Episode S2E13: Show Notes.
Naturopathic medicine, holistic medicine, and functional medicine are all different terms for the same holistic approach to healing the body. Looking at the body as a complete system can change your approach to health and wellness, enabling you to unravel your body’s complex systems, get to the root cause of imbalances and support the body’s optimal functioning. Today’s guest, Swathi Rao, is a functional medicine practitioner who believes in the pillars of eat well, sleep well, move well and poop well to be well. We begin our conversation with Swathi by asking her what lead her to functional medicine after making her start in traditional healthcare, and what it means to her. She tells us about her underlying philosophy for health and touches on what eating well looks like in functional medicine. We talk about the role of healthy movement and why it is so important to get enough sleep every night. Swathi explains the role of the microbiome, the gut-brain connection and the cuddle factor. She tells us where to start to address gut issues and we explore food sensitivities and what causes them. Next, we dive into inflammation, leaky gut and the role of gluten, mindful eating and practicing gratitude towards yourself. We dive into the role of supplements versus medication and where each is appropriate and Swathi shares a bit about her most rewarding work. We hope you join us for a wealth of wisdom on functional medicine and holistic health today.
Key Points From This Episode:
• What lead Swathi to functional medicine from her time in traditional healthcare.
• Why eat well, sleep well, poop well, live well have become the defining factors of how Swathi practices medicine.
• What eating well looks like in functional medicine.
• Why children need 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night and adults need a full 8.
• Enriching the microbiome as the foundation of wellness.
• The gut-brain connection and the cuddle factor.
• Where to start to address gut issues: adopt a paleo diet.
• Food sensitivities and what causes them.
• Inflammation, leaky gut and the role of gluten and mindful eating.
• The importance of practicing gratitude for yourself and your contribution to the world.
• How functional medicine has changed throughout the global pandemic and what has been revealed.
• The role of supplements versus medication.
• The hardest cases that Swathi deals with and the most rewarding.
• The problem of inflammation.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: