With the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic bringing parts of the world to a panic-stricken standstill, now is the best time to think about the state of one’s overall health and wellbeing – and just how susceptible you might be to an infection.Global average life expectancy increased 5.5 years between the years 2000 and 2016, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). While our life expectancy is rising, all too often, our quality of life is not enhanced in an equal measure. For over 30 years, Miskawaan Health Group’s Medical Director, Dr Johannes Wessolly, has used a functional medicine approach to tailoring treatments for his patients in a natural and effective manner.

At the forefront of functional medicine, Miskawaan uses highly accredited doctors, scientists, and oncologists as well as technology solutions such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to innovate and create cutting-edge, highly personalised treatments for patients. Founded by Dr Wessolly & David Boehm, Miskawaan fuses its offering of the best of German technology with the art of Thai hospitality to ensure peace of mind, excellent health and longevity for its clients.

Below, Dr Wessolly highlights a few important steps toward improving the immune system, safeguarding the body against disease, and advancing optimal health.

In life and in health, defense is the best offense.

None of us need to be told that proper nutrition and restful sleep are two of the basic keys to maintaining mental and physical wellbeing, and yet, for one reason or another, we’re not doing either of those enough. To effectively shield the body against the novel coronavirus – and other viruses for that matter – means actively seeking ways to lower one’s vulnerability to infection. Keep your immune system as strong as it can be by ensuring sufficient intake of vitamins, in particular vitamins C and D and zinc, which together work as boosters for the system. If you find yourself in a congested area, wear a mask – and make sure you disinfect your hands as often as possible.

Despite the prevalence of the most advanced technologies for curing a spectrum of diseases, the saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ still holds water. Be intentional in your investment in long-term solutions to the protection of your health.

Treat the cause, not the symptom.

Instead of waiting until you feel something might be amiss, recognise that time is of the essence, and that what you do today could greatly affect the trajectory of your health in the future. Where traditional medicine is structured to manage symptoms, functional medicine strives to address the causes. In functional medicine, a doctor will ask why a person is sick and then try to understand if there are underlying dysfunctions that are causing a condition instead of simply masking its symptoms with a prescription.

Recognising the complexity of the human body as one biological system rather than a collection of organs, Miskawaan’s doctors begin with a comprehensive one-on-one session that lasts a minimum of 60 minutes. During this in-depth consultation, our doctors look for interactions among genetic, environmental, hormonal and lifestyle factors that can influence chronic inflammation and long-term health. Illness may manifest differently and progress at varying speeds depending on the body, and that is precisely due to these markers. We strive to identify the ‘why’ before approaching the ‘how’.

In addition to personalised nutritional programmes and post-disease recovery support, Miskawaan offers infusions and injections, from 100% natural customised proprietary IV infusions to therapies for cancer, diabetes, mitochondria and more, making treatments available to patients at every stage of their health journey.

It’s all personal.

Every person is genetically and biochemically unique, so why do we believe that a traditional, one-size-fits-all approach of prescribing the same medications will work? The approach should be patient-centric rather than the traditional disease-centric.

Functional medicine is a philosophy of optimal health, where the complexity of the human body is examined through alternate interpretations of diagnostic data and health treatments are customised for each patient.

Holistic diagnostics, punctuated with a personal touch that references warm Thai hospitality, is the hallmark of every Miskawaan clinic. At Miskawaan, which carries out more extensive testing through its own biotechnology lab and collaborative health technology ecosystem supported by access to the top labs across the globe, diagnostics include testing for food intolerance, heavy metals and minerals, blood and pathology, cardiovascular and peripheral-vascular, and metabolic profiling.

In functional medicine, a personalised health treatment plan targets the specific manifestations of disease in each individual. Our goal is to use natural therapy to maximise the inherent efficiency of the immune system. We then work with you to embark on a health roadmap with the objective of improving health and vitality.