Before meeting Dr. Rothman, I was under the notion that I was living a holistic lifestyle. I liked to exercise a few times a week, wasn’t taking any medication – not even Tylenol for a headache, and ate well. I always purchased organic; everything from produce, meats, to ice cream! I wasn’t suffering from any severe medical issues; I had terrible seasonal allergies and once or twice a year I used an inhaler for asthma, had borderline high cholesterol, and was at risk to eventually develop diabetes. As my father passed early from heart disease, my slightly elevated cholesterol levels were genetic and I made sure to eat well, with lots of low-fat foods. Other than that, I would consider myself healthy.
After reading one of Dr. Rothman’s blogs “Organic Food For Thought” and “Are Fruit Smoothies Healthy“, I was shocked. Not only was I wasting my hard-earned money on marketing traps, but the healthy “green drinks” I was consuming for breakfast every morning was actually harmful to my health. All of my efforts to be a health conscious individual was being influenced by misinformation. I was searching for a new physician and made an appointment for a consultation.
After an extensive blood work-up and metabolic testing, I learned I was genetically predisposed to biotoxin illness (HLA susceptible) and my chances of having a mold illness (or other biotoxin illness) went up enormously. My husband also had the same genetic markers and we decided to invest in air purifiers to improve the air quality in our home and it has made such a significant impact in our health. In fact, my husband can immediately identify if there is a mold issue at a location because he recognizes the symptoms he feels in response to his mold sensitivity.
I also learned that I had high levels of estrogen and Dr. Rothman suggested I stop taking birth control. This medication was originally prescribed to me 15 years prior because I was having irregular periods. However, the birth control merely regulated my menstrual cycle, it never addressed the irregularity: high levels of estrogen! Within a few short months of being off birth control, I noticed considerable improvement during that time of the month.
Dr. Rothman had suggested natural supplements and an edibolic diet to help reach my personal health goals. When I originally started the edibolic diet, it seemed laughable that I would be encouraged to eat saturated fats when I was considered to have borderline high cholesterol. However, Dr. Rothman explained to me that when I eat low fat foods, my insulin is spiking and crashing. The volatility in my insulin levels would eventually lead to some of the chronic diseases I was concerned about. After enjoying delicious meals of steak, hamburgers, and lots of cheese for a few months, we rechecked my cholesterol and to my surprise it reported lower. I was literally eating cholesterol to lower my cholesterol! I was staying fuller longer and while it was never an issue, my weight was down too!
I continued taking my supplements and while I’d like to say I was regimented in how I ate, that just wasn’t the case. After becoming a patient of Dr. Rothman’s the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is how to become in tune with my body and the symptoms I’m feeling. I didn’t have to chalk up a headache to a long day and instead knew the French fries and cookie I had chosen to eat with lunch was the culprit.
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When I became pregnant, I made sure to meet with Dr. Rothman to re-evaluate my health and ensure I was doing and feeling the best I could for the life growing inside me. And at several months postpartum, I met with him again to check in with my health and lifestyle goals. After the enormity of stress and hormonal changes my body went through during and after pregnancy, combined with the lack of sleep, and poor choices in convenient meals, I was feeling terrible. After completing my metabolic testing, Dr. Rothman made some changes to the natural supplements I was taking. I wanted to try Intermittent Fasting and Dr. Rothman urged me to do so while incorporating the Ketogenic Diet. As a new mom, I just didn’t have the time to keep the same exercise regimen I had before pregnancy. Instead, I found ways to exercise a fraction of the time with triple the results. You can find me sprinting up and down my driveway while pushing my son in his toy car. It sounds silly, but it works! Having young children and a career is hard work, stressful, and you don’t take the time to care for yourself. While I can’t control the quality of sleep I am getting, I can ensure that I meditate, eat well, exercise, and take my prescribed supplements.
I feel the best I have in years, weigh less than I did pre-pregnancy, but most importantly I’m armed with the knowledge of how to truly live a life of wellness. And this includes regular checkups with Dr. Rothman. He once said that “your health is a moving target and you need to adjust accordingly.” I know that by following his straightforward guidance, I can always feel my best. Dr. Rothman isn’t a miracle worker, just a caring, realistic practitioner. But if he was, maybe he could make desserts not taste so delicious and it wouldn’t be so hard to avoid eating sweets!
Are you interested in learning more about metabolically directed wellness? We believe that all chronic degenerative disease states are the result of excessive stressors on your immune, neurological and endocrine systems. We work to find the root of these stressors to get to the root cause of your problems, rather than merely just treating your symptoms. Contact Dr. Rothman by calling 732-268-7663 to schedule a consultation.
