November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and this year the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases is focusing their efforts on driving awareness around the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease:
According to the NIH, “Adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke as people without diabetes.” This is because, over time, high blood glucose from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart. The good news is that the steps you take to manage your diabetes can also help lower your chances of having heart disease or a stroke:
- Stop smoking or using other tobacco products.
- Manage your A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
- Develop or maintain healthy lifestyle habits – be more physically active and learn ways to manage stress.
- Take medicines as prescribed by your doctor.”
One of the three critical health markers that you can proactively manage to help maintain your A1C, improve your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk for diabetes is your visceral fat level. Visceral fat is the dangerous abdominal fat that lies just below your subcutaneous skin fat, hugging your vital internal organs. It has been linked to Type II Diabetes, Heart Disease, Metabolic Syndrome, inflammation and some cancers. The good news is that with a DEXA scan you can now measure how much visceral fat you have to determine your risk for Cardiovascular Disease and take steps to immediately improve.
At DEXA+, for National Diabetes Awareness Month, we are showcasing two of the leading DEXA providers in the country, who use their DEXA programs to work closely with their patients in educating and reviewing their health risks, including personalized plans that help reduce their risk for CVD and Type II Diabetes and put them on a path toward more optimized health.
Dr. Vyvyane Loh at Transform Alliance for Health (Newton, MA)
Dr. Vyvyane Loh, founder of Transform Alliance for Health in Newton, MA is board-certified in Obesity Medicine and Internal Medicine. She graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and trained at Newton-Wellesley Hospital where she also served as Chief Resident. Dr. Loh worked at HMR and was the medical obesity specialist at Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Center for Weight Loss Surgery before starting her own practice. She serves on the ABOM exam writing board and is a member of the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society. Her other achievements include choreography and writing. She was the recipient of the Bunting/Radcliffe Fellowship in Fiction in 2006, a Guggenheim Fellow in Fiction in 2008, and shortlisted for the 2005 international IMPAC Award in Literature.
Dr. Loh and her team at Transform Alliance for Health are pioneers in wellness-based care that is grounded in science and epigenetics (the interaction between genes and the environment). Transform Alliance for Health specializes in Preventive Care and the management of chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Their integrative and holistic approach is fresh, innovative, evidence-based and outcomes-driven. For more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Loh, visit: https://www.transform-afh.com.
Dr. David Carfagno at Scottsdale Sports Medicine Institute (Scottsdale, AZ)
Dr. David Carfagno, founder of Scottsdale Sports Medicine Institute, is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine (CAQ) and Ringside Medicine (ABRM). Scottsdale Sports Medicine Institute (SSMI) offers comprehensive care and sports injury treatment for the complete athlete, including impact testing and orthopedic care, and metabolic programs to help his clients achieve and surpass their fitness goals.
At SSMI, Dr. Carfagno has taken a leadership role in health and fitness in his community and embraced it as a guiding principle in his own life. Dr. Carfagno has led as the Medical Director for AZ PF Chang’s Rock and Roll Marathon, Ringside Physician for Arizona Stage Boxing and MMA Commission, Team Physician at USA Boxing, as well as the Assistant National Medical Director for Rock and Roll and Tri RockSeries. He has competed in triathlons such as the Iron Man competition, including making the US National Team and World Championships in Beijing, China and most recently the Netherlands for 2020. Dr. Carfagno has been consistently recognized as a Phoenix Magazine Top Doctor in Sports Medicine since 2010 and Internal Medicine in 2017 and has helped his patients reach their athletic performance, fitness and weight loss goals, showcasing inspiring health transformation stories. For more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Carfagno, visit: http://www.scottsdalesportsmedicine.com.
