Background: Functional medicine nutrition therapy is often associated with restrictive eating patterns such as elimination diets which implies that the modality as a whole is inappropriate in the treatment of eating disorders. However, the functional “root-cause” approach of examining a patient timeline for the biopsychosocial etiology of eating disorders provides insight into targeted nutrition diagnostics and treatment protocols. Methods of analysis include nutritional genomics, microbiome shifts, and changes in neurotransmitter production which set the stage for the development of ED. Including functional medical nutrition therapy in the assessment, treatment, and long-term management of ED provides opportunity to create more effective interventions.
Objectives: · Attendees will be able to define functional medical nutrition therapy and understand the benefits and challenges to using that approach in eating disorders. · Attendees will understand the importance of incorporating physical symptoms into the psychosocial timeline of eating disorder development · Attendees will understand three potential functional interventions that can impact clients with eating disorders. Interventions include neurotransmitter production, microbiome optimization, and nutrigenomics.
· Describe how a functional medicine model of nutrition would differ from a conventional model
· Discuss the benefits and challenges of using this model with the eating disorder population
· Describe the physical antecedents, triggers, and mediators that are associated with the development of eating disorders and how to apply them to a timeline. The factors discussed will include:
o Microbiome
o Genetic risk factors
o Neurotransmitter production
· Demonstrate application of functional medical nutrition approach through case studies where targeted interventions are used to address:
o Microbiome
o Genetic risk factors
o Neurotransmitter production
Learning a client’s story through a detailed intake process involving client history, biomarkers, and nutrition-focused physical exam allows for the creation of a timeline including antecedents, triggers, and mediators (ATMs). ATMs form the basis of targeted, personalized treatment addressing both the pathophysiology and behavioral components of EDs.
ATMs discussed during this talk include nutritional genomics, microbiome shifts, and changes in neurotransmitter production which set the stage for the development of anxiety and ED.
Gut microbiome alterations are implicated in the development and progress of eating disorders. Specific changes in diversity, relative abundance, and intestinal inflammation should be analyzed in the diagnostic process of ED to allow for an evidence-based intervention.
Alterations in serotonin production have been observed in ED, impacting mood, impulse control, and eating behavior. Emphasizing raw materials and cofactor adequacy for the creation of neurotransmitters is essential in ED, as well as screening for dietary and pharmaceutical nutrient inhibitors.
In the last 20 years since the human genome project, genetic causality in EDs has been observed, yet targeted ED therapies based on genetics are in their infancy. The potential for using personalized nutrition genomics assessment tools introduces the possibility of deeper personalized intervention. Given the burgeoning evidence, the risks of not including personalized genomics in the treatment of ED are beginning to emerge.
Including functional medical nutrition therapy in the assessment, treatment, and long-term management of ED provides opportunity to personalize, and therefore create more effective interventions. .
Alyson Roux, MS, CNS, MFA is a clinical nutritionist who specializes in healing bodies from digestive distress and repairing relationship to food. With her background working in the arts and entertainment industry, Alyson has special interest in working with artists and health behaviors. In addition to her private nutrition therapy practice in Los Angeles, Alyson teaches Health Education to performers in training at AMDA College in Hollywood.
Meg Bowman, MA MS CNS LDN, is a clinical nutritionist with a Master's Degree in Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health. Practicing in the functional medicine model of nutrition, Meg specializes in helping clients with mental health, gastrointestinal and autoimmune conditions. Meg started Nourish Integrative Solutions in 2015 and sees clients on the North Shore of Chicago.
