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Interviewer: Healthy benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. That's coming up next on The Scope.

Announcer: Medical news and research from University Utah physicians and specialists you can use for a happier and healthier life. You're listening to The Scope.

Interviewer: I'm with Carrie Woodruff, a registered dietician at University of Utah Health Care. So, what are some of the benefits of a vegetarian diet?

Kary: Sure, we see that people who follow a vegetarian diet tend to have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, lower risk for diabetes, for renal disease. They tend to have a healthier BMI and lower risk for obesity. And just their overall intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other nutrient dense foods tends to be higher.

Interviewer: So, as many pros as there are, it sounds like, to being a vegetarian, are there any cons?

Kary: No, I don't think so. I think as long as the person is educated. Someone who follows a vegetarian diet could be at greater risk for iron deficiency, for zinc deficiency, B-12, calcium, and some other nutrients. But if they follow a well-balanced diet, and they make sure they get enough protein in their diet, and enough nutrient rich foods, then they're not going to be facing those sorts of deficiencies, and can have all the health benefits that we mentioned.

Interviewer: Do you find that people often consult with their doctor or with the dietician before making the switch to a vegetarian diet?

Kary: No, I definitely think there are some people, but not everyone does. Sometimes people just decide to do it, and they go ahead and start a diet. And then a lot of times, at least what I see as a clinical dietician, is that patients maybe did get some sort of nutrient deficiency. So maybe they're deficient in iron, or deficient in B-12, and their doctor said "Hey, you should go see a registered dietician just to make sure that you are getting all the nutrients that you need to be getting from your foods."

Interviewer: So, for someone who is a vegetarian and who is iron deficient, or not getting enough protein, or something like that, what are some sources of those nutrients that they can eat and get that way?

Kary: Sure, so iron rich foods will be our leafy green vegetables. We'll even get some iron in some nuts. Definitely legumes are going to be a good source of iron. So those will be in soy products, will have some iron. And then we'll see protein coming from soy foods, from nuts and seeds and legumes as well.

Interviewer: How about vegan diet?

Kary: Vegan diet means that they're not consuming any animal products, so it would exclude any meat, any fish, eggs, or dairy foods. And so they can be at greater risk for nutrient deficiencies. Again, someone who follows a vegan diet can be meeting all their nutrients needs. They just need to be smart about it. And a vegan diet should be supplementing with B-12. That's the one nutrient that we can only get from animal sources.

Interviewer: Any final thoughts?

Kary: Well, I think a vegetarian diet can be very healthy, have lots of benefits, it just should be done with education and be done smartly, I suppose. And so if someone is choosing a vegetarian diet, just to make sure that they're educated on what nutrients they are at risk for deficiency. And to make sure they are getting enough plant sources of those nutrients.

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Scot: Did you realize that leeches are still used in modern medicine? Well, they're about to be out of the job. That's coming up next on The Scope.

Announcer: Examining the latest research and telling you about the latest breakthroughs. The Science and Research show is on The Scope.

Scot: Dr. Agarwal, it really surprised me, first of all, to find out that leeches are still used in modern medicine. Really?

Dr. Agarwal: Yeah, it's true and it actually surprises a lot of patients too, but there are situations where we need leeches and they're currently used and available in the United States.

Scot: What types of conditions would you need a leech for? What's a patient do when you bring in some leeches?

Dr. Agarwal: In order for tissue to live it has to have arterial blood flow in, and invenous blood drain the old blood out. If there's a pooling of blood or the venous system is not functioning properly the tissue can't get new, fresh oxygen or nutrients and it has a harder time healing and surviving. So leeches come into play when this pooling occurs. What we do is we attach a leech onto that piece of tissue that's struggling, and the leech will then suck out the pooled venous blood. This allows for new oxygenated blood to enter the area, and the process goes on until the tissue has had enough of a chance to heal on its own.

Scot: So they're about to be out of the job. There's a brand new mechanical, a robotic leech. Explain how one makes one of those.

Dr. Agarwal: I took the idea to a group of students in mechanical engineering and we sat together and I explained to them what leeches are, what they're used for, and we discussed ideas of how to make a better device and replace existing leeches. The students then got together with myself and Dr. Bruce Gale who is a Professor in Mechanical Engineering, and brainstormed ways to develop a mechanical device that could do the functions of an actual leech. What they've come up with is an exciting new piece of technology that really can mimic the properties of an actual leech. It has the ability to suck out the pooled blood, and it can also deposit a little bit of anti-coagulant in the tissue to keep the blood flowing, which is what we want.

Scot: So, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Why did you decide there was a need for a robotic leech, or a mechanical leech?

Dr. Agarwal: Traditional leeches are a little cumbersome to deal with. Number one is they have to be cultivated and maintained. They often are not something that patients like to have on their skin, and they can transmit diseases. They harbor bacteria which can then get transmitted to the tissue or to the patient and cause problems.

Scot: Are their any downsides or things you're trying to work out with the mechanical leech?

Dr Agarwal: The next step is to do some clinical studies to show that it really can function effectively, and even better than a traditional leech.

Scot: Do you expect little picket lines of leeches outside your office anytime soon?

Dr. Agarwal: You know what, that's fine with me. I think putting leeches out of business is not a bad thing. They can live in the swamp where they belong.

Announcer: Interesting. Informative. And all in the name of better health. This is The Scope Health Sciences Radio.