Issue 123.2 - True Health Begins With The Mind by topdoctormagazine

SPECIAL ISSUE

June 2021 Issue 123.2

True Health Begins With The Mind An Exclusive Interview With Dr. Ivan Edwards Pg 01

Tales From the Frontlines: Dr. Mohammed Megri Pg 05

TOP DOCTORS OF THE WEEK

The Genetics of Eye Color are Helping Children See More We Their Future - Eye Care TheComplex Geneticsthan of Eye Color are Helping Children See Thought 4 Kids More Complex than We Their Future - Eye Care Pg 09 Pg 12 Thought 4 Kids Pg 09 Pg 12

Contents

True Health Begins With The Mind

Tales From the Frontlines: Dr.

Pain Management: It's More Than Medicating

Mohammed Megri

Chiropractic Care and Functional Medicine in Israel with Dr. Reuven Rosenberg

The Genetics of Eye Color are

More Complex than We Thought

Dr. Christopher Lee - First-Hand Tales of the COVID-19 Pandemic from an UrgentCare Physician

Helping Children See Their Future - Eye Care 4 Kids

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Issue 123.2.1

True Health Begins With The Mind By Oyalola M. Lateef We can measure health and wellness in multiple ways. They are usually broken down into various diagnoses that often fail to provide a picture of a healthy body and mind. While there is incredible lifesaving

progress

modern-day

western

medicine,

less

comprehensive approach to healthcare has been its greatest downfall. Western medicine generally believes that health and lifestyle are separate. It views every individual as patients needing a prescription and surgery rather than a complete being with a whole system that needs comprehensive care. Common medical approach ignores the root cause of health problems and focuses on symptoms. Western medicine’s persistent failure necessitates a holistic approach to healthcare. Holistic care views patients as individuals with a unique medical history, values, desires, social circumstances, family situations, and lifestyle, all of which impact their health conditions and diseases. A medical approach often sees these areas separately. However, they are interconnected and cannot be separated. Holistic care is defined as an approach that attempts to provide comprehensive care focusing on body, mind, and spirit, which also involves complementary medicines that can overlap with modernday western medicine. Ultimately, holistic health experts believe that the human body is made up of interdependent parts that must work optimally at all times. When one part fails, all the remaining parts will be affected. Imbalance in any area of a patient's life – emotional, physical, or spiritual – can trigger a negative impact on their overall health.

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Issue 123.2.1

In an interview with Top Doctor Magazine, Dr. Ivan Edwards, told us "Medicine has taken a trend where we are treating disease when they occur because we ignored the preventative measures in treating them before they occur." Dr. Edwards believes that medical treatments need to embody a holistic approach in treating the human body. Dr. Ivan Edwards is board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a veteran serving his country as a USAF Reserve Flight Surgeon. Dr. Edwards explained further, "So, we need to include a non-medicinal approach for treating disease." The physician urges healthcare providers to act proactively while talking about issues related to diet and exercise. "…we all know it works, but we know people will not comply because people are going to eat what they want to eat." Dr. Edwards, the CEO of JOVANA Rehabilitation Medicine in San Antonio, stated further, "We have to take a bold step and dictate what is right for the patients, not just give them medications." He also explained that this would require a fee, and patients might be charged. "…but they will get the holistic treatment they need and not give them one drug after another. That wasted medicine has to change. We must change that perspective. Yes, medication does have a role, and I am not downplaying that role, but let's look at a holistic approach to treating people. Let's include meditation, appropriate diet, exercise, medications, and probably injections if they need one. The military uses multiple pronged approaches by employing the air force, army, and navy. Still, in medicine, we fixate on medication, and if it doesn't work, we recommend surgery," Dr. Edwards complained. While responding to questions during the interview, Dr. Edwards further exposed the flaws in our medical industry and told us, "There is no magic pill that will cure you. You only have to look at the outcomes." He reiterated that he is not downplaying the use of medications. "…but what I am stressing is the need for a holistic approach. Medications have been on the frontier, and apparently, it's PAGE

Issue 123.2.1

not doing well overall. Let's have people do other things." Dr. Edwards said sternly. Even though people frowned at different therapies, the reality is apparent. "I have traveled extensively and found that some practices and most modalities do work if used in conjunction with what we call traditional western medicine. Sadly, we are quick in dismissing some as wacky. Yes, it's wacky but let's look at the outcomes. Why do people who meditate, exercise, and take good care of themselves fair and feel better? Why do people who do whatever they want to do and eat what they want to eat but take the pills don't get better?" Dr. Edwards asked. For example, Dr. Edwards continued, "one of my nurses approached me and said she was on sleeping pills because she was stressed, and she told me she doesn't know how to go about it. I told her to tell her doctor to stop the pills and told her to try not to eat before bed and walk 15 minutes after dinner. She said she would walk 20 minutes after dinner, and she did. She got off the sleeping pills and told me she is sleeping better, and after a few weeks, she told me her health condition has improved. I told her she doesn't need the pill. Because she felt anxious doesn't mean she needs pills. You have to check the underlying issues. When you do not live the quality of life, you can't feel good. Our job is to find that out." Health and wellness begin with your mindset. Your mindset is the totality of attitudes and ideas that shape your perspective about the world. Living a healthy life starts with a healthy mindset. To transform yourself, you need to deal with your thoughts, beliefs, excuses, and self-sabotaging

paradigm.

Since

most

health

problems

are

interrelated, Dr. Edwards suggests that it is crucial to address the mindset through meditation. "…people who meditate sleep better, think better and cultivate good habits and stick to them. They gain serenity and calmness." After overcoming this integral part of the journey, "…then we go to the diet. Diets are ingested, exercise induces sleep, works against insomnia, and increases circulation, breathing, and overall good health. That leads to the next stage, which is medication. We might give one if needed."

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Issue 123.2.1

While discussing diets and their benefits, Dr. Edwards revealed that inflammatory foods are the biggest threat to our health, and it's important to stop consuming inflammatory foods in order to have a healthier America. According to a study, one can of soda in a woman increases the risk of a stroke, "…people never hear about that. It does in a man too, but it's even worse in a woman." This result did not hit the mainstream because the soda companies obscured the truth. "The soda study was killed because soda has to sell. But it is affecting low-income communities. The truth is a can of soda increases the risk of stroke." Dr. Edwards said. The idea of meditation is that people have to affirm that they are going to do better. There is a lot of stress happening, and stress causes diseases. We have to get rid of stress because it attacks the mind first, and if the mind is stressed, the body is not going to do well. So, the idea of meditation has to be internalized, and we have to get better. That in itself is hope. Exuberance and confidence have to take root in us, and we have to know this is the first step in the right direction. Someone who is depressed must be treated for depression first. The mind has to fall in place. When it does, the body does the same thing.

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TOP DOCTORS OF THE WEEK

Issue 123.2.2

Tales From the Frontlines: Dr. Mohammed Megri About Dr. Mohammed Megri Dr. Mohammed Megri is a Board-Certified physician in Pulmonary Disease and Internal Medicine currently based in Lexington, KY. Having completed his studies and residency training at the University of Tripoli in 2014, Dr. Megri returned to the United States and graduated from the Internal Medicine program at Marshall University, WV, in 2018. He expanded his field of practice by completing two additional fellowships, namely in Pulmonary and Critical Care, in 2021. Dr. Megri was also awarded the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) chapter and alpha omega alpha chapter. A member of several professional memberships, such as the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Physicians, Dr. Megri has been on the frontline against the COVID-19 pandemic even since its inception, helping patients and their families recover from this disease. Dr. Megri is an avid basketball fan outside the hospital, playing and watching whenever he gets the chance. Furthermore, he enjoys spending time with his wife and his eight-year-old and four-year-old children. Now and then, it’s good to be reminded of the frontline heroes who push themselves to the limit every day, either working insanely long shifts at the hospital or being forced to stay away from their loved ones to keep their positions against the COVID-19 virus. Amongst all those capeless heroes, we found one particular physician who agreed to speak with one of our Top Doctor Magazine interviewers, Justin and share his thoughts and wonders, happiness and sadness, and hopes and doubts with our readers: Dr. Mohammed Megri. Currently residing in Lexington, KY, Dr. Megri has numerous stories to share PAGE

Issue 123.2.2

with our readers, stories that will bring back the COVID-19 pandemic hardships to mind and strengthen our belief in a better tomorrow. Let’s tune in to the article and learn more from Dr. Megri himself!

Helping Both The Patient and Their Family Ever since he was a toddler, Dr. Megri was destined to become a wellreputed physician. Bringing back beautiful childhood memories, Dr. Megri shares with Top Doctor Magazine how his mother would always surround him with toys related to medicine to guide him towards this noblest of sciences. And these efforts weren't fruitless. Dr. Megri has braved through innumerable challenges and years of study to practice his true passion, his destined career path, which brings him unimaginable joy and happiness. When asked about his favorite part of being a physician, Dr. Megri mentioned the opportunity to care for both the patient and their family. "Seeing the success of helping someone who's suffering from any medical illness and their successes in both ways, like feeding them and making them feel better or help their family or support their family to accept that there's nothing else that we can do." He disclosed for Top Doctor Magazine, reminding us of the physician's difficult task of conveying even more difficult news to the patient's family.

Acting Fast While Keeping Your Calm In their times of utmost need, patients look towards physicians with hope, hope for a better tomorrow, free from any medical issues or illnesses. In order to keep them peaceful and hopeful, physicians experience the constant stress of making split-second decisions while exhibiting a calm persona towards patients. But what happens when the novelty of the situation shakes your very core, and remaining calm seems impossible? Such is the story of Dr. Megri's first encounter with a COVID-19 patient, who, surrounded by so much technology and equipment, looked straight out of a Sci-Fi

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Issue 123.2.2

movie. "We didn't have any interaction with any COVID-19 patients before this. To be honest with you, I was really scared. I'm like looking at the patient; he's in very high oxygen requirements and still hypoxic. And I can see in his eyes that he's scared and struggling for oxygen." This first interaction with a COVID-19 patient left no small impact on Dr. Megri's memories, which reminds us that physicians are humans first and foremost. However, he still remembers one of his attendees' words that encouraged him to brave this unheard-of challenge: "We're going to go inside together in the room. We'll do all the procedures; we'll save this patient and make sure that we protect ourselves. And, if you need any help, just let me know."

Loneliness and the COVID-19 Pandemic Sometimes, it's hard to imagine how an invisible enemy could keep us

away

from

each

other,

from

much-needed

company,

conversations, or even something as ordinary as a hug. However, if this pandemic taught us anything, it is that feeling of closeness that we long for when things look grim. "And the other thing, which I didn't notice that's very important before COVID-19 came, which is the family support to the patients and the family support to the physician." Dr. Megri shares with Top Doctor Magazine. Physicians faced the harsh reality of living separated from their loved ones for weeks on end, which came as extremely difficult to bear for Dr. Megri, whose children were more than eager to spend time with their father. "I have eight-year-old and four-year-old kids, and they love hugging. But at that time, I was afraid that I might be an asymptomatic carrier. I might have, might have the virus, but I don't have symptoms from it, and I might give it to my loved ones." The same story applies to patients who had no one but physicians and nurses for the company throughout their time in the hospital. For them, a combination of loneliness, noises, darkness, and powerful drugs led to something called ICU delirium, showing the importance of having someone dear by your side when in pain. "With COVID-19 and trying to decrease the exposure to the patient family, it was really PAGE

Issue 123.2.2

challenging. The patient himself was having a lot of delirium because he doesn't know where he or she is, and with all the machines and the noises in the room. And no one in his family came to see him or was even able to talk to him, and that was very difficult to deal with."

Looking Beyond Our Own Backyards Running towards the end of the interview, Dr. Megri touched the subject of the ongoing vaccination campaign: "I usually convince them with the vaccine, and I know that we don't have a lot of trials and we don't have a lot of evidence, but I least we have evidence that this vaccine will help around 90% protection against COVID." Although vaccines have proven their efficiency against the virus, Dr. Megri keeps a cautious tone and advises us to respect social distancing furthermore and protect ourselves until we have the pandemic in check. Although the United States has made incredible progress in its vaccination campaign, Dr. Megri draws our attention towards other countries whose vaccination campaigns are still in their infancy: "I think we need to pay attention to other countries as well, because if we are vaccinated, that will be good, but if other countries are not, then that will be, they will come inside the United States. And that will increase the risk of other people because being vaccinated doesn't mean that you will never have to have the COVID disease, but it's a low risk." Here at Top Doctor Magazine, we believe in Dr. Mohammed Megri's advice to care for our fellow beings as much as we care for our close friends and family, which is why we wish him all the best of luck in fighting the COVID-19 virus. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Megri, make sure that you check out the following website.

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Issue 123.2.3

The Genetics of Eye Color are More Complex than We Thought By Esther Oladapo The pigmentation of the iris, which covers the tiny black hole in the middle of the eye called the pupil, helps regulate how much light can reach the eye and determines a person's eye color. The hue of the iris varies from very light blue to very dark brown. Variations in a person's chromosomes decide eye color. The majority of genes linked to eye color are involved in forming, transporting, or preserving melanin, a pigment. The quantity and consistency of melanin in the front layers of the iris are closely related to eye color. The iris of people with brown eyes contains a lot of melanin, while the iris of people with blue eyes contains a lot less. In the most extensive genetic study of its kind to date, a multinational team of researchers led by King's and Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, discovered 50 new genes for eye color. The genetic analysis of nearly 195,000 individuals from Europe and Asia was used in the research. These studies will aid in the comprehension of eye disorders involving eye pigment levels, such as pigmentary glaucoma and ocular albinism. The researchers discovered that Asians with various shades of brown skin color are genetically identical to Europeans with eye color varying from dark brown to light blue. This research builds on previous studies, which found a dozen genes related to eye color and suggested that there may be even more. Previously, scientists believed that skin color was determined solely by one or two chromosomes, with brown eyes predominating over blue eyes.

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Issue 123.2.3

The amount of melanin contained in these compartments determines the color of the eyes. In individuals with blue eyes, a certain percentage of melanosomes contain a small amount of melanin. Green-eyed people have a small amount of melanin and a moderate number of melanosomes. In contrast, brown-eyed people have a large amount of melanin contained inside a large number of melanosomes. Such genes play a significant role in deciding eye color, although others play a minor role. Two genes that play significant roles in deciding eye color are found near each other on chromosome 15 in one area. One gene, OCA2, produces the P protein, which influences the volume and content of melanin in the iris and is involved in melanosome maturation. Several genetic variants such as polymorphisms in this gene decrease P protein release, resulting in lighter eyes. HERC2 is the other major gene involved. This gene's intron 86 regulates OCA2 expression, activating or deactivating it as required. At least one polymorphism in this intron inhibits OCA2 expression and function, lowering P protein production.

A large number of involved genes complicates the inherited eye color process. While the color of a child's eyes can typically be predicted by looking at the color of his or her parents' eyes, the occurring polymorphisms suggest that a child's eye color can be unpredictable. The pairing of genes passed on by each parent determines a child's eye color, which is believed to include at least three gene pairs. EYCL1, also known as the gey gene, and EYCL3 are the two primary gene pairs geneticists have concentrated on, also known as the BEY2 gene.

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Issue 123.2.3

Alleles are the various variations of a gene. Green eyes are caused by one variant of the gey gene, whereas another allele causes blue eyes. One variant of the BEY2 gene is responsible for brown eyes, and the other is responsible for blue eyes. The allele for brown eyes is the most prevalent and is always dominant over the other two alleles. In contrast, the allele for green eyes is always prevalent over the recessive allele for blue eyes. This means that parents with the same eye color can still have a child with different eye color. For instance, if two brown-eyed parents each pass on a pair of blue alleles to their infant, they will be born with blue eyes. If one of the parents passed down a green allele, the infant would have green eyes, and if a brown allele was passed down, the child would have brown eyes, regardless of the other three alleles.

Although there is a wide range of skin colour, shades other than brown are only seen in people of European ancestry. Brown-eyed people are popular in Africa and Asia. While individuals with lighter eyes are more open to light because their iris has less pigment to shield them from the sun, there is little to no evidence that eye colour has a significant effect on vision qualities like visual acuity.

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Issue 123.2.4

HELPING CHILDREN SEE THEIR FUTURE - EYE CARE 4 KIDS By Oyalola Lateef Your eyesight plays an essential role in your health, social engagement, and overall quality of life. As a complex organ, all of the parts must work perfectly together to produce a clear vision. Human beings rely on their eyesight to see and make sense of everything around them. Even though the eyes are crucial to our survival, many people take them for granted and ignore the necessary care until a real threat appears on the scene. This incredible organ is also susceptible to deteriorations like eye diseases and infections, leading to vision loss. Eye complications are often undetected, damaging the delicate visual systems before symptoms are noticed. While some people don't have eye problems until adulthood, many children are born with poor levels of vision, which can affect them significantly. Nearly 25% of school-age children have vision problems, and many preschool and school-age children do not receive adequate vision care. According to the American Optometric Association, 12% of teenagers have undetected or untreated vision problems. The earlier a vision problem is diagnosed and treated, the less negative impact it will have on the child's development and schooling. The early detection and treatment of eye and vision issues for children should be a major public health goal. Seeing this emerging problem, some hardworking individuals dedicate their lives to create a change by providing professional eye care services for every low-income child, whether they can afford it or not. During an interview with Top Doctor Magazine, Stephanie Kirby, the executive director of Eye Care 4 Kids, explained how the PAGE

Issue 123.2.4

the non-profit organization provides professional eye care to low-income children and underserved families in Nevada. Kirby told us, "Eye Care 4 Kids is dedicated to providing eye care services for kids that need correcting vision without resources, whether that be the funds, access to it, or other related reasons limiting them from receiving eye care services." Since its inception, Eye Care 4 Kids has helped nearly 300,000 individuals through its national and international efforts. Through generous donations, Eye Care 4 Kids started a mobile vision clinic equipped with a patient waiting area, pre-screening area, exam room, and wall of eyeglass frames. The clinic travels to CCSD schools, community centers, and various events throughout the valley. Annually, nearly 10,000 students have screened at Eye Care 4 Kids through CCSD urban and rural schools and, of those students, nearly 85% need eyeglasses.

Speaking about this laudable selfless service, Kirby expressed delight knowing that the non-profit organization is positively influencing the trajectory of children's lives. "I know that when people walk in through the door, they have a sense of relief that they don't have to worry about the cost of their child's health and all the services they so desperately needed." Working through the pandemic, Eye Care 4 Kids, and community partners created a student support clinic at senior centers closed due to COVID-19. The group targeted specific schools, made appointments, and provided access to kids. While narrating her experience, Kirby told us, "As the schoo' districts were shutting down, we also had to shut down because we operate on school grounds. We followed their instruction and shut down for 72 days. At that time, I was still coming to the clinic every two to three days and also worked from home."

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Kirby and her team attended to patients until the second week of March to deliver orders from patients who needed their glasses. To make this easier on the patients, she delivered the glasses personally, including the high prescription glasses, because, without them, the kids could not read or see their computer screen. "It was a challenge that turned into great opportunities because we had time to speak to kids about their diagnosis. We also tell them about the 20-20-20 rules: if you are on a device for 20 minutes, give your eyes a 20 seconds break and get up to take something 20 feet away from you," Kirby explained. Traditionally, when people go to clinics, patients barely remember the physician's recommendations once they're out the door. To overcome this challenge, Kirby and her team present a bag to the patients containing information about their diagnosis, when and why they need to wear their glasses, and why they are responsible for them, "…because this is probably going to be a diagnosis they will have throughout their life." Kirby said. While this fantastic service provides relief to so many kids, Kirby hopes for more donations and support from people to keep Eye Care 4 Kids running. With the need for vision care ever-growing, Eye Care 4 Kids have plans to expand the services in all current locations and create clinics in new additional states across the country. Eye Care 4 Kids certainly look forward to establishing new partnerships and friendships to turn these amazing goals into reality. Giving a child the gift of sight is simple yet so unattainable for far too many. We ask for your help in making the adequate vision a reality for our future generations.

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Issue 123.2.5

Pain Management: It's More Than Medicating By Kayla Schleining Chronic pain isn't just about diagnosis and medication. Dr. Tania Faruque, MD, knows this well, and she puts it into practice every day at Palomar Spine & Pain in California, where she serves as Medical Director. Her job is no walk in the park: "Being in pain management is a difficult field, of course… it affects pretty much every aspect of people's lives." The job includes more than doing spine injections, joint injections, and neurological work. Dr. Faruque also gets to know her patients on a deeper level and often finds that their pain isn't only physical. One case that stands out to Dr. Faruque was when an older gentleman came to her for chronic back and joint pain treatment. While she was administering help, she realized there was more going on than just the diagnosis. "[Other than the pain], in his life, his wife had just recently passed away." Dr. Faruque described. "And you see that a lot of these men who've been married for so long… their wives had been taking care of them." She describes how she sees that a lot of older men who lose their wives tend to lose sight of their own wellbeing due to grief, which often accumulates into greater pain. Dr. Faruque said she noticed how "his will of life, his joy was really just gone after his wife passed." During every visit, she would talk to him during his clinic visit. “It took time, but I would always talk to him, talk to him about his kids… [even though] he did want to move to Arizona to be with his kids but for the longest time didn't want to actually go… and each visit I would want to be like, Look, you should move, go be with family, it will make a difference." Days passed, months passed, and the gentleman didn't return. One day, Dr. Faruque describes how he showed up at her office out of the blue: "When I saw him again, he did end up moving

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to Arizona. And he came just to thank me for that." Dr. Faruque tells the story with fondness, the smile practically audible in her voice. "My day is good when I've made a difference in a patient's quality of life." And for this gentleman, the help she provided was more than just providing physical pain relief. Dr. Faruque's journey in the medical field began ever since she was a little girl. Being the daughter of immigrants, she described how her parents never wanted her to take for granted living in America. They instilled in her the values of helping others and giving back: "I know that's a cliché answer, but it's the truth, that's what got me into the field." Plus, the skill set needed to be a doctor came naturally to her: "In school, I really enjoyed science a lot, so this is really the perfect career for me." But Dr. Faruque's interest in science and heart for people as a child was only the beginning. The rest of her quicklygrowing career exemplified her intelligence, ingenuity, compassion, and entrepreneurship on a whole new level. Not only is Dr. Faruque a double-board certified interventional pain management specialist and anesthesiologist, but she's also a graduate of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic. There, she did her residency in Anesthesiology and rotated through the Chronic Pain Rehab Program – a program that treats some of the most complicated chronic pain cases in the medical community. She became the first female pain medicine fellow at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and continues to be one of the few female pain physicians in San Diego, treating patients with interventional management, physical therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and biofeedback /relaxation training. As the entire world now knows, all the training, skill, and experience in the world couldn't have prepared anyone for such unprecedented times. "My previous job, COVID affected it significantly," Dr. Faruque recounts. "Our clientele went down by 75% in the Pasadena area in California. Unfortunately, the practice never really fully recovered… even when things were getting a little bit better."

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Dr. Faruque didn't let COVID stop her from giving back to her community. Another doctor reached out to Dr. Faruque, sharing that he was planning to retire and have someone take over his practice. The opportunity couldn't have been more perfect. "It was a great undertaking," Dr. Faruque said, "Really scary, but great." She officially started at Palomar this January. But even with a new year, old challenges still presented themselves. "We were considered non-essential so that unfortunately hindered [things]. Patients were afraid to come to our clinic; pain procedures weren't needed." But when patients started to trickle in, the treatments that had been put off for so long were manifesting in unpleasant ways: "When patients did finally come in, they were in an extreme amount of pain and wanted immediate treatment, but that can't be the case." As if things couldn't get any more complicated, patients who had difficulty breathing in masks still had to wear them, and patients eager to get treatments were faced with COVID questions. "A lot of it seemed to be a big nuisance for the patients, but it's all for safety." Aside from the complications that COVID brings, there are also controversies, politicization, and those who don't follow guidelines. Instead of being frustrated, Dr. Faruque realized something: "What I found interesting was that there was a lot of misinformation." She explained, "A lot of us in the medical field take for granted what we know about [COVID], but most patients don't really know anything about COVID." She says she would do her best to answer the many questions patients had about the pandemic. She was surprised to find that many who didn't want to wear masks or follow the guidelines didn't do it out of rebellion – but just because they genuinely didn't understand why. This was especially true with her older patients. "That was one of the biggest surprises for me. We assume that patients know what's happening, but a lot of the time, they don't." For Dr. Faruque, getting patients to come in person for a check-up is very high on her priority list. Unfortunately, unlike other fields of care, pain treatments can't benefit from telemedicine. "To be realistic, it's difficult in pain management because you really need that physical exam. And if you're giving prescriptions like opioids, you don't want to

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be doing that over the phone." But even still, Dr. Faruque clarifies that pain treatment isn't only about narcotics and medications. While opioids and narcotics are sometimes necessary, that isn't the whole picture. "Our role is to provide alternatives to avoid long-term medication and surgery." She explains. "I want to be a voice for people understanding what pain management is, that it's not just opioids. It's really other forms of treatment like neuromodulation and regenerative medicine." This is just one of the reasons why a face-to-face appointment is critical for pain management treatments – it's not just about stopping the pain; it's about solving the root issue and improving lifestyle. Dr. Faruque is still early in her career, but she has already made massive waves in her community. "I never choose to settle in my career. I had a dream when I first became a doctor to have my own practice. And not only be a doctor, but also an entrepreneur. I'm proud that I never gave up on that, and now I have that opportunity. It's a big goal that I accomplished." And the race isn't over yet. As the vaccine is being distributed, cases are going down, and life is gradually starting to return to normal, Dr. Faruque and Palomar Spine & Pain look forward to the future. "I really want to make this clinic successful and be a good source, a good doctor, and have a good reputation out there and help people. And right now, it's all about pain and wellness. I truly love helping people."

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Chiropractic Care and Functional Medicine in Israel with Dr. Reuven Rosenberg By Brianna Connors Now an established chiropractor and a board-certified clinical nutritionist in Israel, Dr. Reuven Rosenberg's unorthodox career path was a winding one. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Rosenberg first attended the School of Visual Arts for Graphic Design. After graduation, this path evolved into dreams of breaking into the film industry. As a young man with a musical background, he found success working on MTV videos and the television program The Equalizer. In this interview with Top Doctor Magazine, Dr. Rosenberg shared his fascinating background story and some refreshing perspectives on functional health, the human body, and practicing abroad.

About Dr. Reuven Rosenberg At the age of 30, Dr. Rosenberg decided it was time to build the foundation for professional growth. With a keen fascination with the health of the human body and a passion for interdisciplinary education, Dr. Rosenberg chose to go back to school. He moved to Dallas, Texas, and graduated from Parker University five years later. In Dallas, he would not only begin practicing as a chiropractor, but he also had two children with his wife while becoming religiously observant. The Rosenberg family then moved to New York City, where Dr. Rosenberg would practice for five years. On a family vacation to Israel in 2005, Dr. Rosenberg encountered his rabbi from Brooklyn, whom he describes as a very wise and kind man, and with whom he had a life-changing conversation. Six months after that talk, Dr. Rosenberg and his family relocated permanently to Israel.

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"It was a lot of work to start from scratch again at age 41. It's been a lot of work." After 15 years in Israel, it seems the efforts have paid off, as he experiences no shortage of patients or professional name recognition, locally or in the United States. Many come to Dr. Rosenberg's private practice in Ramat Beit Shemesh for a wide variety of reasons. Dr. Rosenberg has completed several postgraduate courses in functional neurology and applies that education to many cases, including people affected by Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, & ADD/HD.

Functional Medicine Gives People Hope After decades of helping people, Dr. Rosenberg took a thoughtful and personalized approach to give his patients the best care possible. For example, he told Top Doctor Magazine about a 28-year-old female patient with ten years of struggle with hypersomnia, which leaves the patient feeling excessive sleepiness throughout the day and unable to sleep at night. The patient was using Ritalin and coffee to manage this problem, but it was very obvious to all this was not sustainable. Dr. Rosenberg helped this patient with his process of testing neurotransmitters, hormones, and manual muscle testing. Dr. Rosenberg speaks from personal experience,

"I myself at 21 had

chronic fatigue, and I saw a chiropractor… and I didn't know why at that time! But he helped me with chiropractic and functional medicine. And that is what people are looking for." Dr. Rosenberg takes it further. His practice uses the principles from functional neurology and combines them with clinical nutrition and functional lab testing. After 15 years in Israel, Dr. Rosenberg has been able to help countless people who were consistently told their situations were unsolvable: ailments such as insomnia, weight, male and female hormone issues, headaches, migraines, sleep apnea, autoimmune issues, chronic pain, and diseases of the digestive system. Dr. Rosenberg has a novel way of explaining his sophisticated work to the casual layperson, "To me, it's all about the state of the nervous system,the state of the brain, and the internal terrain. The brain controls the whole body."

PAGE

Issue 123.2.6

Chiropractors Remove Interference in Your Body With the surrounding geopolitical tension in Israel, extreme stress is a significant issue that is quite different from most Americans, which is why Dr. Rosenberg seems to have his work cut out for him. "Many

Israeli

patients

haven't

even

heard

chiropractor, but chiropractors have been around since 1895…and really under various names going back to ancient

Egypt."

Dr.

Rosenberg

continues,

"Chiropractors from the early days recognized that the body is a self-healing, self-regulating organism. Our main goal is to remove some type of interference… something that is interfering with the transmission of information in the body." Every chiropractor has their way of doing things, but they all work towards the same goal. Dr. Rosenberg prides himself in his unique approach of interlacing functional medicine and applied kinesiology, as not many chiropractors can do that.

Managing COVID-19 Dr. Rosenberg was ahead of the pandemic by creating an online Functional Medicine program. "I've had the idea for quite some time." Functional Medicine works very well in a telemedicine model. o serve more people, Dr. Rosenberg has enhanced his approach by collaborating online with a sleep coach. "I proposed to him that we could complement each other." The work continues to evolve even after 21 years of experience. COVID-19 presented several challenges initially. "Chiropractic is hands-on work." The Alternative Medicine division of the HMO that Dr. Rosenberg practices in part-time was shut down for several months but eventually reopened. These days, thanks in part to Israel's expeditious vaccination efforts, his private practice business has not only returned to pre-pandemic levels but has significantly increased. "I'm a chiropractor. People aren't coming to me for COVID. They are coming for neck and back pain. But they may also benefit from enhanced immune function in the process of treatment." With the effects of the pandemic yet unfolding, his work at the Integrative Health Center in Ramat Beit Shemesh will continue to be invaluable in the long-term care and ongoing relationships between Dr. Rosenberg and his patients. PAGE

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Issue 123.2.7

Dr. Christopher Lee First-Hand Tales of the COVID-19 Pandemic from an UrgentCare Physician By Yuko Tabasa

About Dr. Christopher Lee Dr. Christopher Lee, M.D., who grew up in Texas, knew he wanted to pursue medicine since high school. Initially, he wanted to become a surgeon, then an anesthesiologist, but later on transitioned out of anesthesia because he wanted to get into hospital/corporate medicine leadership. Dr. Lee is now the Medical Director at Baycare Urgent Care for four years running. To get to where he is today, he acquired his medical degree from the Miller School of Medicine in Miami and completed his residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Lee then proceeded to get his advanced subspecialty residency at the University of South Florida, where he is also an affiliate professor for Internal Medicine. Dr. Lee enjoys the variety of people he gets to interact with daily, from medical students to patients and colleagues. He is proud to be part of Tampa’s leading health care system and takes pride in providing outstanding medical care for his community.

What is Urgent Care? The main difference between working as an urgent care physician and a primary care physician is the amount of time the doctor gets to spend with the patient. In primary care, doctors get to see their patients on more than one occasion and develop relationships over time. However, in urgent care, doctors usually meet a patient only once and for a limited amount of time. PAGE

Issue 123.2.7

Dr. Lee said it is essential to build a bond with the patient quickly while giving them the proper care and assistance they need. Luckily, Dr. Lee has excellent people skills, and he can put them to good use when he sees 30-40 different patients daily.

How Has COVID-19 Affected Urgent Care? During the initial pandemic blow, the hospital was turned upside down due to many protocol changes. Dr. Lee said that they had to scramble around looking for sufficient COVID-19 testing and PPE. The significant lack of proper protective equipment was the main struggle for them during the first months of the pandemic. On top of that, they also had to deal with hospital staff contracting COVID-19, leading to a high volume of staff turnover. Fortunately, BayCare has been fluid with its response to the unprecedented changes, and they were able to think fast and plug holes at the last minute.

Telemedicine Is Here To Stay It’s no surprise to hear that Dr. Lee has also seen a substantial decline in the number of patients he sees. With COVID-19 hovering over everyone’s mind, patients now think twice about visiting the hospital. But that’s where telemedicine comes in. Now, patients can get a medical evaluation instantaneously through a click or an app. Dr. Lee ultimately sees telemedicine as a benefit, especially during these unprecedented times. However, he still notes the concerns that it brings about, especially from a financial standpoint. Because reimbursement rates for telemedicine visits are significantly lower, doctors’ revenue will also decrease. Additionally, people who don’t have access to smartphones and Wi-Fi are unable to use this platform. Dr. Lee also points out that telemedicine is still limited in what it can do because it cannot replace the ability to do physical examinations.

Nevertheless,

telemedicine

still

great

supplementary tool for doctors and is a great way to expand healthcare access, especially to areas with a shortage of physicians.

PAGE

Issue 123.2.7

Get Vaccinated Now Having received the vaccine last December, which was earlier than he anticipated, Dr. Lee is excited to have things go back to normal this year. He is delighted in the thought of traveling around again and being able to take some time off work -- especially since he worked for 97 straight days last year. Dr. Lee urges the public to read the correct information regarding vaccinations. He is also trying his best to explain to the general public the science behind how the vaccine works. Dr. Lee connotes getting the vaccine as the light at the end of the tunnel, and the sooner that everyone can realize that the sooner we can all go back to living a COVID-19-free life.

PAGE

Issue 123.2.8

Home Fitness Has Evolved By Joseph Smalley For most of us who've lived in the '90s, you'll often see the familiar sight of men and women in jogging clothes, dancing, and exercising on your TV screens. Some even have fancy equipment such as treadmills or exercise balls. Home fitness has been with us for quite some time now, and we have to admit, it has played a significant role in our lives now, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the closure of gyms and fitness centers worldwide. These days, many people have been buying a load of gym equipment and subscribing to fitness programs online. People have been trying to look for ways to keep their bodies and minds fit in their own homes' confinement. But where is this leading? Let's first look at how home fitness began and see how home fitness has evolved today.

Home Fitness: Origins One of the earliest pieces of home fitness evidence dates back to 1861 in a guidebook created by Gustav Ernst, an orthopedic machinist. In his book, he featured specific exercises for men and women, targeting certain muscle groups and featuring a contraption similar to a modern-day rowing machine. But the earliest home fitness exercises dated as early as 5,000 years ago during the creation of various practices such as Yoga in India and Tai Chi in China. Home Fitness slowly began to appear during the '50s, after World War II. Due to the vast economic boom post-war and probably one of humankind's fascinating inventions, the TV, home fitness became possible. As the days went by and awareness against obesity became more apparent, home fitness became more accessible. The first-ever home fitness program for TV started in 1951 when a fitness guru named Jack Lalanne started broadcasting an exercise show focusing on women, specifically housewives. He demonstrated various stretches, bends, and aerobics that targeted middle-class PAGE

Issue 123.2.8

white women. Shortly after, numerous channels began to copy this and presented exercise shows themselves.

The Start of the Evolution: The TV, Equipment and the Gym As mentioned, there was an awareness about obesity during the mid1900s. Beauty standards were all about being thin and fit. It was rampant during this time. Business people and developers invented various equipment during this time to cater to such demands. Examples of these gadgets were sauna suits, vibrating belts, and the resistance bands you see. Personal fitness became a lifestyle during this time, and as such, there was increased demand for better fitness programs. Another critical invention played a massive role in the evolution of fitness. This is the creation of the VHS tape. With the VHS tape, you didn't have to tune in to that morning exercise routine. People could know the time when they wanted to exercise and quickly learned new exercise techniques due to the availability and accessibility of these tapes. One of the top performers for these videos was none other than American actress Jane Fonda, selling around 17 million copies of her workout videos that eventually led to more videos with various routines and equipment. Aside from the VHS tapes, of course, the main spectacle of fitness was establishing gyms and fitness studios worldwide. Gyms were created as early as Greek antiquity. Fitness gyms existed as early as the 1900s, but it wasn't until the '80s when gyms began to double, especially in the United States.

Fitness Before the Pandemic Fitness kept going and improving during the 2000s. New pieces of gym equipment were invented, which fully adapted to the world's technological

advancements.

During

this

time,

home

fitness

programs were starting to rise but were often neglected. People still PAGE

Issue 123.2.8

preferred going to the gym since it was more convenient, and the gym offered more equipment and people who could monitor a person's progress and assist those who have trouble lifting weights. Then came the pandemic that shook the world. In 2019, a new disease as deadly as SARS started circulating, and by 2020, it prompted the beginning of the "new normal." That's right; it's COVID-19.

Fitness During the Pandemic and Its Effect on the Future The pandemic led to businesses and establishments' closure; this included gyms and other fitness studios. Despite this, there's always a silver lining to things. According to a Comscore study, there was a 147% increase in the consumption and demand of various media for fitness, ranging from online app subscriptions to the rise in Youtube videos for fitness. Alongside the increase in online subscription numbers, the purchase of gym equipment skyrocketed in 2020. Peloton, the treadmill, and stationary bike company reported a 232% increase in their sales over the first quarter of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic saw a massive increase in the sales for sports attire, weights, and other equipment such as jump ropes and resistance bands at this time. The rise in the number of devices and gadgets for fitness also increased during this time. Researchers and business people predicted that by the time 2022 arrives, around 900 million people would be using such devices. These devices include smartwatches, rings, and wireless earphones. Scientists have predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic will not be gone anytime soon; causing these business people to claim that around 2025 the fitness gadget industry would gain approximately $700 million. We are still unsure of what will happen to us in the future, let alone the future of physical fitness, but one thing holds. In these trying times, we need to improve our physical fitness, not for looks, but for us to stay healthy. To learn further how the pandemic affected home fitness, you can check out this site. PAGE

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A Word from the Editors Top Doctor Magazine is a magazine from doctors for doctors and patients. We cover everything from cutting edge medical techniques and procedures to enterprising doctors, dentists, surgeon, naturopaths, chiropaths, orthodontists and more who are thought leaders within their own medical practice and changing the way we all experience medicine for the better. We wish to be your one-stop digest for inspiration by other professionals in your field who are making waves and setting trends and if you too are a trend-setter, reach out to us so that we can interview you for your own spotlight within an upcoming Top Doctor Magazine issue!

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