Conditions We Treat

Conditions Associated with Cardivascular Problems

Nutrition and diet  play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension and heart failure. These diseases are the leading cause of death in affluent societies.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the pathological process that underlies the majority of vascular diseases. The amount and type of dietary fat consumed in the diet play a fundamental role in the development and management of atherosclerosis. An increased plasma concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a key risk factor for the development of coronary heart diseases (CHD).

Elevated Cholesterol and Triglycerides levels

Cholesterol is a natural constituent of our bodies. Cholesterol is a component of a normal diet and is present at high levels in foods such as eggs, dairy products, and red meats.
There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and high-density lipoproteins (HDLs).  LDLs have been shown to contribute to heart disease when present in high levels. For that reason, in order to lower the risk of heart disease it is necessary to reduce these LDLs to a recommended level. HDL protects against atherosclerosis by carrying out reverse cholesterol transport.HDL may be increased by weight loss, increase in physical activity, smoke sensation and fibrates.

Therefore, it is first necessary to quantify the level of LDLs and HDLs. This is performed in advanced laboratories in the UK. Once we quantify your cholesterol status, we can ascertain what needs to be done in order to lower the cholesterol.  If the results show that the LDL level is high, we will treat it with conventional medicine and/or provide you with a personalised diet and exercise plan. Reducing LDL levels by diet and drugs is a fundamental goal of disease prevention.

Hypertension

Hypertension significantly increases the risk of coronary heart diseases, stroke, and promotes heart and renal failure. In many cases hypertension is associated with the presence of other risk factors such as obesity, insulin resistance and constitute the ‘insulin resistance (or metabolic) syndrome’.
Many patients require drug treatment to achieve satisfactory reduction in blood pressure. A substantial body of evidence suggests that a variety of nutritional factors (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and other factors such as fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants) are implicated in blood pressure regulation. Lifestyle changes and dietary modification are useful adjuncts to antihypertensive drug therapy. Given the close relationship between obesity and hypertension, weight loss is a fundamental part of blood pressure reduction in obese and overweight individuals.
Our nutritional assessment which involves a careful clinical evaluation with additional laboratory data to determine specific nutrients deficiency will help us to identify the right dietary and exercise plan which matches your needs.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a disorder classified by the presence of chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to gentle touch. Other core features of the disorder include debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance and joint stiffness. In addition, persons affected by the disorder frequently experience a range of other symptoms that involve multiple body systems, including difficulty with swallowing, functional bowel and bladder abnormalities.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterised by abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits which are not associated with any abnormalities seen on routine clinical testing.  The symptoms are often lower abdominal pain, bloating associated with alteration of bowel habits, and abdominal discomfort relieved with defecation. Since IBS has a knock-on effect on the function of the liver, gallbladder and kidneys, which in turn gives rise to nutritional deficiencies; thus making the condition even worse.

Treating IBS is often more effective when a mix of conventional medical approach and a dietary plan are used.  
Please Note: in addition to this treatment, patients must also remain under the care of their GP and gastroenterologist.

Diabetes Type II

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. Glucose comes from the digestion of carbohydrate containing food and drinks and is also produced by the liver. Carbohydrate comes from many different sources including starchy foods such as bread, potatoes and chapattis, fruit, dairy products, sugar and other sweet foods.
Type II diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). Often this can be linked with being overweight. This type of diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, though in South Asian and African-Caribbean people often appears after the age of 25. There are currently over 2.5 million people with diabetes in the UK and this type of diabetes is most common and accounts for between 85 - 95% of all diagnosed cases. Having diabetes does not stop you from leading a full and active life. In the Nutrition Research Centre, we work with a highly specialist referral services and will help you to manage your long-term lifestyle needs to cope with your condition.

Mothers To Be

The maternal diet immediately prior to conception and during the first few weeks of pregnancy may influence the early development of the embryo. Commencing a pregnancy either under or overweight can lead to problems for both the mother and baby.  The ideal weight for height is considered to be a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 20-26 KG/M2.
Women with a low BMI, that is one less than 20, may enter pregnancy with a          poor nutritional status and have an increased risk of delivering a small for dates baby.  Women who are overweight, that is with a BMI greater than 30, are more likely to suffer complications with high blood pressure.
By using updated, sophisticated software for physiological and dietary nutrient assessments we will assess your nutritional status. This allow us to designing an appropriate personalized  dietary and exercise plan which will  help women to achieve an ideal weight for height before conceiving.