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F.A.Q. – General
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Cash or Check
We do have payment plans for our programs. This allows all who truly wish to improve their health to be able to work with us. Many of our clients are single parents or retirees on fixed budgets.
No. We do not accept insurance for office visits. Upon request, we can provide you with a copy of your invoices which YOU can submit to your insurance company. We cannot guarantee what reimbursement, if any, you may receive. We do not submit claims or call insurance companies directly. This is the responsibility of the client.
Often, chronic, complex conditions begin decades before symptoms appear. One of the hallmarks of functional medicine is the ability to reach back into a client’s history and figure out why symptoms are occurring and how to reverse the process. In order to fully understand an individual’s story, an extremely thorough history must be taken.
Often, chronic, complex conditions begin decades before symptoms appear. One of the hallmarks of functional medicine is the ability to reach back into a client’s history and figure out why symptoms are occurring and how to reverse the process. In order to fully understand an individual’s story, an extremely thorough history must be taken.
Prices are quoted individually as functional medicine is never a one-size-fits-all approach. You will receive a program price at the end of your new patient wellness consultation based on your health goals and needs.
F.A.Q. – Functional Medicine
Our bodies and their systems are masterpieces of design. Every part has its specific functions as well as an interrelationship with the whole. When you experience symptoms, it’s your body’s way of telling you that something isn’t working at its full function. Our role is to work with you to determine what’s not functioning, why, and how we might assist you in restoring your health. Clients seeking optimal sport performance find our programs meet their needs exceedingly and abundantly.
We use a supportive client-centered approach to healthcare that benefits clients of all conditions. As integrative interventional cardiologists and functional medicine practitioners, we consider the web of interactions that occur among the following:
- Nutrition
- Digestive function
- Detoxification function
- Energy metabolism
- Hormonal function
- Structural function
- Immune system
- function/inflammation
We clarify the extent of any dysfunction by intensive listening (taking your history), physical examination, and laboratory tests. Once we have identified the root causes of your symptoms, we recommend specific treatments and therapies, including dietary changes, nutritional supplementation, herbal medicines, exercise and stress reduction appropriate to your lifestyle, mind body medicine, and pharmaceutical use when necessary. We consider ourselves to be your partners in improving your health.
We also use functional medicine to assess your risk of developing certain health conditions and to prevent chronic illnesses from occurring. In this way, we move from a downstream (reactive) approach, to an upstream (proactive) approach. We can help you determine what factors are “pushing you into the river” in the first place by identifying your susceptibilities. One of our newest approaches is functional genetic testing. Although you cannot change the “hand of cards you have been dealt” genetically, with this information we can assist you in “playing your hand” in a more effective way. Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger. This approach offers significant promise regarding prevention of cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis, as well as successfully addressing a number of common maladies.
Complex, chronic conditions best respond to functional medicine. These are typically long-term diseases that linger or get slowly worse over time.
Examples of disease states that respond well are:
Inflammatory Conditions: Plantar Fasciitis, Arthritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Allergies, Asthma
Chronic Pain / Musculoskeletal Conditions: Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue
Cardiovascular Conditions: Cardiovascular Disease, Elevated Cholesterol, Atherosclerosis, High Blood Pressure
Autoimmunity: Multiple Sclerosis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Celiac Disease, Eczema, Psoriasis, Grave’s Disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Lupus, Type I Diabetes
Preventative Care: A functional medicine health care plan is extremely effective in maintaining health and preventing disease. Just some of the diseases that can be delayed or avoided altogether include: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Autoimmunity, Osteoporosis, Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Dementia
F.A.Q. – Diagnostics
- Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis
- Adrenal Stress and Cortisol Testing
- Complete Thyroid Panels
- Autoimmune Panels
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Evaluation
- Food Sensitivities & Dietary Antigen Testing
- Vitamin and Mineral Testing(micronutrient)
- Essential Fatty Acid Testing
- Heavy Metal testing
- Genetic Testing
- Hormone Testing
- Advanced metabolic testing
DEXA
A DEXA scan is a very low energy non-invasive x-ray scan used to measure bone mineral density to assess for osteoporosis and risk for bone fracture. This scan also very accurate at measuring total body lean mass (muscle) and fat content to determine body composition. Newer DEXA software also allows for the assessment of visceral fat stores which are associated with metabolic and inflammatory conditions such as diabetes mellitus.
RMR(Resting Metabolic Rate)
Resting metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns energy when it is at complete rest. You can calculate your resting metabolic rate by assessing oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange to see how many calories your body needs to perform basic functions like breathing and circulation. This may serve as a helpful guide for nutrition recommendations and to assess for issues with slow metabolism which may suggest other underlying medical issues such as hormonal abnormalities.
VO2 Max
VO2 max, or maximal oxygen consumption, refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise. This measurement is generally considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance. The more oxygen a person can use during high level exercise, the more energy a person can produce. This test is the gold standard for determining cardiorespiratory fitness because the muscles need oxygen for prolonged aerobic exercise, and the heart must pump adequate amounts of blood through the circulation to meet the demands of aerobic exercise.
VO max is measured by putting a face mask on the subject, allowing direct measurement of the volume and gas concentrations of inspired and expired air. This measure is often used in research and is considered the most accurate. The test involves either exercising on a treadmill or a bike at an intensity that increases every few minutes until exhaustion, and is designed to achieve a maximal effort. We also obtain the individual’s maximal heart rate from this test, which, along with resting heart rate, can be used to develop a more precise target heart rate range. This is more accurate than age-predicted equations. Thus, the subject leaves the lab with an excellent idea of his/her current fitness level and also how to use this information to improve fitness.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is a painless test that uses sound waves to create moving pictures of your heart. The pictures show the size and shape of your heart. The images allow for assessment of the heart valves and heart muscle function.
Carotid Intimal Media Thickness (CIMT)
A 15 minute ultrasound scan that detects the “thickness” of the carotid artery. CIMT remains a statistically significant predictor of cardiovascular event rates even after adjusting for other known risk factors.
Exercise Stress Test
A stress test, also called an exercise stress test, shows how your heart works during physical activity. The test usually involves walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike while your heart rhythm, blood pressure and breathing are monitored. This test is used to help diagnose coronary heart disease often referred to as “blockages in the arteries.”
JUVENT
A patented system using the science of low-magnitude mechanical impulses to safely exercise your bones, muscles, and joints. The Juvent Health Micro-Impact Platform® sends carefully calibrated mechanical energy waves up through your body. These tiny waves gently move your body and increase blood flow, helping bones and joints recover naturally. Studies have shown significant improvement in bone mineral density and many patients report less joint and muscle pain, along with improved balance and stability.
CryoSlim
Cryoskin is a non-invasive treatment used for slimming, cellulite reduction, and toning. The session lasts for 28 minutes and is done manually through a massage technique. The session begins with heat and then a decrease in temperature to -8° for the duration of the session. The first results are generally visible from the first session and often very encouraging. However, it should be noted that the best results appear from 15 days to 3 weeks after the first session and extend for several months afterwards.
F.A.Q. – Detoxification?
- Detoxification is the essential bodily function of removing toxins and waste products from your body. Detoxification ‘detox’ also refers to reducing your overall toxic burden. We are all exposed to external toxins( e.g. toxic cleaning products) to some extent and we produce toxins naturally as by-products of our metabolic processes (e.g. respiration). For most of us our main exposure pathways are actually in our own homes – cleaning products, synthetic fragrances, toxic personal care products, toxins in our food supply, (pesticides, chemical additives, BPA, etc.). Internally we produce more toxic by-products as our bodies deal with stress, anger, poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, alcohol, and caffeine.
When talking about ‘detoxification’ a toxin is very broadly defined as a poison. This includes the waste products your body naturally produces (e.g. uric acid, excess hormones), as well as the toxic and poisonous substances that we ingest (e.g. heavy metals, manufactured chemicals, natural & synthetic hormones, etc.).
A detoxification program is a way of supporting your body as it eliminates toxins and waste. A good detoxification program should be gentle and supportive for all 5 major detoxification organs – skin, lungs, liver, kidneys & large intestine. These five organs work together to remove the naturally occurring waste by-products from our metabolic processes as well as the toxins that we ingest (i.e. absorb, inhale & digest).
Skin – eliminates toxins via perspiration including ammonia, urea, uric acid, and some pesticides and heavy metals.
Lungs – rid the body of toxic gases and volatile chemicals, e.g. when the liver neutralizes alcohol, acetaldehyde is created and then exhaled as a gas.
Liver – is the main detoxification organ. It filters toxins (mainly fat soluble) from the blood and excretes them into bile, other types of toxins are chemically altered by the liver so that they are either neutralized or converted into a form that the kidneys can filter.
Kidneys – filter toxins (mainly water soluble) out of the blood and excretes them into urine, including: urea produced in the liver, ketones from the breakdown of fat, drug residues, and hormones.
Large Intestine – binds toxins (including hormones) and bile for excretion via feces.
Possibly. Many people find that they do lose weight right away – often as a result less inflammation and bloating. However weight loss during detox is not guaranteed. Having said that, undertaking good detox protocol is a great way to prepare your body for safe and lasting weight loss.
After a detox protocol many people experience greater mental clarity, fewer headaches, less anxiety, improved digestion, improved energy levels, reduced or eliminated cravings, and that they sleep better.
You may not feel very well while undertaking a detox protocol – especially at the beginning if you are breaking unhealthy patterns and dealing with addictions (caffeine, sugar, etc.). If you are feeling intolerably unwell, stop the protocol and talk to you medical practitioner.
F.A.Q. – Nutrition
We are made of almost 30 trillion cells doing millions of chemical reactions daily. Our body is made of hundreds of nutrients and many of these are missing in our highly processed, pesticide infested food supply. Every cell in your body is composed of and depends on nutrients from your food, and everything you eat has a direct impact on your immediate and future health. If the nutrients are missing in our diets, the cells start to starve and eventually will fail or not perform optimally.
Improper nutrition can also affect your weight and and strongly increases your risk of developing chronic diseases. Poor dietary habits increase your risk for:
- Obesity
- Chronic inflammation
- Mood disorders
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Type 2 diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Cancer
- Cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Overeating, undereating, limiting food groups, and eating unhealthy foods can all be problematic. Make an appointment today to learn about proper nutritional and supplemental nutrients with help from your experts at Reveal Vitality.
Our bodies need both macronutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates) and hundreds of micronutrients to operate at their peak performance.
Macronutrients
Food is composed mostly of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. We need a proper balance of all three to meet the demands of our bodies. Dietary requirements will vary by individual however at Reveal Vitality our team takes great care to determine your specific needs with a comprehensive health assessment.
Micronutrients
Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and several nutrients are vital to our bodily systems and cells. Since food supply today is often lacking in many nutrients for many patients, most people will benefit from several supplements to make up for dietary deficiencies.
The experts at Reveal Vitality emphasize integrative methods to improve your health, including nutritional therapy. They help you establish healthy eating habits and replenish inadequate stores of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to restore your optimal health.
The practitioners at the center offer the following services to improve your nutrition profile and prevent disease:
- Dietary and lifestyle counseling
- Herbal and nutritional supplementation
- Intravenous (IV) and Injectable (IM) therapies
- Detoxification therapy
- Nutrigenomic testing
Your provider will perform a thorough health assessment and panel of tests to evaluate your nutrition profile. Our team can perform DEXA body composition, the ideal way to check your lean body tissue versus fat mass. In proper weight loss, it is important to only lose fat mass and not muscle mass. Our providers will help you decide which nutritional therapies and exercises are right for you based on the results of those assessments and other factors like:
- Your goals
- Level of activity
- Allergies and intolerances
- Food preferences
- Your level of participation
- Medical conditions
Your practitioner discusses the advantages and drawbacks of each protocol and encourages you to take an active role in treatment. If you’re interested in learning more about how to improve your health through nutrition, contact us online or over the phone to set up a consultation.
F.A.Q. – Weight Loss
Many of us think about weight gain on the most basic level meaning consuming more calories than the body needs to perform. However, weight management is much more complex than the “calorie in/calorie out concept. A variety of other factors influence how your body processes nutrients and controls metabolism including hormone imbalance, genetic abnormalities, poor sleep, toxin exposure, stress levels, and of course activity level. If you have a difficult time losing weight, you may have a slow metabolic rate, related to one or more of these factors. Sustained weight loss and improved health results from addressing the underlying root
Being overweight or obese puts a lot of pressure on your joints and can cause damage to your organs. If you’re obese, you have a higher risk of developing the following:
- High cholesterol and triglycerides (stored fat)
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Diabetes mellitus type 2
- Infertility
- Fatty liver disease
- Sleep apnea
- Mood disorders
- Arthritis
- Poor self-image
- Higher risk of cancers
The good news is, just a modest 5-10% weight loss can lessen many of these health risks. That equals just 10-20 lbs for a 200 lb person.
At Reveal Vitality we offer many weight loss options including medically supervised weight loss programs to help you establish lifelong weight control. The team performs comprehensive dietary history, testing, such as a thyroid and other hormone assessment, a body composition analysis, and resting energy expenditure assessment before suggesting treatment options.
Our team will spend time explaining the proper long-term nutritional changes and use your health status and goals to design a fully customized weight-loss program. They may incorporate any of the following into your weight-loss program:
- Individualized Nutrition Plan based on goals and current health status
- Nutrigenomic testing
- Fat Burning Injections: human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), lipotropics (fat burning amino acids), B-complex vitamins like B12, and magnesium
- Medication: Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy(BHRT), Peptide therapy
- Supplements: chromium, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, garcinia cambogia, fat burners, keto-DHEA, and more
- CryoSlim: cold therapy used to destroy fat cells which are eliminated through the body’s waste removal system.
These treatments address your metabolism and the way your body stores fat. Our fitness trainers will also work with you to design an exercise plan to improve your results.
Having a licensed medical professional manage your weight loss efforts gives you extra reassurance of the safety and efficacy of the program. Their knowledge and expertise on how the body works and ability to provide comprehensive testing allow them to address the underlying cause of your weight issues with the utmost skill. Our providers also take your health conditions and history into consideration when designing your treatment program. They’re highly trained to work around your limitations and monitor for any ill effects.
F.A.Q. – Integrative Cardiology
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States, taking the lives of 610,000 Americans every year. While conventional medicine can offer heart patients the very latest in medications, surgeries and interventional procedures to treat heart conditions, preventing heart problems is often less precise and sometimes more complex. Integrative cardiology brings together traditional medical treatments and functional medicine to focus on causes of symptoms and treatment of the entire person. It incorporates advances in pharmacogenomics, nutrigenomics, metabolic, nutritional, and exercise approaches in addition to pharmacological treatments, cardiac procedures and interventions. An integrative approach complements rather than replaces conventional heart care and may include natural supplements such as fish oil and turmeric which have a proven anti-inflammatory effect on the body and can help reduce risk.
According to the Institute for Functional Medicine, “the Functional Medicine model is an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. It relies on a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalized treatment plans that lead to improved patient outcomes.”
Our expanded office visits include Integrative cardiology, functional medicine, genomic consults and all of our programs. These visits include expanded history with the review of nutritional, metabolic, genetic and environmental factors, review of all records and prior procedures, functional medicine focused physical exam and specialized functional medicine testing. The goal of these visits is to provide personalized treatment, including pharmacological and nutraceutical interventions, nutritional guidance, and correction of underlying root causes of identified imbalances.
Advanced laboratory testing includes: genomic testing, micronutrient testing, food sensitivity, gut and microbiome testing, heavy metal testing, hormonal testing with urinary metabolites, advanced inflammation and lipid testing
Other testing includes resting metabolic rate (RMR) and VO2 max testing(cardiopulmonary exercise testing), DEXA scan with body composition and visceral fat measurement, carotid intimal media thickness, heart rate variability.
F.A.Q. – Hormone Optimization
Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate essential functions throughout the body, including growth and development, metabolism, immune function and reproduction. The appropriate functioning of each hormone is integrally associated with other hormones creating a delicate web of hormonal balance. Some of the most important hormones include thyroid hormone, cortisol, insulin, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone. If you don’t have proper hormone balance, you’re not going to feel your best. Your hormones affect almost every aspect of your overall health, so you need optimal hormone balance for your body to function well.
Hormone Optimization
Many factors contribute to hormonal imbalance such as aging, genetics, increasing daily stress, poor nutrition, and exposure to toxins known as “endocrine disruptors.” Endocrine-disruptors are substances in the environment (air, soil, or water supply), food sources, personal care products, and manufactured products that interfere with the normal function of your body’s hormone system. These toxic exposures have resulted in significant hormonal imbalance issues at earlier ages in both men and women.
If you are having symptoms that may be related to hormonal imbalances such as foggy thinking, sleeplessness, muscle loss, low energy, decreased libido, or anxiety/depression you should undergo laboratory evaluation for hormonal abnormalities. This may include bloodwork, salivary or urine testing.
A comprehensive hormone balance program should be multifaceted including addressing nutritional balance, exercise, detoxification and removal/avoidance of potential toxins, stress management techniques, and hormone replacement with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy(BHRT) if needed.
BHRT has been safely used in men and women for many years. There have been no studies that conclusively show that BHRT results in any increased incidence of any chronic diseases when appropriately administered and monitored. In fact, to the contrary BHRT has been associated with decreased incidence of conditions such as heart disease and cancer. As with any medical therapy there may be associated side effects that are usually addressed by dosage adjustments.
F.A.Q. – IV Vitamin Therapy
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t consume your daily dose of vitamins and minerals, let alone experience their valuable benefits. Nutrient IV Therapy is a safe and effective way to receive natural vitamins, minerals, and amino acids direct to the bloodstream. The 30 to 45-minute session enhances your energy, improves your overall mood, and helps prevent future health conditions caused by stress, malnutrition, and dehydration.
No major side effects are usually seen; however, people do experience some cooling of the arm and a mineral taste in the mouth. Do not worry, as this is all normal.
Our nutrient IV’s take approximately 30-45 minutes for the drip to be fully administered.
Nutrient IVs are similar to IV’s you would find at your local hospital. They all consist of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, which are found in the body naturally. Adding these nutrients gives the body more of what your organs need to function properly.
None of our IV’s contain toxins that are found in medicine or pharmaceuticals, so no one experiences an overdose of any kind. If you are healthy, theoretically it is safe for daily use.
Realistically, most people do not put such high demands on their bodies where they would need daily nutrient IV Therapy. Our most frequent dosage is a bi-weekly program. But you should tailor your IV Therapy to your lifestyle.
Depending on your nutritional and hydration status you may see dramatic effects after the first IV. People who get IV’s regularly will feel less dramatic effects as their body starts to obtain optimal hydration and nutritional balance.
Everyone’s pain tolerance is different. While some people find needles to be relatively painless, others will find it a bit painful. For these patients, we have ways of making the process more comfortable. However, this procedure is in no way excruciating. We use a smaller needle than what is used in children’s hospitals.
If you retain fluids, have kidney problems, or suffer from certain health conditions, you should not engage in nutrient IV Therapy.
We always recommend that you check with your primary care physician if you’re unsure. However, anyone with a healthy history can safely obtain its benefits.
Negative reactions are slim to none, since this procedure is proven to be advantageous and safe. Either way, everyone is monitored and if some discomfort begins, we will simply monitor you over time and stop if necessary.
Most people respond favorably to the therapy, feeling energized and alert from the beginning.
IV Therapy is a premium service that improves your body’s performance enormously. It is an investment, so if you compare the price against the benefits you receive from it, you’ll find it’s worth it.
Users agree that preventative medicine such as nutrient IV Therapy strengthens their immune system, helping them avoid expensive doctor visits and prescription medication that come from something like a severe cold or allergy.
After your session, you can go about your day as you would normally. There are no restrictions. We recommend that you exercise, meditate, eat healthy meals, stay hydrated, and get enough rest daily.
Not quite. Even though all IV drips are administered using the same procedure the quantities and nutrients on each one are different, since they look to achieve specific goals (skin lightening, muscle recovery, mental focus, etc.)
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