Patients with diabetes often have numerous comorbid conditions such as obesity, heart disease, kidney disease and hypertension to name a few. Hypertension or high blood pressure (BP), in particular, can lead to increased risks for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heart failure (HF) and attendant microvascular complications. The last time the American Diabetes Association (ADA) provided a position statement on hypertension was more than 15 years ago. Given the increasing rise in the numbers of people afflicted by diabetes, increased BMI…

This presentation, entitled, “Probiotics: From Basic Science to Clinical Application” was delivered by Eamon M Quigley, MD at the ASPEN Symposium in February 2015. Dr. Quigley is the Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas. His presentation begins with a definition of probiotics and discussion of the health benefits they can have on the body. Current clinical applications for probiotics include diarrheal illnesses, necrotizing enterocolitis, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and liver…

The gene MTHFR is one of the best-known and most relevant genes in the growing field of nutrigenomics. According to the National Institutes of Health, MTHFR provides instructions for making an enzyme that plays a role in processing amino acids, as well as converting one form of folate to another, a process that is required to convert the amino acid homocysteine into another amino acid, methionine. It’s not this complicated process itself, though that makes MTHFR so noteworthy and relevant to…

A recent article  published in a recent edition of Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice and Policy proposes a shift from discussing BMI and weight loss with patients in the provider’s office, to focusing on the topics of awareness and education surrounding healthy life habits, physical activity in particular.  Authors Emily Dollar and team encourage an emphasis on cardiorespiratory fitness over body size to minimize the risk of stigma associated with overweight and obesity and increase collaboration between patient and provider.…

Summer has ended and school is back in session- which means most of us are in the thick of balancing classes, healthy eating on the go, exercise and sleep. Here are some tips and things to consider to keep the year calm, cool, and healthy. Schedules can get pretty stressful between work meetings, deadlines, school obligations, side projects and just plain keeping the house clean. Studies have shown that increased stress can lead to poor quality of sleep, and increased rates…

A 2009 publication, obesity-induced insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis are alleviated by omega-3 fatty acids: a role for resolvins and protectins can be downloaded here. In this paper, the authors discuss omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3-PUFAs), which have well-documented protective effects that are attributed not only to eicosanoid inhibition but also to the formation of novel biologically active lipid mediators (i.e., resolvins and protectins). In this study, we examined their effects on ob/ob mice, an obesity model of insulin resistance and…

Novel Pro-Resolving Mediators and Mechanisms in Inflammation presented by Jesmond Dalli, PhD for ASPEN Clinical Nutrition Week 2015 This presentation, entitled Novel Pro-Resolving Mediators and Mechanisms in Inflammation: Immunoresolvents is delivered by Dr. Jesmond Dalli and Dr. Charles N. Serhan. They are preeminent researchers in the field of inflammation resolution and share their insights at ASPEN 2015. They have recently published some of their findings on inflammation resolution along with the mechanisms they have uncovered regarding inflammation. The talk focuses…

   In this video from ASPEN Clinical Nutrition Week 2016, we present part 1 of a roundtable discussion featuring several experts from the field of clinical nutrition. The topic of this discussion is Inflammation: A Novel Clinical Nutritional Approach for Resolution. Stephen A. McClave, MD, moderates the roundtable discussion. Dr. McClave is Professor and Director of Clinical Nutrition and Director of Nutrition Curriculum at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, KY. The discussion begins with the…

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease and is a leading cause of death in the US among both men and women. CAD develops when plaque forms in the coronary arteries, limiting and blocking blood flow. Another cause of CAD, in addition to arterial plaques, is arterial inflammation.  A study by Tarec K. Elajami and colleagues found resolution of inflammation in the body may also lead to clot remodeling and reduce the incidence of CAD and coronary events in at risk…

by Bianca Garilli, ND  Often considered a disease of the older population, recent reports are indicating that an estimated 10% of stroke victims are less than 50 years of age and, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), ischemic stroke rates have risen in young adults aged between 24-50 years.1 The study further points out that hospitalization rates for stroke have also increased for both women and men—nearly double in the case of men. Research conducted…