The initial fee is for the initial consultation For Dr Rubina Azam and it is intended for getting complete history on the patient during this visit, they will be no medications or suplements prescribed.
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My Story


 

Hi I am Dr. Rubina Azam. I have been practicing medicine for the past 18 years in Bay county. Most people know me for my reputation as an excellent Pediatrician, however, not many people know the story of my own health and my own journey leading me to integrative and Functional medicine.

 

Functional medicine is my story. The story of how a doctor suddenly turned into a patient that no one could figure out the problem.

I used to be a very healthy person and was very proud of my healthy genes and life style. I worked hard and long hours, did ER calls, stayed up at night, worked full-time practice, rounded at the hospitals and was a full time mother. I was enjoying my life to the fullest, until about nine years ago when suddenly my health started taking a different turn. I developed new onset Acne, and Fatigue. I went to a Dermatologist and the Dermatologist recommended I to take several weeks of oral antibiotics to get rid of the bacterial infection. To my surprise within the next few weeks, I noticed that my whole system was now breaking down, and every day I was developing one new symptom. I could not eat anything, I couldn’t sleep, I had developed new and strange allergies, had fatigue, and couldn’t focus. I felt as if I had ADD, I lost my interest in everything around me, I had joint swelling and aches. My hair started thinning and I became extremely tired and irritable. I had my Thyroid function testing done and they were all within normal limits. Everything I learnt in my residency training and medical school was of no help to me in figuring out the cause of my symptoms. I went to a Rheumatologist, Gastroenterologist and different Neurologists. I did not get many answers but I did get quite a few diagnoses and matching prescriptions. Every doctor had their own diagnosis and prescription for me, including sleep medicines, strong anti-Rheumatic disease modifying agents, corticosteroids and many more. I was not responding to the treatments. I finally came to the realization that I had actually developed an imbalance in my biology, a disturbance of my natural hormones and chemicals that caused my body to break down, and had those strange symptoms. When I was not satisfied with the conventional medicine answers for my health, I decided to go the route of Functional and Integrative medicine to solve the mystery of my health. My aim was to get the least invasive treatment with the least side effects and to feel better again. It took several months of hard work and looking into various factors and undergoing several tests, but we did eventually figure it out. I was developing an autoimmune disease where my body was forming antibodies against my own tissues. Years of stress, eating unhealthy, and all the environmental toxins I had been exposed to were now in their full action, made only worse with the several rounds of antibiotics that I was prescribed for my cystic acne. These antibiotics had damaged the thin lining of my gut and had destroyed the good bacteria in my gut. This led to a damaged immune system which was acting against my own body. I also discovered that I had strong food allergies to various foods including dairy and gluten which was making my health conditions worse. I studied the healing power of nutritious foods and dietary changes. I made major changes in my diet, eliminated gluten, dairy, chemicals and processed foods, and used some supplements to restore my health and energy and heal the inflammation in my gut.

 

This was a life-changing turn for me, not only for my personal health and the health of my family but for my career and the way I would practice medicine forever.

I decided to pursue further training in the field of Integrative and Holistic Medicine. It was a great honor when I was offered a Fellowship Position in the Department of Integrative Medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona. This was an intense 2 years Training Program, that taught me all aspects of Integrative medicine and its clinical application to various illnesses. I learned the importance of mind, body, and spirit in the treatment of a person as a whole. I studied extensively the healing power of foods and natural remedies. This was an amazing and eye-opening experience for me. I knew that my knowledge and training is not just to help myself and my family but to help my community and everyone around me.

I have obtained Board Certification in Integrative and Holistic Medicine and have graduated successfully from my Fellowship program. My Integrative Medicine Fellowship training and Board Certification has given me the ability to extend my Integrative and Functional medicine care to Patients of all ages. I am not just a Primary care doctor anymore, I have become an Integrative and Functional medicine expert.

My illness was a blessing in disguise, it taught me lifelong lessons, it changed my view of medicine and it inspired me to become even a better doctor. A doctor who helps heal the whole body rather than suppressing the symptoms with medications.

 

Philosophy

Our philosophy and belief is that every illness is basically a disturbance of normal physiology somewhere in the body caused by and triggered by various environmental agents. Dr. Rubina Azam will work with you to find the root cause of your illness, and once that root cause is identified and removed, the downstream effects can be reversed as well.

We believe in an integrative medicine approach where medications are prescribed as necessary and when needed along with a lifestyle modification consisting of better nutrition, exercise, sleep improvement, and stress reduction.

Mission

To treat every patient as a whole person, to understand the system, not just the symptom, to find the underlying cause before prescribing any supplement or conventional medication.

Vision

To educate families on how to look at their bodies and minds and spirits as one integrated system and to understand that any imbalance in one of these three areas will cause symptoms that may not be treatable with conventional medications and pharmaceuticals. To enable every patient to understand their body and their mind and their needs and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

Location

Center for Integrative and Holistic Medicine
528 W Baldwin Road
Panama City, FL 32405
Phone: 850-819-4723

Office Hours

Get in touch

850-819-4723