Welcome to the Blog of
Dr. Matthew Lewis
Here, you’ll find news from our office, insights and observations from trusted sources in health, information about innovations in the effort to take back your own good health, testimonials from our clients, resources and recommendations of note, and more. Read a post or two and comment on anything that strikes a chord.
Functional Medicine Explained: Experiencing the Difference
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You can find plenty of information on the web about functional medicine — websites, blogs, videos, podcasts, and more. In fact, I’ve even written about it myself (please see The Difference between Traditional Doctoring and Functional Healthcare here on my website).
But based on my 20-plus years of experience as a functional medicine practitioner, it dawns on me that some potential patients may not fully understand or appreciate the advantages of functional medicine until they experience the difference for themselves.
The patients who describe the most dramatic epiphanies say they reached a dead end on the path through conventional medicine just before discovering functional medicine. They arrive at my office only after having “tried everything.” They are frustrated and they say I was the last house on the block in their search for a solution to their health issues.
Even their doctors were losing patience — and patients — because nothing in their many years of conventional medical training offers them any insight as to what’s going on or how to treat it. As a result, these patients often are led to believe that “it’s all in their head” or that the best they can hope for is the ability to manage their symptoms.
Patients say their first encounter with a functional medicine doctor resulted in a session with someone who not only listens to them but understands and empathizes with them. These health practitioners can describe what’s going on in their patients’ bodies and in their lives and how corrections can be made. They begin to feel a huge burden lifted as their frustration is replaced with understanding and hope.
In this blog post, I explore some of the attributes of the practice of functional medicine that make it so different from conventional medicine. And despite my obvious bias, I will attempt to do so from a patient’s perspective.
Time and attention
One of the big differences you’ll notice when you visit a functional medicine practice is
Chronic Itching? It’s Usually More Than Skin Deep
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If you are suffering chronic itching — a common but difficult-to-treat symptom of an inflammatory skin condition — then you’ll want to read about my experience with diagnosing and treating Lexi.
Lexi is a 25-year-old woman who came to see me about a skin condition that was causing persistent itching. She was suffering with cellulitis on her face and eczema on her hands. (Cellulitis a common, potentially serious bacterial skin infection. With cellulitis, the affected skin appears swollen, red, and is typically warm to the touch and painful.) In Lexi’s case, she had been previously treated by another doctor with several rounds of topical steroids, oral steroids, and antibiotics.
She told me that, at first, the infections and skin cleared. But after a few short weeks, all of her symptoms reappeared. She said the skin on her hands was itchy, and the cellulitis on the side of her face was causing her to feel depressed and self-conscious.
The astonishing thing to me, was that her dermatologist continued to write prescriptions without actively seeking out the cause — the root cause. Lexi was never questioned about her environment at home or work or her stress levels, and her diet was only briefly discussed. And perhaps most shocking of all — no lab tests were ever ordered.
If this sounds familiar, you might be relieved to find out that skin conditions like Lexi’s — while often more than skin deep — can be effectively treated. In fact, you can start experiencing relief in a matter of days and be on your way with a treatment plan aimed at curing you in a matter of weeks.
Common Skin Conditions
Before we investigate the causes and cures for itchy skin conditions, let’s take a look at the most common diagnoses:
How I Interpret Your Thyroid Lab Tests
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At least once each year, most adults have — or should have — a blood test to evaluate thyroid health and function. For most people, these tests come back normal. That’s good news. It’s usually a sign that the thyroid is doing its job properly.
When everything is working well, the thyroid helps to regulate body functions. These functions include metabolism, which is the process of converting food into energy. Too little thyroid hormone causes weight gain; excessive thyroid hormone causes weight loss.
Heart rate and blood pressure also rely on proper functioning of the thyroid. A lack of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) can cause fatigue, depression, brain fog, muscle cramps, cold intolerance, weight gain, or dry skin. Too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) can result in rapid heart rate, excessive sweating, nervousness/agitation, anxiety, weight loss, restless sleep, headaches, or chronic fatigue.
A Challenging Diagnosis
More than half the people with normal thyroid function will display some of the symptoms associated with thyroid dysfunction, and this can make it difficult to accurately diagnose the problem. What’s required is a closer look at blood tests, symptoms, medical and family history, and any previous diagnoses and treatments.
Some form of thyroid disease is apparent in about 6 percent of the population, with the majority of those cases showing low levels of the thyroid hormone (hypothyroid).
At BioDesign Wellness Clinic, a Tampa functional medicine clinic, I often see patients who are looking for a
ISEAI Profiles Dr. Matt Lewis
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Among the complex health conditions that I study, diagnose, treat, and write about, Environmentally Acquired Illness (EAI) continues to reveal itself as an pervasive underlying factor. If you’re unfamiliar with EAI, it covers a category of illnesses caused by mold and biotoxin exposure; Lyme disease and other persistent infections; toxic chemicals such as pesticides, heavy metals, air pollution/smog, and dust; and other irritants found in our natural environment.
EAI is so pervasive that there’s even an international medical society dedicated to raising awareness of the environmental causes of inflammatory illnesses and to support the recovery of patients affected by these illnesses through the integration of clinical practice, education, and research. That organization — the International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness (ISEAI) — recently interviewed me about my healthcare practice and approach to patient care.
Below is an except for that interview, along with a link to read the entire write-up on ISEAI’s website:
Member Spotlight: Matt Lewis, DC, CFMP, DACBN
Dr. Matt Lewis, DC, CFMP, DACBN, is a doctor and Functional Medicine Practitioner who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic health conditions. His passion is seeing his patients put their chronic conditions in the rear-view mirror and enjoy their lives again. He is an active member of the International Society of Environmentally Acquired Illness (ISEAI).
What is the name of your practice, where are you located, and do you offer remote help?
BioDesign Wellness Center is located in Tampa, Florida, where we offer on-site appointments for our patients as well as virtual healthcare appointments online. In-person visits take place at our offices at 4111 West Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa. For an appointment, patients may call (813) 445-7770. For virtual appointments, visit doctormattintampa.com. Our email address is .
What are your specialties and unique perspectives on environmental health?
I have been practicing clinical nutrition and functional medicine for…. click here to continue reading
Thank you to the International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness for choosing to shine a spotlight on me and the work I do at BioDesign Wellness in Tampa, Florida. If you’d like to read the interview in its entirety, please click on the image below:
Battling Burnout and Building Resistance to It
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I enjoy writing about what I commonly treat in my Tampa Functional medicine practice, and one of the most common conditions I treat is burnout.
Few people would consider burnout to be a medical condition, but it is, by far, the root cause of millions of annual doctor visits. Think about it. When your energy stores are totally depleted; you’re feeling overwhelmed by life’s burdens and demands; and you don’t have the time, money, and other resources to give yourself a break; your body becomes more susceptible to all forms of illness.
My grandmother provides the perfect case study in how burnout can impact health and how it can be treated successfully. Her second child, my uncle, was born prematurely and received excess oxygen, which resulted in blindness. My grandmother did a great job caring for him and ensuring that he would have a normal life. At the same time, she was caring for her first child, maintaining the household, and helping my grandfather run their family business.
(Photo ©2018 Daniel Garcia – sourced from Unsplash)
After several years, she started to feel overwhelmed and began experiencing numerous health issues related to her hormones. She eventually developed ovarian cancer. Thankfully, it was detected and treated early and successfully.
Following surgery, she continued to feel overwhelmed, additionally burdened with worries over her health. While she survived the cancer, she still had to care for her children, maintain the household, and assist in the business. She met with her primary care doctor who noticed she was visibly anxious. Back then, prescribing an anti-anxiety medication like Xanax or Valium wasn’t as common as it is now. Instead, the doctor suggested she board a train and go somewhere nice for a few weeks.
Now this may sound like strange advice, it may even strike you as dismissive, but it was — for that day and age — the ideal prescription for treating the root cause of my grandmother’s medical condition. Based on her doctor’s orders, she carved out the time and headed from New York to California to visit some old friends for a few weeks. She returned refreshed, healthy, and relaxed, and from that point on, she experienced no major health issues. She died at the age of 92 and wasn’t taking a single prescription medication.
I tell this story to remind people that life isn’t just about work and responsibilities — and that healthcare isn’t merely about treating illness. With the right approach, we can alleviate and manage stress, replenish our energy reserves, and make our minds and bodies more resilient. I realize not all of us have the time and resources to hop on a train, travel cross-country, and visit friends for weeks at a time. But we all have the power to
Anxiety is Normal But Also a Hindrance to Optimal Health
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At some point in our lives, most of us can expect to experience some form of anxiety. It might occur as the result of a life challenge, whether that be a relationship, health issue, work conflict, finance, or traumatic event. Such anxieties are normal and seldom anticipated.
Having said that, I believe it’s important to avoid downplaying the impact that stress has on our lives. It can ruin a person’s health and yet it’s so often treated superficially or worse — it’s blown off by the medical provider.
However, if you are going through a period of acute stress, or you remain in a state of chronic stress and now find yourself feeling fatigued, unmotivated, or irritable, you may be experiencing the negative health impacts of stress. And that stress might possibly be diagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
In our culture — curated as it is by conventional medicine — anxiety is often seen as a disorder and, in such fashion, labeled GAD. However, anxiety is also a normal part of life. It’s a normal part of physiology and in many cases it’s not a disorder. When anxiety becomes a disorder, it is far more obvious to recognize in ourselves and those around us and there is a greater likelihood a diagnosis of GAD will be provided by a psychologist or similar health care professional.
Whether you actually have GAD or just suffer mild to moderate anxiety, it can feel as if you’re being treated for anxiety or depression abstractly, and even with such treatment your health can decline because the underlying issues have not been resolved.
I have observed many patients seeking out functional medicine or holistic medicine who are struggling with a low to moderate anxiety level that doesn’t fit the formal diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Some men and women can be reluctant in acknowledging their anxiety, while others freely discuss their concerns. It is also common for people to dismiss anxiety or lower the value it has on their health outcomes. In some ways I think we have the wrong understanding of what anxiety is and how it blocks us from reaching our optimal health.
Breaking anxiety down, I like to classify it as follows:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder — advanced anxiety often benefitting from prescription medication
- Moderate/ mild anxiety — successfully treated without the use of prescription medication
Conditions and Symptoms Associated with GAD and Moderate to Mild Anxiety
Anxiety can create or exacerbate many conditions including:
- Chronic Fatigue
- Cortisol Imbalances
- Hormone Imbalance, altered libido or painful cycles
- Hypoglycemia
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) — Constipation or Diarrhea
- Insomnia or restless sleep
- Neurological Symptoms
- Restless Legs
- Weight Gain or Loss
Besides the commonly known symptoms of anxiety, which cause worry, upset and inability to relax, there are others, including:
The Unintended Side Effects of Birth Control: A Doctor’s Case Study
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If you’ve been taking birth control and feel bloated after eating, or have gained weight that is difficult to drop, or have been set back by sports-related injuries that happened years ago, perhaps this case study on the unintended consequences of birth control on women’s health is for you.
Meet Stephanie — a 24-year-old professional who came to see me with a concern about her digestion. Well, it turned out to be more than that, and as you’ll see, very much related to her use of birth control pills.
Stephanie’s most pressing concern was related to her constant bloating after eating, along with constipation. During her initial consultation, she also told me that while playing sports in high school she suffered a terrible ankle injury that required surgery and months of bed rest. During this time, this 5-foot, 4-inch young woman went from weighing 120 pounds to 183 pounds.
Stephanie’s pediatrician recommended a gluten-free diet to assist her with digestion problems and weight loss. As a result of following her initial doctor’s advice, she did manage to lose a little more than 20 pounds, but still wasn’t comfortable at 162 pounds.
So far, Stephanie’s scenario seemed pretty straightforward to me. This young woman, concerned about her weight, had experienced a setback due to a sports injury a decade earlier as a teenager. Since then, exercise and diet haven’t helped her lose weight, and now she’s stuck at 162 pounds.
More to the Story
One important lesson I’ve learned over the course of my 20-plus years in practice is that there’s usually more to the story leading up to a patient’s primary symptoms, and this was certainly the case with Stephanie. As we explored her medical history, including the information she provided on the functional medicine analysis form she completed prior to her initial consultation, I discovered some interesting and enlightening details:
Is Your Antacid Making You Sick?
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Heartburn has been in the news a lot lately — and I’m not talking about the heartburn you get from watchingthe news. All those stories about COVID 19, peaceful protests, looting, and the upcoming presidential election are certainly enough to cause indigestion. But before you reach for that “little purple pill” to relieve your heartburn, consider its potential impact on your overall health.
As highlighted in a number of recent reports, prescription and over-the-counter drugs commonly used to alleviate symptoms associated with heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), acid reflux, and ulcers, may increase the risk of numerous health conditions, some of which can be fatal. Among these risks are cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and cancer.
Most recently, the news buzzed about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) recall of all prescription and over the counter (OTC) ranitidine medications, commonly known by the brand name Zantac. The FDA discovered a contaminant called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in some ranitidine products that “increases over time and when stored at higher than room temperatures and may result in consumer exposure to unacceptable levels.” NDMA is a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer).
Ranitidine is a histamine-2 (H2) blocker, a class of heartburn medication that’s normally not nearly as harmful as another class of medications commonly used to treat heartburn (I should say commonly overused) — proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). One study of PPIs — Estimates of mortality associated with proton pump inhibitors among US veterans — was published in May of 2019 in the British Medical Journal. In that peer-reviewed study, researchers from the Department of Veterans Affairs-Saint Louis, Saint Louis University, and Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis concluded that taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is associated with a small excess of cause-specific mortality, including death in 45 out of every 1,000 people. Another study published in 2006 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concluded that long-term PPI therapy is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture.
Other potential adverse side effects associated with PPIs include
HPA Axis Dysfunction is a Legitimate — and Accurate Medical Diagnosis
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I recently read an article on adrenal fatigue posted on a leading medical organization’s website that began with the claim that, “Adrenal fatigue isn’t an acceptable medical diagnosis.” This same article ended by stating, “. . . accepting a medically unrecognized diagnosis from an unqualified practitioner may leave the real cause — such as depression or fibromyalgia — undiagnosed, while it continues to take its toll.”
To be fair, the author is an M.D. and Ph.D. who studies the relationship between osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease and the potential role of estrogen in the development of both diseases. And the conventional medical community also recognizes adrenal insufficiency as a medically recognized diagnosis.
But to imply that adrenal fatigue is any less legitimate a diagnosis, or that the illness is any less “medical” in nature is puzzling. Especially when the same author recognizes depression and fibromyalgia as actual medical diagnoses. Truth is, even the medical community has no lab test for either of them.
In fact, I would suggest the opposite; that depression and fibromyalgia are not acceptable medical diagnoses and that accepting either diagnosis without a much deeper examination often leaves the real cause — an underlying adrenal-related physical condition undiagnosed and untreated.
I often see patients who have been diagnosed with depression or fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome — all medically-recognized diagnoses — who continue to suffer even when receiving what the conventional medical community deems proper treatment. Many of these patients have been diagnosed based solely on a process of elimination. It’s almost as if the doctor had given up resolving the issue and reached for a prescription pad in frustration.
Adrenal-related illnesses, like many medical ailments, exist on a spectrum and often involve more than one gland or organ or system. They are complicated conditions that require careful examination and detailed testing to unravel the mystery, and they often address several interrelated dysfunctions. Adrenal illnesses cannot be treated effectively simply by taking medications that suppress symptoms or supplements promoted solely for supporting immune function.
In this post, I describe a variety of health conditions related to the adrenal gland, some that may be caused by dysfunction upstream of the adrenal. With a greater understanding of the adrenal gland and dysfunctions that impact its health and function, my hope is that anyone with symptoms of an adrenal disorder seek a medical diagnosis from a functional and integrative medical practice to get at the root of what’s going on.
Adrenal fatigue
It was back in 1998 that James L. Wilson, DC, ND, PhD of Tucson, Ariz., coined the term “adrenal fatigue” and used it to describe a condition in which the adrenal glands — overstimulated by chronic stress — burn out and shut down, causing a variety of symptoms, including:
Getting Tested for Mold Toxicity in Tampa
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With the coronavirus and COVID-19 (the disease it causes) commandeering the news cycle right now, I’m thinking that some people are so singularly focused on this illness that they’re missing the big picture — the importance of optimal health and wellness.
If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that people with other, comorbid conditions are at the greatest risk for experiencing the worst outcomes. So, it stands to reason that one of the best ways for you to lower your risk of experiencing severe illness from COVID-19 is to optimize your health. And a key step toward optimizing your health is to ensure that you’re not suffering from any conditions that negatively impact immune function, such as mold toxicity.
I focus on mold toxicity because it is so prevalent in the Tampa area where I see and treat so many patients who suffer from this condition and improve dramatically from treatment. Because mold toxicity can have such a dramatic effect on immune function at a time when you need your immune system functioning at its best. Immune system dysfunction increases your risk of experiencing severe illness from COVID-19 in two ways:
- A weak immune response makes you more susceptible to infection and the spread of the virus through your body.
- An overreactive immune system can release excessive cytokines and other inflammatory chemicals into your body, which can result in sepsis — a potentially fatal condition involving inflammation in multiple organ systems. Most of the people who die from COVID-19 die as a result of an over-the-top immune response to the virus.
Having your home and you tested and treated (if necessary) for toxic mold and a mold-related illness is an important step toward ensuring optimal immune function and addressing any underlying inflammation.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Mold Toxicity
Exposure to moldy and damp environments can cause a variety of health problems with a wide range of symptoms, including the following:
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