I used to be like many, roll my eyes at the idea of what is called functional medicine. That all changed in 2012
Functional Medicine? Yea Right
Functional Medicine is a medical practice or treatments that focus on optimal functioning of the body and its organs, usually involving systems of holistic or alternative medicine. In 2011 my newly found friend and business partner Circe Denyer was dropping strong hints about my visiting her Chiropractor, Dr. Thomas Polucki. She trusted him explicitly. She discovered him at a business networking event; took advantage of his free consultation, and has been devoted ever since. “I feel years younger and have so much more energy.”
“Yea, Yea”. I’d say.
The Back
Then one day my back went out. And I mean OUT. I was flat on the floor in my home office barely able to move. No amount of pain relievers (and I had prescription ones from previous surgeries) were helping. After 3 days of agony, I consented to let Circe drive me to see Dr. Polucki.
I was always a bit suspicious about just how effective chiropractic is. Circe explained to me that Dr. Polucki was much more than a chiropractor. He is an upper cervical chiropractor. Upper cervical chiropractic care is when the doctor focuses on adjusting the upper neck region of the spine. At that time I didn’t really care, I just wanted relief.
Boy did I get it.
From nearly crippled when I walked in, after a brief session with Dr. Polucki, I was carrying a laundry basket of clothes later that afternoon. No pain.
I took an interest in Dr. Polucki.
Meet Dr. Polucki
Doctor Polucki faced several health issues as a child, requiring three surgeries and five prescription medications. And growing up in a medical family, he received excellent medical care and even tested for medical school as a teen. But then he discovered functional medicine and within months of care, no longer needed any medication. So that inspired him to pursue an education in drug-free non-surgical health care.
Dr. Polucki is passionate about health. Passionate about living a quality life. He is passionate about the benefits of functional medicine. Dr. Polucki doesn’t discourage people from visiting their regular doctor. But he does encourage seeking functional alternatives to the often ineffective and damaging results remedies offered by the standard medical community. Even when drugs, physical therapy, and surgery don’t work, restoring function always helps people get their lives back. That is Dr. Polucki’s passion. Giving people their lives back.
Benefits
Here are some of the benefits I’ve derived from my relationship with Dr. Polucki and functional medicine.
Back
Best exercises to do to keep my back strong and not go out. If I do not do these exercises and spend a lot of time sitting, eventually my lower back gets weak, and I need another tweak.
Nausea Knots
While going through Chemo, I experienced a lot of nausea. Little did I know that nausea knots form in the back around the area where the stomach resides. My friend rubbed those out daily, and it helped tremendously in reducing nausea.
Oregano Oil for Colds
I take 2-3 drops of oregano oil when I feel a cold coming on. It keeps those colds at bay. It has numerous other health benefits I was not aware of until I met Dr. Polucki
Probiotics
Dr. Polucki used to recommend, for patients that needed nutritional support, the best supplements he could find online. But after several disappointing experiences, he decided to develop his own line of supplements using only the best independent labs. One of those supplements – his probiotics labeled Advanced Biotic Support – gave me miraculous results.
My 65-year old stomach has grown more sensitive to rich and spicy foods. When I feel the tummy starting to act up, I take two probiotic pills, and the problems subside pretty quickly. I NEVER travel without them. Eating foods in strange places – I’m never sure what ingredients they may put in their food that will upset my tummy. Gas, bloat or even slight pain, those probiotics kick it in the butt!
Vitamins and Supplements
In addition to Dr. Polucki’s probiotics, I use his liver pills, collegian pills, and magnesium pills. I wash them down with his pea-protein cleanse powder mixed in water along with his powdered vitamins.
Canola Oil
Did you know that Canola is a derivative of what they use to make machine oil? Not sure whose great idea it was to have it available to use in food, but it is inexpensive, and many restaurants and food manufacturers use it. Before being educated by Dr. Polucki, I had a heck of a lot of stomach problems because of cooking with and eating foods with Canola oil .I do my best to avoid Canola oil, but because its use is so pervasive, I cannot avoid it. And when I don’t, out come the probiotics. Presto. Tummy all better.
Carbs? Fats? Protein?
I learned that if I feel sleepy 20 minutes after I eat, I consumed something my body would be happier without. So I do my best to consume food that is best for my body type.
Which is best? Carbs, protein or healthy fats? He says “all” are best depending on your body type. Some function better on protein, others on fats, and
Fractured Neck – no problem
While walking one autumn morning in Vermont, an old dead tree fell. The last 20 feet of this 50 or so tall foot tree broke across my shoulder. I suffered only bruised ribs and a black eye – AND a fractured neck. The fracture is called a Clay-shoveler’s fracture – named after the injury men digging deep ditches tossed clay 10 to 15 feet above their heads using long-handled shovels. The sticky clay would sometimes stick to the shovel; the worker would hear a pop and feel a sudden pain between the shoulder blades, and unable to continue working. The fracture is diagnosed by an x-ray. examination. Thanks to Dr. Polucki and his treatments, I have had NO pain whatsoever from that injury.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a term that describes a neck injury caused by a sudden movement of the head forwards, backward or sideways. It often occurs after a sudden impact such as a road traffic accident (see below). The vigorous movement of the head overstretches and damages the tendons and ligaments in the neck.
In 2014 a woman turned left and hit my left front tire, causing the axil to break. The car was totaled. I walked away, but my neck and shoulders started to hurt within minutes. Within an hour I was on Dr. Polucki’s table. I went weekly for several weeks, resulting in minimal and eventually no discomfort from that sideways whiplash.
Fat
Recently Dr. Polucki added Lipo Freeze machine in his office. It had been something I thought about, spotting the procedure on big billboards, but unless it was “safe,” it was no go. So, when Dr. Polucki got one, I knew not only it was safe, but I could trust he would approach the treatment with honesty and integrity. This is what I learned:
Unlike what many ads promise – instant loss of a lot of fat – a single procedure can permanently eliminate 20-25% of the fat cells treated. So it can take four to five treatments to get the desired result. And it takes up to twelve weeks to see the full result. And t
Because body sculpting creates more work for the immune system to flush those fat cells out of the body, the best results happen with a modified diet, drinking more water and Dr. Polucki’s Cleanse Support.
I was one of his first patients – so I had 3 freezes on my tummy, and two on those love handles on my back hips. It took a while for the body to wash that
And the best part… I got the whole weight loss, cleansing, body sculpting package for less than what I would have paid for just the fat freezing anywhere else.
Healthy Skin and Cosmetics
Having gone through the breast cancer experience in 2015 – I spent 9 months of my life undergoing surgery, chemo, and radiation. My prognosis is outstanding, but even the best prognosis won’t stand up to body abuse.
I’ve learned that there are all sorts of ways we get chemicals in our body that can harm it. Our skin is our largest organ, and most of the products we use on skin. Recently Dr. Polucki and his wife, Toni, embraced BeautyCounter. Not just a beauty company – it is a movement. The company is actively lobbying to change the industry standard, to remove harmful ingredients hidden in personal care products we apply on our skin every day.
These products are phenomenal. I’ve only been on the regimen a few weeks as of writing this blog post, but I can feel a difference in my skin. A little goes a LONG way. In fact, so much so I rubbed the excess on my arm that has lymphedema – an unfortunate side effect of having no lymph nodes. Within days the little bumps disappeared.
I also use their sunscreen – which is free of the common chemicals in commercial sunblock that can cause cancer. BeautyCounter’s sun screen is made from Poppy flowers. It not only protects my skin from the
I have not used the make-up yet, but you can see, as the guinea pig during a launch demo – how much better, yet natural, I look with Beauty Counter makeup.
I do have the lipstick. It is remarkable. Conditions the lips. Rich with color, and NO chemicals. Love it.
Exercise
I’ve learned that intense boot camp type workouts can do a body more harm than good. I now do workouts that reasonable for my level and age (65 years old) – and feel great. That is: fifteen minutes of SWEAT every day.
Cancer prevention
Dr. Polucki is constantly researching all aspects of health and wellness – especially when it comes to cancer. The powder packets I create using Dr. Polucki’s pea-protein cleanse powder and vitamins also include a powder researchers have found is extremely effective in treating cancer, and preventing it. I use it as a preventive aid. It is Sodium Dichloroacetate.
I purchase mine from Amazon.
In Conclusion – Wellness
I am so appreciative of the many benefits I enjoy from working with Dr. Polucki. If you are fortunate enough to live in the Los Angeles area – his practice is in the Santa Clarita Valley. Distance, however, does not stop many from flying from all parts of the country to seek his counsel and treatments. He is one of just a handful of upper cervical chiropractors that is so well-versed in all aspects of functional medicine.
Do I feel lucky? Indeed I do. For all the reasons above and more, Dr. Polucki is a person I admire.
