What sparked your initial desire to pursue and practice Functional Medicine?
My undergraduate and graduate degrees were in nutrition. I went to medical school thinking I would learn more about how the body worked and what we could do to stay well. I was frustrated with the focus on acute care medicine and pharmacology. When I finished medical school and my residency in family medicine, I was trying to incorporate my nutrition education into my medical practice. I landed a job at Canyon Ranch in Lenox Mass. That is where I met Mark Hyman, Kathie Swift and Todd LePine. I went to my first Functional Medicine conference and was hooked. I had found my home. Functional Medicine gave me a way to incorporate my nutrition education with my medical practice. The focus is on asking the question: why? Looking for the underlying root cause of illness and appreciating how much our lifestyle impacts our risk for disease and lifestyle modification can truly reverse disease and help the body heal.
How would you define living an UltraLife?
Doing what you love to do with friends and family that you love.
What is your morning routine?
I usually wake up at 5 am and exercise. I will either run or do strength training. I then have a good breakfast and help my children get ready for their day.
Favorites + Firsts:
- Favorite movie? Step Up
- First concert? First concert was actually Rick Springfield. But favorite concert was Prince at 3121 in Las Vegas. It was a small venue. Standing room only. About 5 people from the stage.
- Favorite Indulgence? Going to a spa on a beautiful island.
- Favorite way to relax? Getting a massage
- Favorite Podcast? Making Obama
What is the most rewarding aspect of your position at UWC?
I love working with patients and helping them shift their body to a place of healing.
Your biggest goal for 2019?
Enjoy every moment with my family.
Tell us about your most rewarding case study:
I worked with a woman with an extensive medical history who had years of surgery and pain from multiple surgeries. Because of this she was taking pain medication and had limited her movement. As a result she gained weight and developed prediabetes. She had a relatively healthy diet, but often snacked on crackers and desserts. We implemented an elimination diet. We removed refined grains, sugars, dairy, alcohol, processed foods and worked to balance her blood sugar. With just the change in diet, the inflammation in her body quickly improved. She lost weight, the inflammatory markers in her body improved and she started to feel so much better. When we repeated her blood work in a few months, all signs of prediabetes had gone away and her markers of inflammation improved. This case is one of many that I experience every day, reminding me of the power of using food as medicine.
If you had to choose one life mantra that consistently strikes a chord with you, what would it be?
Just breathe.
