I recently saw a great Netflix documentary titled “Live to 100″ Life in the Blue Zones”. I feel the way those people live, totally embodies the Principles of Naturopathic and Preventative Medicine. The 6 zones or geographical regions in the world the author and researcher investigates, have a number of common threads.

Some are: Active lifestyle, healthy, daily, social, and personal engaging relationships, diet and nutrition based mostly of plant-based foods, a reason for living or “lkigai” (Japanese), and work, whether it be volunteer or otherwise. There was very little incidence of: heart disease, high blood pressure, dementia, cancer, and diabetes. A 90 plus year old physician was interviewed. Now, I’m not sure I will practice into my 90’s but it truly gave.me some thought about when I will “retire”. I encourage all to view this multi part series.

“Functional medicine”. What is it? When I was in medical school, everything we Naturopathic physicians were taught about treatment of disease was Functional medicine.

We, Naturopathic (and Chiropractic) physicians were the experts in functional medicine. Do no harm the motto. We look at the whole body. It is how we treat the cause of a disease once a diagnosis is made. How does it rebalance, harmonize, strengthen the body physically, mentally, emotionally, physiologically. How is digestion, the immune, the endocrine, the musculoskeletal, and the nervous system affected by our treatment plans. Now, it seems everywhere there is “functional medicine.” I don’t believe the principles of functional medicine today are practiced the same way we were taught by our mentors.

Stem cells and exosomes are exciting topics in medicine. The use of these and other biologics are being studied in regenerative, anti-aging, disease prevention and treatment. We here at Preventative Medicine Clinic are using biologics in degenerative joint disease primarily. Patients are reporting decrease in pain and increase in joint mobility.

Another Netflix documentary worth a look is “Haute Route”. As a prescriber of controlled substances, including testosterone (also known as a performance enhancing drug or PED) I found this film to be incredibly captivating. It follows an athlete’s journey through a non-doping and then doping protocol in preparation and execution of a world stage professional cycling race.

As I write this, it is raining out. The moisture is welcome from the dry and smoky summer months. The leaves are turning beautiful reds, yellows, and a hue of other colors. Some of us may feel a loss as summer ends, and fall, and then winter comes. There is a time for every season. Some of you may have had the loss of a loved one. My sister passed away this summer following years of care for post traumatic brain injury. Let us not forget no matter the season:

“Life is not merely living, but living in Health.”

Warmest regards,
Dr. Evelyn Brust