What You Don’t Know Can and May be Hurting You: What Every Patient Ought to Know

Jamie K. Waselenko, MD, FACP, Sidney Waselenko, LMT, Cameron Waselenko

Hippocrates, the Greek physician commonly referred to as the “Father of Medicine,” once said, “Before you heal someone, ask him if he is willing to give up the things that make him sick?” As a physician, I embrace this collaborative perspective in my patient care. The avoidance of toxins, healthy diet, implementation of holistic remedies, and allopathic treatment yield the best patient outcomes, but I ultimately believe all healing comes from our Creator, YHWH, or Yahuah in Hebrew. 

I am an allopathically trained, board-certified internist, hematologist, and oncologist. In 2019, I began to realize many shortcomings in my allopathic training that dramatically shifted my perspective on wellness and optimal patient care. The deficits are considerable and to the detriment of patients. I realized that I, like many allopathic physicians, was trained to treat symptoms of the disease (via pharmaceuticals), rather than addressing the root issues.

This catalyzed my journey to the discovery that there is a better path to life, health, and healing that encompasses the best of both allopathic and naturopathic treatments. I am grateful for the opportunity to increase the quality of patient care by learning from my natural and functional medicine colleagues. This brief article is intended to equip the reader with measures to boost their immune health, encourage them in their health journey, and empower them to advocate for themselves. 

The human body possesses miraculous self-healing capabilities that we can support through our lifestyle choices. A key process in the human body is detoxification, the body’s natural process in which undesirable and potentially harmful substances are broken down by the liver, kidney, skin, and lungs [1]. While the human body performs this process constantly, there are measures one can employ to support their body in detoxification, and thereby, boost one’s immune health. For better health, disease prevention, and disease treatment, it is necessary to embrace lifestyle detoxification wherever possible.

The first step to aiding one’s body in detoxification is minimizing or eliminating exposure to harmful and potentially harmful environmental chemicals. Some of these chemicals are listed in Table I. They are often found in cosmetics, hygiene products, and plastics. In addition, due to the strong evidence backing the dangers of alcohol and tobacco, minimization of these substances is recommended. Through exposure reduction, the body’s biological processes will experience less stress and function with increased efficiency. 

To quote Hippocrates once more, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Consumption of organic, non-genetically modified, nutrient-rich food is necessary to support the body’s natural detoxification process. However, there is not any one food that is going to single-handedly promote detoxification and increase the immune system. It is critical that a healthy, well-balanced diet is maintained for the immune system to function optimally.

Table II provides key nutrients, nutrient sources, and a brief explanation of how they support the human body. While many vitamins and nutrients are offered in supplement form, consuming them from food sources is superior for best absorption. However, if eating a nutrient-rich diet is inaccessible, supplementation with a non-genetically modified multivitamin can be beneficial. In addition, read the ingredients on food labels. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, avoid consumption.

While it may be a challenging transition away from heavily processed foods, opting for foods that support your body is medicine for it, as Hippocrates suggested. The short-term sacrifice is made with the intent of long-term benefits, such as better health long-term and a minimized need for allopathic medication.

Finally, some simple, free lifestyle changes to support the body in detoxification include 150 minutes of exercise per week, 20-30 minutes of fresh air and sunlight each day, and maintenance of healthy body weight. I encourage you to investigate these topics further as advocating for oneself in a medical setting necessitates a firm understanding of health, often built through time spent researching (a labor of love).

Research prepares the patient to partner with their physician in their healing journey. As part of this partnership, it is important to discuss diet or supplement changes with your physician to verify that there will be no drug interactions. I pray that this article encourages you in your health journey and that you derive benefit for yourself and those in your sphere of influence.

Table I. These environmental chemicals are associated with long-term harm, specifically in excess  [2,3,4]. Chemicals with * may be associated with long-term harm. 

Table II. Nutrients that help support immune function [5].

References

1. Noland, D., Drisko, J. A., & Wagner, L. (Eds.). (2020). Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy: Principles and Practices. Springer Nature Switzerland AG. 
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Endocrine Disruptors. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm 
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, May 4). Environmental Chemicals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/environmental_chemicals.html
4. WebMD. (n.d.). Parabens: What you should know about these commonly used chemicals. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/what-to-know-about-parabens 
5. Brownstein, D. (2010). Salt Your Way to Health: Learn about the remarkable healing ability of unrefined salt. Medical Alternatives Press.