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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Mar-08-17, 10:30
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default VirtaHealth launch today

Big, exciting announcement today in the world of low carb treatments for Diabetes.

Quote:
Today is a very exciting day for anyone interested in the potential of low carb to change the world. Today marks the public launch of Virta Health, a well-funded company of 50+ people located in San Francisco.

Virta Health is an online clinic, specialized in reversing type 2 diabetes using a ketogenic diet, modern mobile technology and a staff of awesome physicians and nutrition coaches.

Virta was started back in 2014 by the Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sami Inkinen, with two cofounders and researchers whom every low carber know well: Dr. Stephen Phinney and Dr. Jeff Volek.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting them twice during the last year, while they were still in stealth mode, developing their product and conducting their research. I’ve come away very impressed with their competence and sheer determination. Their mission? Reversing type 2 diabetes in 100 million people by 2025.

Now it’s showtime. Today the first results from their clinical study are published, and they show dramatic improvements in type 2 diabetes, including getting people off many of their diabetes medications:

JMIR Diabetes: A Novel Intervention Including Individualized Nutritional Recommendations Reduces Hemoglobin A1c Level, Medication Use, and Weight in Type 2 Diabetes

Virta Health: Research

I highly recommend visiting their website for much more, including lots of short inspiring video interviews with their type 2 diabetes patients:

Virta Health
Virta Health: Virta Health Launches to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes as New Study Demonstrates Reversal Possible Without Surgery
Virta Health: We are on a Mission to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes in 100 Million People
Virta Health: The Science of Diabetes Reversal—Virta Clinical Results
Virta Health: Type 2 Diabetes can be Reversed
We’ll have much more to share about Virta Health in the upcoming weeks, including an interview with the founder Sami Inkinen and a short video documentary about him and Virta Health.

Is it for you?

If you have type 2 diabetes and live in the US you can schedule a consultation with Virta.

Are you a physician who treat patients with type 2 diabetes? Then you can partner with Virta Health to help the patients safely lower blood sugar, lose weight and reduce medications.


https://www.dietdoctor.com/news

Links and photos in above article or go directly to VirtaHealth


https://www.virtahealth.com
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  #2   ^
Old Wed, Mar-08-17, 12:39
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
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Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
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Interesting and encouraging with Virta and HEAL Clinics starting up, we now have opportunities for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes and weight issues to get help with programs based on low carb approaches. Positive results will encourage more people to seek help from these practices. Good news!
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Mar-08-17, 14:09
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
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Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
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Great stuff. It's actually a new approach to health care that should catch on.

Because nothing succeeds like success.
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  #4   ^
Old Wed, Mar-08-17, 15:05
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
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Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

They've got a beautiful and informative website. Lots of studies. I especially enjoyed seeing the photos of all the "team members" from engineers to physicians.

IMHO, the future of affordable health care in this country begins with more people living healthy lives. The hope offered by Virta (online, for anyone) is impressive. I am not being paid to say this.
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  #5   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 03:11
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
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The company press release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...70308005226/en/
37 million in VC backing.

Dr Peter Attila is also an investor and an advisor. His analysis of "Is Type 2 diabetes reversible at scale?"
http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/...eversible-scale

Last edited by JEY100 : Thu, Mar-09-17 at 03:17.
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  #6   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 06:15
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
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Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

If I knew anyone with T2, I'd send them immediately to Dr. Attia's website linked by Janet above. The statistics and research are just the latest compelling evidence in one of the biggest health breakthroughs since Mr. Banting.

It's not just a diagnostic breakthrough. Virta itself is evidence of new opportunities in the use of the internet for health care, at enormous savings and convenience for everyone. At least those privileged with internet access and the ability to use it can find a way to life-saving treatment.

In the past couple of weeks, I managed to request a thyroid test from my doc, and then get a refill for my long-standing medicine, with one phone call. Frankly, I didn't think it would work. But it did. This is the way healthy people should get routine care. Let public dollars help sick people.

Meanwhile, outfits like Virta create brilliant new models. Spread the word. (I don't own stock. Maybe I should.)
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  #7   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 06:48
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
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Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
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Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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I recently listened to the three podcasts of Jimmy Moore interviewing Gary Taubes. His description of how the first nutrional science study got messed up was very instructive about how revamping science is such a daunting undertaking.

Apparently, Dr. Attia is "taking it to the streets" by reaching out to patients, not scientists, and bypassing that whole batch of egos, expense, and ossified publications.

Patients have real motivations to simply do what works. I think this is a clever move for lots of reasons.
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  #8   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 07:17
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Barb, No stock, private with that nice chunk of change from the VCs. TRulia sold for $2.5 billion stock for stock to Zillow, so Sami is not hurting.
http://www.samiinkinen.com

Quote:
My career advise to self (and to founders contemplating starting a company) is to always ask two questions:
Do I understand the true purpose of the company I’m starting / joining?
Does that purpose resonate at some deeper level than just making a buck or only provide momentary excitement?
If the answer is an obvious Yes, magic can happen. I call this alignment Profits Fuel Purpose and I believe it’s a perfect foundation for a long-term success as a for-profit company . That’s how we set up our purpose and business model at Virta Health from day one.


As you said, this is an impressive board, team members, research, everything about the roll out classy and able to be scaled up. Reaching out to companies, healthcare systems, insurance companies too, not just individuals.

Last edited by JEY100 : Thu, Mar-09-17 at 07:22.
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  #9   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 09:18
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
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Posts: 4,036
 
Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
Default

I agree that Virta has a very sound model and investors with deep pockets who are more than invested financially to make this work. Being able to tap the verticals here in strategically finding its place as a team of diabetes specialists with a solution is a very good way to position themselves and encourages physicians, health groups, and insurance companies to partner with them. They've clearly identified their role, which is very critical in this day and age of competing dietary protocols related to weight loss. Virta resolves T2 diabetes, end of story. I, too, am impressed with their message and the restraint they showed while developing a message, documenting patient histories, and crafting an extremely effective website. They represent the new model of health care that is poised for success.
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  #10   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 13:09
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deirdra deirdra is offline
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Plan: vLC/GF,CF,SF
Stats: 197/136/150 Female 66 inches
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Progress: 130%
Location: Alberta
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Insurance industries should welcome it. Promoting and improving health is less costly than dealing with ill-health.
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  #11   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 14:09
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cotonpal cotonpal is offline
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Posts: 5,283
 
Plan: very low carb real food
Stats: 245/125/135 Female 62
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: Vermont
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I couldn't find any information on the site about cost. Part of the absurdity of our current health care in the US is that many diagnostic tests along with "treatments" that don't work and even cause harm get covered by insurance but testing and treatments that may actually be beneficial and at least don't cause harm don't get covered. After a lot of useless testing and appointments to try and figure out what was wrong with my gut, all covered by insurance and all providing not a clue, I paid out of pocket for Enterolab testing which I learned about on line through a forum, which was not covered by insurance, and which then set me on the right track towards recovery. Sometimes it feels like we live in some kind of delusional reality out of Through the Looking Glass. I hope this model becomes successful and becomes part of the mainstream so that it isn't only available to those with fairly deep pockets.

Jean
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  #12   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 16:17
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
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Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
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Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cotonpal
Part of the absurdity of our current health care in the US is that many diagnostic tests along with "treatments" that don't work and even cause harm get covered by insurance but testing and treatments that may actually be beneficial and at least don't cause harm don't get covered.


Oh, gosh, preach it, Jean.

Massage has been shown to have health benefits, but try to get an insurance company to pay for it. A weighted blanket helps with a lot of sleep issues, but they will only pay if it is for an autistic child.

"Health coaching" like this service would save so much money in the long run.
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  #13   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 16:48
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

Quote:
Part of the absurdity of our current health care in the US is that many diagnostic tests along with "treatments" that don't work and even cause harm get covered by insurance but testing and treatments that may actually be beneficial and at least don't cause harm don't get covered.
A friend has had one surgery on her spine for treatment of severe pain. Not fixed, although she (and her wingman, me) had confidence in the doctor who clearly spelled out the possible outcomes--including "no solution." Now she's contemplating another risky surgery. One reason? Medicare will pay for major surgery, but will not pay for acupuncture, which I'm urging her to try. (Theory: interfering with pain pathways through the nervous system via acupuncture may help.)

Sigh.
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  #14   ^
Old Thu, Mar-09-17, 17:12
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
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Posts: 14,602
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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My heath would have collapsed without the supplements I tried, and some of them I still take. I would never get financial help with them. Even something that is medically necessary, like my husband's methylated B vitamins, is off limits to reimbursement.
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  #15   ^
Old Fri, Mar-10-17, 06:05
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,368
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

https://www.dietdoctor.com/type-2-diabetes-reversible

Within this post, are four articles about the launch of VirtaHealth. The Medium article is by a hard to convince VC, his thought process on the Virta concept. The last article is from Forbes, and ends on how LC/Keto is not sustainable because, after all, donuts are delicious
A few comments so far in Forbes, most from LCers who state that it is indeed sustainable way to eat.

Last edited by JEY100 : Fri, Mar-10-17 at 06:15.
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