My Story

My journey into functional medicine started with a diagnosis of IBD.

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Video length - 8 minutes

My Story: About

I used to be a "Whiner"

I've been in the exact position that you find yourselves in. My doctors thought there was nothing wrong with me, and therefore took the easy way out by labeling me a "whiner." A "whiner" is just a dismissive, derogatory term used in the medical community for a patient who has a lot of complaints but doctors can't figure out what's wrong with him/her because he/she doesn't fit into one of their textbook "cases."

Here's my story and how I got on the path of Functional Medicine

When I was in medical training, I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and was told by my senior colleagues that I'd have to "live with it." After several rounds of medications had failed, the doctors didn't know what else to do.

At one point, I was put on an SSRI which is a commonly-used type of antidepressant.

Let me say that again.

One of the top physicians in the field put me on an antidepressant for IBD.

Clearly, this star-studded hotshot MD had never heard of the gut-brain connection.

Basically he was saying, "This is the best I can do for you. It's all in your head. Get over it. Take an antidepressant."

Being a naïve 20-something, I believed what I was told.

Unfortunately, this kind of scenario is way too common. I hear such stories in my practice every day.

Anyway, being the inquisitive personality that I am, I did not accept that answer. I set out on a path that led me to functional medicine, and for the first time in 6 years, I felt heard. I actually got a gut test for the first time - an advanced PCR test known as GIMAP which I recommend for all my patients.

And lo and behold, I had a raging Giardia and Blastocystis infection that was chewing up my gut mercilessly.

It wasn't all in my head!

I also got an Organic Acids test which showed that years of (unnecessary) medications had taken a severe toll on my natural neurotransmitter systems.

Long story short - with a bit of lifestyle modification and three-body system healing, I was free of all symptoms of my "lifelong disease" within two years.

To this day, my original doctor does not believe how I managed this remarkable turnaround. Of course there will always be cynics who will be impossible to convince, no matter what the evidence. Every day, I get a ton of hate mail with lots of colorful adjectives. But the ignorance and cynicism keeps me motivated to continue along this path.

This is the power of Functional Medicine. Don't just accept what your doctor tells you.

Inquire. Research. Challenge. And see where it takes you.

I invite you to take this journey with me.

One caveat though: Don't believe everything that Doctor Google tells you!

TREATMENT TIMELINE

Curious how long functional medicine treatments take?

Timelines depend on the individual patient, however a general estimate is 6 to 24 months as per the treatment schedule shown below.

Please remember that you did not get sick overnight, therefore healing will not occur overnight either.

Body system 1

Body system 2

Body system 3

MY HEALING PHILOSOPHY:
THE THREE BODY SYSTEMS MODEL

First and foremost, I adhere to the mantra "Test, don't guess." Here's why.

My healing philosophy centers on a simple 3-body system model which includes the hormonal system, the gut and detoxification. If you're sitting on the fence and are undecided about the functional medicine approach, I encourage you to read the

Mayo Clinic's and Cleveland Clinic's studies on this treatment modality.

I'm a living example of someone who turned his life around using this approach.

If you decide to work with me, you'll get a perfect blend of traditional healing and functional medicine. I certainly don't claim that I have all the answers, but I will diligently work in partnership with you to get to the root cause of your health concerns.