The Secret to Nutritional Counseling & Building a Chiropractic Practice through Wellness….
Weight Loss, Anti-Aging, Pain Management, Disease Management & Prevention—With or Without Diet Products.
Dear Colleagues:
As a practicing chiropractor for 17 years, I have seen a number of fad nutritional products and programs which provided short-term results, and did not focus on a patient’s lifestyle and eating habits. Most programs concentrate on meal replacement shakes, nutritional supplements or general diet booklets. In the past, I had nothing that spelled out exactly what food my patients need to eat specifically for their food preferences and nutritional goals. I used to give them a list of foods to omit or eat, or wrote out a few pointers. Most of the time, it was general information they already knew and they resented omitting foods they loved. I was not seeing much change in my patients’ eating habits and I thought they were not receptive to changing. Furthermore, the typical American diet is inflammatory and most of the problems I treat are due to inflammation and oxidation. I am now providing nutritional programs to most of my pain management patients.
Now, in a few minutes, my CA’s tailor a specific clinical meal plan based on body composition, metabolic rate, the number and size of meals, desired goal weight, exercise routine and the lifestyle and foods that my patients desire, using the Lifestyle Nutrition software we provide—any type of meal plan, including Atkins, Zone, Food Combining, American Heart Association, Diabetic, Pain Management, Sports Nutrition, Blood Type, Chronic Fatigue, etc. My CA’s are providing meal plans for weight loss, gain and, most importantly, weight maintenance after weight loss!
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By having a wellness program that focuses on food and lifestyle, which markets well in today’s economic climate, I am generating a significant amount of chiropractic referrals into my practice. |
I have learned, through the Lifestyle Nutrition webinars they provided our staff, that the Lifestyle Nutrition Metabolic Analyzer accurately provides a sliding scale of carbohydrates, fats and protein in the meal plan, based on the sex, height, weight, age, lean muscle mass and activity level of the patient. For example, if I am presented with a muscular active athletic patient, he will receive more low glycemic carbohydrates than a 45-year-old peri-menopausal insulin resistant secretary who sits all day. The Licensed Nutritionists at Lifestyle taught us that customized blood sugar management is more important for overall health than counting calories. By providing a balance of the macronutrients, my patients have more energy, a higher metabolic rate, more lean mass and less hunger, cravings and fatigue.
One of the main features of the software is the ability to incorporate any of my nutritional supplements or meal replacements or nutritional bars directly into the customized meal plan. This has increased our nutritional product sales; they are asking us questions about the nutritional products we offer because they are incorporated into a program tailored for them. For some of my conservative patients, I include a multiple vitamin at breakfast and dinner; others may receive a bar or shake as a lunch or PM snack. I heard from Christopher Fuzy, MS, RD, LD, a licensed clinical nutritionist and the founder of Lifestyle Nutrition, they can add any nutritional supplement to the meal plan, just by our staff entering the nutritional information about the product into the software. Many doctors who use network-marketing products are using his equipment and software to elevate their nutritional counseling programs to help incorporate the products they offer into a meal plan. We “focus on our patients’ lifestyle—not your products.”
Lifestyle Nutrition provided me with exactly the information I needed to introduce nutrition counseling to my practice and patients with posters, custom brochures and a surveys. I am now also using their health risk assessments, to provide corporate wellness programs to my patients’ employers. They provide sample TV commercials and proven sample news ads. By having a wellness program that focuses on food and lifestyle, which markets well in today’s economic climate, I am generating a significant amount of chiropractic referrals into my practice. This program sets me apart from other chiropractors.
The average cost for a commercial weight loss program is between $960 to $1200, and is not physician supervised. Our program costs 30-40 percent of the cost of most weight loss programs in the US. We set up nutritional packages ranging from $250 up to $1,095, depending upon the patient’s need. Our average patient spends $495 for a six-week program. The initial session is with me and then the subsequent sessions are with my CA’s. Some PPO’s are reimbursing for preventative medicine and fitness testing.
Most of my patients’ New Year’s resolutions will be to eat healthier and the Lifestyle Nutrition program allows me to help them achieve their New Year’s Resolutions!
By promoting long-term lifestyle changes using real food and customizing a nutrition and exercise program individually for your patients, they are more receptive and the counseling is a positive and effective experience. The training and support has allowed us to incorporate the program into our practice, especially this time of the year: January through March is weight loss and wellness season!
Sincerely,
A Happy and Successful Chiropractor
John A., D.C., C.C.N.
Des Moine, IA
Christopher Fuzy, M.S., R.D., L.D., has a Masters degree in Clinical & Sports Nutrition and undergraduate degrees in Nutrition and Chemistry, and has trained over 700 physicians nationwide with the Lifestyle Nutrition program in the past 19 years. For more information or a practice consultation, go to www.PhysicianWellnessProgram.com or call 1-800-699-8106.