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Episode Dr Wada
Blog, Podcast

How to Balance Western Medicine and Alternative Medicine Approaches: Dr. Kara Wada, Allergist & Immunologist and Sjogren’s Patient

February 26, 2021
5 min read
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On Episode 26 of the Arthritis Life Podcast, Dr. Kara Wada shares her journey managing Sjogren’s Disease and provides insight into how to balance alternative approaches with traditional Western medicine. She and Cheryl discuss ways to assess the validity of alternative medicine claims so you can make informed, empowered decisions. 

Dr. Kara Wada is an Assistant Clinical Professor and Associate Fellowship Program Director of Allergy/Immunology at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency and Allergy/Immunology Fellowship at the Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. 

After having completed additional fellowship training in medical education, Dr. Wada is passionate about building meaningful connection and therapeutic relationships with her patients and inspiring future physicians to do the same. She seeks to empower her patients and coaching clients with a naturally-minded and scientifically-grounded approach to care.  She speaks nationally on topics including medical education, allergic and immunologic conditions. Outside of her work, she is an autoimmune patient, a food allergy mom of 2 spunky daughters, and wife to another Dr. Wada.  

Cheryl Crow is an occupational therapist who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for seventeen years. Her life passion is helping others with rheumatoid arthritis figure out how to live a full life despite arthritis, by developing tools to navigate physical, emotional and social challenges. She formed the educational company Arthritis Life in 2019 after seeing a huge need for more engaging, accessible, and (dare I say) FUN patient education and self-management resources. 

Links to things discussed in the episode:

Medical disclaimer: All content found on the Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Here’s the show breakdown:

  •  01:25 – Introduction: Dr. Kara’s job as an Allergist Immunologist doctor at an academic medical center, journey with the autoimmune disease Sjogren’s syndrome, and her role as a mother to a child with food allergy.
  • 4:10 – Dr. Kara’s experience having to advocate to get the blood testing and labs drawn for Sjogren’s disease while she was a medical intern.
  • 6:30 – Reflections on the power dynamics in physician – patient relationships and the importance of two way communication.
  • 8:38 – Dr. Kara’s tips on how to develop a trusting relationship with a physician. 
  • 13:48 – How Dr. Kara uses a shared decision making to work together with patients, rather than the old model where the doctor told patients what to do.
  • 16:28- Dr. Kara explains the difference between an Allergist Immunologist and a Rheumatologist, and explains how allergist immunologists do more than “just” allergies.
  • 20:25 – How Dr. Kara manages her Sjogren’s currently, with an emphasis on the word “and” (western medicine and other “crunchy” alternatives). An explanation of Dr. Kara’s anti-inflammatory living techniques: food, meditation, and most importantly sleep to support health and healing.  
  • 25:10 – How Dr. Kara un-learned her perfectionist tendencies, and Cheryl & Dr. Kara reflect on how parenting helped them lean into “progress over perfection.”
  • 26:28: Reflections on how to accept the reality: you can do everything right, and sometimes your body is going to have a mind of its own. How to accept the element of randomness and move on with an empowered and self-compassionate mindset rather than letting it get us down. 
  • 27:00 – Dr. Kara explains how she finds a balance between conventional and complementary alternative treatments: “weeding out the woo.”
  • 31:10 – The warning signs to look out for when looking at different complementary alternative treatment options
  • 33:10 – Dr. Kara explains how the supplement industry is not regulated and can be dangerous and shares her own experience of experiencing liver abnormalities after taking a “superfood” supplement.
  • 36:44 – The importance of a personalized care plan and getting a variety of specialists on your care team.
  • 38:43 – Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean that it’s healthy. Dr. Kara and Cheryl dive into the balance between being open minded and skeptical about alternative methods of managing rheumatic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s. 
  • 41:00 – Dr. Kara and Cheryl’s discuss the importance of an individualized risk / benefit analysis when trying any new approach (including financial risks / investments, time risks / investments and health risks / investments / benefits). 
  • 45:02 – Dr. Kara’s recommended resources for patients looking into alternative options: University of Arizona’s Website. 
  • 46:55- Dr. Kara’s advice about lab tests that are marketed as “the tests your doctor doesn’t know to give you,” particularly for “food sensitivities” or food intolerances. 
  • 48:33 – Cheryl & Dr. Wada reflect on how to still feel empowered when facing the truth that there may be no “magic wand” solution for rheumatic diseases.
  • 49:05 – Importance of making your ordinary routine fun in small ways to add up to larger gains in health over time. Reflections that many people with rheumatic diseases don’t need many supplements.