I had the honour of attending an event at Dr Doris Anti-Ageing Clinic in Mayfair, London to experience an evening of thought leadership in medicine with three key speakers: world-renowned oncology expert Professor De Mello, endocrinologist Dr. Sara Kazempour Ardebili and ASA Foundation founder Asal Shirazi BEM.
Situated in the state-of-the-art health and wellness clinic, founded by Dr Doris Huang, the event covered a wealth of medical information, advice and future strategies to be mindfully proactive around cellular changes and early and effective diagnosis techniques.
Cancer Prevention, Early Treatment & Screening For Symptomless Individuals
Professor De Mello, having formerly led Oxford University’s oncology research, opened the evening with a keynote lecture about cancer prevention, as well as early treatment and screening options for symptomless individuals which was incredibly thought provoking and insightful. Having seen my loved ones face cancer, and having abnormal cells removed myself, I recognise the importance and raising awareness and understanding around the risk factors and symptoms to watch out for.
Opening up to questions and answers, it was clear that private healthcare is becoming the safest and most reliable path to diagnose and treat cancer patients in the UK. As sadly, by the time that symptoms and warning signs arise, and are even noticeable, people must then wait to attend a doctors appointment, before queuing for a referral for diagnosis, months before they may even hope to start a treatment that is designed for the masses and not their individual cancer type.
By the time that NHS cancer treatment begins, rapid changes have already taken place within the body, making cancer harder to fight with every passing day. As cancer treatment options are generalised, not tailored to and individuals specific cancer type, it may then cause them to be ineffective, which is only discovered through trial and error as each attempt fails and another method is tried, if the patient is still alive and well enough to survive treatment.
It shocked me to hear of this gamble with our health when it comes to seeking diagnosis, but was also the understanding and honesty that I needed as a mother and woman to be proactive with my mindset towards cancer, enabling me to better protect myself and family. Speaking of liquid biopsies, I found it fascinating to learn how the most minuscule changes in the body can be picked up with a private blood test, and treated with the correct prescription, far before any symptoms would be felt or any cells would be large enough to show up in a traditional health screening.
Knowledge is power, and time is of the essence when it comes to cancer. The sooner changes are detected, the less serious their impact may be, and the easier it becomes to treat them. It’s therefore expected, with this advancement in medicine, that within the next few decades there will be no need for surgery as a treatment for cancer, because it may never be left to develop so far as to endanger life.
To further strengthen our defences against cancer, Professor De Mello recommended that we reduce our exposure to risk factors wherever possible, these include unhealthy foods, radiation, sun exposure, genetics, excess body weight, alcohol tobacco smoking and age. Whilst mindfully maintaining a healthy body weight, being as physically active as possible, limiting the consumption of highly processed and junk foods, limiting the consumption of red and processed meats, eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, limiting the consumption of surgary and sweetened drinks, limiting the consumption of alcohol, taking at least 30mins of regular exercise, not using supplements for cancer prevention, limiting the consumption of fried foods, not smoking, avoiding exposure to tobacco products, limiting sedentary habits such as watching tv and following recommendations after a cancer diagnosis.
A Functional Medicine Approach To Menopause & Pre-Menopause: Restoring Balance Through Systems Thinking
Dr. Sara Kazempour Ardebili presented a tailored approach to women’s health and vitality, discussing a topic that affects so many, yet it still quite the taboo in society. Whether it’s a mother, wife, friend or colleague, we all know women who have silently passed through the menopause, or are approaching it, and deserve to be supported rather than dismissed and misunderstood.
Dr. Sara explained how we should be treating the whole system, and not just the symptoms, when it comes to the menopause. As peri-menopause can last up to 10yrs, it’s a significant period of a woman’s life which is ultimately a natural transition and not a disease to fear or be ashamed of. Instead we may educate ourselves to better understand what happens to our bodies and why; a subject that is never addressed in schools, yet plays such a pivotal part of adult life.
I was fascinated to learn how peri-menopause starts in late 30’s or 40’s, presenting with irregular periods, mood changes, fatigue, hot flashes and brain fog as hormone levels fluctuate. The menopause official begins 12 months after your last period and lasts just one day, with the average woman’s age being 51yrs when she experiences this. As oestrogen and progesterone levels drop to being almost non-existent, long term effects of the menopause impact bone density, heart health and cognitive changes.
Therefore, treatment should be focused upon a root-cause approach to health, assessing lifestyle, the environment and inter-connected systems within the body. It can never be a one-size-fits-all because we are all individuals and experience symptoms and severities differently, and so a generic leaflet in a GP’s waiting room isn’t anywhere near as helpful, relevant or tailored as it desperately needs to be when facing such life changes. The body requires balance, as the gut, brain and detox systems are interconnected and should never be overlooked.
Many women find that their cortisol levels and thyroid are also affected, with symptoms of weight gain, anxiety, loss of libido and fatigue running riot. Focusing on gut health, the brain and mood to tackle these hormone shifts allows us to address poor sleep, anxiety and brain fog for better mood and mental clarity, as detox pathways are utilised to clear excess hormones and support the diet to achieve balance and harmony.
Dr.Sara’s top tips for finding balance during the menopause are eating protein, healthy fats and fibre for blood sugar balance, moving regularly, prioritising sleep, managing stress levels and supplementing with professional guidance. The takeaway from this presentation is to remind women that they are not broken, they’re simply in a transition of life which doesn’t have to equate to decline. There is hope and clarity to be found in functional medicine, and with the correct support balance and harmony are achievable.
At the age of 37yrs I now have a better understanding of how to prepare for, and address, these changes that my body must go through. The more that we talk about it, encourage conversation and remove the stigma surrounding female health, the easier this transition can become for us all.
Autoimmune Disease Explained
The final presentation of the evening was by Asal Shirazi, highlighting the importance of intolerance testing with a gut biome analysis which tests for 900 food and non-food items, metal sensitivities and digestive health.
The Autoimmune Support & Awareness Foundation is a charity that helps the general public to understand the cause of Autoimmune disease. They provide support for those who are affected and help to transform lives with information and advice to reduce symptoms and manage chronic illnesses and disease.
“Autoimmune Diseases Explained” is a book written by Asal Shirazi about A Holistic Approach to Understanding and Managing Autoimmune Disorders and is incredibly informative and ideal for students, healthcare professionals, and those personally affected by autoimmune conditions. Having Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, hEDS, IBS and ADHD I live with chronic pain and inflammation which has caused a range of other symptoms surrounding my immune system.
For many years, I would visit my doctor and raise concerns over all of my progressing symptoms which were passed off as simple wear and tear of life, being a mother or working too hard; as such I never actually diagnosed, let alone any form of relief or treatment offered. I was made to feel that it was all in my head, that I was complaining or weak and should keep calm and carry on, so I suffered in silence with fractures, cramps and chronic inflammation that left me passing out and my joints disfigured. It’s only in my late thirties that I have finally received diagnosis, after having to self-educate and provide all evidence and research to my GP for them then to confirm it.
If our GP doesn’t understand the depth of health, and fails to diagnose illness and disease with all symptoms presented to them, then what chance do we stand as individuals? Had I have known about my conditions decades ago, I could have taken proactive steps and made informed decisions to prevent causing further damage, whereas now I can simply pick up the pieces that ignorance and a lack of NHS care has afforded me, too little too late.
The Asa Foundation aim to create awareness of autoimmune conditions by raising awareness, promoting early detection and diagnosis and driving targeted treatment and therapy. At present, four million people are currently living in the UK with autoimmune disease, and as a group they are bigger killers than cancer each year, with cases rising by a shocking 9% each year. These conditions mostly go undiagnosed, as with mine, which increases the risk of internal organ damage, longterm suffering and a reduced quality of life.
The ASA Foundation help the general public to understand the cause of Autoimmune disease and chronic and autoimmune conditions such as Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, Scleroderma, Raynauds Syndrome, Eczema, Asthma, Psoriasis, Autism, Sjogrens and Diabetes for which there are over 100 diseases and conditions associated with Autoimmune disease.
The Medical Oncology Compendium By Professor De Mello
The evening concluded with a charity book launch reception for Professor Ramon Andrade Bezerra De Mello, MD, MBA, PhD, FACP new medical textbook, Medical Oncology Compendium which discusses several important topics in oncology with the help of leading experts worldwide. Incorporating not only knowledge on recent developments in the field, but contextualising them within diverse socioeconomic environments to guarantee the applicability of the content in challenging scenarios. The book comprehensively discusses topics such as surgery, radiology, carcinogenesis, screening, assessment tools, evidence-based medicine, and precision oncology as applicable to different cancer types as non-small and small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, breast cancer, gastric-rectal cancer, female specific cancers, prostate, skin and bone sarcomas.
In addition, it discusses options to minimise oncology pain and palliative care, making it a valuable resource for oncologists, clinicians, researchers, healthcare workers and members of biomedical field who needs to understand more about diagnosis, treatment options and support for cancer patients.
www.drdoris.co.uk
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www.asafoundation.org.uk
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