Blog

I believe, and I think most Americans would agree, that the patient’s voice should be more important than the payer’s. This is especially true because the patient is usually directly or indirectly the source of money for the payer. Since the patient is the one receiving the health care, we want the patient defining value.

— Read on www.foxnews.com/opinion/newt-gingrich-how-much-is-heath-care-really-worth-patients-not-bureaucrats-should-decide

It’s National Nutrition Month!

For me, that means celebrating real foods and real nutrition with my patients. Learning about foods and their different metabolic effects on the body may change the way you view nutrition and how you choose to fuel yourself.

We all have motivators in our life- personal goals, people we love, roles to assume. They motivate us to be our best selves. It may be to be a parent who can be active with their kids and have the energy to keep up with them. It may be to be a hard-working employee who works hard at work and then goes home to be an invested spouse and parent, or it may be to be an attentive student and learn all that you can in order to serve others well in a future job.

This month, challenge yourself to improve one, just ONE aspect of your nutritional health! Acknowledge the things that are working in your diet, and then acknowledge the things that are keeping you from fueling yourself properly. It can be as simple as decreasing processed foods, trying a new recipe each week, or cutting down on soft drinks. It’s okay to start small, as long as you start somewhere. So how about it? Find a way this month to step in the direction of making positive nutrition changes that will lead to a healthier you!

Chick-fil-A now features a keto-friendly menu, providing those who eat a low carbohydrate diet with proper on-the-go food choices! From breakfast to dinner, they’ve got you covered. Check out their online menu to view the net carb count for each low carb food choice, including sauces and dressings. Each item also provides information on how to lower the carbs in your order as well as how to order via mobile app. Keto On my friends, and eat more (grilled) chicken!

Follow the link to view Chick-fil-A’s keto-friendly menu options!
https://thechickenwire.chick-fil-a.com/food/Keto-friendly-menu-options-at-Chick-fil-A

Ever wonder what your body is doing digesting that last meal? Or why your blood sugars don’t seem to match up with what you think your eating? You might consider a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to find out the answers.

I’ve used these devices over the years and with a new lineup of smaller, less expensive, and longer lasting sensors I’m starting to use them more frequently. Recently, I began working with a patient who agreed to send me some of his data back to use in instructing others how utilize a CGM. Here is a screen shot.

So what do you see? After fasting overnight and into the afternoon his blood glucose has stayed under 100mg/dL even after breaking the fast with chicken and bacon. That’s a pretty ideal plot. When dinner rolls around and he eats meatloaf his glucose ‘spikes’ up to the 140s. That’s not crazy high or anything but definitely enough to cause an insulin surge and a reduction in his weight loss potential for the day. That will set him back a bit.

If you’re interested in utilizing a CGM, schedule an appointment with me and we’ll work out the details. Most insurances don’t pay for them unless you use insulin for diabetes management but the sensors cost $59-65 each and last 14 days at a time.

I plan on picking one up to track my own progress (after my birthday, that is!).

I’m excited to have received my copy of The Longevity Solution by Dr. James Dinicolantonio and Dr. Jason Fung. I’m glad I’ll have a chance to read it before Low Carb Denver next week.

DID YOU KNOW? It’s good to be picky when it comes to choosing olive oil. Olive oil is a great healthy fat source, high in a monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid. It contains large amounts of anti-inflammatory properties, aiding in reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure. However, in order to ensure you are getting these benefits, it’s important to make sure you are using the correct source. Olive oil is made by extracting oil from crushed olives using a press. The term “virgin” olive oil means the oil has been extracted by this process only. “Extra virgin” means it meets standards for purity, taste, and smell. Other methods to making olive oil use high heat and chemicals to remove the oil. This is labeled as “refined” or “light”. Although this process neutralizes the bad taste, it allows for lower quality olives or additional oils to be used. Choose extra-virgin unrefined olive oil for a guaranteed high-quality source! Make sure you store your olive oil in a dark cool space to prevent oxidation and preserve the quality of the oil.

On April 1^st we will be transitioning to a new software platform to manage our medical records and billing of your direct primary care membership. In the coming days, I will post more information detailing all the benefits this transition holds for our practice and for you as patients.  The first step of this process is adjusting the way monthly memberships are invoiced.

As we currently bill in arrears it will require an adjustment in billing schedules and a partial payment for the remainder of March. Starting in April, membership invoices will cover the calendar month, not just the prior 30 days of membership.

For example, if your next billing invoice is on March 7th, that invoice covers the prior 30 days of service, that is, February 7th through March 7th. Since the new billing method won’t start until April 1st, the remainder of March (the 8th through the 31st) will need to be billed separately. The remainder of the month will be prorated for each member as described below.

In April, all memberships will be invoiced on the 1^st and the invoices will be automatically drafted on one of the following days: 1^st, 5^th, 10^th, 15^th, 20^th, or 25^th.  The date will default to which one is nearest, but after, your current invoice date.  For instance, a renewal date of the 7^th will become the 10^th.  Patients may contact the office to change the date used at any time.

All memberships will cycle on the calendar month and billing will be done for the current month of membership.  Memberships will no longer be billed in arrears.  For instance, a membership charge that is processed on the 10^th covers the month in which it was processed, and memberships would stay current through the last calendar day of the month.

The schedule of partial payments is as follows:

Memberships that renew on the 1^st through the 7^th will require a 75% partial payment.

Memberships that renew on the 8^th through the 14^th will require a 50% partial payment.

Memberships that renew on the 15^th through the 21^st will require a 25% partial payment.

Memberships that renew after the 21^st will not require partial payment.

These partial payments will be assessed manually on March 25^th.  Please contact Lainy at 244-1800 or tmahv@secure.trinitymedical.net if you would like to change that processing date.

One of the reasons I love #DPC is that it allows me to make up my own holidays sometimes. Did you know that today is National Bring Your Daughter’s Dog to Work Day? Apparently it is. #Eli-awesomeness

A1c: 6.0 –> 5.5%
Insulin: 17.7 –> 8.3 mcIU/mL
TG: 163 –> 64 mg/dL
Wgt: 252 –> 228 lbs
#LCHF #whyIdoctor #DPC

Being careful not to create a false dichotomy, the reality is that
good food + good exercise + good sleep >> good medicine + good surgery