by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN The global burden of diabetes is staggering, with an estimated 422 million adults living with the chronic disease.1 This prevalence has almost doubled since 1980 alongside the rise in obesity and has been dubbed the “diabesity” phenomenon.1 Diabetes and its myriad comorbidities (heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, limb amputation, vision loss, and pregnancy complications) translate into substantial economic losses to the person affected by the disease, health systems and national economies.1 Effective…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Updated clinical practice guidelines from the 2017 American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions and co-published in Hypertension1 and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology2 by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and AHA, revealed a new blood pressure (BP) classification system and updated hypertension (HTN) treatment recommendations, with a clear emphasis on lifestyle approaches. How will these guidelines affect clinical decision-making? These updated, more conservative ACC/AHA criteria will translate into millions of newly diagnosed patients with HTN, shifting many…

by Lewis Chang, PhD  One-year results from a new long-term clinical trial demonstrate that, compared with the usual guideline-based care, a more aggressive weight management program implemented at primary care practices can effectively help patients achieve type 2 diabetes (T2D) remission [1]. Researchers from Newcastle University (Newcastle City, UK) and University of Glasgow (City of Glasgow, UK) conducted a cluster-randomized trial (Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial, or DiRECT) at 49 primary care practices in Scotland and Northeast region of England. A total of…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN You may have heard that many Americans are not getting enough vitamin D, calcium, potassium, etc. from their diet. But do you think about omega-3s as a nutrient gap? You should. Research from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) demonstrates that> 90% of Americans are not meeting recommendations for omega-3 intake,with key differences observed in age, sex, and ethnicity subgroups.1 Although the cardiovascular benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have…

A team of Swiss researchers report on a novel therapeutic approach for migraine reduction: ketone supplementation.1  One in seven American adults suffer from migraine headaches, but effective therapies are lacking.2 Females, especially during reproductive years, are disproportionately affected by migraines, with a migraine prevalence of approximately 20% in females vs. 9% in males.2 Migraines are a leading cause of outpatient and emergency room visits.2 The personal disability and public health burdens from migraines are obvious, but solutions for migraine prevention and treatment are more elusive. Exogenous ketone…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN With over 70% of US adults overweight or obese,1 weight loss methods that are effective and sustainable over the long-term are critically needed. A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study led by Kevin D. Hall, PhD investigated how physical activity (PA) and energy intake (EI) impacted long-term weight loss in participants from “The Biggest Loser” TV competition.2 “The Biggest Loser” is a televised weight loss competition involving an intensive diet and exercise program (30…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN A food fortification trial demonstrated that 600 IU of daily vitamin D3 had a significantly greater impact than 600 IU of daily vitamin D2 in elevating serum blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D].1-2 Vitamin D is essential for skeletal health and many emerging extraskeletal physiological processes, but remains one of the most common micronutrient dietary gaps, resulting in widespread hypovitaminosis D globally. Understanding how much vitamin D the body needs daily, in what form, and from what sources…

by Lewis Chang, PhD  Increased blood ketone levels following consumption of a ketone ester drink delayed the onset of hunger in conjunction with a delayed rise in plasma ghrelin levels, a human study found.1 Ketogenic diets are linked to decreased appetite and altered gut hormone levels; however, it is less clear whether elevated blood levels of ketone body (as opposed to other dietary ingredients) were responsible for the observed changes. Researchers from the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at…

Hypertension (HTN) affects more than a third (32.6%) of Americans and is a major risk factor for heart disease and mortality.1 Unfortunately, the exact mechanisms as to development and maintenance of this condition are yet to be understood. It has been suggested that HTN is associated with a fundamental defect in the ability for the kidneys to excrete sodium.2 Salt sensitivity of blood pressure (BP) is a measurable, physiological, trait where an increase in dietary sodium intake leads to an increase in…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a common complication of diabetes, leads to pain and loss of feeling in the hands, arms, feet and legs. The incidence of neuropathy is approximately 45% for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and is responsible for more hospital admissions than all other diabetic complications combined; as well as accounting for 50-75% of non-traumatic amputations.1-2 The most common pharmaceutical treatments utilized in DPN cases include analgesics and anti-depressants along with physical therapy,…