Press Release

HEALTH NEWS

Local Doctor on Top-40 List for "Smart Medicine"

September 3, 2003

The Sinatra Health Report, a newsletter published by the New England Heart and Longevity Center in Manchester Connecticut, has named Frederic J. Vagnini MD, FACS of Westbury and Manhattan among 40 physicians who are "everything a healer should be." Dr. Vagnini, a nutrition-oriented cardiovascular specialist has offices in Westbury and Manhattan, New York. He is the author of two books on maintenance of heart health and conducts a weekly radio call-on show on WOR 710, "The Heart Show."

In naming these 40 outstanding practitioners, the Report presented a practical brief on "What you should know in selecting a Doctor."

Before you call for an appointment, prepare a list of questions.

	Explain that you are seeking a doctor who will work with you in achieving your heath goals.
	Ask about the doctor"s training - medical schools, hospital affiliations, length of time in practice.
	Find out about the diagnostic treatments the doctor uses, and if the doctor is interested in preventive medicine.
	Mention any treatments you have heard about and ask if they are used successfully in the doctor"s practice.
	Ask if he/she has treated your condition before.
	Tell the doctor what medications you are taking and ask about nutritional supplements.

The physicians listed the Report have been assessed against these standards and are recommended on that basis. Dr. Vagnini"s practice at Heart, Diabetes, and Weight Loss Centers includes a certified ultra sound diagnostic lab, a registered nutrition and diet counselor, a vitamin and nutritional supplement counter, and a blood collection station. For more information about the Report, see the Dr. Vagnini"s website fvagnini.com or drsinatra.com.

To reach the Centers, call toll-free 1-888-HEART 90.

Dr. Fred Vagnini Joins International Board
Frederic J. Vagnini MD, FACS, cardiovascular specialist and health educator, has been appointed to the International Medical Advisory Board of the Academy of Anti- Aging Medicine. Dr. Vagnini is know popularly as The Prevention Doctor through his weekly radio call-in show, The Heart Show, on WOR-710 New York. Having practiced heart surgery for more than 20 years, Dr. Vagnini has dedicated his practice to nutrition and prevention of cardiovascular and related diseases -- heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. The announcement of his appointment was made at the annual convention of the Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine held in Las Vegas in December, at which Dr. Vagnini was one of the featured lecturers.

The Academy of Anti-Aging medicine is a medical specialty founded on the application of advanced scientific and medical technologies for the early detection, prevention, treatment, and reversal of age-related diseases. It is sometimes confused with the notion of human lifespan extension. That indeed, may be an outcome of anti-aging practice, but the thrust of the movement is to achieve maximum good health for patients through all the years of their lives including the later years. This is possible today because of advances in medicine that make prevention and treatment of chronic diseases practical and achievable.

In his books, The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program (co-author) and Dr. Vagnini's Health Heart Plan, (released in January 2003), Dr. Vagnini has underscored the health problems caused by "insulin resistance." Insulin resistance is a common condition occurring in later life that predisposes the body to an array of chronic diseases. These include arteriosclerosis (heart disease), hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Once diagnosed by a prevention-oriented physician, it is countered by diet and lifestyle disciplines.

'War on Obesity' Heats Up
"Obesity and Diabetes Rates Continue to Rise in US" says a headline reporting on an article in the January 1 New England Journal of Medicine. Between 2000 and 2001, the prevalence of obesity among US adults increased from 19.8% to 20.9%, a relative increase of 5.6%. Other statistics from the study reported by Reuters indicate that since 1991 obesity among American adults has increased 74%. There are 21 million men and 23 million women living in the United States who are obese. And this despite repeated warnings of U.S. Surgeon Generals who have declared a "war on obesity" and called obesity "the most pressing new health challenge we face."

A recent editorial in the New York Times (11/29/02) focuses on obesity among the young. "The number of overweight young Americans has tripled in the last three decades . . . . For the first time, children are being diagnosed with weight-related chronic ailments that usually strike much later in life, including hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes."

U.S. health authorities have established a measurement for obesity and overweight called the Body Mass Index. BMI is calculated by dividing one's weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiplied by the factor or 704.5. For example, a man six feet tall (72") weighing 200 pounds would have a BMI of 27.. A score of 25-30 is considered overweight; over 30 is obese.

While overweight and obesity in themselves may not be considered diseases, they are generally associated with -- even causes of -- serious life-threatening diseases: heart attack, stroke, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease. One of the danger signs of unhealthy obesity, according to a report released by the National Institutes of Health in May 2000, is what is called the metabolic syndrome: a set of conditions made up of hypertension, central obesity (> 40" waistline), high tryclycerides, glucose abnormalities, and low HDL (the good cholesterol). "For years, prevention-oriented medical practice has known this syndrome as "Syndrome X', says Dr. Frederic J. Vagnini, Long Island cardiovascular specialist. "It indicates insulin resistance in a patient's metabolic make-up, and steps must be taken immediately to correct it. This may involve medications and will definitely include careful dieting and an exercise regimen."

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The doctor's newly released book Dr. Vagnini's Health Heart Plan (Safe Good Publishing, Sheffield MA 20002) includes a lengthy section on insulin resistance. As the body ages, the ability of human cells to metabolize insulin wanes: insulin resistance. Without insulin the cells' energy output declines and the unprocessed insulin creates a craving for carbohydrates. The result is excessive fat and weight gain. Most people who are overweight are affected by insulin resistance. The diet industry is flourishing in the wake of America's obesity problems, often with products that are suspect. Medical professionals who treat obesity agree that there is no miracle drug, no magic pill for it; it must be corrected by proper dieting and regular exercise, usually under the direction of a nutrition-minded physician. Dr. Vagnini concedes that the "war on obesity" is not going well and that many Americans still have not grasped the seriousness of the epidemic: "In addition to good clinicians working with their obese patients, there must be a major thrust in health education and communications."