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Category Archives: Diet And Food
Can Your DNA Determine the Best Diet for You? – Healthline
Posted: August 17, 2017 at 1:47 pm
Nutrigenomix offers dietary guidance based on saliva-based DNA tests. Some experts say you cant decide which food is best from information in a DNA test.
From fad diets to surgeries, Americans are constantly seeking the newest cure to what ails us.
In fact, we spend billions of dollars each year searching for this key to health and happiness.
The weight loss business alone spurs countless diet plans, books, apps, shakes, pills, and more.
Its no wonder, then, that every time a new solution shows up on the health stage millions flock to it for answers and guidance.
Like many health and nutritional options before it, one of these newest solutions, DNA testing, is raising eyebrows.
DNA testing has been increasingly popular in recent years as a way to understand your genetics, your family history, and your origins.
But can these DNA tests be used for so much more?
What if, in addition to telling you where youre from or that youre related to a famous historical figure, your genes could be used to make you healthier today?
Thats exactly what Ahmed El-Sohemy, the founder and chief scientific officer of Nutrigenomix, says his product can do.
Nutrigenomix uses nutrigenomic testing to provide you detailed dietary information based on your DNA.
Nutrigenomics is the area of science that looks at the effects of food on gene expression. In other words, these tests can tell you how your unique set of 23 pairs of chromosomes determines what you should and shouldnt eat.
We have known for a long time that some individuals respond differently from others to the same foods, beverages, nutrients, and supplements they consume. That is, a one-size-fits-all approach to optimal nutrition is ineffective, El-Sohemy told Healthline.
We now know that genetic differences variations in the sequence of a gene can explain some of these different responses. We wanted to provide tests consisting of genetic markers related to several important lifestyle factors, including weight management and body composition, nutrient metabolism, eating habits, cardiometabolic health, food intolerances, and physical activity.
Skeptics, however, say a DNA test might reveal gene variants, but theyre not a source of reliable nutritional advice.
When companies use the nutrigenomics model for food sensitivities, thats when I get a bit hesitant to accept all the science based on individual screenings, Stella Metsovas, a clinical nutritionist and author of Wild Mediterranean, told Healthline. Its still too complex of a science to apply overall, especially when lifestyle factors are concerned.
Some of these DNA tests use blood samples, but many products like El-Sohemys Nutrigenomix rely on saliva tests because theyre convenient.
Plus, human spit contains all the genetic material testers need to produce your detailed DNA nutritional map.
Once the sample is collected, the test is shipped back to the companies.
In several weeks, youre sent a packet of information about your specific genetic markers a guide to your nutritional DNA makeup.
Clients are often surprised by the number of genetic markers available to guide dietary choices beyond macronutrients such as fat and protein, El-Sohemy said. We can determine what type of fat an individual is most likely to benefit from in terms of weight loss and cardiometabolic risk.
Once you have the results, you can decide what you do with them.
Some companies, like Nutrigenomix, require clients to work with a doctor in order to interpret the results and apply them to their daily food choices.
We believe that providing our service through a qualified healthcare professional is the most responsible and effective way to communicate this type of health information, El-Sohemy said. A healthcare practitioner a doctor, dietitian, etc. works alongside a client to interpret and communicate their individual test results. Together, they create goals to mitigate risk of nutrient deficiencies and optimize body composition. As one-size-fits-all approaches tend to be impractical, this approach allows a trained healthcare professional to work closely with their client to ensure that their dietary goals are met.
If the results show youre sensitive to starch, you might cut out potatoes, corn, and other starch-heavy foods.
If the results show youre sensitive to saturated fat, you might limit your intake to lower your risk for cardiovascular health issues.
Due to the variety and number of genes tested, clients can also prioritize which goals to address first, such as reducing sodium to lower their risk of high blood pressure. And once they are able to adopt these strategies successfully, new goals can be made based on other genetic risks they have, El-Sohemy said.
Unlike books or apps, nutritional DNA tests wear a hefty price tag.
Each test can set you back several hundred dollars, and you may need to partner with a doctor or genetic coach in order to decipher the results. Thats even more money out of pocket.
Athletes are among the many clients for these nutrigenomics companies. With a greater emphasis on athlete performance through dietary approaches, DNA nutrition tests can help athletes and coaches find new ways to maximize performance.
People facing mysterious dietary challenges are also turning to these tests.
When typical allergy tests and elimination diets provide no insight, these DNA-based nutrition tests may be a last-resort option for people looking for answers to undiagnosed problems.
Metsovas doesnt believe the average person should be forking out the dough for these tests just yet, however.
DNA companies refer to these tests as personalized dietary advice, which stems from the theory that human needs vary considerably from diet to diet, she said. For example, ketosis might work wonders on Jane, helping regulate insulin levels and thereby [helping her with] losing weight, while maintaining lean muscle tissue. Susie might respond unfavorably due to various health factors such as hypothyroidism, an indication that there might be other issues in the body, including the microbiome.
The tricky part of the model is that your lifestyle plays a huge role on how your genes are expressed, she added.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics said in a statement regarding these tests, The use of nutrigenetic testing to provide dietary advice is not ready for routine dietetics practice.
A study in the British Medical Journal found that people who knew their DNA-based health risks were no more likely to change their dietary behaviors.
For her part, Metsovas says a microbiome analysis is the way to go before you pick up a DNA kit.
However, this type of testing faces a great deal of skepticism by many in the medical community, too.
Keep in mind this is a test for genetic modifiers of diet, El-Sohemy said. The test we developed does not diagnose or predict the likelihood of developing any disease. But, it does tell an individual how they respond to various aspects of their diet.
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Can Your DNA Determine the Best Diet for You? - Healthline
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Bodybuilder Mom Dies from Eating Too Much Protein – Mommyish (blog)
Posted: August 17, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Meegan Hefford, a mother of two from Australia, looked like the healthiest person in the world when she died suddenly in June, and doctors say her death was caused by eating too much protein.
Protein is an essential component of food, and its not unhealthy. But according to The Daily Meal, the 25-year-old bodybuilder was preparing for a competition, and she was eating enormous amounts of protein and supplements. Hefford had been a competitive bodybuilder since 2014 and never showed any problems.
But Hefford actually had a genetic condition that meant her body was deficient in one of the enzymes necessary to break down protein. She had no idea she had urea cycle disorder, though. If a person with Heffords disorder eats too much protein, it causes a buildup of ammonia in the blood and eventually in the brain.
In a mild case, a persons body might be able to detoxify the ammonia before it builds up and causes problems. But Heffords body couldnt keep up with the amount of ammonia accumulating in her blood because of her high-protein diet.
Hefford collapsed at home on June 19, and she was pronounced brain dead at the hospital a couple days later.
Hefford and her family had no idea she had urea cycle disorder. Most people who have it are unaware, because it is not routinely tested for. Symptoms include agitation, lethargy, disorientation, and lack of attention. But an extreme exercise regimen can also cause those symptoms.
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After Heffords death, her mother found tons of protein supplements in her apartment. She also found a diet plan that consisted mainly of chicken breasts and egg whites.
Hefford had two small children, a 7-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy.
This is not even the first time something like this has happened, either. Because so many people are unaware they have urea cycle disorder, it sometimes happens that an athlete dies suddenly after adopting a high-protein diet.
In general, high protein diets are not dangerous to most people. Doctors dont recommend high-protein diets like this for a long-term lifestyle. But most people can safely eat a temporary high-protein diet.
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(Image: Instagram / @meeganheff)
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Programmable pressure cooker makes meals in minutes, now $120 off – Digital Trends
Posted: August 17, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Programmable pressure cooker makes meals in minutes, now $120 off Digital Trends Making a home-cooked meal is never as easy as it seems, and the amount of time and effort put into such a culinary venture is a luxury not everyone can afford. There are all kinds of gadgets out there to help you save time and money in the kitchen, but ... |
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Programmable pressure cooker makes meals in minutes, now $120 off - Digital Trends
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Westchester Playa Neighborhood Council Votes Against PDR Safety Projects – Streetsblog Los Angeles (blog)
Posted: August 17, 2017 at 1:44 pm
At a standing room only meeting last night, theNeighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa voted to approve a letter calling to immediately reversethe lane reductions in Playa del Rey.The letter was approved mostly as proposed, but opposition to the Pershing Drive road diet was removed.
Responding to traffic deaths andlawsuits,the city Transportation Department (LADOT) installed four road diet upgrades to PDR streets: Jefferson Boulevard, Culver Boulevard, Pershing Drive, and Vista Del Mar. After criticism, in July,lanes were added back on Culver. LADOT announced it will restore travel lanes on Vista Del Mar starting August 21st. Last week, a backlash group filed a lawsuit pressing to restore PDR streets to their original condition.
At last months meeting of the Westchester/Playa council, the board approved a motion to form a committee to study the recent road diets. This month, with two votes against and one abstaining, the board approved arambling four-page anti-road-diet letter addressed to City Councilmember Mike Bonin. The letter charges that the road diets cause increased commute times, are turning streets into parking lots, and generating cut-through traffic. The letter makes the following assertions:
Last nights meeting was recapped by Katie Clarke, an advocate for safer Playa Del Rey streets, as follows:
Around 90 people spoke on the record, and Im pleased to say that it was evenly divided. In fact, they had (by my rough count) about 6 speakers not from the direct area, so I would say our representation was even a little stronger. We also had about double the amount of letters submitted supporting our cause. At the end, the letter was approved for sending with the removal of Pershing.
That seems like a defeat, but please keep in mind that this was not a binding decision, but purely the neighborhood councils recommendation to our councilman. We put the talking point overwhelming opposition to bed by showing up in force. Im proud of the points we made and that we went about it in a classy way. We didnt resort to booing, jeering, or creating a spectacle. Yes, I, the pregnant lady, got booed. Yes, they had a guy dress up in cycling gear and then rip off his shirt to reveal his orange tee. He also danced. True story.
Im also excited that there were faces and names supporting our cause that I havent met and havent seen online.
Though Neighborhood Councils give the city important feedback on critical issues, the letter is essentially advisory, with no binding power to direct LADOT, Bonin, or the city to follow any of the councils asks. LADOT and Councilmember Bonin have committed to continue to listen to feedback and to review data to evaluate the projects success in achieving safety goals.
In other Playa Del Rey safety improvement commentary, the non-profit Los Angeles Walks published an article critical of the citys retreat in conceding to motorist pressure to add back deadly car lanes on Vista Del Mar. From L.A. Walks:
Since their implementation, the three safe streets projects in the 11th District have each been the recipient of a furious and frequently vicious backlash. Public meetings regarding the roadway reconfigurations have not been civil or constructive, and have at times devolved into the open mocking of concerns for the safety of people walking and riding bicycles. Some of the loudest opponents of the Playa del Rey projects, from South Bay cities like Manhattan Beach, have been impervious to the argument that they have prioritized safety near their own homes, but regard their commuting time as more important than safety in other peoples neighborhoods.
In response, Bonins office has attempted to meet critics halfway. The Los Angeles Times said the agreement between Bonins office and Supervisor Janice Hahn had been called a win-win that would satisfy commuters and beachgoers, but the fact remains that a safe road redesign is being abandoned to cater to the loudest and angriest voices in the room.
The win-win solution on Vista del Mar is reminiscent of what Los Angeles has tried for decades a solution in which the very presence of pedestrians is seen as a problem that needs solving. Instead of making walking safer, we try to address safety by removing the walkers. History has shown that not only is this approach disruptive to the community, it also will never be fully effective. People will still walk across Vista del Mar, whether they are going to Vista del Mar Park, or walking from their home to enjoy a day at the beach, or for whatever other possible reason. The lack of lighting, lack of crosswalks, and low-visibility conditions from fog will still make it dangerous to cross, or walk along, a de facto speedway, but reverting Vista del Mar to its previous configuration simply ignores the existence of these people so South Bay commuters can resume speeding through the neighborhood.
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In the long term, we will be pushing the City to create a permanent pedestrian facility on the west side of Vista del Mar, and to make sure that extra roadway space will not merely be left to encourage unsafe driving speeds. We are also hopeful that the task force Councilmember Bonin has announced to examine the community-supported Safe Streets for Playa del Rey Initiative will provide an opportunity for more productive conversations to take place. We believe that it is of paramount importance that design elements intended to protect pedestrians be protected throughout this process.
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Ignore the clickbait: Metformin still prescribed for diabetics – STLtoday.com
Posted: August 17, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Dear Dr. Roach I have read online and in our local newspaper that doctors are no longer recommending metformin as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Can you please explain why metformin is no longer being prescribed? P.K.
Answer I, too, have seen online ads saying that doctors no longer prescribe metformin, and if you click through enough times, you find that one weird food cures diabetes, and that a special diet totally eliminates the need for medication for all diabetics. This is referred to as clickbait, and I encourage you not to pay attention to it.
Metformin remains an important medication for many people with Type 2 diabetes, especially if they are overweight. For those people with diabetes who need medication despite an appropriate diet and regular exercise, metformin has been shown to be more beneficial, in terms of preventing diabetic complications and death, than most of the other medication options. It isnt right for everyone, and people with poor kidney function may not be able to safely take it. Only your doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant knows what is best for you.
Dear Dr. Roach I started researching information about early dementia and also Alzheimers disease. I have perused numerous articles about cholinesterase inhibitors increasing acetylcholine levels that benefit the brain. Some medications are anticholinergic and might increase your risk of developing Alzheimers disease. Many of these medications are everyday, over-the-counter drugs. Shouldnt the public be made aware of these drugs and their possible effect on our brain? P.C.
Answer One type of treatment for Alzheimers disease is a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors. These include donepezil (Aricept) and others. Pharmacologically, these oppose drugs with anticholinergic properties. It makes sense, then, that anticholinergic drugs might make Alzheimers worse. The three classes of drugs that are strong anticholinergics and which a recent study linked to Alzheimers are older antihistamines, like diphenhydramine (Benadryl); tricyclic antidepressants, like amitriptyline (Elavil); and drugs for overactive bladder, like oxybutynin (Ditropan). These drugs still may be appropriate for some individuals, but they should be periodically evaluated to be sure they are effective and are not causing side effects. I tend to avoid prescribing these, as there are usually other alternatives that do not have the possible link to dementia.
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.
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Ignore the clickbait: Metformin still prescribed for diabetics - STLtoday.com
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Is It Safe to Lose Weight While You’re Pregnant? – Mommyish (blog)
Posted: August 17, 2017 at 1:44 pm
There is a lot of pressure in our society to fall within a certain weight range. The best way to reach a healthy size is by mindful eating and reasonable amounts of exercise. Unfortunately this pressure doesnt magically disappear with pregnancy- it often gets worse. Many moms to be struggle with weight concerns during pregnancy. And if you are anything like me, and you gained 40-50 lbs while pregnant,your doctor may be concerned. And you might want to know: can you lose weight while pregnant?
Most professionals agree dieting to lose weight is not advised while pregnant. A desire to do whats best for both your baby and yourself might level you with questions. What if your weight gain has lead to health concerns? One of the most common is likely How to safely lose weight when pregnant?
Reasons for weight concern during pregnancy
You might be considering losing weight during pregnancy if you were in an unhealthy weight range prior to pregnancy. Or experienced rapid weight gain, like I did.
Weight issues before giving birth often led to labor complications like higher instances of cesarean section, gestational diabetes, and hypertension. Severe weight issues during pregnancy are also linked to premature births and long term consequences.
Talk to a medical professional about how much weight you can safely gain during pregnancy. decisions involving diet or weight loss during pregnancy.This figure is on a sliding scale based upon how close you are to healthy weight range.
Instead of telling women to aim for weight loss, women who are obese are told to reduce weight gain. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that weight loss during pregnancy might be a consequence of holistically changes like eating and exercise but not the goal.
The National Institute of Diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases also provides healthy tips for pregnant women. Among those are suggestions of how to manage weight in a healthy way.
Speak to a nutritionist
A nutritionist is a wonderful source of information on diet and weight during pregnancy. After scheduling an appointment, you will discuss short, manageable lifestyle changes that wont hurt you or your baby.This is done by evaluating where you are vs. where you can get within a reasonable amount of time. Nutritionists and dietitians are also an excellent resource for developing eating plans.Your nutritionist will inform you of changes to make like reducing calories. You can reduce your daily calorie intake significantly by eating smaller portions more frequently and cutting out bad fats.
Eating healthy
During pregnancy, it is important that you have a wide variety of nutrient-filled foods. Increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables whole grains vitamin D and protein that you have from day today is an important part of establishing a balanced diet during pregnancy.
Limiting salts solid fats and sugar sweetened foods and drinks will increase the amount of nutrients you are getting while decreasing the amount of fat filled calories you are getting from day to day.
Incorporating reasonable amounts of exercise
Adding 30 minutes of physical activity each day can make a significant difference in weight related issues. Exercise during pregnancy does not have to be Hardcore gym workouts. Light walks swimming and yard work are all examples of acceptable forms of physical activity.
Many weight-related pregnancy concerns can be resolved by avoiding pregnancy myths. An example of this is that once you become pregnant, you are eating for two- This is not accurate and the number of extra calories required per day increases gradually depending on what stage you are in your pregnancy. The first three months of pregnancy many women dont require extra calories at all, and for some, the same applies during the last few weeks.
Can you lose weight while pregnant? Yes, however, it is important that this is done with the intention of long-term health changes as opposed to short, intense diet plans with the goal of using large amounts of weight. If you wonder if you should lose weight while pregnant, always speak with your doctor first. Together, you can determine your best course of action.
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Don’t Look at the Sun! Solar Eclipse Safety Tips – HealthCentral.com
Posted: August 16, 2017 at 4:49 am
Don't Look at the Sun! Solar Eclipse Safety Tips
Credit: iStock
In the absence of cloud cover, a total solar eclipse will be visible on Monday, August 21 in a 70-mile wide band across the entire continental United States, from central Oregon through South Carolina. In a total solar eclipse, the moon moves in between the earth and the sun, completely blocking out the sun for a short period of time. Prior to the total eclipse, which will last about two minutes, and in other areas of the country, and other parts of North and Central America, a partial solar eclipse will be visible.
Ahead of this amazing event, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that viewing a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection even very briefly can cause permanent vision loss and blindness. Looking directly at the sun can damage the retinas, light-sensitive parts of the eye that transmit what we see to our brain. Retinal damage can occur without pain and, according to the CDC, it can take a few hours, or even days, for symptoms like an inability to see colors or loss of central vision to develop. Anyone who experiences vision changes after viewing the solar eclipse next week should contact an eye care professional immediately.
The only way to look directly at the sun safely when its not eclipsed or is partly eclipsed is with a special solar filter or a handheld solar viewer. Goggles, homemade filters, and dark sunglasses do not offer enough protection. Avoid looking at the sun through an unfiltered camera including a smartphone telescope, binoculars, or any other device. You can also make your own simple and inexpensive pinhole projector to safely view the eclipse, but be sure to follow instructions for making and using the projector carefully.
Sourced from: CDC
Published On: Aug 15th 2017
How a Low-Calorie Diet May Slow Aging
Credit: iStock
Previous research suggests that a lifelong low-calorie diet can boost longevity, but a new mouse study demonstrates, for the first time, how restricting calories may affect circadian rhythm and, in turn, the aging process. The study was conducted by researchers at the Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism at the University of California, Irvine, and the results were published in Cell.
According to the researchers, our circadian rhythm, or biological clock, changes as a result of aging, and these changes are based in part on the metabolism of energy within our cells. In a study involving 6-monthold and 18-month-old mice, the researchers determined that older cells process energy less efficiently than younger cells. But when a group of older mice were fed a diet with 30 percent fewer calories for a period of six months, the energy process was rejuvenated promoting healthy aging.
A companion study from the Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Spain tested body clock function in stem cells collected from older and younger mice. This study confirmed that a low-calorie diet helps protect circadian rhythm function.
Sourced from: ScienceDaily
Published On: Aug 15th 2017
Binge-Watching TV? You May Not Sleep Well
Credit: iStock
Poor sleep quality, increased fatigue, and insomnia in young adults are associated with binge-watching television, according to researchers. Watching multiple episodes of the same television show in succession in one sitting, on a television, computer, or mobile device raises your level of cognitive alertness, which interferes with sleep.
The researchers, whose study was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, looked at binge-watching and sleep habits in 423 young adults between 18 and 25. Study participants completed an online survey assessing their regular TV watching, binge-watching, sleep quality, fatigue, insomnia, and alertness before going to sleep. Average binge-watching lasted 3 hours and 8 minutes and three to four episodes.
Study results suggest that more than 80 percent of young adults identify as binge-watchers, and 20.2 percent binge-watch television at least a few times per week. Binge-watchers reported more fatigue and insomnia and higher levels of alertness before going to sleep than those who dont binge-watch television. The bingers were also 98 percent more likely to have poor sleep quality.
Sourced from: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
Published On: Aug 15th 2017
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Risk Factors: Diet – National Cancer Institute
Posted: August 16, 2017 at 4:48 am
Scientists have studied many foods and dietary components for possible associations with increasing or reducing cancer risk.
Credit: National Cancer Institute
Many studies have looked at the possibility that specific dietary components or nutrients are associated with increases or decreases in cancer risk. Studies of cancer cells in the laboratory and of animal models have sometimes provided evidence that isolated compounds may be carcinogenic (or have anticancer activity).
But with few exceptions, studies of human populations have not yet shown definitively that any dietary component causes or protects against cancer. Sometimes the results of epidemiologic studies that compare the diets of people with and without cancer have indicated that people with and without cancer differ in their intake of a particular dietary component.
However, these results show only that the dietary component is associated with a change in cancer risk, not that the dietary component is responsible for, or causes, the change in risk. For example, study participants with and without cancer could differ in other ways besides their diet, and it is possible that some other difference accounts for the difference in cancer.
When evidence emerges from an epidemiologic study that a dietary component is associated with a reduced risk of cancer, a randomized trial may be done to test this possibility. Random assignment to dietary groups ensures that any differences between people who have high and low intakes of a nutrient are due to the nutrient itself rather than to other undetected differences. (For ethical reasons, randomized studies are not generally done when evidence emerges that a dietary component may be associated with an increased risk of cancer.)
Scientists have studied many additives, nutrients, and other dietary components for possible associations with cancer risk. These include:
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Australian bodybuilder with rare disorder dies eating high-protein diet – CNN
Posted: August 16, 2017 at 4:48 am
Days later, Hefford was pronounced dead. Only after her death did her family learn that Hefford, the mother of a 7-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy, had a rare genetic disorder that prevented her body from properly metabolizing her high-protein diet.
Normally, the body can remove nitrogen, a waste product of protein metabolism, from the blood. However, a urea cycle disorder would prohibit this.
Therefore, nitrogen, in the form of toxic ammonia, would accumulate in the blood and eventually reach the brain, where it can cause irreversible damage, coma and death.
"The enzyme deficiency can be mild enough so that the person is able to detoxify ammonia adequately -- until there's a trigger," said Cynthia Le Mons, executive director of the foundation. The trigger could be a viral illness, stress or a high-protein diet, she added.
"There was just no way of knowing she had it because they don't routinely test for it," said Michelle White, Hefford's mother and a resident of Perth. "She started to feel unwell, and she collapsed."
White blames protein shakes for her daughter's death.
'Nuanced symptoms'
Since 2014, Hefford, who worked at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and studied paramedicine, had been competing as a bodybuilder.
It was only after Hefford's death that White discovered containers of protein supplements in her daughter's kitchen, along with a strict food plan. White understood then that her daughter, who had been preparing for another bodybuilding competition, had also been consuming an unbalanced diet.
Hefford's diet included protein-rich foods, such as lean meat and egg white, in addition to protein shakes and supplements, her mother said.
"There's medical advice on the back of all the supplements to seek out a doctor, but how many young people actually do?" White asked.
Le Mons said, "typically, there are nuanced symptoms that just go unrecognized" with mild cases of urea cycle disorder. Symptoms include episodes of a lack of concentration, being very tired and vomiting.
"Sometimes, people think it's the flu and might even go to the ER thinking they have a really bad flu," Le Mons said, adding that a simple serum ammonia level test, which can detect the condition, is not routinely done in ERs.
It's unclear whether Hefford suffered symptoms of her condition. White, who hopes her daughter's story will serve as a warning to help save lives, believes protein supplements need more regulation.
The Australian Medical Association says there's no real health benefit to such supplements. And, while they may not be necessary for most people, they're not dangerous to most, either.
Treatment
The estimated incidence of urea cycle disorders is 1 in 8,500 births. Since many cases remain undiagnosed, the exact incidence is unknown and believed to be underestimated.
"There's a myth that this disorder only affects children," Le Mons said, noting that one patient reached age 85 before diagnosis.
Regarding Hefford, Le Mons said that "this is not the first time this has happened." Other athletes, who like Hefford were unaware of their condition, have died when a high-protein diet triggered their condition.
Treatment may include supplementation with special amino acid formulas, while in some more severe cases, one of two forms of an FDA-approved drug may be prescribed. When these therapies fail, liver transplant may become necessary.
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Diet | German government | Britannica.com
Posted: August 16, 2017 at 4:48 am
Diet, Medieval Latin Dieta, German Reichstag, legislature of the German empire, or Holy Roman Empire, from the 12th century to 1806.
In the Carolingian empire, meetings of the nobility and higher clergy were held during the royal progresses, or court journeys, as occasion arose, to make decisions affecting the good of the state. After 1100, definitively, the emperor called the Diet to meet in an imperial or episcopal city within the imperial frontiers. The members of the Diet were originally the princes, including bishops of princely status, but counts and barons were included later. After 1250 the representatives of imperial and episcopal cities were recognized as members of the Diet, and at this time the electoral princes, whose duty it was to elect the emperor, began to meet separately, a division formally confirmed in the Golden Bull of Charles IV (1356), which established the number of the electoral princes as seven. (See elector.)
Beginning in the 12th century the power of the emperor gradually declined; by 1489 the Diet was divided into three colleges that met separately: (1) the electoral college of seven lay and ecclesiastical princes presided over by the imperial chancellor, the archbishop of Mainz; (2) the college of the princes with 33 ecclesiastical princes and 61 lay princes, presided over by the archbishop of Salzburg or the archduke of Austria; (3) the college of the cities presided over by the representative of the city in which the Diet met. The college of cities was separated eventually into the Rhine and Swabian divisions, the former having 14 towns and the latter 37.
The decisions taken separately by the three colleges were combined in an agreed statement the text of which was sent to the emperor as the resolution of the empire (conclusum imperii). All the decisions of the Diet forming the resolution were called the recess of the empire (Reichsabschied). The emperor could ratify part of the recess or the whole of it, but he could not modify the words of the recess. Until the 17th century the Diet possessed effective legal power, including the decision of war or peace, but the Peace of Westphalia (1648) spelled the final breakdown in the conception of a single German empire united by its members common aims. The three-college Diet was replaced by an assembly of sovereign princes, usually represented by envoys, indifferent to the emperors wishes and divided in religious and political aims. The Diet of Regensburg of 1663 prolonged itself indefinitely into permanent session and thereafter was called the Regensburg Diet, or the Everlasting Diet (Immerwhrender Reichstag). The emperor was now represented by a prince of the empire as his commissioner; a jurist was appointed as subcommissioner; and the elector of Mainz, archchancellor of the empire, had charge of the business of the meetings of the Diet. This assembly of representatives without legislative power disappeared when the Holy Roman Empire collapsed under Napoleons attack in 1806.
The name Reichstag was revived in 1871 for the legislature of the German Empire and retained by the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich; the name was abandoned in the two Germanies after World War II.
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Diet | German government | Britannica.com
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