Author: Stephanie Figon, MS, RDN, LD

The “Team Approach”

Your medical provider will order the right tests and prescribe the right medications, but 99% of the job of staying healthy and changing your metabolism to delay or avoid diabetes is up to you. For the rest of your life, YOU will be the leader of your healthcare team. You deserve a personalized education that can’t be provided by booklets, friends, or the internet. A personal education your doctor doesn’t have time to provide. Our Registered Dietitian/Nutritionists are experts on “Lifestyle Medicine” for pre-diabetes who can help you navigate the myths and confusion surrounding diabetes. We can help you limit your need for medications, understand exactly how to reduce your risk, and show you the best tools available for putting you in control of your health.

Slow down the progression towards diabetes

Hearing your doctor say that you have a diagnosis of prediabetes may sound very frightening or it might sound like the doctor is saying that it’s not a big deal because it doesn’t require medicine yet.  What we want you to know is that while pre-diabetes is a very big deal, you can use this news as a wake-up call that allows you to delay the onset of diabetes by decade or cut your risk for diabetes by HALF.

It might be surprising that the metabolic problems that cause diabetes are often present for years before you ever are told that you have elevated blood sugar.  You have the ability to slow down the “natural history” of diabetes in your own life and to gain a “legacy effect” when you take control earlier.

Our Approach

“Lifestyle Medicine” is powerfully effective. And yet, making changes to how you eat and working in physical activity can be very challenging.

We start with questions about your individual health risks–medications, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol. We want to know about the details of where food and physical activity fit within your life, your family, and your work. We care about what goals you value most.

Then, we work with you to help achieve your goals by offering specific insights and options for the most effective (and least painful) ways to achieve them.

No magic, no pills. Healthy real foods. Extra years of healthy life.

A Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist can help in every phase of bariatric surgery

Whether you are just beginning to think about bariatric surgery, in the 6 month preparation phase, or have had bariatric surgery in the past, we’re here to provide reliable information, personalized advice, and the support you are looking for.

If you are just beginning to consider surgical weight loss options-

We can provide balanced view of the pro’s and con’s of bariatric surgery and solid understanding what surgery will and will not do for you. Maintaining weight loss after bariatric surgery requires healthy eating habits that are best begun long before you begin actively preparing for surgery. We can help you be sure that all of the other options for weight loss are fully explored so that when the time comes, you can be sure you are ready to make the right decision for you.

If you are actively preparing for surgery-

All insurances require a single visit with a registered dietitian to document your weight management history and provide essential nutrition education. Yet, limiting yourself to a single visit a month before your scheduled surgery is probably less than ideal. The 6 month pre-surgical period is a time to focus on making specific behavioral changes that will support long term weight loss. We can help you make sure that you are fully prepared.

After Bariatric Surgery-

We understand the food and nutritional challenges that may arise after bariatric surgery. Initial weight loss may be disappointing or weight regain in the years following surgery may begin to be a problem. Whatever the issues, working with an RD/nutritionist can help get you back on track.

Yes, you know how to lose weight…eat less and exercise more, right. Or maybe just look up a diet on the internet–Paleo is popular, Atkins may have worked for you before….Nutrasystem….. Slimfast. But if dieting worked for long term weight loss, shouldn’t we all be thin?

Our approach is not about “getting thin”— It’s about getting healthy so that you can live your life the way you want to. Weight management is part of “Lifestyle Medicine” and it is powerfully effective for increasing your energy, reducing aches and pains, and avoiding chronic diseases. And yet, making lasting changes to how you eat and fitting in more physical activity can be very challenging.

The truth is that it’s hard to make the changes that lead to permanent weight loss.

Each person is a unique individual with unique goals and challenges. We care about the goals you value most. We start with questions about your individual goals and health risks–medications, family history, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol. We want to know about the details of where food and physical activity fit within your life, your family, and your work.

Then, we work with you to help achieve your goals by offering specific insights and options for the most effective (and least painful) ways to achieve those goals.

No magic, no pills. Healthy real foods. The results–extra years of energy that come from better health.