Leah’s Story: “Part One – I’m Not Even Sick (but I’m a patient anyway).”

The following post was written by a co-learner, and shared with her permission, on her blog at lcholistichealth.com . Thank you, Leah, for chronicling your experience as a new patient and sharing it with both your own followers as well as our Riordan Clinic community.

Author: Leah Chischilly, MSAc., L.Ac

I’m getting ready for my first appointment at the Riordan Clinic.  If you aren’t already familiar with the Riordan Clinic, It is widely known for nutrition therapy, specifically Intravenous Vitamin C therapy and alternative cancer treatments.

I found out about the Riordan clinic in a very roundabout way. I am always interested in learning more about nutrition and how to use food, vitamins and other supplements to treat various issues and to maintain great health. So, one day I was having a lazy afternoon (seriously, when does that happen?!)  and decided to check out a documentary called “That Vitamin Movie.” It was a great film and I recommend you watch it. The film was my first introduction to Vitamin C therapy and it featured Dr. Ron Hunninghake of the Riordan Clinic. I was so intrigued by this film and Vitamin C therapy but had absolutely no clue that the Riordan Clinic was literally right down the street from where I now live in Wichita, KS. It wasn’t until I was randomly driving by and a sign that said “Vitamin C Therapy” caught my eye. I can’t even tell you how excited I was to discover that this place was so close to me!

I immediately went home to google everything I possibly could about the clinic and enrolled in a 21 Day Detox class that they hold onsite a couple of times per year. Dr. Anne Zauderer who taught the class is obviously whip-smart, and boy does she know her nutrition. But even better, she made the information very approachable and easy to understand. I got so much out of the class that I decided that I wanted to become a patient there as well.

Here’s the thing…I’m not sick. I eat mostly organic, I take supplements, I exercise (although probably not as much as I should) and I feel pretty good.  So, why would I go see a doctor?

I can think of a few reasons:

  • I don’t want to get sick – This isn’t in a paranoid sort of way, but in a way that if there is something small I can be doing right now that might help me out down the road, then I want to know about it and implement it as soon as possible.
  • Guesswork only goes so far – I’ve learned a lot about nutrition and health over the last decade or so.  I can tell when I’m low on iron or magnesium, and I know I could use some extra Vitamin D (because who couldn’t?), but I’ve never gotten an exact read on all of my nutrient levels.  I supplement until I feel better, but don’t have the numbers to show me I’m in the clear. I feel like the labs alone will be worth the trip.
  • To walk my talk – When it comes to acupuncture, I tell people all day long that they need to be getting treatments even when they feel good. It’s preventative medicine, not just restorative medicine. As a healthcare provider myself, it’s important that I practice what I preach.
  •  To learn – I want to see what it is like to be a patient and how the program helps me. I want to learn all about the services that the Riordan Clinic offers so when someone else needs them I know where to send them.  It’s always important to me to send people to places and products that I have tried and I trust.

The moral of the story: You don’t have to wait until you are sick or broken to seek out support. As humans, no matter how much research we do or how smart we think we are, we will always have blind spots. It’s that second set of eyes that can see what we don’t (in health or otherwise) that helps us feel better and be more than we are today. And, isn’t that always the goal?

I’m excited to see what my time there will bring and what discoveries I make about my own health.  I will be sharing my entire experience along the way in hopes that someone else can benefit from it as well.

Talk to you soon!

-Leah


Leah Chischilly, MSAc., L.Ac. is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Manager of Clinical Operations at Modern Acupuncture. She helps busy women go from stressed out, in pain and on edge to blissed out, pain-free and on their way to better health. Leah earned her Master’s degree in Acupuncture from the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture and has extensive training in acupuncture for pain and stress management as well as aesthetic acupuncture.

You can find her at:
lcholistichealth.com | @lmchischilly on Instagram | Facebook.com/leahchischilly