2020 PBNHC Agenda* (ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN STANDARD TIMES)

Summary:

This presentation will review evidence supporting the use of plant-based nutrition to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes, as well as to lower the risk of diabetes-related complications. Practical applications and resources will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

1. Evaluate the evidence supporting plant-based diets for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
2. Examine the potential benefits of plant-based diets for reducing diabetes complications.
3. Recognize the potential mechanisms of plant-based diets in treating insulin resistance.

Summary:

Increasing scientific evidence indicates that comprehensive lifestyle changes, including a whole foods plant-based diet, may play an important role in preventing and helping to slow, stop, or possibly even reverse the progression of many forms of dementia. This presentation will review the strengths and limitations of the scientific evidence in this field as well as ongoing research.

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine the scientific evidence indicating that comprehensive lifestyle changes help prevent dementia.
2. Analyze how lifestyle changes affect the underlying biological mechanisms causing many forms of dementia.
3. Evaluate recent & ongoing research on the effects of lifestyle changes on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Summary:

This talk will summarize data on the role of diet and nutrition for cancer prevention and treatment. In addition to summarizing international recommendations, the talk will highlight recent studies and evidence, which lend further support for predominately plant-based diets and provide data on novel mechanisms by which diet can impact all aspects of cancer development.

Learning Objectives:

1. To evaluate and assess the current recommendations on diet and nutrition for cancer prevention.
2. Examine and interpret recent studies that support plant-based nutrition for all aspects of cancer development and novel mechanisms of action.
3. Assess the role a predominately plant-based diet has in reducing cancer risk in patients.
4. Utilize international recommendations to provide dietary interventions recommendations for patients with cancer at diagnosis, during treatment and through survivorship.
5. Describe and demonstrate novel mechanisms by which plant-based diets may benefit all stages of cancer development.

Summary:

A comprehensive historical review of nutritional literature based upon Dr. Campbell’s 65 years of experience in nutrition and human health. The lecture will present a new way to think about nutrition with intelligent perspectives based on historical review of the science and policies that shaped our understanding today. He will answer important questions like, is nutrition and health related to nutrient intake and do pesticides and GMO crops cause cancer?

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize key historical events that have impacted current nutritional understanding and recommendations.
2. Analyze the false statements in ubiquitous nutritional myths that have created confusion.
3. Assess the contribution of GMO and pesticides to the initiation of chronic disease.
4. Determine the key sites where pesticides and GMO’s contribute to disease formation and or progression.

Summary:

How can a busy practitioner implement important lifestyle interventions into daily clinical practice? Dr. Robert Ostfeld, an award winning academic and clinical cardiologist, will share strategies and tools that he has developed to help patients and systems implement a whole food plant based dietary lifestyle. The presentation will also focus on the science of behavior change and key elements of coaching that are critical when working with patients to create sustainable, lasting lifestyle changes. Dr. Ostfeld will review outcomes from patients within his Cardiac Wellness Program and he will describe strategies to assist plant-based and lifestyle medicine practitioners in the development of productive working relationships with hospital administrators in order to create and implement new programs.

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine strategies for implementing system changes within hospital systems.
2. Demonstrate proven behavior change strategies.
3. Develop a plan to implement plant-based nutrition into your daily practice.

Summary:

Dr Alan Desmond describes why Crohn’s disease has become a slow-motion epidemic and describes the aspects of the Standard Western Diet that have been implicated in causing and aggravating this form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. He then reviews the evidence supporting a whole food, plant-based dietary intervention for Crohn’s disease and illustrates the implementation of this intervention with case histories from his practice.

Learning Objectives:

1. To demonstrate the etiology and epidemiology of Crohn’s disease and current treatment strategies.
2. To recognize the characteristics of the Standard Western Diet that contribute to the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease.
3. To examine how a whole food plant-based diet can increase the likelihood of attaining remission in Crohn’s disease.

Summary:

Women have hormonal changes throughout their lifespan which are important to understand as nutritional needs change throughout one’s life. In the reproductive years, the impact of diet on reproductive outcomes, such as fertility, are notably difficult to evaluate as studies report heterogeneous outcomes and surrogate markers of fertility, such as time to pregnancy or successful outcome (pregnancy or live birth) after fertility treatments. However, current evidence suggests that diet is a modifiable factor of female fertility and reproductive health.

It appears that plant-based eating improves reproductive outcomes, hormonal balance, and diseases which impact reproductive health such as endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Ovulation is essential for reproduction, and increased vegetable protein and whole grain carbohydrates improves ovulatory patterns and outcomes with fertility treatments. Similarly, embryo development in in vitro fertilization cycles decreased with increase in red meat consumption.

Consumption of animal products provides an easy pathway for environmental contaminants to enter the human body. As female reproduction is a hormone dependent and sensitive process, it is hypothesized that increased consumption of animal-based proteins (meat, dairy, eggs) may increase exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, steroid hormones, and growth hormones. It appears that greater adherence to healthy diet patterns, including emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and olive oil, may result in improved health throughout a woman’s lifespan and also improvement in fecundity.

Learning Objectives:

1. Distinguish women’s hormonal changes through the cycle and lifespan.
2. Examine dietary objectives with disease process: PCOS, endometriosis, osteoporosis.
3. Evaluate the role of plant-based nutrition in fertility and pregnancy.

Summary:

Based on preliminary U.S. data, persons with underlying health conditions such as diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease, appear to be at higher risk for severe COVID-19–associated disease than persons without these conditions. Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease, particularly among younger patients. Under 60, obesity was twice as likely to result in hospitalization for COVID-19 and also significantly increased the likelihood that a person would end up in intensive care. Obesity [in people < 60 years] appears to be a previously unrecognized risk factor for hospital admission and need for critical care. This has important and practical implications when nearly 40% of adults in the US are obese with a body mass index [BMI] of ≥ 30. The greater prevalence of risk factors and obesity, due to nutrition and lifestyle, in African Americans puts this population at much greater risk of both pandemics: CV mortality and COVID-19 serious illness and death.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the relationship between nutrients and death from heart disease.
2. Examine the effect of diet on risk factors for heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and death.
3. Relate the changes in coronary plaque occurring with plant-based diet.
4. Summarize the long-term effects of plant-based diet.
5. Describe the excess cardiovascular mortality in African Americans, based on nutrition-related risk factors and disease
6. Discuss the risk factors for poor outcomes with COVID-19: obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, resulting in poorer outcomes in African Americans.

Summary:

Change is growth. It is starting with a seed to cultivate. It is planning, yet being flexible. It is gaining understanding, as knowledge is put into practice. It takes patience, diligence and care. It is pulling weeds, weathering storms, and defending against outside threats. Yet, it is also stopping to smell the flowers, reflecting, learning, and appreciating the beauty of the process. For the critical, first stages of change, patient behavior is much like this seed, who depend on their healthcare provider to help cultivate change. However, the provider can face barriers to cultivation, and at worst, can inadvertently stunt patient growth. Through a parable of four soils, Dr. Faries illuminates the key, research-based strategies and practical tools to help give providers a ‘green thumb’ in cultivating healthy, lifestyle change for their patients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Demonstrate key strategies that help practitioners foster healthy, lifestyle change in their patients.
2. Recommend techniques on applying key strategies within the patient-provider relationship.
3. Develop personalization of key strategies for application within one’s own practice.

Summary:

S. Stoll, A. Bellatti, Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD, M. Klaper, Laurie Marbas. A guided discussion and Q&A session focused on the application of plant-based nutrition in a clinical setting.

Learning Objectives:

1. Compare and contrast the different types of practice models and steps necessary to transition individual practices to include lifestyle medicine interventions.
2. Develop a plan for first steps toward the implementation and/or modification of individual clinical practices.
3. Examine and answer the most common questions regarding the clinical practice of lifestyle medicine and implementation of practical, tested solutions that optimize patient care.