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  • Life, Wellness

    The Riordan Clinic Experience Part Three: The Follow Up

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    Update:  I wanted to give a quick disclaimer on this series.  It was originally written and posted in Aug/Sept of 2019.  I was hired as the Education Coordinator for Riordan Clinic in June of 2020.  All of the information in the series is reflective of my experience as a patient, pre-employment.  I did not make any changes to the original posts after being hired and is a true reflection of my experience as a patient there. 

    It’s been a few weeks since I had my follow-up appointment and I wanted to wait to post about it until I’d spend a little time on the supplement protocol prescribed by Dr. Anne.  

    First, I want to recap my appointment and then tell you what I’ve experienced since then. A few days before my follow-up appointment day, I received a notification that my lab results were available in my patient portal. I promised myself that I wouldn’t try to interpret them, but of course, I couldn’t wait to check them out.  Remember back to this post when I said they took a lot of blood? Well, now I totally get why because all that blood yielded 12 pages of lab results.  Twelve pages, y’all! That’s a lot of information from a few vials of blood.

    As I mentioned, I didn’t try to interpret them myself, but some things were glaringly evident like a vitamin D deficiency (and I was taking a D supplement at the time), So despite my utter lack of daily sunshine, I was a little bit surprised by this one. When I went in for my visit, Dr. Anne literally went through every single item on the 12 pages. We’re talking almost 200 measurements of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, etc.… My head was spinning by the end, but luckily, she sent me home with a guide to help explain the role of each of these things in the body and how to correct imbalances.

    Remember that I was going in with no severe symptoms.  I did have mild fatigue and got headaches more often than I was used to, but nothing that was a red flag to alert me that there was a significant imbalance.  Let me just say that I am SO GLAD I got this done. Dr. Anne said that functionally my labs looked good, meaning there weren’t any serious issues going on, BUT there were some areas that could potentially become a concern. Namely, my thyroid function.  I definitely was not expecting to hear that because aside from occasional fatigue, I had zero symptoms of low thyroid function. This is such a good lesson because often we wait until symptoms arise to seek out help, but in this case, I caught it before it became a problem. This alone was worth the cost of the program. She said that the low thyroid is likely linked to some other key nutrient deficiencies that showed up on my profile so we would try to treat it by supplementing and diet first.

    After we went through all of my labs, Dr. Anne gave me a treatment protocol of supplements to take and foods to eat to help address the nutrient deficiencies that showed up. I’ve been on the protocol for about one month, and I have definitely noticed some positive changes. For starters, my sleep is so much better.  I honestly didn’t think my sleep was that bad except for the nights that Alex wakes up. Well, sometimes we don’t know things are bad until we know what really good feels like. My sleep has definitely changed for the better, I sleep deeper and feel more rested in the morning.  This, in turn, has helped my energy levels throughout the day. I feel more even-keeled. I’m a pretty easygoing person, but I did start to notice that I was super irritable more often than ever before. I definitely feel like my moods have stabilized over the last month. I don’t know if it’s the supplements or just better sleep, but I will take it! I’m starting to feel like myself again.

    I like to think I am a pretty self-aware person, but I honestly did not know how out of balance I was. I thought I knew better, but I had adjusted to a new “normal.”  A “normal” that included a need for caffeine to get me through the day and wine to wind me down at night. A normal that meant worse-than-ever PMS. A normal that blamed a lot of aches and pains on getting older. A normal that is widely accepted by most people but isn’t really normal at all.

    So, If you’ve caught yourself saying “that’s just me,” “I’ve just gotten used to it,” or “It must be because I’m getting older,” take a moment to reflect and truly ask yourself if you feel as good as you think you should.  That is what started this for me. I knew I was busy and tired, but I also knew that with everything I was doing to try to live a healthy lifestyle, I should feel better than I did. And I was right! 

    Don’t sell yourself short and settle for being tired all the time, in pain, or just really out of balance. You can and deserve to feel better. I’m sure by now you can tell that I can’t say enough good things about the Riordan Clinic.  If you are considering some testing or just trying to figure out what is going on inside, I recommend it so highly. 

  • Life, Wellness

    The Riordan Clinic Experience Part Two: My First Appointment

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    Update:  I wanted to give a quick disclaimer on this series.  It was originally written and posted in Aug/Sept of 2019.  I was hired as the Education Coordinator for Riordan Clinic in June of 2020.  All of the information in the series is reflective of my experience as a patient, pre-employment.  I did not make any changes to the original posts after being hired and is a true reflection of my experience as a patient there. 

    In my first post, I shared some of the reasons I decided to become a patient at the Riordan Clinic. I didn’t get into the details about the program I’m doing, so I want to dive into that a little bit before I talk about my first appointment.  In order to establish yourself as a new patient and have access to all the different therapies provided at the clinic, you must start with one of their new patient programs. You can select a program based on your specific needs.  You can learn all about the new patient programs here. I opted for the Essential Program, which is best for people that want to maintain health, prevent illness, and treat everyday concerns (like my own fatigue, stress, etc…).  They do have another program called the Living Well program which would also be good for this demographic, but the Essential program includes hormone testing which I have not had done before, so I wanted to include it.   Before you go to the page and get sticker shock (No, it’s not cheap, but it’s also not outrageous considering what you get) I want to share some insights with you. First of all, labs are expensive…period. If you are getting multiple panels done (which you should if you want a true picture of what is going on inside) it’s going to cost you no matter where you go. Insurance may or may not cover it based on your plan.  I’ve looked into ordering my own labs and would not be able to do it for any less than what I was charged at the Riordan Clinic. Second, the program also includes two extensive visits with the doctor, a Vitamin C infusion, a treatment plan, an online portal where you can communicate with the doctor and view your lab results and then access to all of the therapies available at the clinic. Trust me when I say this is not your normal doctor’s visit and I feel like it has already been 110% worth the cost. Note: I am submitting some of the bills to our HSA to see if it can be reimbursed.

    My First Appointment

    Before I even set foot on the Riordan Clinic campus, I was sent my new patient paperwork via Fedex and the new patient coordinator was in contact with me via email.  He provided a visit itinerary and checked in to make sure I had everything I needed. To say the forms were extensive would be an understatement, but after my visit, I can understand why. They covered everything including my main health concerns, health history, family health history, daily diet, exercise habits, sleep habits and supplements I’m taking. I was even asked to bring all the supplements and medications I am currently taking with me.  Interestingly enough, on the day of my appointment, I wasn’t feeling great.  I had a raging headache, my back hurt and I just didn’t feel good. This happens to me on occasion inexplicably.  I’m actually really glad that it did that day because it reminded me that some of the things that have become my “normal” may not be normal at all. It reminded me that maybe I really don’t feel as good as I could and it’s something that needs to be addressed.  I arrived at 9:00 AM for my appointment and checked in at Dome 1.  I was taken back to another dome (8, I think) shortly after for all of my lab draws.  I was so grateful they did the labs first because I was borderline hangry at this point and definitely ready for some coffee! Amanda, the phlebotomist took me back to the lab and we got to work.  I provided a urine sample, a saliva sample and like 8 vials of blood (I didn’t count, but it was a bunch!). After the blood draw, she gave be a bottle of juice and a small bag of roasted almonds that at that point in time was worth the cost of the visit, Ha!  After my lab work was completed I was taken yet another dome that housed the office of Dr. Anne Zauderer whom I would be seeing that day.  I checked in with Taneisha, a medical assistant, who took my vitals and a few notes before I saw Dr. Anne.  One thing I really want to note is that the staff members are so helpful and friendly and I had the chance to speak with them quite a bit. Everyone I spoke with had been there for quite some time (which can say a lot about any company) and they all said how much they loved working there. They were truly passionate about their jobs. This was such a big switch from some of my usual doctor visits where I was lucky if I even got acknowledged by the staff and it felt like they were just going through the motions.  After my vitals were taken, I had a few minutes before my appointment so I sat in the waiting area on a small couch. It was weird, but I started to feel really emotional.  Being there for my own health made me realize just how long it had been since I really asked for or sought out professional support for anything. It also made me realize just how important it was.   Dr. Anne came out to get me in a matter of minutes and took me back to her office. Dr. Anne is a true gem. She is extremely knowledgeable, instantly makes you feel at ease, and explains things in a way that makes it so easy to understand. I spent over an hour with her going over all of the information that I filled out on my intake forms. She asked a lot of questions and provided a lot of insights as to why I might be experiencing various symptoms.   I’ve been to so many doctor visits where it’s a 10 minute (if that) conversation (and by conversation I mean the doctor talking at me the whole time), a quick diagnosis based only on boxes checked on my paperwork, and a prescription for something to make my symptoms go away. My experience with Dr. Anne was the exact opposite of that and was so refreshing in so many ways.  After my appointment, Dr. Anne provided me with some lifestyle hacks to help with my hydration and a prescription for an adrenal support formula. She said that she doesn’t like to do any nutrient supplement recommendations without the lab results so we will go over a full treatment plan during my next appointment in a few weeks.  A Vitamin C IV was included with my appointment and Magnesium and B vitamins were added to it for extra support.  I headed back to Dome 8 where I spent about 30 minutes hooked up to an IV and then I was good to go. After my time there I feel like this is the way that medicine should be practiced. There is a time and a place for the conventional model, but for true healing (not just symptom suppression) it takes time, individual attention and a customized plan. Every person is different and therefore requires different therapies and interventions.  My next appointment is in three weeks and I am so anxious to see what my lab results show and how I feel after incorporating my recommended protocols.  Until next time,

    – Leah  

  • Life, Wellness

    The Riordan Clinic Experience: Part One – I’m Not Even Sick (but I’m a patient anyway).

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    Update:  I wanted to give a quick disclaimer on this series.  It was originally written and posted in Aug/Sept of 2019.  I was hired as the Education Coordinator for Riordan Clinic in June of 2020.  All of the information in the series is reflective of my experience as a patient, pre-employment.  I did not make any changes to the original posts after being hired and is a true reflection of my experience as a patient there.  I’m getting ready for my first appointment at the Riordan Clinic.  If you aren’t already familiar with the Riordan Clinic, It is widely known for nutrition therapy, specifically Intravenous Vitamin C therapy and alternative cancer treatments. I found out about the Riordan clinic in a very roundabout way. I am always interested in learning more about nutrition and how to use food, vitamins and other supplements to treat various issues and to maintain great health. So, one day I was having a lazy afternoon (seriously, when does that happen?!)  and decided to check out a documentary called “That Vitamin Movie.” It was a great film and I recommend you watch it. The film was my first introduction to Vitamin C therapy and it featured Dr. Ron Hunninghake of the Riordan Clinic. I was so intrigued by this film and Vitamin C therapy but had absolutely no clue that the Riordan Clinic was literally right down the street from where I now live in Wichita, KS. It wasn’t until I was randomly driving by and a sign that said “Vitamin C Therapy” caught my eye. I can’t even tell you how excited I was to discover that this place was so close to me! I immediately went home to google everything I possibly could about the clinic and enrolled in a 21 Day Detox class that they hold onsite a couple of times per year. Dr. Anne Zauderer who taught the class is obviously whip-smart, and boy does she know her nutrition. But even better, she made the information very approachable and easy to understand. I got so much out of the class that I decided that I wanted to become a patient there as well. Here’s the thing…I’m not sick. I eat mostly organic, I take supplements, I exercise (although probably not as much as I should) and I feel pretty good.  So, why would I go see a doctor? I can think of a few reasons:

    • I don’t want to get sick – This isn’t in a paranoid sort of way, but in a way that if there is something small I can be doing right now that might help me out down the road, then I want to know about it and implement it as soon as possible.

    • Guesswork only goes so far – I’ve learned a lot about nutrition and health over the last decade or so.  I can tell when I’m low on iron or magnesium, and I know I could use some extra Vitamin D (because who couldn’t?), but I’ve never gotten an exact read on all of my nutrient levels.  I supplement until I feel better, but don’t have the numbers to show me I’m in the clear. I feel like the labs alone will be worth the trip.

    • To walk my talk – When it comes to acupuncture, I tell people all day long that they need to be getting treatments even when they feel good. It’s preventative medicine, not just restorative medicine. As a healthcare provider myself, it’s important that I practice what I preach.
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    • To learn – I want to see what it is like to be a patient and how the program helps me. I want to learn all about the services that the Riordan Clinic offers so when someone else needs them I know where to send them.  It’s always important to me to send people to places and products that I have tried and I trust.

    The moral of the story: You don’t have to wait until you are sick or broken to seek out support. As humans, no matter how much research we do or how smart we think we are, we will always have blind spots. It’s that second set of eyes that can see what we don’t (in health or otherwise) that helps us feel better and be more than we are today. And, isn’t that always the goal? I’m excited to see what my time there will bring and what discoveries I make about my own health.  I will be sharing my entire experience along the way in hopes that someone else can benefit from it as well. 

  • Life, Nutrition, Wellness

    7 Signs it might be time for a liver detox

    When it comes to overall health, your probably don’t think about your liver all that much. We hear a lot about the importance of a healthy heart, lungs and brain but the liver often gets overlooked. From a western standpoint, the liver is responsible for several functions including aiding digestion, removing harmful substances from the blood (detox), and storing nutrients. A healthy liver is absolutely essential for proper bodily function.

     

    The same is true when you think of the liver as it relates to Chinese Medicine. Known as the “Army General” it is responsible for planning and execution of the body’s functions by ensuring your qi is flowing smoothly and in the right direction. Many factors of the modern lifestyle inhibit proper functioning of the liver. Things like poor diet, lack of exercise and excessive stress can all affect the liver, causing deficiency or stagnation.  Here are a few ways to tell if your liver needs a little TLC.

     

    1)      Moodiness/Irritability – If you find that you are fluctuating between happy-go-lucky and the incredible hulk it is a telltale sign of Liver qi stagnation.   When the qi of the liver is flowing smoothly then the emotional state is even and happy. When that flow is impeded it can give rise to frustration, depression or repressed anger.

     

    2)      Fatigue – Qi is your life force energy and the liver is responsible for keeping it moving. When it is abundant and free-flowing, your energy levels are high. When it is depleted or stagnant your energy levels are low.

     

    3)      Eye/vision changes – The sense organ connected to the liver is the eyes. Changes in vision, dry, red eyes or floaters can all be indications of a Liver disharmony.

     

    4)      Waking between 1-3am – If you happen to be someone who wakes up in the middle of the night, start to notice what time it usually occurs. In Chinese Medicine each organ is assigned a particular time of day where it is most active. The liver happens to fall between 1 and 3 am. So if you notice a pattern of waking up during that time then your liver just might be trying to tell you something.

     

    5)      Irregular menstruation/pms – In Chinese Medicine the liver is responsible for storing blood. A woman’s menses can tell a lot about the health of her liver. If it is functioning and storing blood normally then a woman can expect a normal period with consistent cycle. If it is deficient then a woman may miss a period or have very light bleeding. Symptoms like pms, severe cramping and clotting can all indicate liver qi stagnation.

     

    6)      Changes in fingernails – Liver health according to Chinese Medicine will manifest on the nails. Strong nails with a moist and healthy appearance indicate a healthy liver. If you notice that your nails are dry, brittle, cracked or ridged then it might be an indication that your liver needs a boost.

     

    7)      Lack of direction and planning – not to say that it will solve your “what do I want to be when I grow up?” problem, but keeping your liver healthy can help initiate clear thinking and planning. If you are usually a motivated and well organized planner, but you find that lately you are in a slump and can’t seem to get it together, then it might be time for an acupuncture treatment!

     

    If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, there are some things that you can do to give your liver the love it needs.

    1) Start your day with warm water and lemon – in Chinese Medicine, the sour flavor can calm and nourish the liver.

    2) Exercise – Movement helps stimulate the flow of qi and blood in the body.  This enhances the function of all organs including the liver

    3) Cut back on alcohol – You don’t have to give it up forever, but if you are finding that you are more irritable than usual, it may be sign that you need a small break.

    4) …and of course, Get Acupuncture!