New approach leads to Susan’s transformation

By Connie Wirta

SusanKelley delights in joining her husband for a hike in the woods. She remembers when she could barely make it to the mailbox at the end of their driveway.

In a little over a year, Susan has undergone a metamorphosis. She has lost nearly 100 pounds and no longer needs any of her prescription medicines. She’s free from the chronic diarrhea and pain that limited her activities.

Susan says she was at her wit’s end when she decided to try a new approach to her health and made an appointment with Dr. Nancy Sudak, a physician in the new Integrative Health Department at the Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic. The 69-year-old Duluth woman was ready to make changes in her lifestyle if they’d help her feel better.

“I’d tried so many times with every diet that came out for 50 years,” Susan recalls. “I would stick to them, but nothing happened.”

Susan had worked with other doctors and dietitians, yet her weight had reached 278 pounds. She was considering weight-loss surgery “but just couldn’t say yes.” Instead, she turned to Dr. Sudak.

Dr. Sudak takes a holistic approach that embraces the whole person — mind, body and spirit — to reach the goal of optimal wellness. Integrative health uses an array of approaches, including conventional medicine and other healing therapies. It emphasizes the relationship between patient and practitioner.

“Integrative health is effective because it delves into underlying factors,” explains Dr. Sudak. Patient and clinician work together to create an immediately trust her guidance."

Susan identified four goals: lose weight; deal with pain from fibromyalgia and sciatica; improve her shortness of breath and resolve the chronic diarrhea.

“Our patients can radically change their lives,” Dr. Sudak says. “We help them feel deeply cared for and empowered. We rapidly establish a deep rapport and create a positive healing environment. At the end of their first visit, patients often tell us they have felt heard.” individualized plan drawn from diverse healing practices. The plan can draw on the expertise of other practitioners, such as dietitians/nutritionists, acupuncturists and mental health therapists. Many options are available, such as diet modifications, exercise, nutritional supplements, acupuncture, aromatherapy, biofeedback, yoga and meditation.

“When I met Dr. Sudak, I just loved her,” Susan recalls of her first appointment in August 2017. “She took in all this information about me and was so interested. I felt her encouragement and knew I could

In trying to find the root cause of many of Susan’s problems, Dr. Sudak first looked to the gastrointestinal tract because Susan had struggled with heartburn and diarrhea. A timed lab test analyzed gas levels in Susan’s breath and helped diagnose a bacterial overgrowth in her small intestine. Acidblocking medications for heartburn had suppressed good bacteria and allowed other bacteria from Susan’s large intestine to travel to her small intestine, Dr. Sudak explains. The condition caused bloating, discomfort and diarrhea. It also made it difficult for Susan to lose weight. “All those of years of problems and all I had to do was blow into a straw at the lab,” Susan says with a smile.

Susan worked with Dietitian Jean Larson on an individualized nutrition plan to lose weight and restore a healthy gut. The plan has no gluten, dairy products, sugar, legumes or grains. “I’ll stick to it if it works, and it has worked,” Susan says. “Now I’m not worried that I’ll gain the weight back. Jean is very encouraging and so knowledgeable on how foods can hurt or heal your body."

Dr. Sudak recommended Susan begin exercising and referred her to SpineX, an eight-week exercise program for back pain that strengthens core muscles and safely boosts activity. “SpineX taught me how to think about exercise,” Susan says. “You have to stretch and move. If you hurt and you don’t move, you don’t get better.”

Acupuncturist Jake Swette has helped Susan with sciatica pain and vertigo. “Jake really listens to you and customizes each treatment to what’s bothering you,” Susan says.

Susan says the team treats her as a whole person, not just a collection of symptoms. “I’m so much more active and I have a better outlook,” she says. “I’m excited about getting up every day and doing things instead of saying that it just hurts too much.”

“Susan is an extraordinary determined person,” Dr. Sudak says. “She puts her mind to it and she’ll do it 100 percent. Her spirit drives her. It’s so joyful to work with such a committed patient and participate in such a beautiful metamorphosis.”

Make an appointment

Integrative Medicine is a new department at the Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic. There are three physicians: Dr. Nancy Sudak, Dr. Sarah Astorga and Dr. Teja Dyamenahalli. The team includes Nurse Practitioner Rachel Scharfenberg, Dietitian Jean Larson and Acupuncturists Jake Swette, Amie Archambault and Emily Hysjulien. To make an appointment, call (218) 786-2125. D

Connie Wirta is an editor for Essentia Health. She wrote this for The Woman Today.

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