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Weve long heard that the Mediterranean Diet is how all of us should eat. The diet, inspired by the coastal cuisine of such countries as Greece, Italy and southern France, is characterized by its abundant portions of fruits and vegetables, frequent meals of fish and poultry, use of olive oil and spices for seasoning, and red wine in moderation. Red meat and butter are limited, and grains are mostly whole.

The diet has been studied for its effects on heart disease, weight loss, cancer, Parkinsons and Alzheimers diseases. And its arguably a more pleasurable way of eating than, say, the strict Paleo and Ketogenic diets, or the faddish but not necessarily effective low-carbohydrate diet.

But it wont work if youre poor.

Thats the latest finding from a team of Italian researchers, who studied 18,000 men and women over a four-year period. They found that the Mediterranean Diet reduced the risk of heart disease by 15 percent but only for people who made more than approximately $46,000 a year. There were no observed cardiovascular benefits for people who made less than that amount.

The study, which was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, also found that highly educated people who may be likely to have higher incomes did better on the diet, in part because they selected a wider variety of vegetables and were more likely to eat whole grains. The more varied a persons diet is, the more types of nutrients they consume. Highly educated participants were also more likely to buy organic food.

The study found that higher-SES subjects tend to consume more organic vegetables which can contain higher concentrations of antioxidants, lower concentrations of cadmium and a lower incidence of pesticide residues, as compared with conventionally grown foods. We might then speculate that the quality of the bundle of foods that make up the MD actually differs across SES.

So, it doesnt just matter that you adhere to the tenets of the Mediterranean Diet it matters what kind of foods you pick within its framework, how that food was grown and how you prepare it. The findings will inevitably contribute to the ongoing discussion of food inequality, or how access to healthful food is a tenet of social justice.

We have long known that poorer Americans lack access to nutritious food and full-service grocery stores. They are more likely to rely on processed or fast foods. One recent study found that this nutritional gap is widening.

Price is a major determinant of food choice, and healthful foods generally cost more than unhealthful foods in the United States, that study said. It also found a link between education and healthy eating, suggesting that programs to teach low-socioeconomic status people how to choose and prepare cheap healthy meals and the benefits they can derive from such choices are important.

And thats what the Italian research teams takeaway is. These results support the need to adopt more effective strategies aiming to reduce socioeconomic disparities in health, not only by promoting the adoption of healthy eating patterns but also by facilitating access to foods with higher nutritional values, they wrote.

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Poor? Uneducated? Here's why you should skip the Mediterranean Diet - The Mercury News

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CROWN POINT David Corrie had a good reason for wanting to lose weight.

His 3-year-old son, Luke, requires near constant attention and likely will for the rest of his life. Corrie's family needs him around, and healthy.

He had an epiphany one day watching a friend care for an older son with autism.

"I said there's no way I can do this 10 years from now in my current health," said Corrie, 38, a fifth-grade teacher in Lansing. "At some point, Luke is going to have the strength of a man but still have the mentality of a child."

Corrie's son has isodicentric 15, or idic 15, a rare chromosomal abnormality that leaves him unable to talk, with seizures and low muscle tone.

To prevent the seizures, the 3-year-old has to eat a diet high in fat and low in carbs and protein. Corrie always tries whatever supplements his son is prescribed to make sure they don't have adverse side effects. He decided to do the same thing with Luke's diet.

The more he researched it, he learned it might be able to help him as well.

Under the so-called ketogenic diet, he eats two calories of fat for every one from carbs or protein, consuming no more than 30 grams of carbs a day. He said the diet essentially "fools the body into thinking you're starving," encouraging fat burning.

"I eat a lot of eggs and meat and sausage and low-carb vegetables, bacon, cheese, cashews, avocados," he said.

He said the diet makes him feel full, cutting down on snacking.

"I've been hungry my whole life," he said. "People always say if you eat now you're going to spoil your appetite for dinner. That was not the case for me."

Starting at 311 pounds, Corrie is now down to around 255. He hopes to eventually get to 220.

Besides the changes on the scale, Corrie says he is less grumpy and has lowered his high blood sugar and liver enzyme levels. And he has already noticed the difference in his ability to care for his son.

"I can get to him faster," he said. "My endurance level to carry him around is greater."

He has done some cardio and strength training along the way, but figures the diet is about 80 percent responsible for his weight loss.

"It's improved my health massively," he said.

Corrie has been soliciting sponsors for his weight-loss journey, already raising more than $14,000 that will go toward home modifications for his son. Corrie and his wife hope to build a "Luke-proof room," an addition off the kitchen where he can safely play while his parents watch him through the glass. A contractor, E&K of Chicago, has agreed to donate construction and materials to make the addition a reality.

Corrie's wife, Angela, has been impressed by the improvements her husband has made in his life.

"It's a big change," she said. "He has been diligent to stay on it in a way I couldn't. The weight just melts off him."

"We're really involved with our church. We go to a lot of potlucks, and he's been really good," she added. "We need him around for lots of years."

Link:
A Crown Point man lost 50 pounds ... for his son - nwitimes.com

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Credit: Arizona State University

Models, athletes and celebrities swear by the ketogenic "keto" diet to help shed those unwanted pounds. The keto diet encourages eating more cheese, butter and bacon; it's a low-carb, high-fat diet akin to the Atkins Diet created in 1972 by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins. The latest fad diet has amassed a following of devoted supporters, including Tim Tebow, LeBron James and Kim Kardashian, but does it really work?

Carol Johnston, professor and associate director of the nutrition program in the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Arizona State University, explains why the low-carb, high-fat diet is so popular, how it works, and what dieters should be eating to lose weight.

Question: Does the science behind the keto diet make sense? Would nearly eliminating carbs while increasing fat consumption help a person to lose weight?

Answer: The short answer is yes. There is mounting evidence that suggests calorie restricted, low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets are effective for weight loss, and the keto diet is an extreme version of this. Low-carb diets can be more satiating, allowing dieters to feel full longer, eat less, and thus experience greater weight loss success. However, calorie restricted, high-carb diets are also effective for weight loss.

Overwhelmingly, the most important factor in weight loss success is diet adherence. In research trials, most individuals who lose weight regain most of it within a year, regardless of which diet they were on. The downside of many of the fad diets you see today is the lack of emphasis on long-term lifestyle changes, which is necessary for long-term weight loss success.

Q: In your opinion, why is this diet so popular?

A: The keto diet is popular because it is easy to follow and on the surface seems effective. In the first few days after starting the keto diet, a person can experience a significant loss of water weight. When carb intake is restricted for a few days, glycogen stores in the muscle are reduced. Glycogen is responsible for water retention, so when its levels fall, so do our water levels. To the average person, the diet appears to be working. The number on the scale is going down. But, since most of this weight lost is water weight, it will return when the person consumes carbs again. While most people rely on scales to monitor weight loss and think any weight loss is good, the goal is actually to lose fat, which isn't always reflected on the scale. Additionally, the elevated levels of satietyfeeling fullmay help people stick to the diet longer and experience greater weight loss success.

Q: Is the keto diet healthy?

A: Keto diets have safely been used as an effective therapy for epilepsy for years. There are some risks associated with an extremely low-carb, high-fat diet, including elevated blood triglycerides (linked to elevated cardiovascular risk), increased urinary uric acid (which may lead to the formation of kidney stones), and lethargy. Adults on a low-carb diet are also at risk for adverse impacts to their bone health.

Q: We're always hearing about the evils of carbohydrates when it comes to losing weight. How important are carbs to our health and what role do they play in weight loss?

A: Carbs play a critical role in our health. We get energy either by burning glucose from carbs, or by burning fat. The keto diet focuses on the latter. Though carb-restricting diets are popular, carbs are actually less likely to convert into body fat than dietary fat.

Carbs are important for our brain and muscle health. Our brains rely entirely on glucose for energy productionthey can't get it from fatmaking the consumption of some carbs necessary. Our muscles can use either glucose or fat for energy, but during high-intensity exercise, they prefer glucose.

When we eat more carbs than we need, they convert to body fat, which contributes to obesity. In general, average Americansthose with a relatively sedentary lifestyleconsume more carbs and calories than they actually need. Athletes, on the other hand, need to keep their carb intake elevated to support their energy output. Balance between energy intake and output is key to maintaining a healthy weight.

Q: For people who are trying to lose weightwhat foods should they avoid? What foods should they include in their diet?

A: Energy-dense foods should be avoided (gravies, dressings, sauces, sweets, pastries, cakes, cookies, sugary drinks, etc.) and low-energy, nutrient-rich foods should be prominent in the diet (unprocessed plant foods, low fat dairy and lean, unprocessed meats).

Q: What should people know about the effectiveness or safety of fad diets like Atkins, keto, liquid diets, paleo, calorie restriction, etc.?

A: Any diet that restricts calories will typically result in weight loss if a person sticks with it. What is important when following a calorie-restricted diet (about 500 less calories per day) is that it has healthful attributesa diet composed of plant-based, unprocessed foods with low fat contentsuch as the Mediterranean diet. (Note, 500 calories equates to two 12-ounce sodas and a large chocolate chip cookie!)

Explore further: Medical myth: Cutting carbs is the best way to lose weight

See original here:
The Keto dietis eating more fat the key to weight loss? - Medical Xpress

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MARTINSVILLE As the summer season draws to a close, many people in the Martinsville-Henry County area will adopt a more structured schedule with more time in the area and less time away on vacation. It could be the perfect time to pick up the exercise regiment many planned to begin on January 1.

The Martinsville Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness recently announced a community-wide workout schedule with free classes taking place throughout the month of August.

Held in area churches, community centers, clubhouses and health and wellness centers, a variety of workout opportunities await for those looking to add more activity into their lifestyles.

We encourage exercise because its part of what we promote with preventative measures, said Brittany Anthony, Martinsville Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness marketing, public relations and development director. Exercise is a big part of our health initiative to promote being proactive.

While many people cite weight loss as a major goal for adopting a more active lifestyle, Anthony said there are other health benefits people dont always realize theyre getting when they set out to exercise.

A lot of people will just think primarily weight loss, but in addition to weight loss, we focus on being proactive in preventative health, Anthony said. Exercise can help lower blood pressure, increase mobility and reduce joint pain for people with arthritis and can reduce risk factors for heart disease.

In addition, exercising regularly can significantly reduce the risk of developing type two diabetes. For those with diabetes, exercise may lower blood glucose and improve the effectiveness of insulin.

Another benefit of incorporating more movement into a lifestyle is that the activity can help lower blood pressure.

Exercise also increases feelings of wellbeing, Anthony said.

The Coalition offers several opportunities Monday through Thursday, as well as on Saturdays, for those looking to workout with a group of likeminded individuals.

We have a variety of different ages from the younger generation to seniors, Anthony said. There are no age restrictions.

One of the best aspects about the exercise programs is that theyre all free and open to the public.

We are about promoting health and improving access, Anthony said.

While all are welcome to attend each program offered, there are some classes that could be better for beginners, while others are geared toward a more experienced crowd.

We try to have things on both ends of the spectrum, Anthony said.

Offering something for everyone, its easy to find a perfect fit for an individuals exercise needs.

A lot of our older exercisers like the water aerobics, Anthony said. Its low impact, but theyre still getting the benefits of exercise. Its easy on the joints, a lot of people say.

Classes are held indoors and outdoors, weather permitting, at the Martinsville YMCA and the Fieldale Pool.

The cardiovascular workout, characterized by water resistance, helps participants with strength and flexibility, increases muscle endurance and improves balance.

The exercise is designed to provide buoyancy and support that causes less injury to a persons muscles, bones and joints. The decrease in gravity thanks to the water makes the exercise possible for those who typically experience joint pain.

Water aerobics is also a good way to burn calories.

Another good exercise for beginners and seniors is chair aerobics, offered weekly at the Spencer-Penn Centre. The class increases strength, balance and vitality while participants remain seated. Participants are instructed to move and stretch in a series of slow-paced movements, which helps increase the exercisers heart rate.

That ones sitting down, so its not as strenuous, Anthony said.

There are other classes presented by the Coalition that require quick movements and lots of energy, like Tabata and step combo, both offered at the Bassett Community Center.

For Tabata, exercisers perform workouts at maximum intensity for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds before jumping into the next movement.

Step combo combines basic steps, intervals and cardio techniques in order to condition muscles and strengthen the abdomen. Exercisers use light weights and aerobic balls during the workout.

The Community Fellowship in Collinsville offers a community favorite when it comes to exercising yoga.

I think everybody likes yoga, Anthony said.

The class is designed for people of any age with any level of physical conditioning. Along with building abdominal strength, participants also practice flexibility.

The majority of the classes last an hour and take place on weekday evenings.

For those that work, theyre able to take part [in the classes] after work, Anthony said. Also, a lot of our instructors have other jobs during the day.

While classes are free and registration isnt required, prospective students are asked to fill out a participation form upon arrival. Filling out the form helps the Coalition track attendance.

In addition to the fitness classes, the Coalition provides primary and medical care at Bassett Family Practice to all ages regardless of ability to pay, based on a sliding fee scale. The Coalition also operates Health Connect, a one-stop shop for individuals in Martinsville and Henry County who need help breaking through barriers to health and wellness and can link individuals to services such as mammography, eye care services for diabetics and affordable prescription medications.

To learn more about the classes offered through the Martinsville Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness or to see a calendar of events for free workout opportunities taking place in the area, visit the organizations website at http://www.healthycommunitymhc.org and click on the aerobics/fitness tab.

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Health and Wellness Coalition offer free workout classes - Martinsville Bulletin

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Its no secret that exercise makes your heart bigger in a healthy way, helping it to pump blood more efficiently and lessening the potential for heart failure. Figuring out a way to mimic the way exercise manages to do this could be an extremely beneficial way to treat certain types of heart conditions. A study out this week shows how a protein called cardiotrophin 1 might in fact do this: have the same positive effects on the heart, minus the actual exersise part.

So, from a basic science perspective it looks like cardiotrophin, by itself, with nothing else, will stimulate that beneficial growth of the heart, says Lynn Megeney, senior author of the study and a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa. Itll make [each] heart muscle cell, and consequently the entire heart, look like and behave like its exercised. Itll gain those beneficial changes, which you normally attribute to exercise programs, just with the protein alone.

This could seriously come in handy for people who suffer from right heart failure. This varies from congestive, or left, heart failure, in that left heart failure has several drug interventions that can slow the process down. These conventional processes dont offer much help to people with right heart failure, says Megeney, and oftentimes the only solution for these patients is a transplant.

Interest into the positive effects of cardiotrophin go back several years when researchers initially identified several proteins found in cells that could make a heart muscle grow in a beneficial way. The researchers thought that since cardiotrophin causes the heart to appear exercised when no work out has taken place, perhaps it could be a good way to benefit those with right heart failure. After witnessing the positive effects of cardiotrophin in cell tissue cultures, Megeney and his colleagues moved on to testing the protein in mice and rats. Turns out, in those models, cardiotrophin is very effective at limiting the progression of right heart failure in mice and rats with the condition.

The biology of a heart in a rat is actually more similar to a human than it is to a mouse, so that kind of propelled us forward to start testing these particular proteins in a rat model, he says.

Cardiotrophin works by activating a series of proteins that under other circumstances would actually kill the cell, inducing something called programmed cell death or apoptosis, says Megeney. However, timing is key, in this case. Cardiotrophin turns certain proteins and cell pathways on. If they stay on too long, they would lead to major problems like programmed cell death. But cardiotrophin only allows them to stay on long enough to activate other cellular pathways (almost like a domino effect). These pathways are the ones that benefit the heart. Luckily, cardiotrophin activates yet another pathway that shuts off the damaging pathways before they start causing problems.

It flips these two switches on simultaneously, one to start to remodel and make those beneficial changes, but quickly shuts it off before it can remain on and cause problems, he says.

Megeney and his team plan to get a clinical trial in right heart failure patients rolling in the next three years, while simultaneously investigating other factors or drugs that work in a similar way as cardiotrophin. Were trying to move forward as fast as we can with what we have in our hands now," says Megeney. "Which is the protein itself, as well as [the ability to] find other drugs that can do the job just as well or better.

See the article here:
This protein makes your heart fit without actually exercising it - Popular Science

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FROSTBURG Frostburg State Universitys Exercise and Sport Science program has been granted initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences.

Attaining CAAHEP accreditation is the ultimate measure of quality in the Exercise and Sport Science program, said Dr. Boyce Williams, interim dean of the College of Education. It is a professional seal of approval because it assures the public across the board parents, business leaders and policy makers that candidates coming from Frostburg State University have been prepared in exercise and sport science using rigorous national standards.

Both credentials qualify graduates for careers in the growing health and fitness industry, such as health fitness specialist, wellness coach, strength and conditioning coach, personal trainer or owner-operator of a training facility. Like athletic trainers, such careers focus on improving health and athletic performance, but exercise and sport science clientele have different needs.

Initial CAAHEP accreditation remains valid throughJuly 31, 2022.

The rest is here:
Frostburg State's exercise and sport science program receives initial accreditation - The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)

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Alice Yan, an associate professor in UWM's Zilber School of Public Health, is studying whether exercise and other factors can help reduce the racial disparity in breast cancer survival rates. Credit: UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey

Alice Yan knows that beating breast cancer takes more than good medical care: It takes a community of like-minded women determined to live a healthier lifestyle.

Yan, an associate professor of community and behavioral health promotion at the Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, recently finished a four-week group exercise program with 12 African-American breast cancer survivors. The program is part of a two-year cancer survivorship study funded by the American Cancer Society. The study aims to address significant racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes in the United States.

"African-American women have a 23 percent lower five-year relative survival rate than their white counterparts," Yan said. "Research has shown that exercise plays a vital role in improving the lives of breast cancer survivors. Even brisk walking can be beneficial."

Unfortunately, many breast cancer survivors do not have an active lifestyle. The next step, then, was supporting African-American women cancer survivors in making exercise part of their lifestyle.

A key element in accomplishing this research study was community participation. Yan partnered with the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin to develop the exercise program, which was conducted at the Martin Luther King Community Center on North 16th and West Vliet streets.

The first part of Yan's study involved focus groups in which the women identified culturally relevant and contextual factors that presented barriers to exercise, as well as those that would enhance the likelihood that they would participate in exercise on a regular basis.

"One thing we saw was that it was important that the programs be offered where the women live, work and socialize," Yan said.

The community involvement helped ensure that the program had a culturally sensitive design.

"So, for example, the participants are very spiritual, very religious, and they concluded their exercise session with group prayer, very often expressing gratitude for the strengthboth physical and moralto participate."

Yan also feels the group setting is another factor that will help the women motivate each other to continue after the study is over.

In August, the project is expanding to include 45 women. This phase includes a self-management component to help participants better manage treatment or cancer-related side effects or symptoms such as nerve pain, tiredness and joint pain. In addition to exercise programming, this project will also provide guidance on nutrition to mitigate comorbiditiesobesity, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetesthat exacerbate those health effects.

Now roughly halfway through the study, Yan has come to know and admire the participants. And she's come to appreciate their fortitude.

"I've learned a lot about their faith, their hope and purpose of lifefactors that motivate these women to survive," Yan said. "One is their religious faith. Another is their inner strength and resilience.

"They are strong black women. Their stories are inspiring to me. In the midst of their darkest hours, these women decided to opt for a fighter mentality instead of a defeated one. To them, life was worth fighting for, as it's a precious gift from God. They've been through a lot, but they are still so committed to supporting their families and neighborspeople who rely on them."

Lisa Goodwin, a five-year cancer survivor and a lay-health adviser for the project, said she found the program helpful for her neuropathy, but also good for her mind and spirit.

She pointed out that the impact on the women has continued even after their participation was finished.

"Some of the ladies in the group called me, and we've started getting together to work out on our own," Goodwin said.

Yan hopes to build on this current two-year study with a five-year study that has a broader geographical reach.

Explore further: Could regular exercise help women battling advanced breast cancer?

Read the original:
Study attacks racial disparities in cancer with exercise - Medical Xpress

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Diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just months to live, a Bristol man is battling to get life-saving treatment that the NHS cant provide.

Chemo is rough, its really rough, admits Tom Ashford, who is desperately fighting for this one chance to spend more precious time with his partner, Ryk Thomas.

It does affect your whole body so you lose weight very quickly, which is the scariest thing.

I just deal with it and I do not have people around me who are not singing from the same hymn sheet, I need to be around people who are positive. They say its terminal, but I say Im fighting it and the treatment in Poland has given me hope.

It was in March this year that the couples lives were turned upside down by the news that Tom had been diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer and the NHS could not provide anything other than palliative chemotherapy.

Devastated by the bleak outlook, they were given a glimmer of hope after meeting a woman who had faced an almost identical situation, but sought treatment in Poland, where she was operated on by Professor Polkowski, who successfully removed her advanced tumour.

Ryk and Tom hope that the innovative, but proven, operation could offer a precious lifeline and launched a fundraising campaign to cover the treatment that costs upwards of 20,000.

I have had amazing support, its humbling, says Tom, of Stapleton Road.

I think we all go along in our normal lives feeling loved, but it is overwhelming the amount of support you get when you are running a campaign like this. Me and Ryk worked as landscape gardeners and one of our clients gave 2,500.

The 56-year-old is undergoing chemotherapy in Bristol which has shrunk the tumour and he hopes to go for the operation in September.

Tom and his partner Ryk

Within three days after coming home from a chemotherapy session, I just start shedding loads of weight. I use to be 83 kilos and now I hover around 70-73 kilos. I manage it by eating regularly and sleeping and going for walks twice a day, he told Bristol247.

The good news is the tumour is shrinking. I hate the chemo, I absolutely hate it, but we just go on day to day, hour to hour and I get bored and fed up, but do not allow it to get to me.

Speaking of the day he received the diagnosis,Tom says: I remember going for the endoscopy and I could tell she was freaked out by what she found.

When I got the diagnosis, at first it sort of blew us apart. I actually went away to stay with a close friend for a few days and spent time coming to terms with it and then when I got back, we were able to turn things around. Its been upsetting and frightening, but I have improved.

Ryk has spoken of his love for his partner: Ive never loved anyone so much. My only regret is that I didnt meet him earlier.

This life-saving treatment will give us precious time to live, to laugh, to take our beloved dogs, Spencer and Pablo, for walks on the beach. More importantly, it will give us time to share the things we all take for granted until events like this take us down a path we dont want to tread.

Friend and neighbour Emily Daly is just one of the people getting behind the campaign and she has organised a family fun day and dog show in his honour which will take place on Sunday, August 27, at Oldbury Court Estate (Vassals Park) from 10am-4.30pm.

She is hoping to raise as much money as possible to help find a cure for Tom and help fund ongoing care.

Read more: #Donate4Mike campaign couple celebrate remission

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Bristol man fights for life-saving cancer treatment - Bristol24/7

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K

ISSIMMEE, Fla. Twelve-year-old Cecily Vamminos eyebrows shot up as she closed her lips around the veggie pie. It was a subtle mlange of carrots, potatoes, and zucchini, surrounded by a vaguely sweet crust, and it was not working for her.

Cecilys jaw carefully dispatched the invader while her left hand slid the remaining threat to a place where it could not harm her.

Uh-uh, she said, shaking her head.

Like every other meal Cecily would be sharing with 19 other children and their parents this month, this one was freshly cooked and served by the crack staff of kitchen professionals who were working under strict orders: Give the kids anything they want, as long as its all organic, and free of gluten, dairy, salt, and processed sugar.

It was a grand medical and, in ways, social experiment. The children are all living with a rare kidney disorder called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS, in which their kidneys leak proteins into the bloodstream. The disease strikes 5,000 people in the United States each year, and for a subset of pediatric patients, like most of those here, treatments like steroids and immunosuppresants dont help. They face painful symptoms and, eventually, the prospect of kidney failure.

For decades, FSGS has represented a stubborn medical mystery, but in recent years researchers have unearthed clues that have led them to ask a simple question. In an age when seemingly every ailment is treated with a pill, could a change in diet essentially force this disease into remission and, possibly, save these childrens lives?

It would be huge, said Dr. Leonardo Riella, the black-bearded nephrologist who is leading the research team here. Were hopeful, but we will see.

To get to the answer, though, Riella and his colleagues had to first design a research trial that could control the childrens diet long enough to observe possible effects, in a place where medical and scientific protocols could be followed and, importantly, in an environment that might tempt families to sacrifice a month of their lives in the name of science.

Two ideas came to mind: camp and Disney.

Since it would be difficult to find an established camp in Orlando that could accommodate such dietary restrictions for a large group, Riella and his team at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston created a camp-like environment at a water park resort here.

For every time Cecily and her friends confronted veggie pies (and whipped avocado desserts), there were considerable perks: a romp at the water park, movies in a huge in-home theater, a private performance from former Ringling Bros. acrobats, and trips to Disney.

It was all experienced from the confines of luxurious houses with backyard pools. It was all for free. And it was all in the name of science.

R

iellas clinical trial has its roots in a bit of research conducted in the early 1970s, the results of which were published in the Lancet. That small pilot study suggested that a subset of patients with nephrotic syndrome, a condition related to FSGS, improved while on dairy-restricted diets. Despite multiple similar case reports that followed, most of the field focused on drug treatments instead of dietary changes.

But theres always been chatter about this, said Lauren Lee, director of research and engagement for NephCure Kidney International, a Pennsylvania-based advocacy group for people with FSGS and other protein-leaking kidney disorders. (NephCure helped recruit patients for the trial.)

Then, three years ago, the parents of a 1-year-old girl in Brazil with nephrotic syndrome reached out to Riella. The girls condition had failed to improve with conventional treatments. Her parents had read that modified diets had helped others, and wondered if their daughters disease might be related to food sensitivity. They asked a doctor in Brazil to guide her through a new diet.

Within two weeks, the girls kidneys all but stopped leaking protein, and she effectively went into remission. Her parents were ecstatic, but they also wanted the medical community to better understand the mechanisms of this intervention, in hopes that doctors would embrace it as a treatment.

They were prepared to anonymously fund a research trial, but they wanted it done quickly.

As in this summer.

I thought, No way could we make it happen, said Riella, back in one of the three houses the research team rented for the trial one of which serves as the cafeteria and medical-team headquarters.

Riella, who is associate director of the Brighams kidney transplant program, has published widely on issues related to nephrotic disorders and immune-related topics, and is currently investigating a drug that could increase the success of kidney transplants.

For the Orlando-area study, at least, there would be no need for lengthy Food and Drug Administration approvals because no drug was involved. But he still needed to design the protocol, have it approved by his hospitals review board, and set up the operation 1,300 miles away from his office.

And then there was the small matter of recruiting 20 families to participate.

We thought, could we make a fun environment for them?

Aside from attracting families who would appreciate weekly theme park visits and almost-daily water park trips, Riella suspected the camp-like environment would appeal to a group of people who rarely meet others with their condition. It would also provide an environment for educational programming, like health lectures, cooking classes, and shopping tips, to help them eat a more kidney-friendly diet.

The parents of the girl in Brazil agreed to foot the bill (while insisting on anonymity). The next step was to find participants.

The medical team reached out to colleagues worldwide and attracted families from Belgium, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, and the U.S. While locking down commitments from 20 families, they designed a testing protocol that would enable them to ship samples overnight to their Boston lab for analysis.

The participants will be encouraged to revert to their normal diets when theyre home, and theyll be tested again one month later to compare results.

Other researchers are watching the trial with interest. There is no doubt that the scientific question is important and the evaluation of the diet and its impact in a strictly controlled setting is ideal, said Dr. Bradley Warady, a research physician who treats pediatric nephrology patients at Childrens Mercy Kansas City. Whether or not a one-month evaluation is sufficient remains to be seen.

T

aylor Faulkner, 21, slumped on a lounge chair at the poolside on a muggy Wednesday afternoon. I think were all a little tired still from Monday, she said.

Monday was the groups second theme park side trip, and the kids didnt get to bed until nearly midnight. Children with FSGS often tire easily, and the group was still adjusting to their new diet, as well as new beds, noisy homes, and 8 a.m. breakfasts.

Faulker, who is a musical-theater major at Northwest Florida State College, is the oldest participant by several years, and is the de facto big sister of the crew. Children gravitate toward her and she indulges them with applause, bright smiles, and laughter. She wears her hair in broad curls and a Despicable Me bandage over the spot on her arm where her blood was drawn.

Faulkner was 18 when she first noticed strange swelling in her ankles and a metallic taste in her mouth. The swelling is a telltale sign of nephrotic syndrome; swollen faces appear in the morning, and then, after a day of walking or sitting, the fluid settles in the ankles.

Often patients need hospitalization and a cocktail of drugs that draws fluid from the body, while replacing the lost protein. Patients also frequently need drugs to reduce the high blood pressure that accompanies the condition usually steroids, which are commonly prescribed to limit protein leaking.

The side effects from the medications, Faulkner says, are worse than the symptoms from the disease. Her current treatment, tacrolimus, is usually prescribed to people who undergo organ transplants, and it suppresses the immune system so she cant be around people who are ill.

Like most others in this study, such medications can generally control her symptoms, but because they dont control the underlying disease, her kidneys will eventually scar, putting her on course for dialysis or a transplant.

Thats something I worry about, a bit, she said.

But she and others in the group had heard that a couple of the kids had had their urine tested for protein leakage by their private doctors, and the diet seemed to be having an effect already.

We know somethings working, she said. She listed five different medications shes currently taking, and mused about the prospect of one day trashing them. That would be insane.

O

n the morning before exam day, Jodie Urias and four other veteran circus performers led the campers through 15-minute workshops in circus arts, including juggling, hula hooping, and tumbling.

True to day-camp form, most of the kids resisted switching from their favorite activities, but were quickly wrangled by the circus specialists, who played the part of sweetly stern camp counselors.

After an evening of movies and cellphone scrolling, they rested for the next mornings medical regimen. The children delivered urine and frozen stool samples to the medical team, stood for pictures (to track swelling), then underwent exams by Riella and had their blood drawn.

Some of the smaller children in particular clung to their mothers and wailed in fear of the phlebotomist, but most have endured so many needles that they barely flinched when the moment came. Cecily, for one, said shed been stuck with needles plenty in her life.

Despite some occasional struggles with the food, she said the camp experience has been positive mostly because she made friends after about five minutes.

Her mother, Dena, has been trying to continue her job duties as a software consultant while accompanying Cecily. She said Cecily has been lucky with her disease, in that her outward symptoms have been all-but-invisible, though her kidneys are as burdened as many others.

Indeed, one of the benefits of the trial, Dena said, was that Cecily can better understand the implications of the disease. It really hits home here, she said. And Ive learned so much, too, from the workshops and just getting to know everyone else.

Visiting Disney with severe dietary restrictions, though, can be tricky.

You see other kids walking by with the Mickey Mouse ice cream, and our kids are like following them, hoping a piece breaks off so they can eat it, Dena said, laughing. So yeah, it can be tough in the parks. I wont lie.

Senior Writer, Patients

Bob Tedeschi covers the patient experience for STAT, while also focusing on end-of-life issues. He previously covered technology, business, personal finance and a range of other topics for The New York Times.

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Drug treatments didn't work. Can a simple diet help change these children's lives? - STAT

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Crews will begin restoring two traffic lanes and removing street parking on Vista del Mar starting Aug. 21, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

Work on a 1.5-mile stretch of the beachfront thoroughfare north of Imperial Highway is expected to take two to three weeks to complete and will include temporary lane closures.

Crews will make every effort to minimize construction-related delays, but at times lanes will need to be closed temporarily to accommodate implementation, the agency said in a statement. Occasional full street closures will occur during night hours only.

LADOT advised drivers to plan ahead and use alternate routes, including Imperial Highway and Westchester Parkway to travel east and west, and Pershing Drive, Lincoln Boulevard, Sepulveda Boulevard and the 405 Freeway to go north and south.

Officials also warned that a separate Bureau of Engineering construction project may intermittently restrict southbound traffic to one lane daily before 3 p.m.

Lower parking fees

Parking will be available in lots along Dockweiler State Beach and fees will come down in the near future.

Although the details havent been finalized, preliminary figures would lower the all-day parking rate at the Imperial Highway lot to $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends for the first 300 visitors, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.

RELATED:LA City Councilman 'truly sorry' for closing traffic lanes on Vista Del Mar

The current summer parking rate is $8 on weekdays and $13 on weekends.

The department should know late next week when exactly the lower fees will take effect, said public information officer Nicole Mooradian.

The restriping comes after two months of public outcry and litigation over a road diet that was suddenly implemented along Vista del Mar just before Memorial Day weekend to prevent pedestrian deaths, like one that cost the city a $9.5 million settlement in April.

The road was reduced to one lane in each direction and parking was reconfigured into 400 angled spaces on the west side of the street.

The changes, which coincided with similar reductions on other major streets in Playa del Rey, resulted in gridlock and uproar from commuters. South Bay city leaders began discussing legal action and a group of condo owners filed its own lawsuit in July. A grass-roots opposition group, Keep L.A. Moving, gathered thousands of online petition signatures and started crowdfunding for its own lawsuit. The backlash even launched an effort to recall Westside Councilman Mike Bonin.

Next steps

In a video posted July 26, one day before Manhattan Beach was to consider pulling the trigger on a lawsuit, Bonin acknowledged most people outright hated the changes and he apologized for the traffic headaches. He then announced Vista del Mar would be restored to four lanes.

He also announced traffic signal improvements and the formation of a task force to address the road diets on Culver, Jefferson Boulevard and Pershing.

County Supervisor Janice Hahn was credited with making the Vista del Mar lane restorations possible by arranging to make more affordable parking available in the county-run beach lot to satisfy the California Coastal Commission.

RELATED: Manhattan Beach mulls legal action of Vista del Mar lane closures

Keep L.A. Moving leader Karla Mendelson said her group is almost ready to file its lawsuit.

Bonins office is set to share details soon about the Playa del Rey Road Safety Task Forces next steps.

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Work to restore Vista del Mar traffic lanes to begin soon - Beach Reporter

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