I thought I should post my notes taken from the Plant Based Nutrition Conference on NonAlcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. This is a huge problem in our North American culture. Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, MBA gave this lecture in September 2022. When fat exceeds 5 % of the liver you are diagnosed with fatty liver disease. 1 in 3 people in the US have fatty liver. The # 1 factor is weight management. Sugar sweetened beverages increase the risk of developing a fatty liver; having 1 cup a week increases the risk by 14%. Having 1-6 cups/ week increases the risk by 26%; >7 cups/week increases risk by 53%. Fatty liver develops because of the extra calories consumed not the sugar itself or the fructose but the extra calories consumed from sugar sweetened beverages. It is associated with gut dysbiosis. Fructose increases NAFLD because of extra calories. It is entirely reversible by lifestyle. NASH is not reversible. Saturated fat increases NAFLD more than sugar or fructose.

Intermittent fasting can help prevent chronic disease by influencing the microbiome, decreasing body weight, decreasing liver enzymes AST and ALT. Periodic fasting even one day a month can help. Or doing five days fasting per month. You could do water only or veg/fruit juice- 500 calories a day. Fasting for 8.5 days decreased liver fat by 30%. Time restricted eating involves 16 hours of fasting. 6 hour eating window is the sweet spot. People that ate 2 meals/day vs 6 meals/day- decreased fasting plasma glucose, decreased fatty liver disease by 21%, decreased c-peptide, depression improved, hunger improved.

Vegan diet decreases liver fat 39%; increases the thermic effect of food by 14%. In conclusion, you can prevent NAFLD by weight management. Saturated fat increases fatty liver by more than sugar or fructose. Diet and exercise decrease body weight and decrease AST.  Intermittent fasting can prevent and treat chronic disease including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity; intermittent fasting has profound effects on our metabolism, fat and glucose metabolism and influences our microbiome. IF reduces body weight , AST and ALT. Keto diets can increase lipids and liver enzymes. Fasting one day/month can decrease liver fat and reduce Covid mortality.

Low fat Vegan diets increase energy expenditure. Increases the thermic effect (the amount of energy that you release from the body in terms of heat). Eating 2 meals/day better than 6 meals/day to increase insulin sensitivity; fatty liver decreases. Plant based eating is magic in terms of lowering oxidative stress. The spice ginger reduces oxidative stress and reduces liver fat. The spices turmeric and black cumin seed reduce oxidative stress and liver fat. Eating a vegan diet- the quality is high. Plant based diets decrease liver fat by 34% in 6 weeks. Plant based diets address root causes of NAFLD by addressing insulin resistance, obesity, hyperlipidemia and inflammatory cytokines. Eating more beans, lentils, and peas in your diet is a start. To learn more about eating a plant based diet, please book an appointment with me at Parallel Wellness. Kind regards, Dr. Vinge 4032321283

Reference: Lecture given by Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, MBA at the Plant Based Nutrition Conference in Palm Springs, California September 2022

I had very bad skin when I was growing up. I did have a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates not to mention a diet high in cheese and other animal products like egg. I attended the conference on plant based nutrition last weekend and thought I would post additional notes that I had made on the lecture given by Dr. Apple Bodemer, MD. She stated that hormonal triggers of acne included androgens, excess sebum, hyperprolifereation of keratinocytes and presence of bacteria (c. acne). Insulin growth factor-1 increases with puberty. IGF-1 is correlated with acne severity.There is a role for intermittent fasting with acne in that it improves it. MTOR-C1 increases the secretion of androgens. and activates inflammatory cytokines. High glycemic diets, high saturated fats and high amounts of dairy trigger acne as does sugar, refined carbohydrates and high meat intake. Areas in the world where people don’t suffer from acne like islands in the south pacific- people’s diets consist of tubers. fruit, coconut, fish and low glycemic carbs and no dairy. Cutting out dairy products may take 8 weeks to fully improve your skin so you have to be patient. Glutamine can increase IGF-1.  Foods highest in leucine may aggravate acne such as whey protein, eggs, pea protein, wheat protein, cow’s milk protein, cream cheese, and cottage cheese. It is best to avoid palmitic acid and transfatty acids. EPA and DHA fatty acids inhibit MTOR-C1. Omega 3 fatty acids may prove to be supporting in doses of around 3000 mg/day. Omega 6 in the form of Borage oil may reduce inflammation at around 400 mg/day. Resveratrol may inhibit acne by inhibiting MTOR-C1. Food sources of Resveratrol include the wonderful Coronation grapes that are currently in season. Other anti-inflammatory support includes green tea but dark chocolate is not recommended. Since I have converted to a largely plant based diet, my skin has completely cleared up. I am so grateful that I have the knowledge to help other people get their healthy skin back. 

Reference: Notes from The Role of Diet in Acne. Dr. Apple Bodemer given September 17, 2022 in Palm Springs California at the International Plant Based  Nutrition Health CareConfererence

Acne has been linked to the intake of refined carbohydrates (sugar and flour products), dairy products (cow’s milk, cheese, yogurt, cream, ice cream), and saturated fats (found in animal products), trans-fats and deficient omega 3 P.U.F.A.’s.

MTOR activators can aggravate acne. Activators of MTOR include proteins especially if they are rich in leucine (beef, eggs, whey protein), having an excess of calories, having an excess of carbohydrates, or high levels of insulin (as a result of high glycemic carbohydrates) and testosterone (an androgen hormone). A paleolithic diet high in vegetables and fish is most suitable for acne.

Plants that inhibit MTOR are helpful in reducing inflammation.

These foods include pomegranates, raspberries, curcumin found in turmeric root, resveratrol (found in red grapes and red wine), quercitin (found in onions, garlic, leeks, green leafy vegetables, blueberries), omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and flax seeds (Multi EFA capsules is a supplement that supplies these oils in my dispensary).

Barberries at 1 tsp three times daily can help reduce acne. Go to Amazon.ca to order if you are interested.

Acne-gen is a phytogen that I use to treat acne or else I treat acne using Unda numbers and homeopathy.

Probiotics decrease acne lesions by 45%. Dybiosis can contribute to acne so if there are symptoms of dysbiosis like gas and bloating I may also use Berberine to treat the bacteria. In some cases, stool testing will provide more objective data to work with. 

Mechanism of action: Refined carbs increase insulin and decrease Fox01 which in turn decreases TH17 creating inflammation and comedones. Milk increases insulin and dairy products decrease IGF-1 and also with their branched chain amino acids increase MTORC1. Saturated fats increase palmitate.

Inhibitors of MTORC1 include protein restriction, calorie restriction, ketogenic diets that are vegan, intermittent calorie restriction, exercise, cortisol, NAC, Resveratrol, omega 3, green tea/Matcha, extra virgin olive oil, curcumin, alpha-lipoic acid, quercitin, genistein, DIM, ursolic acid, pomegranate/ellagic acid, rhubarb, milk thistle, anthocyanins/grape seed extract, oleonolic acid.

If you are interested in treating your acne and have it be a lasting solution, please come and see me at Parallel Wellness. Dr. Robin Vinge, ND 4032321283 Reference- NutritionalFacts.org