functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...

AAPI’S NUTRITION GUIDE TO OPTIMAL HEALTH: USING PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND AND NUTRITIONAL GENOMICS
The idea of AAPI’s E book was presented to AAPI president Sunita Kanumury, MD in July 2011. Without
the blink of an eye, she graciously embraced the idea to share these concepts not only for AAPI’s
members, but for everyone else to manage incurable illnesses with less expensive and simpler interventions.
Many physicians have been trained by the Institute of Functional Medicine www.functionalmedicine.org. Look
into upcoming nutritional genomics and such programs through the Dietitians in Integrative and Functional
Medicine, a Dietetic Practice Group (DIFMDPG) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly known
as The American Dietetic Association (www.eatright.org). Another such state of the art tool is the yearly
professional training program titled, ‚Food as Medicine‛, by the Center for Mind Body Medicine
(www.cmbm.org/fam).
Almost all of the chapters are self-explanatory when you read the title of the chapters mentioned in the
table of contents. To increase the understanding of the role of genetic variation and dietary response, it is
important to understand the role of nutrients in gene expression. I recommend that you get familiar with
nutrition genomic wiz, Colleen Fogarty Draper’s chapter on ‚Nutritional Genomics Research and Practice.‛ In
addition, I recommend that you be on a wellness program rather than on a weight-loss program. Micheline
Vargas’ chapter on ‚Highly Palatable Foods: Brain Reward Pathways and Connections to Overeating.‛ It
covers dopamine and hormones, leptin and ghrelin, that are responsible for hunger and satiety. Dr. David
Brownstein’s chapter titled, ‚Iodine: Why You Need it, Why You Can’t Live Without it‛, is an eye opener.
Dr. Jay H. Mead touches base on vitamin D, the essential sunshine nutrient responsible in weight
management and its many other roles like supporting calcium absorption, which non-healthcare professionals
may not be familiar with.
Dr. Gerard Mullin’s chapter on probiotics in gastrointestinal disease is profound. ‚By treating your inside tract
and reducing inflammation throughout your body, you set the stage for a lifetime of wellness‛. I highly
recommend you pay close attention to the use of probiotics. Kathie Madonna Swift, RD and Gerard Mullin,
MD, director of Integrative GI Nutrition Services at Johns Hopkins, have written a book titled, ‚The Inside
Tract - Your Good Gut Guide to Digestive Health‛, which is forwarded by Andrew Weil, MD and should be
on everyone’s desk.
Detoxification is a very popular, but new word to many readers in many countries. Diana Noland has
explained detoxification very well; freshly prepared vegetables, like leafy vegetables and roots, optimize the
body’s ability for optimal gut function. There are a lot of imbalances, like pollution from air and water, that
are on the rise. Many people are looking into integrative and functional lab tests to personalize a plan to fit
their profile. Elizabeth Redmond has covered these points very well giving case studies, and Dr. Jay H.
Mead has as well with a chapter on ‚Bioidentical Breakdown: Emerging Fields of Hormone Replacement.‛
These tests are not done routinely in conventional medicine. This will open up the reader’s mind with the
possibilities of being in charge of his or her own health. Eat grandma’s diet: whole foods, which include
vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables and are full of antioxidants, plenty of fiber and whole grains. The
disease process is multifactorial; with an unhealthy lifestyle, we are turning on genes that cause damage and
produce inflammation.
Diabetes and obesity is termed ‚Diabesity‛ per Dr. Mark Hyman, Chairman of the Institute of Functional
Medicine. Brilliantly written, this article states one can reverse diabetes with a functional medicine approach.
Sheila Quinn and Dr. David S. Jones, President of the Institute of Functional Medicine, explain this concept
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