Just Because It’s Standard Doesn’t Mean It’s Right – The Turning Point That Changed Everything with Dr. Aaron Hartman | Stress | E111

This month we'll be doing things a little differently and actually sharing chapters from my book with you on the Monday podcasts. This is from Hopeless Diagnosis to Defying All Odds. Hope you really enjoy this, and if you enjoy the chapters we share here, you can get the entire book either on Amazon or on Audible. You'll find links to that in the show notes below. Hope you enjoy.

2 the problem with Tradition the Illusion of Medical Infallibility Our relationship with Anna didn't begin with soft lullabies and gentle cooing. It started with a battle, a clash with a system that demands obedience even when obedience doesn't make sense. She had only just come into our home. We were her foster parents in the process of adopting her and were full of hope, promise and fear. And immediately the system began to push against our instincts. We've all been taught to see doctors as these all knowing beings in white coats. We take their words as gospel truth. But let's be real. Medicine isn't perfect. I already briefly mentioned how the medical establishment got smoking wrong, frontal lobotomies for mental illness wrong, and even bioidentical hormones wrong. There are many books written on the topic of the history of medicine's blind spots, but for me as a medical professional and new dad, Anna's case really put these limitations in stark relief. The traditional medical system set the bar so low for her it was ridiculous. Her doctors said she wouldn't see, walk or talk. Even her other therapists who genuinely cared for her didn't have or offer much hope. They too were maintaining the status quo. But Anna had other plans. The experts were dead wrong about Anna, and if they were wrong about her, they are likely wrong about many other patients. That realization lit a fire under me. To challenge the medical status quo, we realized that to save Anna we had to fight not just her illness, but an entire system that relied on antiquated ideas that had a chokehold on every unique patient's ability to heal. The traditional ways of prescribing one size fits all procedures were holding our daughter back from reaching her potential, and we were willing to challenge it every way we had to. When standard care becomes subpar, Remember that cute little smile I mentioned? Well, it almost disappeared forever thanks to a feeding tube that no one questioned. At one of Anna's GI visits, the doctor said she was too small. The technical term for this is failure to thrive. Her doctor's solution and the standard procedure put a tube in her stomach to pump in sugar laden formula. They didn't care what kind of weight she Gained or if the formula had any real nutrition. They just wanted to move her up the growth chart and call it a success story. But something about the prescription and procedure felt off to me. My wife, Becky is an occupational therapist. She explained to me that chewing and swallowing weren't just about eating. They were crucial for speech development and brain function. Kids who skipped this process often had long term communication problems and higher risks of acid reflux and pneumonia. Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing University of Alabama, 2025. Also, the feeding tube would affect her ability to crawl. And crawling is a developmental precursor to walking. Effects of crawling before walking Cazora Gonzales et al. 2022. It's a developmental milestone that every parent looks forward to. And Anna was eating slowly, yes, but eating, growing in her own time. We were feeding her, loving her. She was already healing and everything in our gut screamed, this procedure isn't right. According to doctors, she was never supposed to walk or crawl anyway, so that probably wasn't a concern for them. But we had higher hopes for her. And any procedure or recommendation that would create more limitations was worth questioning. In hindsight, Elliot, as her parents, our response seemed natural, logical and inevitable. Why would we want to create more obstacles and limitations for a little girl already facing so many health challenges? We said no to the feeding tube. And boy, did the system not like that. The day we were reported for feeding our daughter real food. Rejecting the feeding tube procedure was really the beginning of our rebellion. The top pediatric GI specialist was livid. She wasn't used to being questioned, especially not by another physician, and certainly not by the occupational therapist sitting across from her, who also happened to be my wife. It didn't matter that Becky routinely worked with patients from her office, was familiar with the procedure and protocols, and had been treating some of the toughest pediatric cases in the region. The moment we challenged this doctor's recommendation, the temperature in the room changed. She became dismissive, even harsh, especially toward Becky, who dared to challenge the so called standard of care. And how did this physician, sworn under the Hippocratic oath to first do no harm, respond to being challenged? She called Child Protective Services. That's right. Becky received a phone call days later. A nurse assigned to investigate potential abuse cases in our area was now opening an investigation into us, our family, because we had refused to let them cut a hole into a 14 month old stomach and pour formula, basically sugar water, into her body, bypassing her ability to eat, chew, swallow and grow. We were being subjected to one of the most painful and disruptive procedures a family can endure. What that gi Doctor didn't know was that Becky had worked with this nurse before. For years, she had served the local special needs population regularly collaborating with the very professionals now charged with investigating her. Thankfully, the nurse knew Becky's work. She also knew the GI doctor's reputation for overusing feeding tubes. So much so that other providers in the system had a nickname for the pattern, proceduralized care. Still, we had to jump through hoops. We met with a nutritionist. We followed the nurse's guidelines. We played a game of chicken with the system and the system flinched. I was still in the military at the time, so I knew how to work within a rigid system. We did everything required to prove we weren't dangerous. We were just fiercely protective. We were choosing real food over sugar water. Choosing chewing and swallowing for brain development over medical convenience. Let that sink in. We were reported for child neglect because we chose to refuse a medical procedure and feed our future daughter real food instead of pumping her full of sugar water. The growth chart that changed everything. Six months after the scary experience of being reported to cps, Becky made a discovery that challenged the procedure we felt we were being forced into. She found a growth chart specifically for children with cerebral palsy. Low Weight, morbidity and mortality in children with cerebral palsy. Brooks et al. 2011. And there, clear as day, Anna was in the 50th percentile. She was normal for children in her condition. The specialist had either ignored this growth chart or didn't know it existed. Becky and I still debate that to this day. How would an expert not know about this chart or worse, ignore it? I like to give the doctor the benefit of the doubt, but my wife still thinks this negligence was intentional and cruel. But the point is clear. If the top pediatric GI doctor in our area didn't know something this basic, they were likely missing many other crucial details. We were seeing a brutal truth. The system punishes those who won't toe the line. It threatens, it coerces it, labels you dangerous when you dare to think differently. And we started to ask, what about the average parent? The one who is not married to a pediatric occupational therapist? The one who didn't get military training in how to hold their ground under pressure? All the parents who don't have medical degrees, most say yes. They comply. And the child. The child gets the tube. But not Anna. This experience served its purpose, though. It lit a fire inside me. I realized if I couldn't rely on the so called experts to know a simple fact about a kid's growth chart, then I couldn't trust Them to understand the deeper complexities of Anna's condition. It was up to me. No one else was going to get up at 4am to research cerebral palsy, autism, gene based nutrition, crystal meth, induced neurological damage and brain healing for Anna except me. No one else was going to worry or stress after work hours and on weekends about the missing facts, additional tests or missing information in their knowledge base to apply to this particular patient. No one else was going to dedicate themselves to creating a personalized treatment approach to my daughter. That realization changed everything. That doctor had to be me. Defying medical expectations, we weren't looking for an ordinary outcome for Anna. We were aiming for extraordinary results. And that meant doing things differently, not just slightly alternative or merely functional. We had to approach Anna and her condition in an entirely novel, unprecedented way. We weren't aiming for modest gains or slow progress. We were searching for a response that hadn't been seen before. Something transformative, something the system didn't even recognize as possible. And even to this day, I don't think it has been previously done. Except in her case. And this reality is devastating. In the current system, kids born with cerebral palsy face a future of surgeries, Botox injections, nerve cutting procedures and muscle relaxants. Anna was no different. And that was what the system offered. But I knew there had to be a better way. Through neuromuscular stimulation, a simple, non invasive technique widely used in Europe. We activated her muscles, triggered feedback loops in her brain and reduced her muscle tone. Naturally, I used orthomolecular medicine. Targeted nutrients to address small gene typos called SNPs to bypass gene defects that affected her metabolism and hyperbaric medicine to activate her genes and stem cells. After years of daily therapy, Anna, at 19 years old, has had zero surgeries. This is unheard of and just doesn't happen. By this age, many kids with her diagnosis have had dozens of procedures. The recommended spinal surgery alone would have cost $400,000. But a $300 device saved us from this. And guess who told me about this device? A patient. But here's the most shocking part. No specialist ever suggested NMS to us. This therapy, used by elite athletes to build muscle strength, was entirely unknown or ignored by our doctors. Multiply Anna's story across every specialty and every condition and you begin to see why. The system isn't just broken, it's failing its patients. The system told us Anna would never see now fail. She reads and texts. They said she'd never crawl. Now she walks with assistance. They claimed she'd Never talk. Now she sings to her grandparents, sometimes hours a day. On a side note, just this past week, Anna asked for singing lessons so she can improve her singing. This happened after she heard an opera singer and said to me, I can do that. I love this kid. Every step of Anna's progress flew in the face of medical predictions. But it wasn't magic. It was the result of questioning everything. Tireless research and refusing to accept others imposed limitations as final. Breaking free healing beyond the system. For Anna, healing required more than just avoiding unnecessary treatments. It meant daily therapy, diligent nutrition, strict avoidance of harmful foods, and consistent supplementation. She became the hero of her own journey, with a team built around her to help her succeed. One of my earliest interventions with Anna focused on targeted nutrition to influence her genetic expression. Another word for this is nutrigenomics, which is how nutrients talk to your genes. Some people have what are called single nucleotide polymorphisms. Think of these as tiny typos in your genetic code. These small variations can alter how efficiently your body produces certain enzymes, which in turn affects how well your body uses nutrients. Depending on the severity of the SNP, a person's nutrient processing could drop to 80%, 40%, or even stop altogether. This means that even with a healthy diet, the body might not be able to use key nutrients effectively. One well known SNP is in the MTHFR gene. People with this genetic variation have a significantly increased need for methylated folate, also called methylfolate or methylated folic acid. Without enough of it, they may be at higher risk for neurological problems, autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease and more. This deficiency can also elevate levels of a compound called homocysteine, an organic acid that builds up when the body lacks certain B vitamins, especially methylfolate, and is associated with inflammation and chronic illness. In short, nutrigenomics allows us to identify these genetic roadblocks and use personalized nutrition to support the body's unique needs. With Anna, I used genetic testing to look for these SNPs. Once we identified them, I tailored her nutritional support to compensate for these genetic inefficiencies. This process involved targeted supplementation to bypass or support the affected pathways. The delivery method for these supplements was horrible tasting smoothies that made even me cringe. Yet she diligently consumed them daily without complaint. Then came a breakthrough moment. When she was about four years old, she discovered she could swallow capsules. And just like that, she left those nasty smoothies behind forever. But the deeper significance here isn't just about supplements. It's that Anna had an entire ecosystem supporting her, a family completely committed to her healing, professionals coordinating her care, and advocates fighting for her at every turn. This network created the secure foundation that allowed her to make transitions when she was developmentally ready to. Her ability to shift from smoothies to capsules wasn't just a small convenience. It represented how a child, given proper support, can adapt and progress in ways that surprise everyone, including their doctors. This should be the norm, not the exception. Tru Health isn't just about managing symptoms. It's about reducing toxin exposure, improving nutrition through whole foods, and reconnecting with nature's healing power. It's about seeing what others don't see, hearing what others don't hear, and taking a holistic approach to medicine, mind, body and spirit. And it's about personalizing it and making it your own. More For Anna we really committed to thinking and acting outside of the box for Anna. Any parent will go to the ends of the earth to help their child, but when you have a child with special needs, you need to go to extraordinary lengths. Our fierce, unconditional love for Anna as her parents merged with my professional expertise and analytical approach, and this has become a powerful toolkit. I leveraged my medical literacy and networking to become a super specialist. I would talk to any specialist about our options, from alternative medicine practitioners drawing from ancient Chinese medicine to mainstream physicians using proven methods to determine if they might benefit my child. I read endless articles, studies, theories, unpublished data, experimental methods, and clinical trials to find a key that might unlock a path to better health and outcomes for Anna. I sifted through hype and pseudoscience, traveled internationally to visit medical centers, and met with specialists to push the boundaries and limitations of the traditional standards of care being offered. As you're learning, this endeavor has been deeply personal, professionally challenging, and many times emotionally taxing. But beyond the scientific curiosity and ambition that drove my early medical career, my relentless drive was now fueled by my love for Anna. You don't have to be an MD to find novel approaches to treatment. But because I am, I now recognize this as a unique advantage and profound privilege. What good am I contributing to the field of medicine or my patients if my research, trials and findings only help my child and family? This book is not about revealing a secret cure. It's about how my family had to look through a different lens to support all of our health, to help us all achieve our maximum potential, beginning with Anna. But I want to give you a glimpse into some of the therapies we used and do it in a way that shows you there are options out there you and your doctor likely have not heard of before. And I want to do it in a way that is clear and makes sense. But before I go through the list of therapies, I need to clarify one important thing. All of these treatments are built on solid foundations. If you don't get the foundations right, then all the high tech cool biohacking interventions won't work as well. Keep that in mind, just like a professional athlete must Perfect the Basics all the following therapies are built on top of these fundamentals. So you may ask, what are the basics? Here they are 1. Eating real food if you don't give your body the building blocks of real sound nutrition, it's difficult for it to self heal and self repair. 2. Cultivating a clean environment we must remove toxins and chemicals from our food and environment. This includes pesticides, petroleum products, cleaning chemicals and toxin filled yard care products. Everything. If you want a comprehensive overview of this topic, check out our blog post on detoxification on our website erinhartmanmd.com 3. Physical activity and Exercise Because Anna couldn't walk, we had to develop specialized approaches to help her move, which are outlined below. These included therapies like suit therapy and electrical stimulation. The fundamental concept is simple. You must activate your body to move physically in order for everything else in your body to function appropriately. 4. Social support structures for adults, this typically means having a sense of purpose and meaning in your life. For children, this means parents must provide a healthy family environment where they can thrive, one that helps them develop the ability to self regulate their emotions and mood. You cannot underestimate the power of strong family and community connections in your body's path to healing.

Have you ever lost trust in your own body or in the doctors who were supposed to help you heal? It happens to millions of people who are stuck in the cycle of prescriptions, tests and more questions than answers. That's why Dr. Aaron Hartman wrote his new book Uncurable. As a physician and a parent, he's lived through the pain of being told there's nothing more we can do. But instead of accepting that, he built a new path, one that combines traditional and functional medicine to uncover what's really driving illness. Uncurable is more than a book. It's a roadmap to help you find the root causes your doctor might have missed, reactivate your body's natural healing systems, and finally, believe in what's possible again. If you've lost hope or trust in the system, this book will help you take back control. Go to UncurableBook.com and grab your copy along with Dr. Hartman's free resources to help you start your healing journey today.

You may wonder why I had to go to such extremes with both the holistic foundations and the high tech medical stuff. The reason is because of Anna's specific condition. It was so dire that it required not just perfection of the foundations, but a deep dive into all the science. For about 80% of the people I see, mastering the foundations listed above is sufficient to see improvements, but the really challenging cases and diagnoses require a deep dive into science and research. You'll see that I'm sharing part of our personal Deep Dive into Anna's Personalized Medicine plan that we developed over the last 18 years. Here's our roadmap of some of the therapies we've tried and continue to use with Anna. I'm sharing this not as medical advice, but as inspiration for your own health detective work, showing you what's possible and what's out there to explore and discover. Therapies we've tried and used for HBOT Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy A treatment where A patient breathes 100% oxygen inside a pressurized chamber which increases the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream and tissues. This enhanced oxygen delivery can accelerate healing, fight infection, reduce swelling and promote the growth of new blood vessels. NMS Neuromuscular Stimulation Whole body and tone Directed this therapeutic technique uses electrical impulses to stimulate muscles and nerves, causing them to contract. It's used to strengthen muscles, increase range of motion and improve blood flow. PEMF Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy and Pelvic PEMF A non invasive treatment that uses electromagnetic fields to stimulate the body's natural healing processes. It involves emitting low frequency electromagnetic pulses that penetrate deep into tissues and cells, aiming to enhance cellular function and promote overall well being. TMS Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation this non invasive procedure uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. TMS works by delivering magnetic pulses to specific brain areas, typically the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex which is involved in mood regulation. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation this is a non invasive brain stimulation technique that uses weak electrical currents to modulate neuronal activity. It involves placing electrodes on the scalp, typically over a specific brain region of interest, and applying a low intensity direct current. This stimulation can either increase or decrease the excitability of neurons in the targeted area. TASES Task Specific Electrical Stimulation this therapeutic technique uses electrical impulses to activate muscles during the performance of specific tasks or movements. It's designed to improve motor function, enhance muscle activation and facilitate motor learning by delivering stimulation in sync with a patient's attempted movements. Cerebrolysin BPC157CJC, IPA, TB4TA1DIHEXA the peptides we use help stimulate brain repair mechanisms, promote tissue healing and muscle growth and repair, reduce inflammation and enhance immune function. Stem Cells Exosomes Stem cells and exosomes are both involved in regenerative therapies. Stem cells are actual cells with a nucleus that can replicate and differentiate into various cell types. Exosomes carry proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Both stem cells and exosomes play a significant role in wound healing by promoting tissue regeneration and modulating the healing process. Suit Therapy Intensive Longitudinal PT Suit therapy is the use of specialized suits like the therasuit or neurosuit as a component of intensive rehabilitation. ILPT this therapy emphasizes frequent and extended sessions allowing for faster skill building, building muscle memory and strengthening neural pathways for quicker progress. Galileo Alternating Therapy this form of whole body vibration therapy utilizes a side alternating vibration platform to mimic the natural movement pattern of human walking. It helps with healing and rehab by activating and strengthening muscles. It triggers the stretch reflex which leads to rhythmic involuntary muscle contractions that benefit people with muscle weakness and neurological conditions that affect motor control. Portable Oral Neural Stimulation this device is a non invasive treatment method that promotes healing and recovery for people with neurological conditions including Ms. And traumatic brain injuries. The PONS delivers mild electrical pulses to the tongue which activates cranial nerves, stimulates neural impulses to the brainstem and cerebellum, key areas for motor control, balance and coordination and promotes neuroplasticity. Exciteosa Oral Stimulation this is a daytime oral device that uses neuromuscular electrical stimulation to target and strengthen the muscles of the tongue and upper airway. It improves muscle function and helps with sleep apnea, reduces snoring and improves sleep quality. Low Level Laser Therapy this method is also known as cold Laser therapy and promotes healing by stimulating cellular activity and reducing inflammation by emitting low intensity lasers or light emitting diodes. LLLT delivers light energy to cells, penetrating the skin and targeting cells, encouraging repair, reducing pain and alleviating inflammation. Neuronic Brain based Low level Laser Therapy Also referred to as photobiomodulation or cold laser Therapy, this method involves low power lasers or LEDs to deliver specific wavelengths of light to the body, stimulating cellular activity and promoting healing. This is a non invasive treatment that focuses on delivering the optimal amount of energy to cells, stimulating and enhancing cell function. It reduces Inflammation stimulates tissue repair and enhances blood flow and circulation. Far Infrared this is a specific wavelength of infrared radiation that can promote healing by increasing blood circulation, reducing inflammation and enhancing cellular repair. It achieves this by penetrating the body and stimulating cells leading to improved oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues, which is crucial for the healing process. Visual Therapy this helps with healing by retraining the brain and eyes to work together more effectively, improving visual skills and alleviating visual symptoms. It addresses issues like poor eye teaming, focusing problems and difficulty with eye tracking which can hinder daily activities. By improving the communication between the brain and eyes, vision therapy can improve visual performance, reduce strain and enhance overall quality of life. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide this therapy helps turn nutrients into usable energy so the body can fix damaged tissues quickly and safely. It aids in forming new cells and helps repair damaged cells which is especially beneficial for recovering from injuries or surgeries since it can help speed up the healing process. Methylene Blue Low dose Naltrexone Methylene blue, also known as methyl thionenium chloride was originally developed in 1876 as a synthetic vibrant cobalt blue colored dye for the textile industry. Its FDA approved use is for treating methemoglobinemia, a rare blood condition that affects the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Methylene blue helps restore the oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells. New off label uses include as a diagnostic aid treatment for diseases like malaria, neuroprotective benefits such as improving memory and cognitive function and as a biofilm disruptor in chronic infections. Studies have shown synergistic benefits when combined with ldn, effectively targeting inflammation and modulating immune responses, addressing complex health conditions. Small Nucleotide Polymorphism SNP Directed Nutraceutical Therapy Also known as nutrigenomics or nutrigenetics SNP explores how genetic variations influence an individual's response to nutrients and how tailoring nutrition based on these variations can promote healing and overall health. This therapy targets inflammation, optimizes nutrient metabolism and absorption, supports detox pathways and enhances immune function. Oral and IV Lipid this treatment addresses various issues related to cellular damage, drug toxicity and metabolic dysfunction. Lipid emulsions Often used in cases of local anesthetic, systemic toxicity, last and drug overdoses can improve cardiac function and potentially impact cellular energy metabolism. Epigenetic Gene Directed Detox Therapy Epigenetics is the study of how environmental factors influence gene expression to enhance the body's natural detoxification and healing processes. EGDDT is an approach that targets detoxification pathways, supports tissue repair and regeneration, combats inflammation and promotes cellular health. Interestingly, it also addresses addiction related issues by changing the gene expression in the brain related to reward and craving. Organic Acid Analysis and Therapy this treatment focuses on identifying and correcting imbalances in the body's metabolic pathways by measuring the levels of organic acids in urine. Organic acids are byproducts of cellular metabolism and can provide insights into various physiological processes including energy production, neurotransmitter function, nutrient metabolism, and detoxification pathways. Ultimately, this analysis uncovers underlying health issues and can help practitioners guide personalized treatment plans that target specific symptoms and their causes. Advanced Nutritional Testing and Therapy this testing can play a significant role in promoting healing by addressing the root causes of health issues, helping us optimize nutrient intake to support the body's natural restorative processes and optimize gut health. Advanced Stool Analysis this diagnostic tool plays a crucial role in promoting gut healing by offering a comprehensive understanding of your digestive system's intricate ecosystem. It provides valuable information that goes beyond what standard tests offer, empowering you and your healthcare provider to develop targeted strategies for restoring gut health and improving overall well being. Heavy Metal Testing Testing helps identify heavy metal accumulation before symptoms become severe or damage becomes irreversible. This allows early intervention and can prevent the development or progression of chronic illness such as neurological, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases. Plasmalogen Testing and Therapy Plasmalogens are specialized lipids crucial for maintaining the structure and function of cell membranes, particularly in the brain, heart, and immune system. They play an important role in various bodily functions, including nerve activity, cell signaling, and protection against oxidative stress. Plasmalogen testing allows for identifying nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to symptoms associated with neurodegenerative, inflammatory, and cardiometabolic conditions. Advanced Metabolomic Directed this treatment helps with healing by addressing specific metabolic imbalances. It allows for detailed analysis of your unique metabolic profile so you can tailor interventions and treatment. It also targets key biomarkers, providing a more precise and effective approach to healing through nutritional optimization. The Power of Parental Instinct One of the most important lessons I learned through Anna's journey is how powerful a parent's gut feeling can be. As parents, we have this innate understanding of our kids that no amount of medical training can match. When the doctors pushed for a feeding tube for Anna, it was our parental instinct that told us it wasn't the right move. When they said she'd never walk or talk, it was our instinct that pushed us to keep trying and to keep believing in her potential. This doesn't mean we should ignore medical advice completely. But it does mean we should trust our gut when something feels off and science is just beginning to study the value of parental instinct, parental intuition, a phenomenological structure of intuitive knowing in the context of child illness and shared decision making in healthcare Shah et al. 2025. It means we should feel empowered to ask questions, seek second opinions and fight tirelessly for our kids well being. And it means that we should not go through with medical treatments or surgery just because the expert says so. A little aside here about my mother. She likes to keep me honest when I tell her I'm an expert. Even to this day. She likes to remind me what an expert is. An X is a has been and a spurt is a little squirt of water. That's my mom for you. But you get the point. I'm going to admit something here I probably shouldn't. I used to make fun of my mom when I was a kid. She would say some pretty out there things. For instance, cranberries are good for your blood because they are red. Walnuts are good for your brain because they look like little brains. Pretty out there stuff. However, what I've learned in the last 10 years is that walnuts are rich in alpha linoleic acid and polyphenols, both great for the brain. Newer research has linked walnut consumption to improved memory and delayed cognitive decline. Longer term mixed nut consumption improves brain vascular function and memory Nissan et al. 2023 and Cranberries are particularly high in A type proanthocyanidins, which help improve cardiovascular by preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Low calorie cranberry juice supplementation reduces plasma oxidized LDL and cell adhesion molecule concentrations in men rule et al. 2008. How did my mom intuitively know this? The Myth of the All Knowing Doctor Doctors don't have all the answers. They're human beings doing their best with the knowledge they have. But that knowledge base is always changing and no single person can keep up with every new development in medicine. Some doctors continue their education and approach their practice with curiosity and an open mind. But not all. When we put doctors on pedestals expecting them to be perfect practitioners who have all the answers, we set ourselves up for disappointment. More importantly, we miss out on the chance to be active participants in our own healthcare. Instead of viewing doctors as infallible authorities, think of them as partners in your health journey. They bring valuable expertise to the table. But so do you. You know your body, your child and your symptoms better than anyone else. That knowledge is invaluable in the diagnostic and treatment process. Remember, I'm saying this as a doctor. My training and early years as a practitioner were based on the old traditional ways of treating patients. Some traditions are great. Opening presents on Christmas morning, celebrating birthdays and summer trips to the beach. But when doing things the traditional way is causing harm, it's time to revisit the way we do things. When we know better, we do better. I get it. Challenging medical authority isn't easy. Even if you are a medical professional like me, it can be scary to question a doctor who has years of training and experience, who is an expert in their field and specialization. But remember, you're not challenging their expertise. You're asking them to listen to your expertise about yourself, your child, or your loved one. You are requesting that they look at your unique situation more closely and differently than from all the other patients they have seen. There has been a radical shift in the practice of medicine since I started my training back in 1996. Back then I was told that evidence based medicine included the clinical expertise of the practicing physician. Evidence based what it is and what it isn't. Sackett et al. 1996. Today it almost entirely relies on randomized trials. The problem with this approach is that you cannot individualize these trials to the person in front of you. The result is a medical industrial complex that treats patients like widgets to churn out results, often overlooking the nuances that a personalized precision approach would give. More on this later. When we rejected the feeding tube for Anna, we weren't saying the doctor was wrong about everything. We were saying that this particular solution didn't feel right for our child. And guess what? That decision led to better outcomes for Anna. Challenging authority doesn't mean being combative or disrespectful. It means asking thoughtful questions, doing your own research, and being an active participant in your healthcare decisions. If your doctor dismisses your requests, concerns or questions, find another doctor. Some doctors don't like questions. That's their problem, not yours. Remember this, you have every right to be part of your career. If a doctor can't handle your questions, it might be time for a new one. Look for providers who welcome teamwork. They exist and they can change your healthcare experience. Building a team of open minded practitioners is like creating your own health squad. It can make a huge difference. If there's one thing I want you to take away from this chapter, it's you have to take ownership of your own health. The system doesn't always have your best interests in mind. It's often not designed to support individualized treatment plans. Instead, it's buttressed by the status quo. It's up to you to be your own advocate or your child's in the face of medical challenges. This doesn't mean you have to become a medical expert overnight. It means staying informed, asking questions, seeking second opinions when necessary, and trusting your instincts when something doesn't feel right. All you are asking for is to understand your diagnosis and treatment options, but you have to take ownership of the decisions being made. Remember Anna's story? If we had blindly followed every piece of medical advice we received, she wouldn't be where she is today. It was our willingness to challenge the system, to seek out alternative approaches, maintain curiosity, and to never give up that led to her extraordinary progress. THE Road AHEAD Embracing a New Approach to Healthcare as we move forward, we need to rethink our approach to healthcare. We need a collaborative system that values patient input, that sees individuals rather than just symptoms, and that's willing to admit when it doesn't have all the answers. This shift starts with us. By becoming informed patients, asking questions and challenging assumptions when necessary, we can push the healthcare system to be better. We can encourage a more collaborative approach to medicine, where doctors and patients work together as partners. Anna's journey taught me that miracles don't just happen by accident. We are a crucial part of making them happen. By refusing to accept limitations, by questioning the status quo, and by never giving up hope, we can achieve outcomes that defy all expectations. But it will be an uphill battle. So get in shape and get ready for the climb. As her parents, we said no to feeding tubes, surgeries, and a hospitalization that Anna didn't need, as well as to treatments that could hurt her. We fought back when they tried to put Anna in a box, and that fight changed us forever. The system is not all bad, but it needs to work better for those it is supposed to be caring for. Facing the system and standing your ground is where lives change, where parents become fighters, where patients become advocates, where hope finds a way. Even when things are really dark. It's real, it's tough, and it will change how you deal with doctors, hospitals, and the healthcare system at large. Here's my challenge to you. The next time you're faced with a medical decision, take don't just nod and accept your doctor's recommendation. Ask questions, do your research, trust your instincts. Because if Anna's story proves anything, it's that the most powerful force in healthcare isn't a doctor's expertise or a cutting edge treatment. It's the unwavering determination of someone who refuses to give up. Remember, if Anna can defy every expectation, so can you. Let's challenge the system together, and in doing so, open up a world of possibilities for ourselves and our loved ones. But first, let's get into the nitty gritty of the system as it stands. Today I'm going to reveal even more about the flaws in our healthcare system and how even the smartest doctors are missing the obvious in the way they practice medicine.

If you've lost trust in your body or in the system that was supposed to heal you, don't give up. Dr. Aaron Hartman's book Uncurable will help you rediscover what's truly possible. Visit UncurableBook.com to get your copy and start your healing journey today.