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E-Newsletter • August 2024 |
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Editor's E-Note
Nutrition and the Stress Response System
When you think about the word “stress,” what comes to mind? If you’re like many people, you might imagine a fight with a loved one or an impending deadline at work you feel unprepared to meet. These fall under the category of psychosocial stressors. Though psychosocial stress can have a profound impact on your health, it’s only one of many sources of physiological stress your body may experience. Often less frequently considered are stressors of nutritional origin.
Some examples of nutrition-related stressors include the following:
- micro- or macronutrient deficiency or excess;
- caloric/energy deficiency or excess;
- food allergies or intolerances;
- nutrient-related triggers for blood sugar dysregulation, such as hypoglycemia;
- certain types or concentrations of bioactive compounds;
- inappropriate meal timing or fasting length for an individual’s tolerance; and
- consumption of food in portions or forms unsuited to an individual’s digestive and absorptive capacity.
Each of these has the potential to contribute to acute or chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system through a variety of mechanisms dictated in part by individual biochemistry and health history. |
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Nutritional sources of stress can pack a uniquely detrimental punch due to the way they may directly activate a stress response, in addition to impairing multiple biochemical processes needed to maintain health over time. These additional impairments may further increase the stress load, or allostatic load, your body experiences.1
For example, chronic nutrient imbalances may impede your body’s ability to counteract oxidative stress or repair cellular damage. They may also impair the synthesis and regulation of hormones, neurotransmitters, and immune cells, to name a few critical functions. These impairments may invite additional metabolic stress, driving up overall allostatic load.1
Behavioral interventions aimed at reducing psychosocial stressors alone may fail to appreciate the potentially significant sources of stress lurking under the nutritional umbrella. Armed with knowledge of how nutrition modulates stress response, RDs are poised to take a leading role in providing individualized support in comprehensive stress management for their patients and clients.
After reading the newsletter, visit our website at www.TodaysDietitian.com to read the August/September issue of Today’s Dietitian, which includes articles on how to thrive in private practice, gestational diabetes updates in research and treatment, our 11th annual Spring Symposium recap, and the FNCE® dining guide for this year’s Minneapolis conference.
Please enjoy the E-Newsletter and give us your feedback at TDeditor@gvpub.com. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter.
— Heather Davis, MS, RDN, LDN, Editor
Reference
- Guidi J, Lucente M, Sonino N, Fava GA. Allostatic load and its impact on health: a systematic review. Psychother Psychosom. 2020;90(1):11-27.
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The Role of Nutrition in Epigenetic Stress Programming in Children
By Heather Davis, MS, RDN, LDN
Many studies examining the stress response and its role in health outcomes tend to focus primarily on the impact of psychosocial stressors such as family dynamics, the presence or absence of social support, or workplace stress.1,2 However, psychosocial factors represent only one source of physiological stress among many others. Additional sources of stress may include nutritional imbalances, exposure to pathogens or environmental antigens, and more.3 How the body processes and responds to stressors from any source influences a great deal about long-term health outcomes.4
Research reveals that a well-regulated stress response is essential for healthy child growth and development. In a landmark study published in April of this year in Nature Communications, authors examine the impact of a variety of stressors—including nutritional stressors—on childhood epigenome.5
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Study authors highlight that children living in low-income settings often experience recurrent infections and undernutrition due to inadequate water, sanitation, and food insecurity. All these elements may exert chronic high stress and have lasting impacts on the developing stress response system.
Researchers also point to what sets this experimental study apart from others looking at stress reduction interventions: the assessment of the effects of specific nutritional and environmental stress reduction interventions as opposed to focusing solely on psychosocial stress reduction interventions such as behavioral therapy or parental coaching.5
These experts also hypothesize that by demonstrating how interventions targeting nutrition and sanitation change a child's stress-related physiology, those measures might be easier for government agencies to employ at scale compared with psychosocial interventions.5
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Physical Activity in the Evening Shown to Improve Glucose Regulation in Overweight and Obese Adults
The results, obtained by a team of scientists from the University of Granada (UGR), could have multiple practical implications, especially for people at risk of developing insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.
The UGR’s PROFITH CTS-977 Research Group, in collaboration with the “San Cecilio” and “Virgen de las Nieves” University Hospitals in Granada, the Public University of Navarre, the Centre for Networked Biomedical Research on Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), and the Centre for Networked Biomedical Research on Frailty and Healthy Ageing (CIBERFES), has studied the effect of accumulating moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on glucose levels in overweight and obese adults.
Physical activity is known to have a positive effect on glucose regulation, but does it matter what time of day we do it? The study, which set out to answer this question, was led by researchers Antonio Clavero-Jimeno and Jonatan Ruiz from the UGR’s Department of Physical Education and Sports (Faculty of Sport Sciences) and the Sport and Health University Research Institute. They explain that it was previously unknown whether being more active at a particular time of day (morning, afternoon, or evening) could maximize the cardiometabolic benefits of physical activity. “Choosing the ideal time of day seems to be an emerging strategy to enhance the benefits of physical activity on glucose metabolism, especially for those with insulin resistance or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” the researchers note.
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FDA Bans Food Additive Found in Sports Drinks, Sodas
A regulation allowing the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in foods and beverages has been rescinded, reports U.S. News. BVO has trace amounts of bromine in it, which is toxic for human consumption. Until recently, small quantities of BVO were used in some citrus-flavored drinks in the United States.
Carrots Can Be a Simple Way to Get a Boost of Beneficial Nutrients
According to an unpublished study that was recently presented at Nutrition 2024, carrots can provide a sizable increase in key nutrients, reports CNN. During the study, researchers found that those who consumed carrots had a 10.8% increase in carotenoids after only four weeks. |
CPE Monthly
Discover the role RDs have in understanding the etiology of pancreatic insufficiency in order to help prevent/treat malnutrition and provide individualized MNT in this month’s issue of Today’s Dietitian. Read the CPE Monthly article, take the 10-question online test at CE.TodaysDietitian.com/CPEmonthly, and earn two CPEUs!
2025 Spring Symposium
Register early and take advantage of significant savings on registration for the 2025 Today’s Dietitian Spring Symposium, May 4–7 in San Antonio, Texas. Join your colleagues for four days of learning, camaraderie, networking, and more.
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Nutrium’s Easy Nutrition Management
Nutrium’s platform helps RDs better manage their practices, including tools that allow them to better counsel, assess, and monitor clients. The platform can help streamline the creation of meal diaries and plans, nutritional analysis, and calculate clients’ needs, allowing RDs to have more time for themselves. Learn more about Nutrium here.
Scale Your Practice Effectively
EatLove Pro uses its unique AI-driven nutrition program to ensure RDs can increase their revenue streams. The service automates some of the work that comes with creating personalized meal plans for clients. The service also includes a robust recipe database, food logging, and in-app messaging. Sign up for free or request a demo here. |
In the August/September Issue
• Taste of the Twin Cities: Your Guide to Minneapolis Cuisine
• Thriving in Private Practice
• The Evolving Landscape of Gestational Diabetes Management
• Today’s Dietitian 11th Spring Symposium Recap |
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COVER STORY
The Evolving Landscape of Gestational Diabetes Management
Advances in research, technology, and pharmacology are leading to more effective, patient-friendly approaches to managing gestational diabetes. RDs will learn about the latest updates and treatments to better provide care and help improve patient outcomes.
FEATURE
Thriving in Private Practice
Running a successful private practice requires an ever-evolving skillset to respond to modern demand. Discover the strategies RDs can use to broaden their reach, enhance their service delivery, and create a more engaging client experience.
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