Functional Medicine at a Glance. Book Review & Talk with Dr.Cynthia Li, MD.

Book Review by Lena Yudina for Coffee District Media.

About a month ago, I saw a YouTube video made by Dr. Mark Hyman which left me curious about the current state of the Healthcare System in the US. The conversation in this video touched upon the value of Functional Medicine and the quality of women’s healthcare in the country. During the episode, Dr. Hyman’s guest, Dr. Cynthia Li, shared her intimate thoughts on her long-lasting autoimmune illness and struggles that she experienced. She told an inspiring story about the treatments and healing that finally led to her personal transformation and becoming a Functional Medicine doctor. Not only her conversation with Dr. Hyman, but her new book ‘Brave New Medicine – A Doctor’s Unconventional Path to Healing her Autoimmune Illness,’ both were unprecedented, and thoroughly comprehensive. As Dr. Li mentioned on her website: “Brave New Medicine details the disabling autoimmune illness that forces a young doctor to question her medical training, embrace the principles of integrative and functional medicine, and unlock her body’s innate potential to heal.”

Brave New Medicine- The Core of the Book

Cynthia’s book introduced me to an impressive list of references and health – related concepts that made the book one of my favorite reads. It became a guide for my medical writing, and a source for my Systematic Reviews.

In this book review Functional Medicine at Glance, I will reflect on some critical points of the book, which Cynthia recently shared with me. The book is more than a piece of medical advice, a tool to educate, or a heartwarming story. The plot of the book combines it all: an intimate and honest tale about the authors’ sudden illness. It shares on Cynthia’s desperate search for effective conventional treatments. It talks about the adverse outcomes of the relationships with her family during the struggling times and the way Cynthia transitioned into her motherhood. Scientific research, spirituality, and a detailed roadmap that lead Dr. Li to recovery, seem to interlock, making the book an immense pleasure to read. Learning from her book was equal to having a friend, who can be also my wellness counselor, my trustworthy doctor, academic mentor or my major influencer in the field of Integrative Medicine. 

The Structure of the Book and What to Expect

The book holds twenty-two chapters with an extension containing more tips for medical writers, and some references on scientific literature. Dr. Li was trained as a doctor, had a career in medicine, a loving family, a cheerful household, and children in the plans. But suddenly, disabling and destructive issues with her autoimmune thyroid conditions left her housebound for many months. A debilitating condition made her fatigued and subject to frequent visits to multiple doctors and emergency rooms. It was during this time that Cynthia realized that there was no coming back unless she could find her way out. Her journey had many ups and downs, which led to more medical research and discoveries. It made her rethink her life, career, relationships and habits.

Brave New Medicine – Book Trailer

I found this book to be complex, packed with tons of information, but relatively easy to read. Each chapter of the book contains a teachable lesson, a motto for each step of Dr. Li’s recovery. Her advice might be crucial for many who struggle with autoimmune conditions, postpartum depression, or any stress-related illnesses. As Dr. Li mentioned, getting off the couch while being crushed by the illness was the most difficult thing to do. Taking a short walk, making the body function again becomes an act of heroism that took all of her willpower and determination. In her book, Dr.Li shared some tips that helped her to go through difficult times and cure the disease.

The Value of the Complementary Therapies

The book strongly supports Complementary Therapies like Meditation, Acupuncture, and QiGong, that Dr. Li practiced and fully described in her book. According to my medical research, there are more than thirty million preventable deaths in the USA. But only if the preventive measures are taking on time these numbers can be diminished and stabilized. The impact of Complementary Therapies, the assistance of Health and Wellness Coaches, Health Educators, minimally invasive surgeons and Immunologists can be life-saving.  

Speaking of Exercise, Yoga, QiGong, or Meditation, I’ll share a couple of tips that are important to consider for anyone’s wellbeing. During my studies of Meditation and acquiring my Yoga Teacher training, I discovered two major points. First: connecting our focus to the cycles of nature. It means paying attention to the seasons of the year, the life of living creatures and plants, and learning to be a part of the cycle. It is a powerful tool for bringing our consciousness to a different intuitive reality that helps us uncover our inner strengths. Such focus or visualization can energize our body and spirit hundreds of times faster with or without repetitive drills on treadmills.

Cynthia Li, in her book also mentioned: “The combination of visualization, acupuncture and herbs seemed to relax me. They also seemed to release more of something, and if I could name that something, it was my subconscious.”

The second critical point for healing that is widely described in Buddhist’s Meditation techniques is smiling. Yes, smiling is not just a gesture of politeness or happiness. In Buddhist’s teachings, smiling works from the inside out. It changes human health by working on the level of human genes. Although more scientific research needs to be done, there are pieces of evidence that support the idea of the connection between the DNA structure and Meditation. Apparently, the “inner smiling” and other techniques promote the process of exchanging some damaged genes with the new and healthy ones. Many active Meditators, Yoga, and QiGong practitioners in the world use the above references and ideas in their practice.

A Void in the Current State of the Healthcare System

Going back to Dr. Li’s work, she is filling a void in the current state of the Health System.  Her message is an urgent call for treating the illness and the body of a patient as a whole. The illness or the wellness might start with the patient’s relationships, career, lifestyle, exercise, diets, and spirituality. In order to heal a patient, doctor must consider more than just a test, or the one-size-fits-all “treatment”. It is rather apparent that the current Health System has failed to address these crucial factors. 

To Read or Not to Read?

To conclude my review, I urge you to read the book. Whether you are searching for healing from autoimmune illness or other stress-related diseases, the book will give you some food for thoughts. If you aren’t satisfied with the conventional ways of treating your symptoms, this book will feed your curiosity. Perhaps, you are wondering about the quality of conventional medicine? It often includes some invasive procedures, harmful treatments, and poorly trained medical personnel to whose hands you trust your life. If so, read this revolutionary book. It will open your mind, make you learn more, and give you some hope. For many, this book might be a window into a new life. For others it will lead to improved health, new career, a new lifestyle, or a healthy hobby. You can purchase the book on Amazon.

Does Healing Require Some Discipline ?

One more thought on Cynthia’s work that I wanted to share:  to me her book seemed like a catalog of additional resources that you can use for your own healing and research. It feels like Dr. Li suggests that you stop being entirely dependent on the mercy of the conventional protocols and doctors that often don’t have time to do research for you. An avid practitioner of QiGong, Cynthia brings in the spirit of a Martial Arts warrior. Whether you have some flu, a cold, stress, or more serious conditions, get yourself ready to sit down in front of your computer or a book and educate yourself on the issue. This strategy might help you to fight for your life and even succeed and rise up above any unfavorable circumstances, protocols and stigma.

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