Clinical Research:

Lifestyle Medicine has been shown to be an effective way to prevent and reverse to a large extent many of the common ailments that affect our patients. The evidence for Lifestyle Medicine is growing daily. These illnesses include Obesity, Hypertension, Diabetes, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, and Coronary Artery Disease.

Hypertension

  1. Low-sodium diets were shown to significantly decrease blood-pressures in patients in a double-blinded study.
  1. MacGregor GA, Markandu ND, Sagnella GA, Singer DR, Cappuccio FP. Double-blind study of three sodium intakes and long-term effects of sodium restriction in essential hypertension. Lancet . 1989;2(8674):1244–7.
  1. For adults between the ages of 20 and 50, the number one source of sodium in their diets is chicken.
  2. Drewnowski A, Rehm CD. Sodium intakes of US children and adults from foods and beverages by location of origin and by specific food source. Nutrients . 2013;5(6):1840–55.
  3. A prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized trial showed significant blood pressure lowering effect of dietary flaxseed.
  4. Rodriguez-Leyva D, Weighell W, Edel AL, et al. Potent antihypertensive action of dietary flaxseed in hypertensive patients. Hypertension . 2013;62(6):1081–9.
  5. A randomized control trial showed significant blood pressure lowering amongst those who had an intensive lifestyle interventions versus advice only.
  6. Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, et al. Seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension . 2003;42(6):1206–52.

Obesity

  1. Intensive Lifestyle interventions including diet, exercise, and behavioural changes lead to sustained weight loss, as well as improved glucose tolerance, improved physical functioning, and reduced incidence of hypertension.
  2. McTigue KM, Hess R, Ziouras J. Obesity in older adults: a systematic review of the evidence for diagnosis and treatment. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006 Sep;14(9):1485-97.
  3. The Nurses Health Study showed that those with the highest intake of fruits and vegetables had a 24% decrease in risk for becoming obese.
  4. He K, Hu FB, Colditz GA et al. Changes in intake of fruits and vegetables in relation to risk of obesity and weight gain among middle-aged women. Int J ObesRelatMetabDisord. 2004 Dec;28(12):1569-74.
  5. Exercise prevents the loss of muscle tissue and increases visceral fat loss.
  6. Hansen D, Dendale P, Berger J, van Loon LJ, Meeusen R. The effects of exercise training on fat-mass loss in obese patients during energy intake restriction. Sports Med. 2007;37(1):31-46.

Diabetes

  1. The Look AHEAD trial showed the the lifestyle intervention group had significant reduction in A1C, reduction in weight, and improvement in physical fitness.
  2. The Look AHEAD Research Group: Reduction in weight and cardiovascular disease risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes: one-year results of the Look AHEAD trial. Diabetes Care 2007; 30:1374– 1383[
  3. A study of 89 000 Californians showed that vegans decreased their risk of developing Diabetes by 78%.
  4. Tonstad S, Stewart K, Oda K, Batech M, Herring RP, Fraser GE. Vegetarian diets and incidence of diabetes in the Adventist Health Study-2. NutrMetabCardiovascDis . 2013;23(4):292–9.
  5. A review looking at various diets found patients consuming plant-based meals had improved glycemic control and improved cardiovascular outcomes.
  6. Trapp CB, Barnard ND. Usefulness of vegetarian and vegan diets for treating type 2 diabetes. CurrDiabRep . 2010;10(2):152–8.
  7. A pilot study of thirteen patients showed that after 7 months on a high-fibre, low-fat plant-based diet, the average A1c dropped from 8.2 to 5.8.
  8. Dunaief DM, Fuhrman J, Dunaief JL, et al. Glycemic and cardiovascular parameters improved in type 2 diabetes with the high nutrient density (HND) diet. Open J PrevMed . 2012;2(3):364–71.

Coronary Artery Disease

  1. The Lifestyle Heart Trial showed conclusive evidence that intensive lifestyle changes can regress coronary atherosclerosis.
  2. Ornish D, et al. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? The Lifestyle Heart Trial. Lancet 1990 Jul 21;336(8708):129-33.
  3. Ornish D, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes for reversal of coronary heart disease. JAMA 1998 Dec 16;280(23):2001-7.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

  1. A review of studies showed that intensive Lifestyle interventions including counselling regarding nutrition and exercise helped with weight reduction and an improvement in liver histology.
  2. 302. Bellentani S, Dalle Grave R, Suppini A, Marchesini G; Fatty Liver Italian Network. Behavior therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: The need for a multidisciplinary approach. Hepatology. 2008 Feb;47(2):746-54