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 Bianca Garilli, ND It is estimated that over 9% of the US population or 30.3 million people have diabetes, and 23% of these are undiagnosed.1 The pathogenesis of diabetes includes the development of insulin resistance in muscle and liver cells, followed by impairment of pancreatic beta-cell function. Eventually, there is beta-cell failure due to apoptosis which leads to loss of first-phase insulin secretion.2  Research, however, indicates diet and physical exercise may reduce the deterioration of beta-cell health.  Individuals following…

by Lewis Chang, PhD A new dietary intervention trial demonstrated that a low-caloric lacto-ovo vegetarian diet and low-caloric Mediterranean diet were equally effective in reducing body weight and fat mass in healthy individuals, with different beneficial effects observed for blood lipids.1 Previous epidemiological studies and meta-analyses of clinical trials have found various health benefits associated with the vegetarian diet and Mediterranean diet. Researchers from University of Florence (Italy) recently conducted the first randomized crossover study to directly compare the effects…

The Cardiometabolic Consequences of Obesity and Nutritional Strategies for Prevention - Frank Hu, MD, PhD The prevalence of obesity in the US has reached epidemic proportions. In this presentation, “The Cardiometabolic Consequences of Obesity and Nutritional Strategies for Prevention,” Frank Hu, MD, PhD, reviews high-quality research demonstrating the dietary contributors to weight gain and the impact of overweight/obesity on cardiometabolic diseases and mortality. People do not eat individual nutrients; they consume dietary patterns with varying diet quality. To that end,…

Total Patient Care Management: Knowing the Predisposition of Chronic Disease - Robert Martindale, MD, PhD In this presentation, “Total Patient Care Management: Knowing the Predisposition of Chronic Disease,” Robert Martindale, MD, PhD of Oregon Health & Science University discusses how to get ahead of chronic disease in an aging population by reviewing current research and clinical experience. Dr. Martindale explores unique challenges associated with aging, including malnutrition, sarcopenia and anabolic resistance, cognitive decline, obesity and chronic inflammation, and gut/microbiome health.…

Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPMs) in Real World Clinical Practice presented by Jennifer Stagg, ND Jennifer Stagg, ND, is a healthcare practitioner in Connecticut who actively uses nutritional solutions to help her patients achieve better health. She frequently sees patients who are experiencing chronic inflammation. In this webinar, she describes her experience seeing patients who have conditions that involve chronic inflammation and the solutions she uses to manage the underlying inflammation and the condition itself. We know that chronic inflammation is…

Real World Clinical Experiences with SPMs presented by Cory Rice, DO This presentation by Dr. Cory Rice is entitled “Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators in Real World Clinical Practice.” This is part of our peer-to-peer knowledge sharing series. Incorporating SPMs in clinical practice for patients with chronic disease, particularly those who need nutritional support for lifestyle medicine. Dr. Rice also provides several patient case studies in which he describes how SPMs have provided improved health outcomes to his patients. As we know,…

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…

Consumption of non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NAS) commonly found in diet sodas had a deleterious impact on postprandial glycemic response in healthy subjects, a  double-blind randomized trial found.1 Artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) are thought to be healthier than sugar sweetened beverages because they contain little or no sugar. However, an increasing number of large-scale epidemiological studies have reported an unfavorable association between the consumption of ASBs and increased risks of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and even neurocognitive disorders (click…

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…