Frequently Asked Questions

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

• 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.

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.

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.

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

These services are based on scientific advances in nutritional medicine and the ancient premise that food is our primary form of medicine.

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.

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.