by Bianca Garilli, ND Obesity, a preventable condition, has tripled worldwide since 1975, with 340 million children and adolescents between 5-19 years of age with overweight or obesity in 2016 according to the World Health Organization (WHO).1 In children and adolescents, BMI-for-age growth charts are used to determine weight status; >85th and <95th percentile is considered overweight, while ≥95th percentile is obese.2 In the US, overweight and obesity disproportionally affect children of low-income households, whereas the risk of overweight and…

There is a need to identify methods to complement and enhance compliance for the ketogenic diet in order to induce and sustain ketosis. Exogenous ketone supplementation, particularly with beta-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) salts, is one such method that has grown in commercial popularity, but clinical studies that test the efficacy and safety of exogenous ketones are lacking. A pilot study1 published in the Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Engineering assessed the circulating βHB blood (capillary) concentration in response to acute, oral βHB…

by Bianca Garilli, ND   Polyphenol Overview Polyphenols are naturally occurring secondary metabolites found in plants. In nature they protect against ultraviolet radiation and play a role in defending against pathogens. Over 8,000 polyphenolic compounds have been identified from a large variety of plant species.1 Based on the structure and number of phenol rings they contain, polyphenols are classified into 4 main groups: phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans.1 Phenolic Acids Phenolic acids are found extensively throughout the plant kingdom,…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an urgent public health concern affecting approximately 1 in 59 US children.1-2 This complex neurodevelopmental syndrome is 4x more common in boys than girls and impacts all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, although ASD is more common in white > black > Hispanic children.1 Other developmental, psychiatric, neurologic, chromosomal, and genetic diagnoses are known to co-occur with ASD,3-4 however, the genetic and epigenetic factors that impact autism pathogenesis are…

Host: Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMCP Guest: Mark Houston, MD, MS, FAHA, FASH, DABC Drs. Mark Houston and Deanna Minich delve into the science and proper clinical use of omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention and treatment of heart-related conditions. Dr. Houston vets the methodology and validity of 3 major meta-analyses related to omega-3s and heart health outcomes,1-3 helping to demystify the seemingly complex science and conflicting conclusions, so you can understand the data. Drs. Houston and Minich also discuss food…

by Lewis Chang, PhD Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) vs. Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) Excess energy intake over time contributes to weight gain and the obesity epidemic; therefore, restricting food intake is essential in weight management. Although cutting calories daily can be successful for short-term weight loss, the majority of individuals regain their lost weight in the long term as a result of compensatory physiological adaptations. For example, resting energy expenditure (REE)—the minimum energy needed to maintain vital physiological functions such…

by Lewis Chang, PhD Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which the immune system attacks and damages the myelin sheaths of nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.1 Common symptoms include cognitive difficulties, vision problems, fatigue, pain, motor problems, bladder dysfunction, and sexual problems. However, symptoms and their severity vary greatly from patient to patient depending on the location of affected nerve fibers. What triggers MS is still unknown, but a…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), AKA “concussion,” results from an impact to the head (e.g. bump, blow, jolt) that disrupts normal brain function or consciousness.1 Concussions in youth are more common than you may think. In 2016, 19.5% of US adolescents reported at least 1 diagnosed concussion during their lifetime, with 5.5% reporting >1 concussion.2 In addition to competitive sports participation (particularly contact sports), other characteristics associated with a higher concussion rates include being…

by Christopher Moulton, PhD Depression is one of the most common mood disorders in the US and worldwide. In 2016 an estimated 16.2 million adults, or 6.7% of US adults, suffered at least one major depressive episode,1 while globally more than 300 million are afflicted.2 Further, depression is comorbid with numerous chronic disease states including cardiovascular disease,3 type 2 diabetes,4 inflammatory bowel disease,5 and cognitive decline.6 Current frontline therapies such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medications present challenges related to treatment…

by Bianca Garilli, ND I have a patient who doesn’t like vegetables. In fact, this person is also not a fan of water (sans flavoring), exercise, nor high fiber foods such as legumes. This scenario is, in many ways, a perfect setup for a number of lifestyle-related chronic diseases, including hypertension. This patient has been on a cocktail of medications for many years but expressed to me that they’d like reduce the list. So, it was with great excitement that…