Metagenics to host FirstLine Therapy Certification event

September 27, 2012 — On Oct. 18-21, Metagenics Inc., a nutrigenomics and lifestyle medicine company focused on improving health, will host a FirstLine Therapy Certification event to be held at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco.

This program will prepare physicians, osteopaths, naturopathic physicians, functional medicine providers and their staffs to practice lifestyle medicine with a complete practice management system — from clinical tools and protocols to business office management.

A particular focus for FirstLine Therapy is the treatment of metabolic syndrome, a condition that affects one in three U.S. adults and increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

“Lifestyle medicine therapies are the recommended approach to treat many common health issues associated with metabolic syndrome,” said Jacob J. “Jack” Kornberg MD, FACS, director of medical education for Metagenics. “The FirstLine Therapy program gives practitioners the tools they need to comply with these recommendations while helping their patients achieve better health by addressing the cause, not just the symptoms, of their condition.”

Metabolic syndrome is defined as the presence of at least three of five symptoms: high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, high blood sugar, abdominal obesity or low HDL cholesterol. Research has shown that people with metabolic syndrome are twice as likely to have heart disease and five times as likely to develop diabetes.

Metagenics’ FirstLine Therapy program offers an evidence-based, clinically effective system to achieve optimal patient and practice success. The certification event will cover the most successful ways to prescribe and personalize the FirstLine Therapy program to patients, including key functional biomarkers and laboratory values for patient assessment, and how to conduct and interpret bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to monitor body composition for patient tracking and motivation — all in a case study and workshop-based format.

This program also provides a structured system to teach patients behavior modification for a lifetime approach to healthy living, such as recommendations for phytonutrient-rich eating, exercise and stress management. FirstLine Therapy also incorporates products such as Metagenics’ UltraMeal Plus 360? medical food, which was demonstrated in a recent multicenter clinical trial at the Universities of Florida, Connecticut and California to resolve metabolic syndrome 40 percent more effectively in conjunction with the FirstLine Therapy food plan compared to this diet alone.

To assist practitioners in implementing the FirstLine Therapy program, Metagenics also offers a complimentary post-certification support program via phone, online and email.

To learn more about the FirstLine Therapy Program visit firstlinetherapy.com. To register for the San Francisco certification event, visit metagenics.com/flt or call 800-692-9400 (U.S.) 800-268-6200 (Canada).

Source: Metagenics, metagenics.com