Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Judy Brangman.
Hi Dr. Brangman, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always had an interest in holistic health & wellness. I moved to the wonderful Raleigh area in 2016 for a hospitalist job. Although I grew up in Bermuda, North Carolina has become my 2nd home. I completed medical school (Wake Forest) and Internal Medicine residency (ECU) in North Carolina. I’ve worked in several hospitals and have also worked in primary care settings. I started to notice something early on in my career that was concerning to me.
I started to notice that allopathic medicine and Western medicine was missing something. In allopathic medicine, there is a hyperfocus on medications and procedures. The role of nutrition is often underrated. And it is not generally accepted that individuals can change the trajectory of their disease through lifestyle changes and thus eliminate the need for medications in many cases. Once a prescription drug is prescribed, you are generally expected to be on it long-term. It’s almost like there is no push to find out how chronic diseases can be prevented and reversed.
The idea that an individual could reverse hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or even chronic kidney disease is virtually unheard of. However, my view of disease changed when I met someone who shared their story with me of how he was able to come off all medications for type 2 diabetes by changing his diet. I was astounded! I had no idea this was even possible at the time! He told me that he had switched to a plant-based diet and stopped eating meat, dairy, and junk food.
I could not believe it! I thought that most diseases were related to genetics, not poor nutrition. I thought to myself, why were we not taught this in training? Why were we barely taught anything about nutrition? So, from then on, I started on a personal journey to learn as much as I could about nutrition. I delved into the research. I obtained a certificate in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. And in 2017 I obtained a board certification in Lifestyle Medicine from the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. I learned that 80% of chronic diseases could be prevented with healthier lifestyle changes. Genetics plays a very small role in disease, probably less than 10%.
I incorporated this new knowledge into my day-to-day interactions with patients. Then, I decided I wanted to do more. I wanted to help people to get off medications. Kind of the opposite of what the typical doctor does. All medications have side effects. So, I started using social media to educate people about plant-based nutrition and the healing power of food. I grew a brand and significant following. My message is Food As Medicine. Then, I opened a holistic health company offering consults and group programs. I also hosted a few events in the Triangle area, from cooking classes to health talks.
The pandemic really highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and trying to prevent chronic diseases as much as possible. The individuals with chronic diseases had higher mortality rates from COVID-19 infection. And they are already talking about the next pandemic. We lost a lot of people in the past few years. But if you are still here, now is the time to prepare and do what you can to optimize your health and your immune system.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it has been a smooth road, nor do I expect it to be. My decision to practice medicine differently was met with some skepticism from my colleagues initially. I was a bit concerned that my colleagues might label me as a “quack.” I remember a conversation with a colleague years ago about cholesterol. I was sharing that statins aren’t the be-all and end-all answer for high cholesterol. Patients can lower cholesterol by changing their diet and eating more fiber and more plant-based food. However, the guidelines overwhelmingly push medications in the treatment algorithm.
When you are in a profession that programs you to think and operate a certain way, it is risky and isolating to go against the grain and say…there is a better way. Medicine generally teaches doctors to focus on alleviating symptoms by prescribing a medication. But I have learned that just because someone doesn’t have symptoms (yet), doesn’t mean that things are normal or that they are in good health. And the absence of symptoms doesn’t mean that you are in good health either. This is why people who have a history of hypertension can have a normal blood pressure, be on blood pressure medications, and still have a stroke.
We need to redefine health. Health is not just physical. It incorporates mental, spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of who you are. There will always be struggles in life. There were some challenges during the pandemic working in the hospital and early on in my business. But as long as I know that I am doing what I think God is leading me to do in that season, that is what matters.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I own a holistic health (lifestyle medicine) company. Our mission is to help women of faith optimize their health through holistic health and natural remedies. We help women have more energy, sleep better, lose weight and keep it off, and look and feel younger. We believe that health needs to be redefined. Health is physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and social wellness. From working with prior clients and patients, we know that you have more control over your health than you think. Through health education and coaching, we empower our clients to get unstuck in their health journey to better health. We also have an awesome, collaborative community of women working towards better health.
We recently launched our YouTube channel. We will be launching our group coaching program soon.
We fill the gap that exists in traditional medicine and healthcare. We provide holistic health solutions to clients. We help them to take less medications when possible. We teach how to use food as medicine. We also incorporate faith and spirituality into our program. We want our clients to thrive in every area of life.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I love to read and listen to podcasts and educational videos on YouTube. I rarely watch TV. I watch a lot of self-development videos and nutrition videos. My favorite book that I am reading now is the Bible. A book that I have read several times and that has been very helpful is Choosing Gratitude- Your Journey to Joy by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. I also love all of Dr. Myles Munroe’s books and sermons. Dr. Myron Golden is a Christian business coach with valuable content on YouTube who I follow. Priscilla Shirer is another favorite author of mine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drjudymd.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjudymd_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjudymd
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judy-brangman-md/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJudyMD
