Treating Depression as a Preventative Measure for Diabetes

Depression and diabetes are two prevalent health issues that often coexist, creating interconnected challenges for individuals. Recent research has discovered a connection between the two conditions, suggesting that treating depression could play a role in preventing diabetes.

Studies have consistently shown a bidirectional relationship between depression and diabetes. Individuals with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing depression, and those with depression have an increased susceptibility to diabetes. This link is not merely coincidental; shared biological mechanisms and lifestyle factors contribute to the intricate association between the two conditions.

Chronic inflammation is a common denominator in both depression and diabetes. Depressive symptoms can trigger inflammatory responses in the body, leading to an imbalance in immune function. This chronic inflammation, in turn, contributes to insulin resistance and impairs the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of diabetes.

Persistent stress is a well-known contributor to both depression and diabetes. The body's response to stress involves the release of cortisol, a hormone that, when elevated for prolonged periods, can lead to insulin resistance. By addressing and treating depression, individuals may effectively manage stress levels, reducing the impact on cortisol secretion and, consequently, mitigating the risk of developing diabetes.

Depression often leads to unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, sedentary behavior, and irregular sleep patterns – all of which are risk factors for diabetes. Treating depression involves not only addressing the emotional aspects but also promoting healthier habits. Encouraging individuals to adopt a balanced diet, engage in regular physical activity, and establish a consistent sleep routine can significantly contribute to preventing diabetes.

Mental health treatment, including therapy and medications, can provide individuals with the tools to cope with depression effectively. As the emotional burden lessens, the associated physiological changes, such as reduced inflammation and cortisol levels, may contribute to a decreased risk of developing diabetes.

The link between depression and diabetes emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to healthcare. Treating depression is not only essential for improving mental well-being but may also serve as a preventative measure against the development of diabetes. By addressing the connection between these conditions, healthcare professionals can empower individuals to lead healthier lives.

-------------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric medicine, obesity medicine, medical practice start up, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis 

Plant-Based Diets can Slow the Decline of Cognitive Skills

No dietary plan can guarantee a healthy brain as we age. Nonetheless, following a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and dairy products can help maintain a healthy mind. Choosing healthy fats like olive or canola oil, over saturated fats, and protein from fish and plants is also a good idea. Research shows that plant-based diets that include nutritious vegetables may slow cognitive deterioration. Specifically, a recent study revealed that the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet can prevent or reduce the decrease of cognitive abilities.

The traditional cuisine of Greece, Italy, and other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea comprise the Mediterranean diet. The diet consists mostly of plant-based foods, including whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, and herbs. Most of the fat in the diet comes from olive oil. In moderation, dairy, poultry, and fish are permissible. Eating sweets and red meat should be infrequent. 

Because the MIND diet incorporates foods from the Mediterranean and DASH diets, let's discuss the DASH Diet. The DASH diet is an eating regimen meant to treat or prevent hypertension. The acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension is DASH. The diet comprises potassium, calcium, and magnesium-rich foods. These minerals aid in blood pressure regulation. The diet prohibits high-sodium, high-saturated-fat, and added-sugar foods.

The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) eating pattern promotes a healthy brain health. The MIND diet combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. The MIND diet incorporates items from the Mediterranean and DASH diets that help boost cognitive function and protect the brain from age-related conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Kale, spinach, and collard greens and other green leafy vegetables are MIND dietary staples.

In a study, researchers combed the ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Web of Science electronic databases to identify brain-healthy diets. And the researcher discovered evidence indicating that plant-based diets can promote brain function. The researchers determined that the MIND diet enhanced memory, focus and cognition. And that the Mediterranean diet improved cognitive capacities. Healthcare providers should educate their patients on the cognitive benefits of plant-based diets based on the findings of this study. 

 -------------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis, prediabetes

The Mediterranean Diet May Slow the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease

It is estimated that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is experienced by 15% of the US adult population. The disease is serious and can lead to kidney failure and death. And approximately 90% of those who have CKD don’t even know they have the disease. It has been suggested by some that diet and exercise can be important elements in CKD treatment.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate or eGFR is a frequently used measurement in diagnosing CKD. Lower than normal eGFR measurements often indicate some reduction in kidney function. And one study has shown that the Mediterranean diet and increased physical activity can be effective in slowing the decline of eGFR and, thus, kidney function degradation.

Researchers in the study looked at 6719 overweight or obese subjects. The subjects ranged in age from 55 to 75 years of age. And each subject had metabolic syndrome, which is defined by a set of conditions, happening together, that can increase a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The set of conditions typically include “increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.”

The subjects in the above-mentioned study were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Some subjects were randomized to the group receiving an intensive weight loss intervention consisting of a Mediterranean diet and increase physical activity. And the other subjects were randomized to a group receiving normal care. The primary outcome was the change in eGFR after one year. The study was called the “PREvencion con Dieta MEDiterrianea-PLUS” or PREDIMED-PLUS trial.

At one year, there was a 40% lower degradation in eGFR for the intervention group compared to the group receiving usual care. These results showed that diet and exercise are important in CKD treatment. The researchers concluded that “the PREDIMED-Plus lifestyle intervention approach may preserve renal function and delaying CKD progression and overweight/obese adults.”

So, healthcare providers should consider counseling patients on the benefits of diet and exercise in the treatment of CKD. The providers should give specific advice on the kind of diets and exercise that are conducive to slowing the progression of CKD.

 -------------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric medicine, obesity medicine, medical practice start up, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis

A Sedentary Lifestyle in Low Back Pain and Cardiovascular Disease

A lifestyle in which an individual engages in very little physical activity is often called a sedentary lifestyle. And individuals in every region of the world are becoming less active. People tend to be sedentary when they engage in leisure activities such as using computers, watching television, or playing video games. Also, while people are at work, they frequently complete their tasks while seated at a desk. For older people, leading a sedentary lifestyle can raise a person's chance of developing cardiovascular disease as well as lower back pain.

According to the findings of one study, leading a sedentary lifestyle can increase the likelihood of developing low back pain (LBP). To perform the investigation, which was a meta-analysis, the researchers looked at 27 separate studies. The studies were discussed in articles that were made available in databases such as PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. The analysis of the 27 studies revealed that leading a sedentary lifestyle increased one's likelihood of developing LBP. 

For instance, utilizing a computer at work for longer than four hours a day can result in LBP. LBP might develop if a person spends more than seven hours a day sitting. Additionally, LBP may result from playing video games for at least twelve hours a week.

And with respect to a sedentary lifestyle in older people, a recent Finnish study looked at a cohort of  660 subjects, consisting of 277 men and 383 women. The mean age of the group was 68.9 years, and the study took place from 2013 to 2015.

The researchers found that a lower risk of cardiovascular disease is seen in older persons who limit their inactive time and engage in more daily physical exercise -- of any intensity. In fact, reducing inactive time and engaging in mild physical exercise are linked to lower all-cause mortality.

Since sedentary lifestyle can lead to LBP and increased cardiovascular risk, healthcare providers should encourage their patients to engage in exercise. And by the way, not only can exercise help treat LBP and lower cardiovascular risk, exercise may slow the decline in cognitive skills.

 -------------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis, prediabetes

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring and A Smartphone APP

Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It affects about one in three adults in the US, and increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. However, prediabetes can be reversed or slowed with lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy, exercising, and losing weight, thereby, delaying or preventing type 2 diabetes. And continuous glucose monitoring might prove to be helpful in the prevention of type 2 diabetes for some with prediabetes.

The CDC National Diabetes Prevention Program was established to enable individuals with prediabetes or a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes to prevent or delay the disease. The program uses intensive lifestyle intervention. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) might help people maintain their intensive lifestyle.
 
CGM is a system that uses a small sensor inserted under the skin to measure blood sugar levels every few minutes, and sends the data to a receiver or a smartphone app. The app can display the current blood sugar level, as well as the trends, patterns, and alerts. CGM can provide more information and feedback than finger prick testing, and can help people with prediabetes understand how their food, activity, and sleep affect their blood sugar.

A recent study found that CGM can also diagnose prediabetes earlier than a blood sugar test, and might motivate people to make lifestyle changes sooner. Another study showed that using CGM and a mobile app that integrates food logging and physical activity can improve blood sugar regulation in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

More research is needed to determine if CGM and a smartphone app, for example, can be a useful tool for treating prediabetes, and thus preventing type 2 diabetes, for the long term. And do so cost effectively. However, CGM may have a future in diabetes prevention.

-------------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric medicine, obesity medicine, medical practice start up, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis   

A Plant-Based Diet Can Improve Insulin Resistance and Lipids for Obese Individuals

Plant-based diets are frequently in the news today, because the diets appear to be beneficial in combating many chronic diseases, including obesity, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease(CVD) and diabetes." And a recent study has shown that a vegan diet, which is plant-based, can improve insulin resistance as well as CVD parameters, such as blood lipids, in obese individuals. 

First of all, a plant-based diet may be anything from a semi-vegetarian diet, consisting of small portions of animal products, to a vegan diet, which excludes all animal products. And compared to diets that include animal products, plant-based diets can be significantly helpful in the treatment of CVD.

In the study mentioned above, a vegan diet was also helpful, not only in imparoving CVD parameters, but also in lowering insulin resistance. The study was a meta-analysis where the researchers selected six studies in seven datasets. And it was found that the vegan diet improved insulin resistance, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL in persons with obesity. It should be noted that in this study, a plant-based diet appeared to have no effect on triglycerides.

The benefits of a plant-based diet are also evident in persons who have an increased genetic CVD risk profile. In one study consisting of 156,148 adult subjects, who did not have CVD, investigators found that adherence to a plant-based diet slowly decreased the risk of CVD even for persons who have a high genetic risk for CVD. Indeed, investigators concluded that “adherence to healthy plant-based diets may be associated with a decreased incidence of CVD in the entire population, suggesting that plant-based diet patterns may modify the risk of CVD, regardless of genetic susceptibility.”

Since the use of a plant-based diet can improve CVD risk factors and insulin resistance in persons with obesity, this is an opportunity for healthcare providers to help their patients. Healthcare providers should counsel patients on the benefits of a plant-based diet. 

-------------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric medicine, obesity medicine, medical practice start up, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, prediabetes, diabetes prevention, weight management industry analysis

 

Prediabetes and Retinopathy

Retinopathy is a disease of the retina. There are various forms of the disease. For example, there is hypertensive retinopathy and there is diabetic retinopathy. Treatment and prevention of these diseases involves controlling  high blood pressure and blood glucose levels. And of course, a yearly eye exam is critically important for those persons with retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common form of the disease. And this type of retinopathy is one of the principal causes of vision loss worldwide. At least two studies have linked prediabetes to a high level of retinopathy.

Prediabetes is where there is a higher than normal level of glucose in the blood, but the elevated level is not high enough to be deemed diabetes. For some time, it was known that prediabetes was often followed by diabetes. So, a study was designed to look into the progression from prediabetes to diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program trial was done between 1996 and 2001. The researchers looked at how prediabetes could lead to diabetes. It was found that prediabetes raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, and treating prediabetes could delay or prevent type 2 diabetes is many cases.

Further investigation into the incidence of retinopathy among persons with prediabetes was done after the original Diabetes Prevention Program study. The researchers looked at a subset of the participants in the original study. There were 3224 participants in the original Diabetes Prevention Program study. The subset consisted of 302 participants. The researchers "found detectable retinopathy in 7.6% of patients," who had prediabetes. So, retinopathy can be associated with prediabetes.

In another study, to determine a relationship between retinopathy and prediabetes, researchers examined articles in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Google Scholar and the Cochrane databases. After examining 5994 abstracts and 98 full-text articles, the researchers chose twenty-four studies for their analysis. The twenty-four studies consisted of 8759 participants with prediabetes. The researchers concluded that there was a 6.6% rate of retinopathy among persons with prediabetes compared with 3.2% for populations with normal levels of blood glucose.

The above studies indicate that healthcare providers may want to examine the eyes of patients with prediabetes. The providers may detect early signs of retinopathy. And this would be beneficial to the patient and the provider.

-------------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric medicine,obesity medicine,medical practice start up,bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis, diabetes prevention, prediabetes