Optimal Nutrition for Optimal Health
Current Trends in Chronic Conditions in the US.
The growing burden of chronic diseases is a major concern worldwide. Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases, and mental health disorders, are responsible for a significant percentage of health problems, deaths, and healthcare costs.
In the United States 6 in 10 adults have at least one chronic disease, 4 in 10 adults have two or more chronic diseases. The healthcare costs of these conditions are responsible for 90% of the nation's $4.1 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures.
Digestive diseases significantly impact the U.S. population, affecting millions and contributing to substantial healthcare utilization. Recent data indicates a high prevalence of these conditions, with studies suggesting that approximately 30.5% of individuals with commercial insurance and 53.1% of Medicare beneficiaries have been diagnosed with digestive diseases.
Autoimmune diseases have been on the rise in the United States over the past several decades. An autoimmune disease occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells, tissues, and organs. This can lead to a wide range of health problems depending on which part of the body is affected. Some common autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, and Crohn's disease.
Allergic conditions, including respiratory and food allergies, are prevalent in the United States, affecting millions of individuals across various demographics.
The burden of skin and subcutaneous diseases has been increasing over time. Skin conditions are prevalent in the United States, affecting a significant portion of the population. Acne is the most common, impacting up to 50 million Americans annually. Skin cancer poses a significant public health concern. It is estimated that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Overall, approximately one in four people in the U.S. have a skin disease.
All these conditions can have a significant impact on an individual's quality of life. The constant management of chronic diseases can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. The uncertainty of disease progression, along with the physical limitations, may contribute to feelings of helplessness or sadness.
Effective prevention, early detection, and management are critical to alleviating all this burden.
Inflammation: Food as a Major Culprit
Inflammation plays a critical role in the development and progression of many chronic diseases. It is a natural immune system response that helps the body defend against infections and injuries. However, when inflammation becomes chronic or dysregulated, it can contribute to various long-term health problems.
Lifestyle factors–food in particular–aging populations, and poor management of existing conditions all contribute to this growing issue.
Unexplained weight gain can be linked to inflammation caused by food– not necessarily due to consuming excess calories, but rather from selecting the wrong types of food. These choices can lead to fat accumulation, water retention, and metabolic imbalances that contribute to weight gain.
Accelerated aging is also often associated with inflammatory processes linked to an inadequate or unhealthy diet. Wrinkles, dry skin, hair loss and belly fat can all result from not following a proper, optimal diet.
Importance and Complexity of Food Choices to Prevent Chronic Conditions
Food plays a significant role in managing chronic diseases, allergies, and digestive issues. The relationship between food and these conditions is complex, as what we eat can either exacerbate symptoms or help alleviate them.
As mentioned above, a common denominator for the onset of chronic conditions is inflammation. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce inflammation in the body and potentially lower the risk of these conditions.
The microbiome, which refers to the trillions of microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.) that inhabit the human body, particularly the gut, plays a crucial role in overall health. Recent research has shown that an imbalance in the microbiome—called dysbiosis—can be linked to a range of chronic conditions. Food is one of the most powerful tools for maintaining or improving the health of our microbiome.
Food allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly reacts to harmless proteins in certain foods. When managing food allergies through diet, it's important to tailor meals adequately to avoid allergens while ensuring nutritional balance.
Food and genetics are closely related in several ways. Genetics plays a significant role in how we absorb food, the way we metabolize it, and the way our body interacts with it. Nutrigenomics is a field of study that examines how our genes interact with nutrients in food. It explores how certain genetic variations can affect how our bodies process and respond to different nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fats, and proteins. For instance, people with certain genetic variants may need more specific nutrients to maintain optimal health, while others might metabolize certain foods more efficiently.
Taste preferences play an important role in nutrition. When people enjoy the food they eat, they are more likely to stick with healthy eating habits. However, balancing taste preferences with nutritional needs is essential for overall health. In addition, cultural preferences must be considered within this context. It's important to make sure that traditional foods still provide balanced nutrition.
When considering the importance and complexity of food choices in preventing chronic conditions, allergies, and digestive issues, there is no one-size-fits-all answer and many factors need to be taken into account.
Rationale for the Needs of an Optimal Nutrition Program
Over the years Dr. Dominique Fradin-Read consulted with many patients who were working with a nutritionist.
Depending on current trends, recommendations would range from a micronutrient-balanced diet. the Mediterranean diet, the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, low-lectin diet, anti-inflammatory diet, low-allergenic diet, among others. Some were addressing balancing the microbiome as the main goal of nutrition.
Some patients admitted to trying themselves unconventional diets, such as the banana diet or the cookie diet!
However, the key point is that none of these approaches seem to fully address the chronic conditions of patients. This is an important observation because while many of these diets might help with specific aspects of health (e.g., reducing some symptoms or improving digestion) , they are often too generalized or not individualized enough to make a significant impact on chronic conditions, which are complex and multifactorial.
In the case of chronic conditions, a more tailored, personalized approach is often needed, and dietary recommendations should take into account not only the microbiome and inflammation but also the patient’s individual needs, health history, and lifestyle factors. For instance, the Mediterranean diet may work well for someone with cardiovascular issues, but it may not be as effective for someone with autoimmune conditions, for whom an anti-inflammatory or low-lectin diet could potentially have more benefits.
In her quest to define the “optimal nutrition plan for each individual,” Dr. Dominique Fradin-Read, who holds a degree in nutrition from France, chose to consult with renowned nutritionist Nicole Visnic. Dr. Read had a long-standing relationship with Nicole, and she knew that Nicole would bring fresh ideas to the project. She highlighted that several new tests were now available to assess the various components of a personalized nutrition plan, which could be offered to patients in a sequential manner to address all the related issues.
After brainstorming together, Nicole and Dr. Read developed the "4-Month VitaLifeMD Optimal Nutrition Program," which is now available to our patients.
What is the 4-Month VitaLifeMD Optimal Nutrition Program?
The complete program will be administered at our office by Nurse Practitioner Carley Cassity, with remote supervision by Nicole Visnic. It consists of multiple consultations, each designed to build upon the last one in order to optimize your diet. All lab tests are included as part of the program. Here’s how the program works:
1. Initial Nutrition Consultation:
Diet Intake
Lectin compatibility and macronutrient/meal timing recommendations
Blood draw
for the Nutreval nutrients test to determine nutritional deficiencies and imbalance
the innovative Infinite food allergy test
Patients will be sent home with a stool kit for microbiome analysis
2. Follow-up Appointment
Assessment of the response to lectin compatibility diet
Review Nutreval and Infinite food allergy results
Provide new diet recommendations
Add supplements as needed
Patients will be sent home with a food genetic testing kit
3. Follow-up Appointment #2
Assess response to Infinite allergy diet
Review gut microbiome stool test results
Provide added nutrition recommendations for gut health
Add supplements as needed
4. Follow-up Appointment #3
Assess response to gut protocol
Review of food genetic test results
Provide final personalized recommendations including genetic needs
Add supplements as needed
5. Follow-up Appointment #4
Assess response to optimal personalized diet /supplementation recommendations
Discuss the next steps and whether patient needs ongoing support
Nutrition is an important piece of the puzzle, but other treatments may also be crucial for effectively managing chronic diseases. This program will focus on a fundamental aspect of how food impacts health, serving as a key element in addressing the root causes. It will be part of a broader, holistic treatment plan that can work alongside the program.
If you are interested and would like to enroll in the program, please contact our office at 424-325-3368 or e-mail Jocelyn at MA@Vitalifemd.com.