From Sight to Insight: A Journey to Whole-Body Healing
As Alaska's only glaucoma specialist, I've spent years studying one of the body's most intricate organs – the eye. Through my work in ophthalmology, I discovered something fascinating: the eyes often reveal stories about a person's overall health that traditional medicine wasn't fully addressing. While I could sustain and restore vision through glaucoma and cataract surgery, I kept seeing patients struggling with multiple medications, chronic conditions, and diminishing quality of life. I knew there had to be a better way.
My path to functional medicine began with my own health challenges. In my thirties, I experienced debilitating eye inflammation that left me temporarily blind in one eye. Despite considering myself healthy – eating well and exercising regularly – something wasn't right. Traditional treatments helped manage the symptoms, but nobody could explain why it happened in the first place.
This experience, combined with my battles with chronic back pain in my twenties and later struggles with perimenopausal symptoms like anxiety and fatigue, led me to question the conventional medical approach I'd been taught. In medical school, I was told that food had no real impact on health and that ailments were simply the result of genetic bad luck. My personal experiences proved otherwise.
Through functional medicine, I discovered that optimal health isn't just about treating symptoms – it's about understanding the complex interconnections within our bodies and addressing root causes. When I finally found answers to my own health challenges through hormone balancing, dietary changes, and targeted supplementation, I knew I had to share this approach with others.
What sets my practice apart is the unique perspective I bring as both a medical doctor and someone who has navigated her own health journey. I understand the frustrations of feeling unheard by the medical system and the disappointment of receiving band-aid solutions for chronic problems. I also recognize that true healing requires looking beyond standard lab ranges and "normal" results to achieve optimal health.
Today, I focus particularly on gastrointestinal health because I've learned that gut health is fundamental to overall wellness. This focus was inspired partly by witnessing my mother's 40-year struggle with Crohn's disease, which showed me the devastating impact that chronic gut issues can have on quality of life.
My mission isn't just to help people feel better today – it's to optimize their health for the long term. I want to help my patients increase their health span so they can live vibrant, active lives well into their later years rather than spending decades managing chronic conditions.
As your functional medicine partner, I promise to:
Listen to your story and take time to understand your unique health journey
Look beyond symptoms to identify and address root causes
Develop personalized strategies that fit your lifestyle and goals
Empower you with the knowledge and tools to take control of your health
I'm excited to offer functional medicine services to help people nationwide achieve optimal health and wellness. Through this integrative approach, we can work together to extend your lifespan and, more importantly, enhance your health span – allowing you to live your fullest, most vibrant life.
Ready to start your journey to optimal health? Let's work together to uncover the root causes of your health concerns and create a personalized path to wellness.
