Functional and Integrative medicine have gained significant popularity in recent years. The promise of treating the "root cause" of disease, personalizing care, and seeing the whole person rather than just a diagnosis is powerful — and I agree that these are valuable principles. However, there's ano...

In an earlier post, I wrote about the one question to ask your doctor that can change your healthcare experience. But what if you don't feel heard, or you're symptoms are constantly being dismissed? What if engaging with the healthcare system makes you feel like you're continually going to battle? W...

June is Brain Awareness Month. What better time to pay attention to our brain health, especially as we age?  Perhaps you're the caregiver for an older relative, and you're beginning to notice some memory lapses in them. Or maybe you're a woman over fifty, like me, and you've noticed that your memory...

As a marathon runner, I have learned to apply the lessons from running to life. By the time I get to mile 18 and 23 in a race, I usually catch myself filled with self-doubt, like, whose idea was it to run this race again? Why am I doing this? Every fiber of my body is saying quit NOW! 

And then I h...

Men’s Health Week is in June, and it's essential to encourage the men in our lives to take their health seriously. Despite awareness campaigns, far too many men continue to skip checkups, delay screenings, and disengage from the healthcare system altogether.

The consequences? Increased risk of ch

...

Have you ever had lab work or imaging done and then waited to hear back from your doctor?

And when no one called, you thought—“Well, no news is good news, right?”

Unfortunately, that assumption can be risky. In today's fast-paced medical system, not hearing back doesn’t always mean everything is f...

I'm sure many of you can relate to this scenario. You have several symptoms that are becoming bothersome, so you schedule an appointment to visit your healthcare provider.

You list off your concerns: weight gain, constant fatigue, irregular bowel movements, and at times constipation, low energy, di...

When we think about what makes us healthy, we usually focus on diet, exercise, medication, and regular checkups. While all of these are important, they're only part of the story. The bigger picture—the one we often overlook—is shaped by what's happening outside the exam room.

 These seemingly invis...

According to the FDA, medication errors lead to approximately 7,000 to 9,000 deaths every year in the United States alone. And those are just the ones we know about. Countless other individuals suffer from side effects, hospitalizations, or long-term complications caused by mix-ups, duplications, or...

Picture this: You've just left the doctor's office. You've received a new diagnosis. You're still trying to process the words when the doctor starts talking about next steps—you'll be scheduled for additional diagnostic testing, then a referral to a specialist, and you leave the office with instruct...

What Is Culturally Competent Care?

Culturally competent care means providing care that takes into consideration an individual’s cultural background, values, language, beliefs, and lived experience. Each patient brings with them a unique cultural lens that affects how they perceive illness, healing,...

Mental health is an essential part of our overall well-being, yet finding the right support can be challenging, especially for people of color who may face cultural, social, and systemic barriers.

In recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness month, here are five powerful ways an independent ...