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Dr. Reena Singh’s Personal Journey:

Most doctors have a personal story that attracted them to practice medicine. For me, it was a journey of recovering from ulcerative colitis and regaining my health. Using Naturopathic medicine to overcome this challenge made me realize just how extraordinary this medicine is. I left a promising career in Corporate America to pursue my calling as a Naturopathic physician. I know first hand what it can do and my passion is to help others use Naturopathic medicine to regain their health.

At the age of 19 I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis just as I had finished my first year of college. I suffered for a month with the typical colitis symptoms of cramping, urgency, and diarrhea before getting a colonoscopy which confirmed the diagnosis. I became severely anemic and acutely ill and am very grateful to the doctors who took care of me and, quite honestly, saved my life. There are 2 weeks of my life that I don’t remember because I was so ill and anemic. It’s a very strange feeling to not be able to remember a period in your life.

I was immediately put on steroids to control the inflammation and bleeding for 6 months. Still, I had one more relapse a year and a half later. After tapering off the steroids I was put on Dipentum (Olsalazine) and was told I would have to be on this medication for the rest of my life in order to suppress and maintain the inflammation. I was also told that my chances of developing colon cancer are much higher due to having ulcerative colitis. Suddenly, I was devastated. I became depressed and introverted, which is very unlike me, and I just felt “down” all the time. I couldn’t believe how quickly my life had turned. I had just started college and thought my entire life was ahead of me but now it felt like I was living in a big cloud. Due to the various side effects I experienced, I was given additional medications in order to control the various side effects. After a year and half of suffering through the roller coaster effects of all the medications and feeling miserable all the time while following the ‘Standard of Care’ protocol, I started to question whether there was an alternate way to deal with my condition.

I always say that due to many twists and turns of fate I was introduced to natural medicine. I met a doctor while working overseas who helped me understand what was happening in my body and what I needed to do to reverse the disease and feel healthy again. After just a few months of following his advice and choosing to discontinue all the prescription medications, I started to feel like my old self again; I no longer suffered from the side effects, I felt more energetic, I was happier, and the best part was I no longer experienced any symptoms of ulcerative colitis. The most poignant event occurred when I returned from overseas and mother came to pick me up at the airport. She didn’t recognize me as I walked right past her.

I distinctly remember the gastroenterologist who performed my first colonoscopy 10 years after I was first diagnosed stating that he couldn’t believe it was the same colon that was inflamed and acutely ill based on the pictures from the first colonoscopy that I shared with him. That said it all! I continue to get colonoscopies to ensure my colon is healthy. It has been 15 years and I am still considered to be in remission.

I believe I went through this experience for a reason and there are so many things I have learned from it. Looking back, I now know there were so many signs prior to the acute onset of the disease that were ignored. I wish to use my experience, knowledge, and medical training to help others recognize the signs of declining health and reverse it using the least invasive and natural means available.

If you or someone you know is suffering from an Inflammatory Bowel disease, such as Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis, there is hope. It is very possible to reverse the disease process and regain your health. Please seek out a qualified Naturopathic physician to help you in your journey back to health.

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