The founder and medical director of the Angel Longevity Medical Center, Dr. Anju Mathur, is one of the field’s preeminent doctors of functional medicine. Pioneering the concept of blue zones for health aging, and long-term wellness, Dr. Mathur emphasizes the specific and tailored nature of her treatments as well as the holistic yet very bespoke approach she takes to each patient’s case as a practitioner. Delineating what alternative healing methods are and are not, Dr. Mathur looks at success and health as a totality rather than as a partial piece of a person’s whole story. She urges common care and concern, in addition to knowing your options when making decisions about your health. This patient empowerment is at the heart of her practice and underscores the patient experience. The process doesn’t just begin with treatment, but also before and continues long after. Dr. Mathur advocates for a kind of deep involvement in her patients’ lives that speaks to the success of her methods as well as her long-term commitment to helping people lead fulfilling, promising, long lives. Much of the inspiration for this work comes from her philanthropic endeavors, which are varied and extensive. Shaped by experience and honed over years of practice, Dr. Mathur also prides herself on staying on the cutting edge of medical practices and treatments. While discussing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, Dr. Mathur gives us deep insights into the changing landscape of medicine in the modern era as well as her place within it, both professional and philosophically. Concluding the interview, we discuss some of the more pressing issues in modern medicine while also outlining some of Dr. Mathur’s concerns and research interests from chronic fatigue to general wellness and happiness. She also shares her driving force and what motivates her to continue her work every day.
Explain the concept behind Blue Zone and how your methods promote wellness and healthy aging.
The concept of Blue Zones is that people living in those areas of the world were identified as the healthiest, longest living people. For example, in Okinawa, Japan, or Ikaria, Greece, the underlying factors contributing to longevity were multifold, namely a healthy diet, usually plant based with grains, strong social connections, regular exercise, low stress levels and a strong sense of purpose. The method of healing and revitalization to promote longevity that I use is based on similar factors. We want to identify each individual patient with a genetic based diet, encourage them to lower stress levels, and do regular physical activity that they enjoy doing, be it a Zumba class, or CrossFit sessions or mountain hiking. When the patient has a strong purpose behind their existence, we encourage them to do what they are passionate about as it fosters their sense of pride in living their lives. So, I feel this is kind of a Blue Zone type of approach to modern living in a busy metropolitan city like Los Angeles.
What are some preconceived notions that people have about alternative healing that are false?
People have been bombarded with the idea and are being told that there are no studies done on alternative methods of healing. However, that is far from the truth. There are many human studies done with basic nutrients that get published regularly in scientific journals. Putting together research in understanding basic human physiology with their metabolic pathways is what leads us to the path of improvement in the health status of a person. The other very common notion that people have is it is not scientifically proven and can be dangerous. There are always going to be some adverse effects to featuring anything in life. In fact, all big pharmaceutical drugs have too many side effects, even when used in recommended doses. This has dogmatically been pushed out in public as acceptable such as being directed to for example “Ask your Doctor about Boniva” in the media. America is the only country in the world where pharmaceutical companies are allowed to market their drugs directly to the public.
What are some of the most popular or more successful practices that you have implemented with clients?
Most popular and successful practices are Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) and our various types of IV therapy that we offer. Patients just love these. We also have a very specific metabolic type-based diet that is individualized for each client.
Tell us more about the customized process that patients enjoy before and during treatment.
We go very deeply into the timeline of the patient’s complaints. For example, we want to understand the antecedent factors, precipitating factors and perpetuating factors leading to the dis-eased state. This helps us create a list of possible areas of the body that should be investigated further to establish the imbalances. For instance, a person has had abdominal discomfort since their last surgery after being given courses of antibiotics. We want to do gut testing to lead us into the underlying cause of their abdominal discomfort.
What is on the horizon for anti-aging medicine?
The area of research that is very hot right now is the area of using Peptide therapy for anti-aging and longevity purposes. These are molecules that have a chain of amino acids comprising less than 50 amino acids. This is an area that is burgeoning with data on how to make cellular efficiency so cells can stay young and efficient.
Tell us more about your philanthropic work and what drives you outside of medicine.
Observing that there is a general decay of moral values which is pretty much now accepted level of behaviors in our current society. People are losing their sense of pride in themselves and then go down the dwindling spiral that leads to rise in crime rate, unemployment, drugs, complacency, and nonproductive lives. So, I work in this area uplifting the society with the distribution of the booklet “The Way to Happiness” which reminds people of who they really are, a powerful being who can rise and create a happy life.
Are there any personal anecdotes that led you to this field?
As a practicing physician for several years after residency, I realized that my patients were not really healing but were only being managed with prescription drugs. So, I kind of got discouraged and at one point considered changing careers and going into real estate. Just a completely different experience where at least I didn’t have to pretend to be helping anyone restore their health. Then I received a blinding cognition that I needed to start the search for real answers to disease. I serendipitously got invited to an anti-aging conference in Beverly Hills. This room was full of vibrant, lively groups of physicians animatedly chatting away with each other. I was intrigued because I had never seen that before in any other medical conference. From there I got serious about learning what they knew that I didn’t. The rest is history. I have been involved with learning and applying what I know to my patients and achieving great clinical outcomes.
What is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and how does it work? Who would be the best candidate for this treatment?
Bioidentical is a word coined in recent years when these kinds of molecules identical to human hormones came about on the scene. There was no word to describe these hormones as they were synthesized in the lab but were identical to human hormones in its chemical structure. We now have the ability to bring anyone’s endocrine system in sharp focus and balance, similar to when they were in their youthful years. This is called bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. This routinely stops, slows down or reverses the aging process in most of my patients.
Tell us something about yourself that drives you every day in your work.
I love seeing patients with a smile on their face and when they are blown away with how well they feel in such a short time and when they say, “I feel like myself again!” That is precious to me, and I feel I live to see these wins in my patients daily. The drive to get patients to overcome their own barriers to healing their body is the most rewarding thing for me and that drives me to do my very best for each and every patient.
Share with us any plans or hopes that you have for the future and what you think is the most critical issue in medicine today.
I am planning to write my book on chronic fatigue syndrome this year. The most critical issue is awareness of how sick the patients are with big pharma drugs and their side effects. Synthetic patent drugs as a lifesaving modality are very much appreciated but lifelong dependence on synthetic drugs is no way to live life. I hope that this dogmatic approach in conventional medicine will change, and people would be empowered and educated with true data about bodies and their nutritional needs to be healthy.
Image credit: DrBoogieSecrets
Dr. Mathur, how is a day in your life?
My morning routine is simple. Early in the morning I go for a hike or hit the CrossFit gym. Upon returning I eat a small breakfast. For sure it is vitamins and supplements time right after breakfast. Then I go to my office and see patients, late morning through the late afternoon. At the end of the evening, I volunteer my time at my local church helping them with their health and wellness. Some afternoons I spend time reading medical literature and the latest studies.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Though I am philanthropic, gregarious and outgoing I am quite a private person. I am spiritual and want everyone to experience the spiritual freedom that I have experienced in this life.
Choose two of your favorite quotes and write them here.
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will instruct his patients in care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” – Thomas Edison
“It is health that is real wealth not pieces of gold or silver.” – Mahatma Gandhi
If you had the power to change just one thing in the world, what would it be?
Improve the education of self-care and healing for all.
Anything else you’d like to add?
The greatest joy that I get from living life is to help others.
To know more about Dr. Anju Mathur and the Angel Longevity Medical Center, please visit https://angellongevity.com
Images credit: Robert Flate
