San Francisco, Calif. (September 26, 2012) – On October 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, Calif. 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 www.firstlinetherapy.com. To register for the San Francisco certification event, visit www.metagenics.com/flt or call 800-692-9400 (U.S.) 800-268-6200 (Canada).
 
About Metagenics, Inc.
Metagenics, Inc. (www.metagenics.com) is a nutrigenomics and lifestyle medicine company dedicated to helping people live happier, healthier lives by realizing their genetic potential. Founded in 1983, Metagenics serves more than 75,000 healthcare providers worldwide through premium quality, science-based medical foods, nutritional formulas, and lifestyle therapy programs such as FirstLine Therapy to help their patients achieve a lifetime of good health. Metagenics’ scientific staff—among the largest in the nutrigenomics industry—has published more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has been awarded more than 50 international or domestic patents. The company’s educational arm, Metagenics University, collaborates with renowned medical experts to annually deliver more than 200 events designed to help healthcare professionals stay on the leading edge of lifestyle medicine and incorporate nutrition into their clinical practice.
 
Metagenics maintains its corporate headquarters in Aliso Viejo, CA; R&D headquarters in Gig Harbor, WA; and operating subsidiaries in Brussels, Belgium and Brisbane, Australia.