103 Advanced Nutritional Medicine – Nutritional Medicine In Metabolic Diseases

Nutritional Medicine in Metabolic Diseases

This is the third of 6 courses in the ROHP-Qualifying Program (Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioners).

This course consists of the following four lessons:
1. Cardiovascular Disease
2. Diabetes, Pre-diabetes and Blood Sugar Irregularities
3. Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases
4. Osteoporosis

1. Cardiovascular Disease

This course highlights the documented risk factors for coronary disease and other forms of cardiovascular disease and provides attendees with the most current data on how to establish a client’s 10-year risk for heart attack. This medically-accepted assessment process enables the practitioner to assign each client to one of the following categories:
Very high risk
High risk
Medium risk
Low risk

Based upon the risk category, the practitioner can then set ideal goals for specific blood markers such as Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, Triglycerides, Homocysteine, Glucose, Fructosamine, Creatinine, Albumin, INR etc., that are known to significantly reduce the client’s risk profile for a coronary event.

The practitioner of orthomolecular nutrition has many tools at their disposal to improve the patient’s overall risk profile through appropriate dietary, exercise and supplementation interventions, many of which are ignored, or taken lightly, by traditional medical practitioners. At the same time, orthomolecular practitioners must be aware of the common medications used to manage these risk factors to prevent placing the client at risk from the stand point of drug-nutrient interactions or nutrient-drug interactions (from inappropriate dietary recommendations).

This program will provides students with all relevant information addressing these issues and will explain the mechanism of action behind all dietary, exercise, supplement and medication practices pertaining to this subject matter. The assessment protocol outlined in this presentation should be applied to each new patient/client, regardless of their chief complaint, as coronary disease remains a leading cause of death in our society, with majority of risk factors modifiable via evidence-based natural interventions.

Learning Objectives:

1. The student will develop an in-depth understanding of the pathophysiological events that lead to atherosclerosis, both on a genetic level and dietary/lifestyle level.

2. The student will have the skills to conduct an evidence-based cardiovascular risk analysis on each patient under their care, with the capability of providing the patient/client and the patients’ medical physicians with a CVD risk factor analysis report.

3. The student will have the skill necessary to develop an evidence-based cardiovascular dietary and lifestyle plan to complement any medical intervention, which can help to improve multi-faceted aspects of cardiovascular risk (i.e. cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation, etc.)

2. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Blood Sugar Regulation
This course reviews the etiological factors associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and blood sugar dysregulation. It also reviews key genetic markers for predisposition to these conditions as well as standard medical treatment. The course takes a deep-dive into evidence-based complementary interventions shown to improve the management of these conditions as well as to help reduce risk, and where possible, reverse diabetic complications, such as cataracts, macular degeneration, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, chronic kidney disease and neuropathy.

Learning Objectives:
1. The student will have an in-depth understanding of the pathophysiology involved in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, along with common complications of theses disease that impact morbidity and mortality.

2. The student will have an understanding the medical management of these conditions as well as the human published studies showing the importance of diet, supplementation and exercise shown to improve diabetic outcomes.

3. The student will have the skills to provide diabetic patients with personalized recommendations regarding diet, supplementation and exercise, in the complementary management of diabetes and/or its complications (i.e. macular degeneration), or reverse risk factors for diabetes in pre-diabetic patients.

3. Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases 
This course reviews the pathophysiological process involved in osteoarthritis and various autoimmune conditions affecting the joints. The program reviews common medical management along with evidence-based complementary nutrition and natural medicine interventions (and other lifestyle factors) shown to help stabilize joint cartilage, reduce the inflammatory process and cytokine release, and influence other factors shown to improve patient outcomes in these conditions.

Learning Objectives:
1. The student will develop an in-depth understanding of the biochemistry and signal transduction pathways involved in joint inflammation, cartilage erosion and immune function implicated in osteoarthritis and autoimmune conditions affecting the joints.

2. The student will be able to provide patients/clients with personalized dietary, natural medicine, exercise and other natural interventions to help improve outcomes for OA and other autoimmune conditions affecting joints, based on a comprehensive physical exam, review of imaging studies and blood lab analysis.

3. The student will have a high-level understanding of the medical management of these conditions, including the major side effects of drug therapy for which the patient should be monitored (i.e. liver damage, kidney damage, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure etc.)

4. Osteoporosis
This course reviews the incidence of osteoporosis, along with an understanding of the key etiological factors and pathophysiological processes involved in this condition. It reviews the key published research on the use diet, supplementation and exercise in the prevention of the common health condition. The course also explains the medical management of osteoporosis and the importance of concomitant nutrition, natural medicine and exercise management in cases of osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Learning Objectives:
1. The student will develop an in-depth understanding of the genetic and lifestyle factors associated with osteoporosis risk.

2. The student will have an in-depth knowledge of all key human nutrition, supplementation and exercise studies that have been conducted regarding osteoporosis research.

3. The student will have the skills to provide patients/clients with personalized dietary and lifestyle recommendations, based on their bone density risk factors and analysis, to help optimize bone density over their lifetime, in concert with any concomitant medical bone density treatments that may be prescribed.