Category: Wellness Studies

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Dietary – Plant-Based Eating on Cardio-Metabolic Health

Studies continue to support the benefits of plant-based eating on cardio-metabolic health.

According to a recent report published in a special edition of Nutrients, plant-based diets help prevent and treat cardio-metabolic diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and obesity.

The authors analyzed research behind the effectiveness of plant-based diets to reduce disease risk including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. They concluded that vegetarian and especially vegan diets are effective for weight and glycemic control and provide metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, including reversing atherosclerosis and decreasing blood lipids and blood pressure.

Possible mechanisms include increased fiber, vegetable protein, and antioxidant intake and reductions in saturated fat, cholesterol, and caloric intake.

The authors recommend that future dietary guidelines and other nutrition policies highlight plant-based diets as a tool for prevention and treatment of various health conditions.

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3-D Human Heart Images Identify Heart Defect

Study in a Sentence: Researchers devised a new method to study donated heart tissues with high-resolution 3-D images down to the single cell level by prepping the tissue in a solution that allows it to be visible using modern X-ray scanners.

Healthy for Humans: The imaging technique can allow the heart electrical conduction system to be precisely localized and visualized to identify defects leading to abnormal heart contractions. Surgeons armed with this new knowledge can refine repair of heart problems without damaging too much healthy tissue. The improved 3-D images can be used to educate medical trainees as well as provide more informative discussions on heart related problems among medical teams and patients.

Redefining Research: This new 3-D model of the human heart provides a more accurate framework of the electrical conduction system and the micro-anatomical relationships within the heart than previous computer models and mathematical models. Researchers can use it to archive real human heart pathology and study it in detail virtually. The technique may be adopted to provide better 3-D images of other soft tissue human organs.

Stephenson RS, Atkinson A, Kottas P, et al. High resolution 3-cimensional imaging of the human cardiac conduction system from microanatomy to mathematical modeling. Scientific Reports. 2017;7. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-07694-8. Published online August 3, 2017.

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Dietary – Children Consuming Too Much Cow’s Milk

 

Children who were part of the Melbourne Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) Program consumed two to three times more protein than considered age-appropriate, according to results published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Researchers followed 542 mothers and their children’s first 5 years and tracked protein intake and food sources. The primary sources of protein after 9 months of age were cow’s milk and milk products. These sources resulted in excess protein consumption by the majority of participants with respect to current Australian daily recommendations. The authors caution that such high intakes of animal protein sources, particularly cow’s milk, provide poor sources of iron and predict unhealthful body composition later in life.

Campbell KJ, Abbott G, Zheng M, McNaughton SA. Early life protein intake: food sources, correlates, and tracking across the first 5 years of life. J Acad Nutr Diet.2017;117:1188-1197.

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Dietary – Decreasing Colorectal Cancer Risk

“Whole grain consumption decreases colorectal cancer risk and processed meat consumption increases the risk, according to a new report published by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research.

As part of their Continuous Update Project, an expert panel reviewed the evidence on dietary habits and risk for colorectal cancer and found strong links between processed and red meat and increased cancer risk. Possible mechanisms include heterocyclic amines as a result of cooking meat at high temperatures and heme iron.

Three servings of whole grains per day, which provide dietary fiber and various vitamins and anti-carcinogenic compounds, reduce cancer risk by 17 percent.”

~World Cancer Research Fund International/American Institute for Cancer Research. American Institute for Cancer Research. Published September 7, 2017 ~

Like help in making healthy dietary and lifestyle changes? Call LisaMarie at: 518-603-0326.

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Human Imaging Study

Human Imaging Study Identifies Target for Treating Mild Cognitive Impairment

By using a chemical agent that can detect proteins that shuttle serotonin (a neurotransmitter regulating appetite, sleep, and mood), researchers found the level of these serotonin transporter proteins is lower in 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a risk factor for developing dementia, relative to 28 healthy control subjects.

As the reduction in serotonin transporter proteins was greater than the reductions in brain blood flow or grey matter in the brain (two previously known imaging signs of dementia), detection of serotonin transporter proteins on brain imaging may serve as a novel early biomarker for detecting patients at risk for developing dementia. The study also suggests that the serotonin system may be a new therapeutic target for preventing or treating dementia.

This study shows how human-focused research studies can identify new human-relevant insights into the etiology of human diseases. It also directs scientists to study a new molecular pathway that may affect the onset or progression of dementia.

Smith GS, Barrett FS, Joo JH, et al. Molecular imaging of serotonin degeneration in mild cognitive impairment. Neurobiol Dis. 2017;105:33-41. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.05.007.

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Dietary Study – Diabetes

Diabetes Risk Increases with Meat Intake

Researchers followed the diets and disease risk of 63,257 participants from the Singapore Chinese Health Study and found that those who consumed the most red meat (e.g., pork, beef, lamb), poultry, and fish had an increased risk for type 2 diabetes by 23, 15, and 7 percent, respectively, compared with those who consumed the least. Meat consumption is associated with risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

In a separate analysis, the authors found that as heme iron increased, so did the risk for diabetes. Other studies have published similar findings, including the Adventist Health Study-2, which showed that as more animal products, such as red meat and fish, are included in the diet, increase for diabetes risk follows.

Talaei M, Wang Y, Yuan J, Pan A, Koh W. Meat, dietary heme Iron, and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Am J Epid. Published online August 22, 2017.

September 14, 2017.
Tonstad S, Butler T, Yan R, Fraser GE. Type of vegetarian diet, body weight and prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2009;32:791-796.

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Depression Among Children and Young Adults

Depression among children and young adults is increasing at an alarming rate.

According to the World Health Organization, the predominate cause of illness and disability for boys and girls aged 10 to 19 years is depression.

Symptoms of depression may include: changes in sleep patterns, appetite, weight, trouble concentrating, social withdrawal and suicidal thoughts and unexplained medical symptoms. Feelings of despair, hopelessness, sadness and worthlessness may also be present.

The incidence of depression in teenage girls appears to be higher than that of teenage boys. One key factor is the stress resulting from emotional, physical or sexual harassment.

Depression results from a complex interaction of social, psychological and biological factors.

Helping your child to take good measures to care for their physical and mental health will go a long way in helping to prevent depression, or help eliminate it.

Creating a First-Aid Kit for their Emotions may go a long way in helping your child feel good. Here are a few items they may wish to put in their kit:

1. a journal containing positive thoughts and experiences
2. mementos to remind them of the people who love them
3. inspirational sayings
4. favorite positive songs
5. encouraging articles.

Should you have concerns regarding your child or yourself, please do reach out to LisaMarie @ 518-603-0326.