It is common knowledge that many medical professionals feel that alternative health care is a fraud and should be avoided at all costs. In fact, very rarely do MD’s refer to alternative health care specialists like DC’s, ND’s, L MT’s, etc. If you were to ask me why, I can’t exactly tell you. Many experts believe one reason is that alternative health care specialists are cutting into the bottom line of conventional medicine. Other theories are that MDs’ believe that their education is far superior to other health care professionals’ education. I believe it is just the lack of knowledge and education by conventional medical schools about what alternative medicine can offer to patients. In fact, many conventional medical doctors admit that their training on natural health care (like nutrition) is limited to only a couple of hours of study throughout their entire medical schooling. Fortunately, this trend does seem to be shifting.
Recently, here at Stanly Wellness Center, we have been co-managing patients’ with local MDs’. One patient in particular came to us, not as a referral from her MD, but through word of mouth. She has been under treatment with her MD for thyroid complaints and cholesterol complaints. Her original blood work revealed elevated TSH @ 10.85 uU/mL (which had jumped from 1.94 uU/mL), total cholesterol @ 335 mg/dL, triglycerides @ 232 mg/dL, and LDL @ 222 mg/dL. Her vitamin D was also only @ 35 ng/mL (while this is in the lab normal range, this number is still very low for functional health). She was to continue on her thyroid medication and was also prescribed cholesterol medication. Additionally she was urged to start a low fat, low cholesterol diet and begin moderate aerobic exercise 30 minutes per day 5 days per week.
My initial reaction as a wellness consultant and chiropractic physician is to ask the question, “Why?” “Why are the blood labs abnormal?”
Taking into consideration all of her history and my knowledge on human anatomy and physiology, I proposed some adjustments to her MD’s recommendations and added in a few of my own. What happened? Well…
Seven months after her last blood work revealed that her TSH reduced from 10.85 uU/mL to 3.12 uU/mL. Total cholesterol from 335 ng/mL to 177 ng/mL, triglycerides from 232 mg/dL to 82 mg/dL, and LDL from 222 mg/dL to 87 mg/dL, and vitamin D from 35 ng/dL to 60 ng/dL. All of these lab values are within normal lab ranges. The patient has also lost 10 pounds in the past 1 month.
The next step for this patient would be to work with her MD to eliminate her cholesterol medications and see if she can reduce her thyroid medication use.
At Stanly Wellness Center, we are eager and ready to help you and your families achieve the best health possible. We will work with your MD to give you the best possible health outcome. If you are looking for help with your health or you know of someone is suffering with poor health, call the office of Stanly Wellness Center at 980-355-7600 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation with Dr. Patrick Ess to see how he can help.
