Madiha M. Saeed MD - The Holistic Rx: Your Guide to Healing Chronic Inflammation and Disease

The Holistic Rx

The Holistic Rx

Your Guide to Healing Chronic Inflammation and Disease

Madiha Saeed, MD

ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD

Lanham Boulder New York London

Published by Rowman & Littlefield

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706

www.rowman.com

Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB

Copyright 2017 by Madiha M. Saeed

Graphics designed by Anna R. Cunningham

All rights reserved . No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Saeed, Madiha M., author.

Title: The holistic Rx : your guide to healing chronic inflammation and

disease / Madiha M. Saeed.

Description: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017015592 (print) | LCCN 2017019677 (ebook) | ISBN 9781442279445 (electronic) | ISBN 9781442279438 (cloth : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: InflammationAlternative treatment. | Integrative medicine. | Alternative medicinePopular works. | Chronic diseasesAlternative treatment.

Classification: LCC RB131 (ebook) | LCC RB131 .S24 2017 (print) | DDC 616/.0473dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017015592

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Printed in the United States of America

Dedicated to my extraordinary parents and to those who spread their wings of unconditional love, support, and sacrifice to ones who need it most

Disclaimer

T his book represents reference material only. It is not intended as a medical manual, and the data presented here are meant to assist the reader in making informed choices regarding wellness. This book is not a replacement for treatment(s) that the readers personal physician may have suggested. If the reader believes he or she is experiencing a medical issue, professional medical help is recommended. Mention of particular products, companies, or authorities in this book does not entail endorsement by the publisher or author.

Acknowledgments

The True Power of Unconditional Love and Sacrifice

T hey say in order to raise a child, it takes a village. But it can also just be a few individuals extraordinary unconditional love equal to the love of one village that can do the trick. I am blessed to have had just that. Surrounded by unconditional love from the moment I made my entrance, my parents sacrificed everything to raise their four children to become debt-free physiciansand by everything, I really do mean EVERYTHING: their home, their friends and family, their money, their clothes, their time, basically their lives. They sacrificed it all to ensure their children had what they needed to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world. Amidst the overwhelming unconditional love, sacrifice, and support I realized anything is possible. All that matters is love.

So for this and everything, I especially thank my extraordinary parents, Nusrat and Muhammad Saeed; my siblings, Athar, Fasiha, Sophia, and Atif Saeedwho despite their busy lives as physicians come regulary to watch the kids, even post call, so I could take a shower or eat a meal by myself; my children Abdullah, Zain, Emaad, and Qasimwho inspire me daily to prevent leptin and insulin resistance so I dont spend my entire life in the kitchen; and my husband, Omer, for being my rock. I am also blessed with the love and support from my in-laws (Mumtaz and Tahira Ansari, Muhammad, Sadaf, Sadia, and Shazia), family, and friends (too many to name, but you know who you are) who continue to motivate me to be all that I can.

Ill continue to give thanks here, because gratitude lowers my inflammationand after writing this book, Ill need all the help I can get! First, I have a confessionI didnt even know what holistic medicine was until I was taken under wing by my attendings (Uthman and Susan Cavallo, MD) and their staff, who spent countless hours catching me up to speed with what I had missed out on in my official medical training. For them I am incredibly grateful for opening my eyes to the true beauty of healing and caring for the whole person. Ill continue to thank my agent, Jeff Herman, who put his belief in a newbies idea and gave her a chance in the competitive world of publishing. I thank my editors, Jess Beebe, and Suzanne Staszak-Silva, Melissa McNitt, and all those at Roman & Littlefield for doing such an amazing job in helping my dream become a reality. Thank you, Drs. Mark Hyman, Frank Lipman, David Perlmutter, Amy Myers, Josh Axe, Tom OBryan, Maya Shetreat-Klein, Izabella Wentz, and so many more who have blazed this trail far before me and have dedicated their lives to others, shared their wisdom, and have inspired me. I am also thankful for the support from Erik Goldman (Holistic Primary Care) and Beth Lambert (Documenting Hope) who motivate me daily with their enthusiasm, dedication, and unconditional love to spread the message of healing far and wide, bringing hope to so many. I am grateful to Mary Agnes and Tommy Antonopoulos for supporting me with tools and guidance I needed to get off the ground.

I cant forget those who strive daily to get off the hamster wheel and take back control of their health and happiness (I know it isnt easy), especially my initial patients who helped me bloom into who I am today. For all of you who spread your wings of unconditional love, support, and sacrifice to those who need it mostfor exponential inspiration, I am truly, undoubtedly thankful! I cant thank the Being Above enough. I am truly blessed! I love you all from the bottom of my heart, as the power of unconditional love and sacrifice can free us, giving us exactly what we need to fly!

Introduction

E ver feel like a hamster on a wheelhuffing and puffing, stuck in a cage, while the world around you whizzes by? Chronic symptoms and health problems can do that to youyour internal life becomes a slowly turning wheel that can inhibit you from getting anywhere. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, about half of all adults in the United States have at least one uncommunicable chronic health condition, while a third have two or more, and the numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate. Thats a lot of aimless hamsters logging in a lot of miles! Whats even scarier, the rise of chronic illness is also affecting our children.

When the dark cloud of chronic disease brings despair, most people turn to their doctor for salvation. Conventional western medicine works phenomenally well for acute care but, sadly, has its limits when it comes to chronic illnesses. Generally, instead of addressing the root causes of chronic diseases, doctors may Band-aid the problem by prescribing medications that come with their own sets of side effects and complications. They stamp you with a lifelong diagnosis, offering very little hope of healing or lifestyle advice. Suddenly, the life that was once yours has now been taken over by your chronic conditions, your doctor, and the pharmaceutical and insurance companies!

In your quest to take back the reins of your health, you then turn to your local bookstore/library. Sadly again to your dismay, there awaits another long and exhausting maze with aisles and aisles of books about how to overcome one chronic disease or another. Many books promise success, and many of the methods outlined actually do have the power to improve your health. While youre running on the hamster wheel, its overwhelming to try to find the energy and time to research what methods will actually work for your individual conditions. This can lead to frustration and confusion, and it can discourage you from finding the real solution to your problem. Are you truly stuck in life defined by your chronic conditions? Will you just have to live with the idea that your life is no longer in your control?