From Illness to Wellness: My Journey as a Holistic Cardiologist

Growing up in a bustling suburb of Georgia, the only girl of 4 children, I looked up to my father. He was a devoted cardiologist and beloved by his patients. I know it sounds like a cliché; Daddy’s girl following in his footsteps, but such was the case with this little girl as well. I used to follow my father around the office as a child, learning about the human heart and listening to people’s hearts…the seed was planted.

Skip to my first year in medical school during my white coat ceremony where I was taking my oath as a physician and beaming with excitement…this is what I am truly meant to do, it is my calling, I thought.

Following medical school, I continued full speed ahead into medical residency and cardiology fellowship training, determined to embrace this “noble” calling to heal. I truly learned a lot during my training, however it mostly went by in a haze. A fog that resulted from working around 100 hours a week. Thus, I quickly adapted to the abnormal state of being persistently sleep-deprived, undernourished, overcaffeinated, and dehydrated. This continued for seven years until I completed my training.

Following graduation, I thought I had arrived at the promised land. Now, I would have a healthier lifestyle and state of mind and would be able to truly heal people. The opposite proved to be true. I was now working longer hours than before, thus continuing the cycle of poor health. There I was in my early 30s, popping ibuprofen and Tylenol for chronic aches and pains early on in my first year in practice. I was exhausted, starved, unhappy and stressed out. How could I give advice to my patients towards wellness when I didn’t even remember what that was anymore? I thought there has to be a better way.

I found myself reaching out to my baby brother who was just starting out as a holistic wellness coach. I remember being in awe of his personal transformation from a teenager suffering with chronic pain from athletic injuries, to a healing guru. Thus, I sought out his wisdom on regenerative healing and wellness. It was then that I began incorporating the foundations of nutrition, hydration, exercise and stress reduction into my lifestyle. I opened my mind and my heart to this “alternative” narrative of health and thus began to heal myself.

During this time of detoxification, I researched countless studies validating my personal experience of wellness through a holistic approach. I found this truth resonate in every molecule of my being, mind, body and spirit. Thus, I changed my belief system about medicine, specifically chronic disease, and I changed my practice style.

Now I’m healthier than I’ve ever been. In addition, I’ve helped guide and empower and numerous of my patients to heal themselves with a dedicated holistic approach. So I was right all along…my calling is to heal people’s hearts…I just had to look inside and open mine first.