Becoming an Empowered Patient

By Pasqualina Coppola

There is mounting evidence proving that once-believed incurable illnesses like lupus, Sjorgen's syndrome and the like can be managed and even reversed through alternative health modalities. However, the lack of awareness around these treatments and skepticism within the medical community keeps these options

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pasqualina Coppola
• Release date: Apr 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9781637302774

Book preview

Becoming_an_empowered_patient.jpg

Becoming an Empowered Patient

Becoming an

Empowered

Patient

Pasqualina Coppola

New Degree Press

Copyright © 2021 Pasqualina Coppola

All rights reserved.

Becoming an Empowered Patient

ISBN

978-1-63676-833-5 Paperback

978-1-63730-209-5 Kindle Ebook

978-1-63730-277-4 Ebook

Contents

Introduction

the hippocratic oath

Part I. how we got here

History of Medical Care

Complementary AND AltErnative medicine—Their struggle for credibility

Health myths and the importance of informed consent

Back Pain

Part II. on the road to becoming an empowered patient

health issues

case study of an uninformed and unempowered patient

Nutrition for healing

functional MEDICINE

Part III. mind, body, AND spirit as medicine

Natural medicine—herbs, plants, and minerals

physical therapy link

Spiritual enlightenment: connecting the mind with the heart and soul

the iMportance of social support

Part IV. regenerative medicine

an introduction to regenerative medicine

LIGHT: THE GAME CHANGER

My Journey into energy medicine

pemf: pulsed electromagnetic FIELD therapy

orthobiological solutions to regeneration—platelet rich plasma (PRP) AND Stem cells

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

APPENDIX

For Sal, Johnmarco, Christian, and family—your love and encouragement made this work a reality for me.

Scientists now believe it’s even possible that our genetic expression fluctuates on a moment-to-moment basis. The research is revealing that our thoughts and feelings, as well as our activities—that is, our choices, behaviors, and experiences—have profound healing and regenerative effects on our bodies. Thus, your genes are being affected by your interactions with your family, friends, co-workers, and spiritual practices, as well as your sexual habits, your exercise levels, and the types of detergents you use. The latest research shows that approximately 90 percent of genes are engaged in cooperation with signals from the environment. And if our experience is what activates a good number of our genes, then our nature is influenced by nurturing. So why not harness the power of these ideas so that we can do everything possible to maximize our health and minimize our dependence on the prescription pad? 

—Joe Dispenza

Introduction

"When you chose to prove to yourself how powerful you really are, you have no idea who you will be helping in the future."

—Joe Dispenza

My journey to becoming an empowered patient started several years ago, after complications from an initial shoulder surgery led to more surgery and ultimately a bout with autoimmune illness. Since I am not trained as a medical doctor, I initially looked to a multitude of medical doctors for help. The more doctors I saw, the more I began to realize I needed to listen to my intuition, do my own research, and take back control of my health. This was not looked upon favorably by the doctors I sought and asked questions of. In fact, the responses to my questioning and/or refusal to undergo certain treatments ranged from impatience and belittlement all the way to a referral for psychiatric evaluation. The fact that I have been able to make progress since my journey began, without dangerous interventions and medications, is a testament to the power that resides not only in me but in every one of us, if we simply dare to unleash it and trust it.

My initial awakening came with the discovery of Dr. Brooke Goldner and her nutrition protocol for conquering autoimmune illnesses. Dr. Goldner is an MD in psychiatry but has been practicing nutritional medicine over the past several years. You see, she had been dealing with lupus since she was a teenager and began taking medication to keep her symptoms in check. Her ongoing health issues led her to pursue a medical degree. By the time she was in medical school, she developed a blood clotting disorder in addition to lupus. Her quality of life was seriously impaired to the point where she suffered from mini strokes and kidney failure.¹

While in medical school, she met a wonderful man, Thomas Tadlock, who eventually became her husband. Thomas holds a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion. At the time, he was a top personal trainer to multiple celebrities and professional sports teams in California. He was also the author of the weight loss programs for the fitness equipment company behind the hit TV show The Biggest Loser.²

They fell in love, and after one short month, he proposed. She had to tell him about her health diagnosis. Dr. Goldner was not expected to live a long life and would most likely not conceive children. She fully anticipated her health would deteriorate and he would become her caretaker, sooner rather than later. While shocked at the news, Thomas was still willing to live a short and complicated life with her rather than a lifetime with anyone else.³

Overjoyed at the prospect of spending what was left of her life with her love, Dr. Goldner decided to lose some weight for their upcoming wedding. Thomas shared with her the nutrition protocol he had been using for his clients. In the process of losing weight, she discovered an immensely life-changing side effect. Not only did her symptoms clear up, but the autoimmune blood markers were also no longer showing up in her test results. She has been living an illness-free life for over fifteen years now and has given birth to two healthy children by staying on this nutrition plan. She uses this protocol to help countless people become free from autoimmune illness that Western medicine has no cure for.⁴

Dr. Goldner has taken an approach that many in the medical business would have written off as unsubstantiated by science. Most Western medical doctors would debate there is insufficient evidence to prove that autoimmune diseases can be reversed. In fact, they would argue that you can only control the symptoms of autoimmune illnesses with medications. Chances are good that Dr. Goldner would not have believed it herself had she not experienced the personal results from the changes she made in her life.

As a trained medical doctor, she has been vocal about the shortcomings of her medical training. She has openly shared that little to no importance is given to nutrition in our current medical education system. Yet for Dr. Goldner and for the hundreds of chronically ill patients she has treated, not only has nutrition been the key to healing, but it has also been the key to disease reversal. Food can heal. However, the business of medicine has not been ready to admit this fact, nor has the FDA come up with a food pyramid and plan that heals. 

The business of medicine at large makes many feel foolish for trying alternative protocols or treatment. Thankfully, a multitude of medical doctors like Dr. Goldner, in search of their own personal health solutions, found alternative treatments that were more effective in their own healing. In many cases, these alternative treatments reversed difficult health conditions. These doctors are leading the way to revolutionizing medicine and have completely changed their own practices to offer better solutions to patients.

Nutrition is only one of many other modalities (such as acupuncture, meditation, light therapy, and regenerative treatments) in which effectiveness is downplayed by the medicine business. In fact, such solutions may be viewed as dangerous nonsense that preys on the gullible, offering—at best—results that are no better than a placebo. Yet carefully controlled studies—many to be found in published research articles maintained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—have shown the promise of care that is less invasive and disruptive than mainstream medical care.

Furthermore, many conventional treatments and surgeries have also been shown to be no better than a placebo, yet this rarely gets questioned by the medical business. 

The issues with current medical care are well-documented if one takes the time to research.

•Musculoskeletal diseases affect more than half of the US population. Overwhelming evidence shows that pain can be treated without medication. Medical modalities are showing great promise of healing musculoskeletal injuries. The various alternative treatments will be discussed later in this book. Yet a typical orthopedic doctor will dispense dangerous medications and/or steroid injections for the pain. When that does not permanently relieve symptoms (they usually never do), their next steps are to schedule surgeries.

•Orthopedic surgeries have been on the rise for years and are expected to grow to 6.6 million annually by 2020, despite the fact that many surgeries are no better than sham treatments. ⁵ Surgeries are ultimately another traumatic event to the musculoskeletal structure, with the potential to do more harm than good. 

•Chronic diseases—heart disease, pulmonary conditions, mental illness, cancer, and autoimmune illnesses—affect more than 40 percent of Americans.⁶ More than 75 percent of all healthcare costs in our country are tied to chronic conditions. Yet most of these dollars are going toward treatments that mask symptoms, and in many cases create other complications. The shocking truth is that many of these diseases can be safely and effectively reversed. Nevertheless, we don’t seem to spend the time and economic resources to protocols that reverse diseases.

The business of medicine has no incentive to heal and reverse disease. We have many conscientious medical practitioners who are sworn to follow the Hippocratic oath. Unfortunately, they are not the ones driving our healthcare system. That remains in the hands of our health insurance companies, who along with big healthcare businesses and the government, get to decide what is accepted and covered medical care. This control of health care by the government and businesses drives everything from medical education and eventually healthcare decisions that affect every one of us. Our doctors are simply carrying out the directives set by the industry at large. They are in many ways handcuffed by the system, recommending treatments widely taught and covered and not necessarily the best treatments. Many patients are not self-informed or financially capable of choosing treatments that are better for their health.

So here we are, at the crossroads of conventional and nonconventional medicine, which may be best described as the integrated age of health care. Medicine, after all, should promote the application of treatments that provide optimal health outcomes. If that is true, the business of medicine needs to be revamped.

Insurance companies are in a position to drive behaviors by paying for the best health promoting treatments. Insurance companies can effect change and drive down medical costs by compensating doctors for keeping patients healthy. Instead of relying on research funded solely by companies with financial motives, they should be looking to support research from scientists at the forefront of healing modalities with good outcomes and little to no detrimental impact.

Patients need to be better informed about available treatment options and choose those that eradicate illness and promote healing. Patients need access to doctors who provide a consultative role. Successful doctors of the future should be well researched on a multitude of potential treatments. They should expect and welcome open and honest dialogue with patients. Doctors need to be willing to face the fact that they may not have all the answers but need to find the time to educate themselves on alternate solutions. Their role should be to promote health, even if they are suggesting options they cannot administer themselves.

Pharmaceutical solutions and surgeries absolutely have a place, but nowhere near as dominant as they are today. If we are truly looking to have a healthier population and reduce healthcare costs, both of those options will be less relevant. We, as patients, need to force the overhaul of this business by choosing to spend our time and money on solutions that keep us healthy and out of pain, without addiction to drugs and unnecessary invasive interventions.

Could a movement of people taking back their health possibly lead to a better medical system for all? I believe it can. But we are fighting an economic engine with no vested interest in seeing this come to fruition. We need to find and support doctors who rely on all facets of medicine (conventional and alternative) as the key to our long-term health and to the health of our loved ones. We need to question the current medical business by finding the research that supports or discredits what currently accepted dogma is. We need to address these issues with the insurance companies that dictate which procedures will be financially covered. In doing so, we empower