Patient Empowerment is Bringing the Soul Back to Medicine
The mission of Tooth & Soul is creating an empowering community for you.
"Your doctor wouldn't recommend something bad for you."
I heard this recently from a patient whose physician son was trying to convince her to accept her doctor's recommended Prolia injections for osteopenia. Her reluctance was evident as she sat in my chair for her dental clearance exam.
I wondered, "Just because it's not bad for you doesn't necessarily make it good for you."
But how do we decide? By listening to ourselves and sharing through community.
I created Tooth & Soul because I want to empower you to become your own best healthcare advocate, to find the courage to ask questions, and to partner with your doctors. And I want you to have a community to support you in the journey.
You Are the Expert on Your Own Body
The most common mistake I see patients make is expecting their doctor to solve their problems and make them well without their participation.
The truth is, you live in your body 24 hours a day. You are the best expert on your body when you are listening.
Wellness is a journey, just like life itself. There's no magic pill, no one-size-fits-all solution. While we have scientific breakthroughs, population trends, and amazing technology and treatments, you are a unique individual shaped by your genetics and circumstances. What works for the average patient may not be the best for you.
After his heart attack, my father was prescribed standard doses of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood-thinning medications. But not one single nurse or doctor considered that he weighs half the average male patient. Those "normal" doses were too high for him, leaving him miserable with side effects. He had to fight hard against the protocols, explaining his logic and feelings, to finally receive lower dosages that still provided the desired effect without diminishing his quality of life.
He succeeded because he paid attention and kept asking doctors to consider his weight and how he was feeling.
This body awareness is the foundation for a true healthcare partnership.
Creating Healthcare Partnership
Healthcare should honor you as a "who," not a "what." You're not a tick box on a protocol. You're a unique human being with specific needs, values, and experiences.
Wellness requires partnership: your body awareness combined with medical expertise. This means finding doctors who take focused time with you, who inquire about your quality of life and treatment goals, who encourage you to listen to your body, and who value your specific feedback.
If your doctor is rushed, impatient with your feedback, or irritated by your questions, seek alternatives. You deserve better.
But partnership requires more than just listening. It demands courage.
The Courage to Advocate for You
Some of the most profound health improvements I've witnessed happen when patients question how medical treatments are serving them. I've seen patients whose personalities were dulled, whose energy was depleted, whose appetites changed for the worse, all usually due to chronic use of medications.
When they learned to listen to their bodies, experiment mindfully, and find doctors who listened with an open heart, they discovered they could alter or avoid traditional treatments and explore more gentle options. Whether that means seeking second opinions, working with integrative medicine practitioners, or trying exercise and nutritional options, there are many paths to try.
You have the autonomy to find the right path for you at any given time.
Your Call to Awareness
Start tuning in. Take a daily scan of how you feel. Notice what's happening on days when you feel amazing versus days when you feel off. Keep a journal of feelings, food, and exercise when you aren't sure what's happening.
This is about neutral awareness, not health anxiety or hypervigilance. Just simple awareness.
My journey of recovery from valley fever and managing an autoimmune condition has fundamentally been about awareness of what my body is telling me it needs. I wouldn’t have been able to climb out of the chronic pain and fatigue without learning from others about what they learned by being aware.
When you can describe how you feel, you can experiment with recommendations, provide meaningful feedback, and ask better questions. You become empowered to find the right medical partners and community for you.
Moving Beyond Traditional Healthcare Systems
I'm going to say it here: Big pharmaceutical, insurance, and food corporations are businesses focused on profit. That business model needs you to keep buying even while they are promoting supposed wellness. Prevention and optimizing quality of life require time and listening, which decreases profit.
Insurance has become necessary in our system, but it won't optimize your health. Neither will following internet gurus and buying their products.
Western medicine is a wonderful resource for emergencies, acute conditions, and life-threatening situations. But we also need gentler, natural support to maintain good health in our often unnatural environments. This requires listening to your body and actively partnering with good care providers.
Building the Tooth & Soul Community
In dentistry, patients often spend an hour with their dentist or hygienist twice a year. This gives us a unique perspective on the power of sustained, personal healthcare relationships. We need more voices (practitioners and patients) saying there's a better way than the system at large.
Tooth & Soul aims to bring the soul back into healthcare through empowerment, resources, and community. No single expert is right for everybody. By listening and getting curious about what supports your best quality of life, you'll find the right pathway and practitioners for you.
You need a partner, not a quick fix. You are not difficult for asking questions. You are not wrong for trusting your body's wisdom. You are the expert on your own magnificent body. It's time to start listening.
Welcome to Tooth & Soul—where your voice matters, your experience counts, and your health is truly your own.
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