What Is First Line Therapy??

The First Line Therapy Program is an evidence-based, therapeutic lifestyle program that allows people to take control of their lives and improve their health, using food, exercise and lifestyle change as the first treatment of chronic diseases.

In the past, it was thought that people were destined to develop the health conditions that were passed on through genetics.  We are now finding that the how you live your life, from eating right and exercising to lowering stress, are just as influential as your genetics.

The First Line Therapy (FLT) is a 12-week, individualized program, that will teach you valuable tools that will allow you treat or prevent specific health conditions such as :  hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and dysmetabolic syndrome, which is a combination of :  elevated B.P., increased waist circumference(>35 for a female and >40 for a male), elevated glucose; elevated triglycerides, and/or low HDL.    Dysmetabolic syndrome is often called pre-diabetes.

Through this 12-week program(six visits over three months), I will customize a program geared to your specific needs that will show you how to eat the right foods, at the right intervals of time, incorporate an exercise program, add nutritional supplements and discuss strategies of  stress management, that will promote an  increase lean muscle mass and decrease fat mass. 

You will learn the importance of proper nutrition based on the biochemistry of your body, using food as your medicine.  The average diet is lacking nutrients that are vital to maintaining health.  Eating a balanced diet rich in whole foods: lean protein, legumes, veggies, fruits, nut/seeds, whole grains and oils, gives your body the nutrition it needs to help heal itself and prevent chronic disease.

Eating a variety of low glycemic index foods will help keep your hunger in control.  You will feel better, will be energized, and you will eat less.   Eating more often keeps your blood sugar stable and helps maintain lean muscle.    Maintaining muscle is the key to burning calories.

By eating smaller meal more frequently, you will have more energy and feel better because your body is constantly fueled.  This will make it easier to exercise. 

  

WHAT MAKES THE FIRST LINE THERAPY PROGRAM DIFFERENT?

·        It is a lifestyle medicine program used as a first-line treatment for chronic disease:  heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis.

·        It’s designed to improve body composition, not just weight or BMI.  It helps patients maintain and improve lean muscle as they lose fat.

·        The FLT food plan is different.  Based on the Mediterranean diet, the FLT food plan is modified to balance your blood sugar by eliminating high glycemic foods--foods that cause an increase in blood sugar and stimulates an increased release of the hormone, insulin.  Increased insulin will cause your blood sugar to get too low and in turn, makes you feel hungry and tired.  By eating low glycemic index foods, your blood sugar stays more stable and your hunger cravings go away.

·        Patients on the FLT program report  less hunger, fewer cravings, more energy, and higher compliance than with commonly recommended lowfat diets.

·        FLT has also been effective in treating obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

·        FLT incorporates medical foods.  Medical foods are used under the supervision of a physician for the management of a specific disease or condition.  Use of a medical food in select patient populations has more than doubled risk factor reduction.

·        FLT has been demonstrated to be effective in clinical trial.  Most other diets have not.

·        FLT provides tools and education that will help you become healthy in the present, as well as, 10, 20, 30 years and beyond.

 Call to make your first appointment today!    512-346-6086