FRANK LIPMAN, MD
To live a long, healthy, and vital life, I believe in taking an integrative approach. This means using the best that modern medicine has to offer, while supporting well-being through diet, lifestyle, herbs, and supplements. I practice functional medicine, which uses the scientific research, biochemistry, and physiology of Western medicine, along with the ancient healing philosophies of Eastern medicine. The role of functional medicine is to look for the root cause of a problem (rather than only treating the symptoms that arise) in order to improve function, reduce inflammation, and create balance in the body. If you’re driving your car and the oil light goes on, you don’t just put a Band-Aid over the oil light. You check to see why the oil light went on, and you fix the root of the issue. Ideally, we learn to incorporate daily practices into our lives that prevent that oil light from going on in the first place.
I was trained as a traditional physician in the Western medical system, and while I’m not against Western medicine at all, it has its limitations. Drugs can be helpful, and oftentimes necessary, but many of them are overused and overprescribed. The methods of Western medicine are wonderful for acute care and crisis care. If you break a bone or have appendicitis, a heart attack, or pneumonia, or you need emergency care, Western medicine is appropriate. However, I noticed early on in my days as a conventional M.D. that the problems people suffer from on a day-to-day basis—chronic, low-grade complaints such as fatigue, digestive issues, headaches, stress, insomnia, pain, and anxiety—are issues that Western medicine doesn’t really deal with properly.
When I was introduced to acupuncture in 1984, I witnessed how traditional Chinese medicine (which includes the use of plants and herbs) was working well for patients with these everyday health concerns. Traditional Chinese medicine points to an imbalance in the system—you’re not simply considered “healthy” or “sick.” There’s a spectrum. As health practitioners, we’re always trying to move people further along the spectrum toward better health. I began to see natural plants, herbs, medicinal mushrooms, acupuncture, and stress-relief techniques as a perfect match for the crisis care that Western medicine provides. I knew the future of medicine would be some kind of combination of the two.
Many cultures throughout history have used plants, herbs, and fungi for health and longevity. Both cannabis and medicinal mushrooms can have tremendous benefits for not only everyday wellness but for staying healthy as we age. Mushrooms are powerful medicines that have been shown to improve brain function and strengthen immunity. I have always used mushrooms in my practice with patients to balance the immune system, because that is the Chinese medicine tradition.
We’re just starting to tap into the vast therapeutic potential of cannabis. I work with a lot of stressed-out New Yorkers, and I’ve seen incredible results with CBD for sleep, relaxation, and anxiety. It really helps people to chill out when they’re overstressed. I’ve also seen patients experience amazing results with CBD for inflammation and skin problems. Cannabis is a wonderful medicine that has so many potential benefits.
Jenny Sansouci is one of my favorite health coaches of all time, and I’m thrilled that you have the opportunity to learn from her in this book. Jenny worked as a health coach in my practice in New York City for four years, and she has worked directly with hundreds of my patients. What I loved about working so closely with Jenny is that she’s really good with people—I was always impressed by how much she cared about what each patient was dealing with. She explored every question a patient asked so thoroughly, and if she didn’t know about something a patient was struggling with, she’d do everything she could to research it.
The Rebel’s Apothecary is an exact reflection of how Jenny worked in my practice. You can trust her to be a reliable source who’s done her research and looked at all of the information responsibly. This book is necessary in the world we live in now, where it can be confusing and overwhelming to know where to turn when it comes to our health and wellness.
The right blend of conventional medicine and herbal medicine can help you to feel better every day and live a longer, healthier, more vibrant life. I’m excited to see what will happen with both cannabis and mushrooms in the future, as I believe they are the perfect antidote for the Western ways of living. This book is on the cutting edge of that research.