S1 Ep 5 - The Scavenger Hunt of Your Family's Historical Past to Find Your Inner Doctor

03/22/22 • 26 min

2 Listeners

In this episode, I want to take you with me on a scavenger hunt, to look at my past, present, and future. In episode 1, I talked about my mother, Christina Stemmler, M.D., who was an integrated physician. She studied Chinese medicine, she was a family physician, and she had a profound effect on me and my interest in healthcare. She died in 2008. Throughout her career, she gave several talks and was a prolific writer; so, I have the opportunity to introduce you to her in this episode from rare audio recordings. I’ll be talking about her because I’m, right now, at the point in my life where I really want to understand the “before and after” of me.

In looking to the future, I am also introducing you to my nephew. He is my sister’s son, and he is 7 years old. One of the things that fascinates me about him is that I’ve never taught him the concepts of energy medicine or Qi, that life force energy that is so essential to health according to Chinese medicine. However, in this interview you will hear his wisdom as he talks about energy with an unfiltered understanding, and the connection he has to his environment of before and after. It’s profound to hear him speak about his experience, and I’m delighted to share it with you.

Moving forward in this podcast, I’m going to continue to uncover clues about my mother’s life and her legacy before she died. This is more than just detective work. It’s a gift left in her writing, in her recordings, and from my memories. It’s a treasure not just for me to understand my true essence and calling, but an opportunity for you to learn from two generations of women propelled to make changes in the understanding and delivery of healthcare. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to episode 1, An Introduction to Third Opinion MD: Time to Take the Doctor Out of the Equation and Put You in Charge of Your Health, I introduced my mother as one of the reasons why I am producing this podcast.

In this episode, I share:

Looking forward and backward in my family’s timeline to see how our lineage has connected with healing and energy.
What it means to be an integrated physician.
Recordings from my mother, Christina, when she gave lectures to her patients as an integrated physician.
An introduction to the future through my 7-year old nephew. I sent questions to my sister to interview him about his grandmother, Christina. His answers demonstrate how easily children can understand energy and healing.
My family’s history of trauma, including every generation moving to find a better future.
My mother’s history of having been a doctor and a healer. She studied both Eastern and Western medicine, much like I did.
How our history can inform our present, and how it can impact our future.
Why the entirety of a person’s history (personal, family, social, cultural, spiritual) is important in understanding their current health.
Review the steps I teach you when we work together so you can form your own third opinion.

In this episode, I share:

Looking forward and backward in my family’s timeline to see how our lineage has connected with healing and energy.
What it means to be an integrated physician.
Recordings from my mother, Christina, when she gave lectures to her patients as an integrated physician.
An introduction to the future through my 7-year old nephew. I sent questions to my sister to interview him about his grandmother, Christina. His answers demonstrate how easily children can understand energy and healing.
My family’s history of trauma, including every generation moving to find a better future.
My mother’s history of having been a doctor and a healer. She studied both Eastern and Western medicine, much like I did.
How our history can inform our present, and how it can impact our future.
Why the entirety of a person’s history (personal, family, social, cultural, spiritual) is important in understanding their current health.
Review the steps I teach you when we work together so you can form your own third opinion.

Previous Episode

S1 Ep 4 - Making Health Simple: An introduction to Qigong with Guest Master Liu He

1 Recommendations

In this episode of the Third Opinion MD podcast, I’m honored to be interviewing a renowned qigong master, Master Liu He. Master Liu is a part of the Ling Gui lineage of qigong, a school with teachings that have been passed down for 2,000 years. I have worked with Master Liu since 2015, and have found that her presence and teachings guide me and ground me in profound ways.

Master Liu began her training at the age of 4 under the guidance of her grandfather, a highly respected qigong master and Chinese medical doctor who treated the last Emperor of China. By age 14, Master Liu attained the level of qigong master and was given permission by her grandfather to teach others; a privilege traditionally reserved only for men.

Her life has been dedicated to sharing with others all that has been given to her. She teaches medical qigong and healing techniques extensively throughout China, Europe, and the United States, and is currently on the faculty of the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, Oregon.

In this episode, Master Liu and I discuss:

The definition of Qigong (Qi is translated loosely as “energy” or “life force”, and Gong as “practice” or “cultivation”)
The role Qigong plays in your energy and health
Some of the differences between Eastern and Western Medicine
How integrating Eastern and Western practices in medicine can help us better develop our own third opinion in medicine
Cultivating good health
Our minds as fourth-dimensional space, and how this is different from the standard Western thinking
The roots of Qigong, and its relationship to Traditional Chinese Medicine, yoga, Yin Yang theory, and Five Element theory
Approaching Qigong from a beginner’s mindset
Learning to trust our senses and bodies

Resources:

Master Liu’s Website: https://linggui.org/

Master Liu on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterliuhe/

Read a transcript, and the full show notes for this episode on my website.

To learn more about Third Opinion MD, please visit my website by clicking here.

I offer one-on-one integrative health consultations blending Eastern and modern medicine philosophies, putting you in charge of your health management and prevention. You can learn more by visiting my website, here.

Dr. Barbara de la Torre started Third Opinion MD as a way to spark a wave of change in the way we practice medicine, how we care for ourselves, how physicians are treated, and how we can navigate through the existing healthcare system. Information on this podcast is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional.

Next Episode

S1 Ep 6 - Taking to the Streets of Portland to Ask People About Their Experience with Doctors and Healthcare

1 Recommendations

In the season 1 finale of Third Opinion MD podcast, I’m taking to the streets of Portland, Oregon with my friend and colleague, Alisha Harrington, to speak to real people about their experiences with the healthcare system. You see, I strongly believe that true healing comes from real listening, and I wanted to hear the unfiltered stories of people in everyday settings. Alisha and I visited food carts and a local park and interviewed people about their experiences with doctors and healthcare.

I know that many of their stories will sound familiar to you, and you may have experienced something similar in interacting with the healthcare system. In this episode, I’m also sharing 8 “dos and don’ts” for you to use on your own healthcare journey, so you can get the best results possible. You can find these listed below, as well.

Read the full show notes, and transcript on my website.

Some of my pearls of wisdom around how to best interact with your healthcare system:

Write down the specific department, and the direct phone number for the doctor you are working with, or have been referred to. It’s easy to get lost in a phone tree or get bounced around in referrals.
Request and keep a copy of your health records, preferably every year or six months. Read through them. Ask questions or ask for revisions if something is incorrect or no longer accurate about your current health status. Maintain your records because you will likely change doctors. In being your own best advocate, it’s important that you also keep the records and understand your own health history.
Remain calm and in control of your emotions when you are working with people in healthcare. It’s reasonable to be frustrated and feel overwhelmed. For the best care, keep to the golden rule of “treat others as you’d like to be treated.” It goes a long way with doctors who are limited by time to engage with you..
Don't let insurance coverage dictate what you should do for your health. Self care is the key to supplementing what insurance won't.
Use the Patient Elevator Speech to use your time at your doctor’s appointment wisely and efficiently. You’ll want to consider 10 points, some of which include:

When your symptoms started, and where they are located (pain, nausea, anxiety, etc).
The quality and intensity of a symptom, especially regarding pain.
What you were doing when the symptoms started.
If there is anything that makes the symptoms better or worse.
If you’ve had the symptoms before (a prior episode).

Resources

Download the full Patient Elevator Speech