15% off for new longevity patients
15% off for new longevity patients
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
My journey into longevity medicine began after completing my third OBGYN residency in 2008, following prior training in India and the UK. Eager to establish my practice in New York, I quickly built a patient base, finding that compassion and a non-judgmental approach fostered trust, a quality I deeply appreciated in the US healthcare landscape.
Initially, my practice mirrored conventional OBGYN, addressing pregnancy care alongside common gynecological issues like irregular periods and infections. I followed standard protocols: diagnostic tests, blood work, and traditional treatment options.
However, a recurring theme emerged. Patients, just as our consultations concluded, would often voice a deeper concern: a loss of libido, a profound lack of desire. This wasn't a simple question with a single answer, and frankly, at the time, I didn't have one. Like many OBGYNs, I might have suggested a glass of wine, but I knew this wasn't a real solution. This recurring question ignited a quest for deeper understanding.
My initial search led me to medical sex therapy certification, a two-year endeavor that provided valuable insights. Yet, it soon became clear that sexual health issues were often intertwined with a broader array of concerns: weight gain, hair loss, chronic pain, recurrent infections, and even the shadow of breast and uterine cancers. While I initially tried to categorize these into conventional gynecological diagnoses like PCOS or endometriosis, patients would experience temporary relief only to have symptoms resurface.
For instance, a straightforward case of bacterial vaginosis (BV) would clear with Metronidazole, only to return weeks later. Repeated treatments, as per guidelines, led to frustration for both patient and physician. I began to question: Why weren't they truly getting better? This curiosity led me to research practices from my time in India, where probiotics were routinely used. While some patients benefited from my recommendation of probiotics, many did not, signaling that a more fundamental issue was at play.
I grew increasingly disillusioned with the common practice of prescribing antidepressants for PMS or birth control pills for PCOS, often observing adverse effects like weight gain, worsened depression, hair loss, or further diminished libido. This propelled me to delve deeper into research, seeking answers beyond the scope of traditional training. I began incorporating lifestyle changes and basic nutritional support, such as probiotics, chasteberry, and glucosamine. To my delight, many patients, after dedicated counseling, started to show significant and lasting improvement.
This nascent "integrative" approach resonated deeply. I soon discovered a growing community of like-minded physicians who were also seeking alternative, root-cause-focused solutions rather than just applying "band-aids" to symptoms. It's been 18 years since I embarked on this path, and my passion for learning, especially about foundational aspects of health, remains undiminished.
Understanding health at a cellular level, delving into fundamental physiology and biochemistry, and then applying this knowledge to develop personalized treatment plans — this, I realized, is how we should be addressing ailments. This is the very essence of longevity medicine and foundational medicine.
Recently, a colleague questioned if my license covered "this kind of practice." I was momentarily amused, as this approach isn't "alternative" but rather a return to fundamental medical principles. While I am a double board-certified OBGYN and deeply value Western medicine for its life-saving interventions in critical conditions and cancer treatment, conventional gynecological training often falls short in addressing chronic, interconnected health issues. Simply removing a fibroid or endometriosis doesn't guarantee a permanent cure; these conditions often recur because underlying causes like inflammation, hormone imbalance, and the gut-brain-vagina axis are left unaddressed. The human body is an intricately designed, interconnected system; to treat its parts in isolation is to fundamentally misunderstand its design.
I once believed I was alone in thinking "alternatively," but attending conferences like A4M and other integrative seminars revealed thousands of physicians sharing this same quest for holistic patient care. In our fast-paced world of quick fixes, we've often overlooked what true wellness entails, seeking pills or surgery to "get on with our lives." However, this often means merely sweeping problems under the rug until they resurface with greater intensity, leading to frustration and a cycle of blame.
It's crucial to understand that a functional approach to health, unlike a quick fix, demands commitment. It requires dedicated effort from both patient and provider, a collaborative partnership over an extended period. With the right regimens and discipline, results will manifest — slowly, but surely.
Finding the right provider or a collaborative team is paramount. This may involve a network of specialists, including a practitioner, pharmacist, physical therapist, chiropractor, nutritionist, and mental health specialist, all working in concert.
It's also important to acknowledge the financial aspect. Comprehensive testing and treatments in longevity medicine are often not covered by traditional insurance, highlighting a systemic flaw. Knowing what I know now, it feels disingenuous to offer only birth control pills for PCOS, Pepcid for heartburn, laxatives for constipation, or antidepressants for fibromyalgia. The more I ask about a patient's overall health and connect the dots, the clearer it becomes that traditional, insurance-based approaches are often insufficient.
Consider a recent patient who sought care for abnormal periods. Further inquiry revealed a cascade of interconnected issues: bowel problems, weight gain, depression, hair loss, diminished libido, pelvic pain, breast concerns, severe fatigue, mental fog, insomnia, and bladder issues. She had already seen a gastroenterologist, neurologist, rheumatologist, primary care physician, therapist, and psychiatrist – I was the fourth GYN she consulted. I was the first to connect these seemingly disparate symptoms to a priming event three years prior, realizing she likely suffered from a multisystem chronic inflammatory syndrome. While I knew I could help, it would require extensive initial testing and a long-term, personalized treatment plan, with only a fraction covered by insurance. This often leaves patients trapped in a frustrating loop.
At times, I've wished I hadn't ventured down this rabbit hole, imagining the simpler path of prescribing standard medications and referring "frequent flyer" patients to psychiatry. However, I believe we are in an exciting era of precision medicine, characterized by in-depth, targeted testing and customized treatment approaches.
I am profoundly optimistic that the movement towards Medicine 3.0 and Longevity Medicine is gaining traction. People are finally recognizing what medicine truly should be: treating the person, not just the numbers.
The world of optimal health is an oasis, waiting for us to open our minds to its possibilities.
852 South Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90035, United States
Call: +1 424-455-0102 Email: connect@longevitycenterbeverlyhills.com
Open today | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm |
Copyright © 2025 Longevity Center Beverly Hills - All Rights Reserved.