Diabetes Optimal Health Care Package

Guests with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or a strong family history of the disease receive in this package targeted attention that includes:

• Lower Arterial Ultrasound
• Ferritin
• Vitamin D
• Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)
• Glycomark
• Urine Micoalbumin
• Daily Glucose Testing
• RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate)
• Personal Nutrition Consultation

The Diabetes Optimal Care Package, pre-booked, is $550 ($850 value). Up to 80% of the lower arterial ultrasound is Medicare reimbursable.

We highly recommend these state-of-the-art services to guests who have Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, or a family history of the disease because they:

• Individualize your care,
• Provide a plan for optimal health and quality of life, and
• Maximally reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart attack, but also heart failure and stroke) – the primary causes of early death among Type 2 diabetics.

This Package Includes

Lower Arterial Ultrasound

(Also recommended by the American Diabetes Association.) A common affliction among Type 2 diabetics is peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a dangerous condition that increases the risk of heart attack drastically. When you develop PAD, your extremities — usually your legs — don't receive enough blood flow to keep up with demand. This may cause symptoms, often leg pain, when walking, but may not cause any symptoms. Knowing whether you have PAD can help enormously in individualizing your care and reducing your risk of heart attack, stroke, and the worsening of PAD itself.

A lower arterial ultrasound visualizes the arteries of the lower extremities to detect whether PAD is developing. The test’s results also assist in the development of clinical strategies that can prevent worsening of the disease and possibly reverse it.

Additional lab tests in the Diabetes Optimal Health Care Package include:

Ferritin

Very common among diabetics is iron overload. Iron overload is problematic because it makes controlling blood sugar more difficult. It also increases the risk of cirrhosis of the liver and cancer.

Ferritin is the best blood test to assess for iron overload in the majority of diabetics. If elevated levels are found, Pritikin’s physicians and registered dietitians will prescribe medical and nutritional strategies to reduce iron levels as well as provide guidance for re-assessing ferritin levels to make sure the strategies are working.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiencies are now being linked with a variety of health disorders, not only osteoporosis (brittle bones) but also diabetes (both Types 1 and 2), atherosclerosis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, cold and flu susceptibility, depression, and early death. With testing of blood levels of vitamin D, we can identify any deficiencies and, if needed, prescribe individualized supplement doses that will reduce the risk of diseases related to vitamin D deficiency.

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)

Hemoglobin A1c shows what a person’s average blood glucose level was for the two to three months before the test. It can help determine how well a person’s diabetes is being controlled over time. It is also valuable in assessing the risk of diabetic eye, kidney, and nerve disease.

Glycomark

This cutting-edge blood test determines if there is excessive fluctuation of blood glucose over the two-week period prior to its sampling and is particularly useful to identify excessive glucose rises after meals (HbA1c doesn’t do this). Excessive rises indicate increased risk of heart attack. To help alleviate this risk, the Pritikin physicians and faculty will identify any needed improvements in nutrition, physical activity, and medications in an individualized manner.

Urine Micoalbumin

This simple but critical urine test (separate from a basic urinalysis) is one of the best tools to assess whether a diabetic is at particularly high risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Repeat testing following major lifestyle changes and/or medication changes can help determine the improved internal health of blood vessels.

Daily Glucose Testing

Daily glucose testing during a period of change in dietary patterns and lifestyle is necessary because the testing
1) confirms the benefits of lifestyle modification, and
2) reduces the chances of hypoglycemia as people make the transition to better health and glucose control.

RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate)

This study evaluates the body’s ability to metabolize foods (burn calories). It also helps identify possible alterations in lifestyle that can assist in reducing weight.

Personal Nutrition Consultation

Creating a customized dietary plan with a Pritikin registered dietitian is very beneficial for Type 2 diabetics. Not only can it help control blood glucose, it also enhances weight loss, improves lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides, and reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.

A one-on-one dietary consultation will also target those areas of “real world” eating, from restaurant dining to grocery shopping, that are most challenging for each individual. Pritikin’s dietitians have solutions for virtually every nutritional hurdle.

The Diabetes Optimal Care Package, pre-booked, is $550 ($850 value). Up to 80% of the lower arterial ultrasound is Medicare reimbursable.