by Leslie Hubbard Pelzer, M.D.
Charleston Mercury
April 9, 2009

Residency training in family medicine generally includes a large helping of information on preventive medicine. I have always been amused by the praise heaped on the cardiologist who puts in a stent during a heart attack. (“You saved my husband’s life, Doctor”) Or similarly for the surgeon who resects the colon cancer, etc., etc.

No one ever thanks the lowly primary care physician for the hours spent on assistance with smoking cessation, weight loss or other disease risk management/minimization. I have never had a patient on the death bed say to me “because of your efforts, my life was extended 3.46 years. Thank you.”

For this reason, I am particularly proud of Bright McConnell, M.D. who is opening a practice called “FitMed Partners.” Bright’s new venture involves a comprehensive approach to achieving optimal health, fitness and healthy body weight to help reduce the risk of disease. His team performs a very sophisticated and individually tailored set of tests. With that information in hand, personalized programs that utilize the latest findings in clinical research are designed to better manage the overall aging process while optimizing health and performance.

“There is so much new information now available to guide us in better managing our overall health and, specifically, the inevitable aging process,” commented McConnell, who also holds certifications in age management medicine and clinical densitometry. “Our goal is to implement the latest information from medical research, some of which actually contradicts previously accepted practices and guidelines, to help clients not just ‘endure’ life’s natural phases, but to optimize their health and fitness throughout the aging process.”

McConnell points out that the many messages relating to aging and weight management concerns are often contradictory and can be somewhat overwhelming. This is particularly true when trying to decide which nutritional or fitness program is most effective, as well as the options that deal with declining hormone levels, an area of treatment that has dramatically changed in recent years.

For example, he notes that new evidence and findings now refute the previous belief that all hormone therapy may cause an increased risk of cancer in women. New research shows that natural, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, when clinically monitored and adjusted, is safe and effective and provides many health benefits, McConnell adds.

Research also supports the benefits of hormone replacement therapy in men. Men’s hormone levels begin to decline, typically after age 30, and the result is an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and atherosclerosis. While there was a prior perception that testosterone replacement therapy may affect prostate health in men, most recent studies indicate there is no correlation.

For women, studies show that estrogen deficiency greatly increases mortality from cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. “Many new studies show that natural estrogen and progesterone, when started early, greatly reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and urinary tract symptoms. Bioidentical hormones do not have the same side effects as the more traditional synthetic hormones that have most often been prescribed in the past,” he adds.

“Many new studies, including large trials in Europe, have definitively demonstrated that estrogen does not cause an increased risk of breast cancer. This increased risk has only been seen in those women taking synthetic progestins and not bioidentical estrogen supplements. If we know we can safely initiate hormone therapy early to stop the progression of osteoporosis and help prevent diabetes and heart disease, why wouldn’t we?” asks McConnell.

Further, McConnell notes that there is increasing understanding of the impact that nutrition and fitness have on one’s health, weight and quality of life during the aging process. “By staying up-to-date on the latest information in nutritional and exercise science, we can guide our clients with a pro-active health plan to optimize health, well-being and physical performance,” says McConnell. “Our goal is to help our clients know all they can about their health to ensure early detection and disease prevention,” he adds. “We want to be sure they’re living life better, and longer, and optimal health and fitness are a proven pathway to that.”

McConnell hopes to partner with a client’s primary care physician to ensure their optimal health and well-being. I am particularly glad that Dr. McConnell has chosen to focus primarily on prevention and human performance and not on “anti-aging” which characterizes practices that generally are more focused on appearance. Trust me, looking better and younger will follow if you take Dr. McConnell’s recommendations, but his primary focus is to keep you healthy… for years to come.

The staff, led by McConnell, includes a physician, a registered dietitian and an exercise physiologist. Depending on the individual’s needs, ongoing programs may address weight loss and age management issues, with the previously mentioned nutrition or fitness assessments available for determining a personal nutrition and exercise plan.

The FitMed team stresses a comprehensive approach to health, nutrition and fitness, with particular emphasis on natural, safe and proven methods. “We work to offer our clients programs based on the latest medical evidence,” commented McConnell, “and we also believe it’s very important to stick with safe, proven methods, including the most natural form of hormone replacement when medically indicated.”

Translating the latest medical knowledge into practice, FitMed Partners provides personalized, proven health and wellness solutions for those who seek optimal fitness, performance and health at any age. FitMed Partners offers professional assessments, recommendations and monitored programs in the areas of age management, weight control, nutrition and exercise performance. The services are tailored to safely and naturally guide clients toward renewed energy, enhanced fitness and overall physical well-being.

I asked Bright why he is choosing to open a new and largely cash-based practice (in addition to his ongoing orthopedics practice) in such difficult economic times.

“I am convinced that it’s time for our healthcare insurance system to recognize that it’s just not good enough to react to established diseases rather than doing everything we can to prevent them,” says McConnell.

It’s worth noting that insurance carriers typically exclude payments for most preventive medicine testing and counseling, placing this need in the same category of services as cosmetic surgery, Botox treatments, or orthodontic bracing of teeth and therefore, “not medically necessary.”

Until we (the government, the health insurance payors and society in general) recognize the inevitable need to transition to a proactive, preventive healthcare model vs. the more common reactive, ‘save lives’ approach, then it’s mostly up to the individual to opt-in for this preventive medicine (ergo, I choose to feel better) approach.

“Those who are ahead of the curve and recognize that this type of investment in their health may in fact be the best long-term return on quality of life and optimal performance have the most to gain,” adds McConnell.

All in, and given current economic realities, FitMed Partners seems a safe place to invest in your own well being and longevity. Could be the return is something you can actually bank (or count) on.

Leslie Hubbard Pelzer, M.D. has a non-insurance-based house call practice called “Charleston House Calls” You can see her website at Charlestonhousecalls.com and she can be reached with questions at 814.1138. Please keep in mind that you should consult your physician about your specific medical needs.