Resources

Education

Patient education is essential to all of the treatment plans that we offer. It is important that all of our patients understand why they are being asked to make certain lifestyle changes – by providing pertinent educational materials related to their specific conditions, we give our patients the foundation necessary for success in their programs.

We believe that it is critical that we become partners with our patients, and the only way to have a successful partnership is for both parties to be armed with scientifically validated knowledge.

Nutritional Support and Medical Foods

While a healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods is essential to achieving a healthy weight, Nutritional supplements (vitamins and minerals) play a vital role in providing nutrients that we do not get from our diets. After decades of maintaining an anti-vitamin stance, the American Medical Association has completely reversed its position and now encourages all adults to supplement daily with a multiple vitamin. In two reports published in the June 19, 2002 edition of the Journal of the American Medicine Association, the authors concluded that the current North American diet, "while sufficient to prevent vitamin deficiency diseases, is inadequate to support optimal health" and "insufficient vitamin intake is apparently a cause of chronic disease."

The Comprehensive Metabolic Profile – part of the initial assessment portion of the Metabolic Rejuvenation Program – paints a more detailed picture of the patient’s nutrient needs and deficiencies. This allows us to tailor our nutritional supplement recommendations to ensure maximum success. Nutrients like L-Carnitine, Linoleic Acid, and D-Ribose have been found to aid weight loss, and medical foods such as UltraGlycemX by Metagenics are a safe and effective way to treat insulin resistance – thus controlling food cravings. For a list of the products that Ultimate Vitality Centers recommends, visit our products page.

Exercise

Exercise is a substantial component of achieving overall health and certainly weight loss. It can be therapeutic depending upon the type, frequency and duration; however, it can be just as damaging to over exercise as it is to under exercise. Our Metabolic Rejuvenation Program incorporates appropriate amounts of resistance training, aerobic exercise and flexibility/core work.

Resistance training enhances insulin receptor sensitivity and aids in glucose tolerance. This type of exercise is effective in long term weight management because it increases lean body mass, which increases basal metabolic rate – improving the body's ability to utilize fat as fuel. It also helps maintain or even increase bone mineral density and elevates growth hormone.

Aerobic exercise has a multitude of cardiovascular benefits, aids in glucose tolerance and can improve insulin sensitivity. It also improves fatty acid utilization. We recommend burst training, which is 30 - 60 seconds of intense exercise to create an oxygen debt which in effect raises the Basal Metabolic Rate.

Flexibility/Core Work helps to maintain strength acquired through resistance exercise as well as maintaining balance, stability, and the functional range of motion of joints. It also reduces levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline in the body.