naturopathydigest.com -- Naturopathic Solutions to a National Epidemic

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Naturopathic Solutions to a National Epidemic

NCNM partners with renowned Oregon Health & Science University to investigate the role of diet in preventing and treating diabetes

An estimated 20.8 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States alone - nearly 7 percent of the population.

This sobering statistic suggests that conventional treatment strategies are not working; it also underscores the need for research and clinical data that raise awareness and appreciation of naturopathic solu-tions to managing this widespread condition and its potentially fatal health complications.
Researchers at National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) are investigating a possible relationship between inflammation, diabetes and diet. The typical Western diet is markedly high in processed foods, added sugar and saturated fat, which are thought to stimulate an inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract. Type 2 diabetics often have a mild inflammatory response with elevated levels of cytokines, proteins that stimulate the immune response.
Research suggests such a diet might trigger the body to release inflammatory chemicals. A recent study conducted by Harvard Medical School found that an eating pattern which includes sugary or diet sodas, refined grains, processed meat, and insufficient cruciferous vegetables jumpstarts inflammation and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Low, steady levels of inflammation in the body could precipitate numerous chronic diseases and conditions plaguing patients today.
The purpose of the NCNM/OHSU study is to compare the health effects of the naturopathic anti-inflammatory diet versus an American Diabetes Association-based diet. Beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, fish, lean turkey and chicken round out the typical anti-inflammatory diet, which excludes pro-inflammatory foods such as dairy, red meat, caffeine, alcohol, peanuts, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and citrus fruits.
While the typical diabetic diet includes many of the same foods featured in the anti-inflammatory diet, it does not exclude foods thought to trigger inflammation. Researchers hope to discover whether the anti-inflammatory diet results in less inflammation and a better response by the immune system than the usual diabetic diet.
Headed by the Helfgott Research Institute at NCNM and funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the six-week study will monitor 36 patients, recording changes in the levels of inflammatory blood markers, cardiovascular risk factors, and glucose metabolism. Principal investigator, Patricia Elmer, PhD, and her team hope to illuminate the effects of each diet on the immune system and mood in type 2 diabetic patients and pre-diabetics who are not yet taking medication. All meals have been specially developed by the OHSU General Clinical Research Center based on the two diets, and will be provided to participants free of charge. Patients will be instructed to eat only the food provided.
Recruitment for eligible volunteers will continue through November of 2007. Those wanting to participate must be 18 to 75 years of age, overweight (body mass index of 25-45) and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, or "at risk for type 2 diabetes," meaning one possesses at least two of the following three characteristics:

age 50 or older;
body mass index of 35-45;
family history of type 2 diabetes.

Blood glucose will be measured at screening visits to confirm diabetes and blood glucose status. Participants must not be taking medications for diabetes (other than sulfonylurea) cholesterol - lowering medications, hormone replacement therapy or daily aspirin. Duration of the study is approximately eight to 10 weeks, with two to four weeks of screening in addition to the six weeks of monitoring participants' eating habits.
More staggering than the nearly 21 million Americans afflicted with diabetes is the fact that an estimated 2.7 million adolescents are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while 39,000 more already have the disease. Some researchers expect the number of children with type 2 diabetes to increase steadily over the next 10 years. The much-anticipated findings from the NCNM/OHSU study will be used to improve future research and better develop studies on much larger - and probably younger - groups of patients.
For additional information regarding this important study, visit the Helfgott Research Institute's research Web page at www.helfgott.org/html/projects. To learn more about Oregon Health & Science University, visit www.ohsu.edu/about/history.html.
Resources

"Portland Study Focuses on Anti Inflammatory Diet and Diabetes." OHSU press release, April 18, 2006. Click to view it online.
"The Effect of the Anti-Inflammatory Diet on Type II Diabetes." Click to view it online.
Callahan, Maureen. Good Food - Cooling the Fires Within." Alternative Medicine, February 2006. www.alternativemedicine.com.
Duncan, Glen E. Prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose levels among US adolescents: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2006;160;523-528.
Helfgott Research Institute: Study Participation Opportunities. Click to view it online.

Written by Julie Engebretson