genomic wellness testing, telomere length testing, as well as establishing the 7 categories for matching a specific diet with a patient to optimize health outcomes. Dr. Stagg explains how a…

Hormonal balance is recognized as a factor in the development of non-communicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. The topic is of particular interest regarding the health of peri- and post-menopausal women who experience changes in hormone levels during the menopausal transition and also have increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as they age. It is known that post-menopausal women have elevated glucose and elevated insulin response, compared to adiposity-matched pre-menopausal women, so it is…

Over 75% of overeating can be attributed to emotional factors. Lifestyle habits can translate into an obese phenotype, but understanding the psychological underpinnings of food choices and obesity is crucial to effective obesity management. Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP is a Functional Medicine-trained clinician and researcher with a unique approach that combines physiology and psychology. In this talk titled “Scientific Understanding and Clinical Strategies for Eating Issues Related to Obesity,” Dr. Minich explores the role of mood in food…

by Kara Fitzgerald, ND Precision medicine, which encompasses the concepts of individual uniqueness and personalized healthcare solutions, has to-date been most focused on genetics. Genetic-based differences in tumor cells, for instance, is one example of how precision medicine has started to play out. Recently the team from the Microbiome Center at the University of Chicago have argued that this definition is too narrow, and that the microbiome is another key factor in understanding and applying personalized healthcare. In their published commentary they…

by Bianca Garilli, ND  During the first years of life, an infant’s gut microbiota undergoes rapid colonization, and the microbial diversity of the growing infant results from exposure to a variety of sources.1 These microbiota sources are impacted by a variety of factors, including but not limited to: genetic underpinnings, the mother’s microbiota composition, method of delivery (vaginal vs. cesarean section), hospital and birthing environment, feeding sources (breast vs. bottle), sanitation of environments exposed to, and antibiotic use.1 By 2-5 years…

Artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) are non-caloric soft drinks sweetened by non-nutritive sweeteners instead of sugars. For consumers interested in losing weight, improving glycemic control, or simply reducing sugar consumption, ASBs are thought to be healthier alternatives to sugar-sweetened beverages. However, epidemiological evidence has begun to show that ASBs are by no means harmless. For example, the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study—two large-scale cohort studies conducted by the School of Public Health at Harvard University—found that consumption of ASBs…