Where It Began: OB/GYN & Hormones

I finished my residency in OB/GYN in 2000. My interest in hormone balancing began in 2001, shortly after the results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) were publicized in the media. Like many physicians practicing the standard of care, I took many women off their hormones at that time.

Gradually, women returned to me complaining of head-to-toe symptoms: foggy memory (some even feared they were developing Alzheimer's dementia), hair thinning, night sweats, hot flashes, poor sleep, achy joints, low sex drive, painful sex, weight gain, low energy, palpitations, anxiety, depression, loss of bone mass, and more. I tried supplements like black cohosh and other herbal remedies, but they didn't help most of my patients.

Certain drugs like Effexor and Neurontin were being promoted to treat hot flashes, but I knew they were simply suppressing symptoms without addressing the true underlying cause. Under the conventional medicine model, I would likely prescribe a host of "anti-" drugs: an antidepressant for depression and anxiety, anti-inflammatories for achy joints, a beta-blocker for palpitations, Fosamax for bone loss, Ambien for sleep — and tell patients it was aging-related and to reduce stress.

I began to question why women needed to suffer when we had the technology to literally "cure" these problems with bio-identical (human-identical) hormones. The WHI results were being applied to all women in sweeping generalizations, fueled by media sensationalism, without respect to each woman's individual medical situation or careful analysis of the study's details. Thus began my research into hormone replacement therapy and specifically bio-identical hormones. I am grateful to the many women who "experimented" alongside my recommendations in the beginning, looking for the right balance — a process now greatly refined and customized.

Naturopathic Medicine & Preventive Health

To further my knowledge, I completed a Naturopathic Medical Degree. The knowledge I gained in metabolism and nutrition pushed me toward preventive health, which starts with a healthy diet and lifestyle — factors only the patient can control. By pointing out their importance and guiding patients in the right direction, I have successfully removed or reduced many drugs from their regimens while improving their health.

I believe patients are underserved by the conventional medical motto of "early detection of disease," which is often promoted as preventive health. It does nothing to truly prevent disease. This approach assumes the body is prone to disease, so we must catch it earlier to defend against it. This model of susceptibility to chronic diseases also conveniently makes drugs an effective tool.

While I believe in early detection, I take the approach that the body is a miraculous, complex system that generally works well — but we need to do a few basic things (eat well, manage stress and lifestyle) to keep it running well, much like tune-ups keep a car running. These tune-ups become more important and complex as we age. I also realize not everyone is blessed with a healthy genetic makeup or social network. For those individuals, early detection and appropriate medications can be powerful tools.

Holistic Nutrition

To further my knowledge, I completed coursework for a Master's degree in Holistic Nutrition. I believe we should blend the best of conventional Western medicine and alternative/complementary medicine in an integrative fashion to treat the whole patient, as each has many beneficial treatments and strategies to offer.

I also completed a self-study program in holistic nutrition to learn to focus on an individual's nutrition — not necessarily what is recommended for the general population. I was taught how to look beyond the Food Pyramid. Studies in holistic nutrition include discussions about digestion, the immune system, allergic reactions, and biochemical processes.

I examine the nutritional value of different foods and how cooking and processing affect quality. There are hundreds of different "diet programs" in existence, and I help patients navigate the best plan for their particular needs.

Anti-Aging & Functional Medicine

I became Board Certified by the American Academy of Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine (A4M). The Anti-Aging Program begins with a consultation that reviews your personal and family medical histories. Each program is individually designed to identify where you are in the aging process and detail the specific benefits of various treatments.

Simply put: so you can be the best that you can be. We all need help staying on track. Sometimes we don't even know which track we should be on. You would never get where you are trying to go if you kept driving in the wrong direction.

A good anti-aging program can help detect, prevent, and reverse degenerative conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, autoimmune disease, and glaucoma. Our program has also been successful in helping patients who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Integrative Cancer Therapy

I also completed an Integrative Cancer Therapy Fellowship with A4M. I believe that changing lifestyle or environment during childhood and/or adult life can lower cancer incidence and improve survival. Cancer prevention and control is essential to reducing cancer risk, incidence, morbidity, and mortality.

Much of cancer mortality in the United States can be prevented by reducing tobacco use, alcohol consumption, poor dietary behaviors, physical inactivity, obesity, over-exposure and unprotected exposure to sunlight and artificial light, and exposure to viruses through blood and sexual activity.

Early screening and detection, enhancing quality of life, and prolonging life among cancer survivors are my main areas of focus. Call today to schedule a consult to see how I can help you achieve optimum health.