Weight Loss After Ten Years of Being Told to Eat Less

I would say 10 years ago, my thyroid went [clears throat] out to be bad and I was just getting more and more tired. So, I went to a primary care physician and they said, "Yep, classic female over 65, you know, and if you take levothyroxine at a small dosage, you'll you'll be okay." That was 10, okay? And then at year eight, I'm like, "Why am I still sort of tired? I'm falling back into this." And they said, "Well, okay, we'll up the dosage." Okay, you'll be okay. That worked for a couple of years. Um having been prior military, I also had to go to the VA and generally their comment was, "Well, you know, you've got to eat less and exercise more." And we get into the victim blaming here. That's the first year. In the second year, it's eat less, exercise more, and drink more water. And then year number of three, it's eat less, exercise more, drink more water, and get more sleep. Back to the other doctor, the civilian doctor, okay? And they said, "Well, how about you take one and a half on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of this levothyroxine and that that should work for you." So, once I uh got tired of that, I started looking into, well, maybe some weight loss would certainly help, okay? Back to the VA and their point is you're not sick enough. And I was like, "What does that mean? Let's talk about that." And their comment was, "I We get 25 cents, okay? And our circle of influence is very small on 25 cents. And you're not in that because you're not a diabetic. You don't have high blood pressure. You're not a heart candidate and you're not a stroke candidate. And you don't have 36% body fat. So, you don't measure, okay? You're not sick enough. If we get 10 bucks, we can expand the circle and we can lessen all of those things and maybe we can include you. I was like, thank you. Okay. In the meantime, you're welcome to a dietitian. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, no. All right. >> [snorts] >> Back to the back to the other doc. All right. And I asked for some help on that and they gave me a dietitian and I said, well, I must be missing it cuz there's a theme there. I've now been given two. And so that dietitian wanted 150 bucks clear up front. I said, this is a referral. No, we're not associated with that group so you have to pay us up front. I'm not. Okay, we're done. We're done. So, I went home and I saw some commercial on a YouTube and there was a woman standing there. She says, let me get this straight. You are female, over 65, you've been told to take levothyroxine. Every year it increments a little bit more. You're tired. Okay, you cannot lose weight regardless of what they've told you, which is to eat less, exercise more, drink more water and get more sleep. And I just stopped right there and I looked at it. I said, that's it. She knows exactly She knows exactly. Why would I not call this place? Why would I not? So I called and I, you know, came down and had a great interview and I said, yeah, I think I can do this. I would say my experience has been totally positive. Now there's a couple of challenges on medications your first couple of weeks, but once you get through that and figure out, well, yeah, that's why this is happening. [laughter] This is what I've This is what I'm going to give up for this period of time. It was no problem giving up some of this stuff. I mean, the classic, you know, >> [laughter] >> let's be clear, you know, cookies, cake, ice cream, alcohol, all those carbohydrate sugar laden items that you have once in a while. Okay, but after a while wasn't interested in those at all. So this has been really effective for me. But I just got so annoyed when I started to think about the number of people that told me, you know, um eat less, exercise more. Well, if I'm already exhausted, why this isn't going to work for me. So, you get down to a caloric diet intake of 1,000 calories and then you're trying to run or jog, whatever, walk couple of miles a day. You know, your body just doesn't have enough and the body resorts to uh-oh, famine time. Okay, we're not giving up anything. So, all this help that I'm supposedly given it's is ridiculous because it doesn't work. It's like giving somebody the keys to the car. Here it is. Oh, and by the way, hmm, there's no gas, there's no oil in the crankcase, and there's no air in the tires. But every year you get another set of keys. Oh boy, come on folks, you know, and your insurance doesn't cover this test and we don't do that. So, basically it was about money. It was all about money. And uh the regular testings, the regular coverages that I have, they don't cover it. They they're there to fix what hurts at that moment, okay? And they do a great job. There's a place for that medicine, but I need a bigger picture. I need people that are going to help me in many venues, not just oh, yeah, my knee aches. That's not the issue I want. I want it to be able to lose some weight. And based on the numbers I've demonstrated that I followed the instructions given to me and I have lost weight. So, good for me, you know, but I've also put on some muscle. I'm much happier and I do a whole lot more in terms of exercise and having fun. >> That's very comprehensive. And that And that No, truly. And I you know, I'm so sorry. I remember talking to you on the phone. >> Yeah. >> And the second you said 10 years ago first >> There we go. Voice is familiar. Okay, good. All right. >> Wait, so I really like the car analogy of the cuz yeah, that's exactly what's happening. And really it's it's sick care. You know, we're paying all this money for sick care and that's just not what preventive and more preventive, you know? >> Right. >> want to get sick. You want to not get sick. >> want to wait. >> Exactly. >> want to wait. >> really interesting. Um, so now let's ask some surface level questions about your experience here, right? So like how your interaction was with our team. We can start with the discovery call, that first interview. Do you remember anything specific about that? >> I do not, sorry. Not at this age. >> [laughter] >> No. >> And what about um, that first visit here with the blood test and the inbody? >> It was great, you know? Um, I don't have any problem donating the blood, obviously. Um, and uh, everybody was very patient and explained everything. Um, I truly enjoy most of the equipment that you have that tells me all kinds of details that I'm not going to get anywhere else. But it's important to know. And when the your health care providers uh, track all of that stuff, they'll see that, you know, I'm definitely improving in my own health. And what you know, what's it taking? Well, a couple of shots once in a while. Um, little change of on the menu and uh, you know, I'm back to uh, walking 2 miles uh, every other day, you know, with a 16-lb pack. I couldn't have done that 6 months ago. It would have been too uncomfortable. >> And what about that first visit with um, the provider? Who do you see? >> I see Gabe. >> Gabe. >> Yeah. >> So the first um, and Gabe is ex-military, too. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> I found out in watching your um, uh, uh, YouTube shows that >> All the women are in the office. >> I I see a lot of them. >> That was his first line. >> Yes, I did. >> I was like, I'm on the other side. >> Yes. [laughter] Yeah, and he yeah, he's the cholesterol geek now, right? And so uh, I left him a list of questions. And one of those coming up cuz I see him in a week and a half or so. And one of them was, "Can you get me off this Crestor crap, yeah?" Help me out here, you know. >> I had to tell him, I had to say, "You can't answer, you know, personalized medical questions." Like it's like, "Oh, you know, this is a great question." So I'm like, "Go to a like a test run." >> Yeah. >> Like, "I eat five hamburgers a day and only drink soda. You know, like and I just don't feel well. What can I do?" The second he was like, "Well, if you change your diet." He's like, "Stop. You can't say that." You know, but cuz he really wants to answer these questions. He wants to help and and just legally we can't do it, which sucks. Um but I also said, I said, "Gabe, I know you're in the military." >> Yeah, he's jumping out of planes or something. Yeah. Why would you do that? >> [laughter] >> Plus it's being driven by the Air Force, then I'd understand, okay? >> Yeah. Like, "Okay, sure." >> [laughter] >> Tell me about cholesterol. >> Yeah. >> But okay, so going into that first visit with Gabe, is there any I know you said, "Oh, I had great experience." >> Yeah, he was very patient. He understood the questions that I was asking. He understood why I was asking those questions. I don't know as I asked every question he wanted, but the ones I asked led me to the answers that I needed. So I was happy with that. And I usually do ask him at the end, "Was there a question that I didn't ask that you wished I had?" And that always, you know, he's like, "Oh, that's a good question." I I know what it is. I asked it, you know. I give him a hard >> Oh, no, that's a bad question. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Yeah. I always give him a hard time. Yeah. >> As he deserves. >> Every once in a while, yeah. >> Yeah. So do you do you remember feeling post that first visit like is there a way that you went into it first, a way that you came out of it like thinking about your health and your direction? >> Just straightforward, you know, here's what I see the problem as and please understand that my background is not in the medical field. So, you know, I may get things a little confused, say the wrong word, but you'll pick it up. You'll get it because you're you're there for me. And that's what I want because the other two places I've gone, you know, previously to to talking to Gaby, you know, they're not there for me. You know, if I bang my toe, they're there for me. But as far as full health spectrum, you know, right down to the diet, they already shoved me off to two dieticians that had opposing views. Opposing views are good, and then I can take which one I want and uh run with it. But But the point being is that full health requires so much more than what the average person gets for health care today. So much more. And I don't think people really realize it until uh they have someone like me for the for example, and they're like, "Wow, what are you doing?" You know, it's a real simple question. You look great. I said, "Thank you. I feel great, too." "What are you doing?" You know, and I stop and I tell them. I said, "You know, I came in cuz my thyroid wasn't working and uh you know, right away they're like, 'Huh, you're a classic. You know, you're over 65, da da da da da da.' Went down all the standard things, and I'm, 'Yeah, I am a classic. Yes. Thank you very much.' And so uh we have a discussion on it. And so like I said, I'm, you know, pushing a couple of some acquaintances I have to uh start thinking about, yeah, full health. Yeah. Don't wait. Don't wait. Why why why would you go through, you know, 60 years of your life with the okay, you were here for me when I banged my toe, but what about the other part of you? And it isn't until the thyroid bit me that I that I decide, "Okay, we got we got a bigger picture here cuz these people aren't going to help me with the thyroid other than handing me another set of keys." >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I mean, we find that a big thing is that, you know, we're so conditioned to trust insurance and say, "Okay, we insurance that we can get health care. We trust that people in health care could help us." And they are just so constrained by the insurance. >> I think the stat is that they see 1,500 to 3,000 patients a year. >> Mhm. >> Which is not okay. You can't even know more than 100 people at the same time, like psychologically, >> Yeah. >> you know? So, that's like a very difficult thing. And then, plus the 7-minute visit, >> Yeah. >> they can get as many people in. >> Yeah, they schedule you for 30, and you talk for 7. >> It's really unfortunate, you know? It's really unfortunate, and there's nothing they can even do about it. >> No. Their business process model is covered, so it's all about the money. They get paid. Yeah. >> It really is, which is just really unfortunate. >> Yeah, too. >> Um is there any, I guess, part of your treatment process that you would want to talk about that you thought was interesting, that you, you know, had a hard time with, and then, you know, really had to figure out with our team? >> I would say that the jockeying of the current, uh, you know, call it the stub-my-toe medications that they gave you. Um taking um uh cholesterol drug and taking the Synthroid, the timing of it. It took uh took a few few weeks to be able to manipulate that correctly, because not not everything gets along with everything else. So, uh once that pattern was set, though, um it became, you know, it's just like rolling off a log. It it the discovery period was a challenge, cuz some days you'd take a Synthroid, and then in the same day, you'd be taking um a tirzepatide or something as um Yeah, it's not feeling all that great. So, if you could separate those by hours, it worked out. Yeah. Just took a little time. >> Yeah. >> Kind of just Yeah, the discovery process is quite I'd say that. >> Yeah. >> Um and then, I guess, like a last kind of question is, if you were to explain Well, I have a few more, but if you were to explain functional medicine to somebody, how would you explain it? >> I would see say it's everything in addition to stubbing your toe. All right? Uh, that's a stereotype I'm using with the other medications. And yes, you know, you you break your leg, you need somebody to set it. Yes, they're very important, but that's their skill set. They don't really care whether you're having um broccoli and carrots or you're having um six beers a night. They don't really care. They may ask you about it. But, do they care? You they're thinking to themselves, yeah, you probably should stick with the broccoli and the carrots, dude. Forget the beers, you know? Yeah. So, it's But, that's not their mission, either. Their mission is fix the problem that came in the door, whether it's the broken leg or the stubbed toe. They're They don't care whether you you're doing all that other stuff. They have their personal opinion. They probably like to share it with you. May not be able to. But, you know, if you don't take it into your own hands, nobody is going to come to you and say, "Let me help you." It's not going to happen. Cuz it's all about money. So, you know, for me it's like, yeah, well, I can see that I'm yes, I am getting older. I know that, and I cannot hit the golf ball as far as I did 20 years ago. Nor do I expect to, but I still expect to be able to hit the golf ball. So, the point is I'm going to have to do something about it. And Med Matrix was the source of my solutions for let's try this, let's try that, and it's working out very well. Couldn't be happier. >> Amazing. >> Good. >> So, what about um if one of your friends was on the fence, right? What would you say to them? >> I would ask him what's what's really important to you at this point. Because if if it's really important to you that you just don't feel well, do you believe that the stub your toe doctors are going to solve your problem? They're not going to because you not feeling well isn't the source of their income other than if you just keep going and they keep trying. Well, let's see. We'll try this, we'll try that. You got to go get a whole picture and start with your gut health. Have they ever had you do anything for gut health? You know? No. What's that? Yeah, ta-da, new conversation. All right. So, yeah, because it's full functioning, you know, it's not just about, "Oh, gee, my knee hurts." Yeah, that kind of thing. >> Where is it coming from? >> Yeah. >> it hurting? >> Yeah. Yeah, well, it's like the cholesterol thing. Here, just take this. Why Why is my cholesterol high? Is is Is it genetic? Well, there's a blood test for that. Okay, if it's not genetic, then where is it coming from? Well, you know, there's some from food, obviously. Yeah. Yeah, so, okay. What are we doing here? Let's fix it. Do you want to be on this medicine? What is What You know, what's the side effect of all this medicine that you take anyway? So, I would like to be off of some of that. Yeah. >> All right, well, I got some more questions. Is there anything else that you want to share? >> No, I'm just grateful that you've taken the time to listen to my story and I'm still hoping that I can get my other two potential buddies to come in here [laughter] and at least talk to somebody. Yeah. >> Well, and I get I mean, I'm very lucky. I'm in a position that I get to take a lot of my testimonials. Yeah. I say it all the time to everyone that it really doesn't get old. Like, hearing every person's story and how their life has really turned around is incredibly selfishly motivating to me in my job. I I'm like, "Oh, this is awesome. I get to see a direct impact and talk directly to the people that it's that we're impacting." That's incredible. Right? >> Yeah. >> So, I really appreciate it not only you sharing your thoughts, but with me. >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> No problem. Thanks for having me.