by Bianca Garilli, ND Guidelines for reduction of diabetes risk consist of recommendations such as: Losing 5-7% of your starting body weight if overweight Following a healthful diet by lowering caloric intake, choosing water in place of sweetened beverages, and reducing fat in the diet, particularly trans fat Engaging in 30 minutes of exercise 5 times weekly1 More specific recommendations are discussed on the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease website including resources for following the Choose…

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 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 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…

Cells of the immune system have been shown to produce specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), a group of lipid molecules that coordinate the active resolution of inflammation. However, the capacity for non-immune cells types to biosynthesize SPMs is not well understood. In this publication, Chatterjee A et al. aimed to examine this ability by using freshly harvested segments of aortic branch as well as vascular smooth muscle cells and vascular endothelial cells all isolated from human volunteers perioperatively. The vascular cells…

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 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,…

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…

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.…