Ahead of Rare Disease Day on the 28th February, we speak with nutritionist, author and lifestyle medicine professional Rohini Bajekal about a rarer form of diabetes, MODY, or maturity onset diabetes of the young. Rohini shared the challenges she had to overcome to finally reach her diagnosis of this rare genetic condition.

To connect with Rohini:www.rohinibajekal.comhttps://www.instagram.com/rohinibajekal Explanation of MODY: https://www.diabetesgenes.org/what-is-mody/

Guidelines for genetic testing in MODY: https://www.diabetesgenes.org/tests-for-diabetes-subtypes/guidelines-for-genetic-testing-in-mody/

MODY calculator tool: https://www.diabetesgenes.org/exeter-diabetes-app/

Genetic Test Referral Form: https://www.diabetesgenes.org/genetic-test-referral-forms/

Diabetes UK information: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/other-types-of-diabetes/mody

Example case study: https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/genotes/in-the-clinic/presentation-patient-with-incidental-finding-of-raised-blood-glucose/

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK Type 2 diabetes factsheet: https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Diabetes-factsheet08.11.24.pdf

References Discussed:

Chakera, A. J., Steele, A. M., Gloyn, A. L., Shepherd, M. H., Shields, B., Ellard, S., & Hattersley, A. T. (2015). Recognition and Management of Individuals With Hyperglycemia Because of a Heterozygous Glucokinase Mutation. Diabetes care, 38(7), 1383–1392. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc14-2769 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26106223/

Stride, A., Shields, B., Gill-Carey, O., Chakera, A. J., Colclough, K., Ellard, S., & Hattersley, A. T. (2014). Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies suggest pharmacological treatment used in patients with glucokinase mutations does not alter glycaemia. Diabetologia, 57(1), 54–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-013-3075-x https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24092492/

Steel AM, Shields BM, Wensley KJ and others. ‘Prevalence of vascular complications among patients with glucokinase mutations and prolonged, mild hyperglycemia’. Journal of the American Medical Association 2014: volume 311, issue 3, pages 279–286. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2013.283980 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1814212

Are you literally sick of bringing home the bacon? Good news is plant-based diets are not only healthier, but they can also be cheaper. In this week's nugget Daisy and Clare discuss ideas to save money on your food bill. And if money worries are keeping you up at night, you can find a full explanation of cognitive shuffling and more in Jane Thurnell- Reed's book:
Health & Wellbeing on a Budget: Simple and Affordable Strategies for a Healthier, Happier You

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Health-Wellbeing-Budget-Affordable-Strategies/dp/1739294149https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00251-5/fulltext

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9321292/

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2808910

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/plant-based-on-a-budget-

This week we had the pleasuring of speaking with the fabulous skin specialist, Star Khechara. With a 20 year career spanning skincare formulation and nutrition – author of The Holistic Beauty Book, original founder of Formula Botanica, creator of The Facelift Diet® and leader of Skin Nutrition Institute – Star has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to skin health.We cover why skin is so important, and how our skin is a reflection of our overall internal health.She tells us how our diets and lifestyle can impact its protective barrier, what a good skin care regimen looks like, how to combat the signs of ageing, and finally how to treat problematic skin conditions such as acne. To learn more about Star's work:https://www.starkhechara.com/

Other links from the pre interview chat:https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PLANTS-FIRST-HEALTHCARE-REPORT-R.pdf

https://ukhealthalliance.org/news-item/government-urged-to-stop-multi-million-pound-campaign-promoting-meat-and-dairy/

https://feedbackglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AHDB-Jan-2025.pdf

This week's nugget reacts to the latest efforts by the dairy industry to make cow's milk more 'sustainable'. We'll be talking about Bovaer which is a compound added to feed to reduce the amount of methane produced by cows.

You can listen to more on dairy with our brilliant guests if you check out 'Strength to go dairy-free: milk choices, with Rosie Martin RD' and 'Hip hip hooray: here's to fracture free living and healthy bones on a plant-based diet, with Dr Rajiv Bajekal.'

Dr Ajaz is a Specialist Hepatologist and a Lifestyle Medicine Physician, and her work intersects clinical medicine and research within the Institute of Liver Studies at King’s College Hospital. She is also an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences.She established the LIVFIT group, the UK’s first patient support group for metabolic dysfunction- associated steatotic liver disease ( MASLD), where lifestyle medicine is a key part of improving cardio-metabolic health, through nutrition, exercise and social connection.In this fascinating discussion you will learn all about MASLD, previously named non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We talk about why the name changed, how prevalent the condition is, how it is diagnosed and what treatment options are available.So whether you are a clinician, or a patient with a metabolic health condition, or just curious about improving your health and preventing common conditions related to metabolic dysfunction then this episode is for you.To connect with Dr Ajaz and LIVFIT follow these links:https://www.kch.nhs.uk/about/get-involved/groups-and-events/livfit/https://www.linkedin.com/in/saima-ajaz/?originalSubdomain=ukFurther information:https://www.journal-of-hepatology.eu/article/S0168-8278(24)00329-5/fulltextTo send us an email :inanutshellpodcastuk@gmail.com

This week we were lucky enough to speak with internationally acclaimed dietician and plant-based pioneer, Brenda Davis, R.D. Brenda has a truly impressive career that spans the decades, and has involved consulting, research, teaching, and writing. She is a sought after speaker at international conferences and has co-authored thirteen nutrition books.We squeezed in as many questions as we could about plant-based eating, with the emphasis on the older adult, but Brenda is so full of experience and wisdom that this episode will benefit listeners of any age. To learn more about Brenda's work or buy her books follow the link :https://brendadavisrd.com/Information about the IBLM from Clare and Daisy's pre interview chat:https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/iblmhttps://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/iblm/iblm-certificationTo join Plant-Based Health Professionals UK you don't have to be a health professional - you play a key role in helping us spread the power of a healthy plant-based diet and lifestyle medicine regardless of your professional background. Join us to be part of a community working towards change in our food systems:https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

It's the end of Season 3 and this week's nugget is all about why healthy carbohydrates (the mainstay of wholefood plant-based diets) are no bad thing when it comes to diabetes. We think many health professionals still need to hear that trying to focus solely on protein, to the exclusion of all the wonderful things in carbohydrate rich foods such as fruits, beans, and seeds, is hard work, seemingly unsustainable and therefore unlikely to deliver long term results.

The PBHP factsheet on diabetes: https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Diabetes-factsheet08.11.24.pdf

Studies described: Key TJ, Papier K, Tong TYN. Plant-based diets and long-term health: findings from the EPIC-Oxford study. Proc Nutr Soc. 2022 May;81(2):190-198. doi: 10.1017/S0029665121003748. Epub 2021 Oct 27. PMID: 35934687; PMCID: PMC7613518. Tonstad S, Stewart K, Oda K, Batech M, Herring RP, Fraser GE. Vegetarian diets and incidence of diabetes in the Adventist Health Study-2. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Apr;23(4):292-9. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2011.07.004. Epub 2011 Oct 7. PMID: 21983060; PMCID: PMC3638849.

Early findings from the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme: a prospective evaluation of real-world implementation Valabhji, Jonathan et al.The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, Volume 12, Issue 9, 653 - 663