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…

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders for reproductive aged women in the US with a prevalence of 4-12%; in the EU, the prevalence ranges from 6-8%. This syndrome is characterized by irregular menses, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. On clinical examination, PCOS is usually noted by complaints of oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, hirsutism, and frequently infertility. Risk factors include diabetes (type 1 and type 2) as well as gestational diabetes. In over 60% of patients with…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Recent research continues to support the idea that both a genetic and environmental component may be potentially associated with the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Heritability is high in ASD as can be seen from family and twin studies. It is most certainly polygenic (multiple genes may contribute to ASD risk rather than there being just “one ASD gene”), and may be associated with both conserved mutations (inherited from parents) but also de novo mutations.1 The genetic risks related to ASD are highly complex…

Women who enter natural menopause before 45 years old have increased risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and overall mortality compared with women whose onset of menopause is at 50-54 years of age. However, it remains uncertain whether early onset of menopause influences levels of CVD risk factors leading to increased CVD risk. One of the major CVD risk factors is type 2 diabetes (T2D). Researchers at the Department of Epidemiology at Erasmus University Medical Center (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) set out…

Diet and exercise interventions during pregnancy helped women minimize excess gestational weight gain and lower the odds of caesarean section (C-section).1 Multiple clinical trials have previously demonstrated that diet, physical activity or the combination of both during pregnancy are beneficial in limiting excessive gestational weight gain. However, due to the relatively small sample sizes of these earlier trials, it remained unknown whether there were differential treatment effects in certain subgroups of women who may need additional support. To address these…