Thoughts of a Visionary (or Revolutionary?)

By Beverly Kotsanis, CEO of the Kotsanis Institute

Medicine and Societal Trends

Medicine of the future will be a blend of high tech innovation and ancient wisdom. It will be personalized, spiritual and holistic. Consumers want solutions customized to their way of life and their belief systems. The current conventional medical system is very much drug-based and surgery based and consumers are increasingly becoming disenchanted by the high cost and lack of results, especially when it comes to chronic conditions.

Societal trends toward individualism also influence healthcare trends. No one wants cookie cutter solutions. People are less trustful of authority figures (medical practitioners) and want to regain control of how they stay healthy or recover from illness. Having mapped the human genome, it now becomes more realistic to engineer a treatment for a patient based on their unique genetic fingerprint, their cultural upbringing and their spiritual beliefs.

We already have the genetic and testing tools to design diets, choose drugs and other treatments based on unique genetic profiles.

While the Internet is already providing a wealth of information and tools for wellness and illness, mainstream medicine is not willingly changing to accommodate patients’ appetites for a blending of old and new. Establishment naysayers cite lack of scientific proof that these new methods work.  In reality there is plenty of scientific evidence; (and I am about to make a bold prediction) the “scientific method” will soon be marginalized due to the fact that it really can only be used to test substances in the drug world.

Think about it. Surgery is not tested this way because it is impossible to double blind the surgeon and patient. Why then would you test mind-body medicine acupuncture or any other non-drug therapy in this manner?  Body, mind, and spirit will never be fully understood. This is the mystique of medicine which makes it part science, part art and part religion (“I believe I can help you.”) The principles that apply to biochemistry are different that the principles that apply to the invisible world of biophysics or metaphysics. And you can’t apply the rule book of one discipline to the other. 

Cost as a factor in consumer choice

As we begin to see the higher cost and increased restrictiveness of the Affordable Care Act (ACA also affectionately known as Obamacare), consumers are realizing there is no such thing as free healthcare.  The law, which was promulgated as a panacea for repairing our health system only addresses cost and not quality, access or choice.  It is clear now that for the majority of Americans the cost of insurance has gone way up. 

The rollout of the ACA was seriously flawed, way too expensive and may actually cause the demise of the current system within five years. One thing is for sure.  It will get much worse before it gets better.

So what would replace the current system? Part of this answer depends on whether our elected officials will do the right thing (repeal ACA) or keep cultivating relationships with the medical–industrial complex. We predict for the near future (five to ten years) we will still have a multi-tiered delivery system that will contain the following:

Convenience, Technology and Wireless Monitoring

• Your Internet-connected mobile device will join you to practitioners that can answer your questions. Services are already available that offer this. This will be a pay-as-you-go fee-based service or a subscription concept. It will be convenient but will not provide the continuity of care or relationship you would have with your personal health practitioner.
• We expect to see more digitized monitoring of bodily functions and online recordkeeping that allows multiple practitioners to access your information. This is already possible but not widespread. It will become more popular with younger people who are more tech savvy.  Older people will be more concerned with privacy of health information and may shy away from cloud-stored records.
• There is already nanotechnology that can examine you from the inside and transmit information and images to remote servers where the data is analyzed for diagnosis or monitoring. This will be more prevalent as the cost of technology goes down with more people adopting the service.
• New high tech procedures are already allowing organs to be grown from autologous stem cells. And they can actually “print” organs on 3-D printers. These state-of-the art procedures will remain high-priced and available to only a few until the procedures become more commonplace and more practitioners are trained to do them.
• High-priced, high-tech procedures will not be widely available to the average person after the ACA has been fully rolled out. 

Blending Conventional with Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

• A handful of medical doctors, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants are already blending drug medicine, nutrition, acupuncture, naturopathy, oxidative medicine, botanicals, essential oils, spiritual/mind-body, energy medicine and other techniques.  This trend will continue because people believe in approaching problems from more than one angle.
• There will be more consumers interested in prevention of illness as health care costs increase. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has never been more relevant than it is now. People will take matters into their own hands thus eating organic foods, doing yoga, massage and meditation for stress reduction and eating fewer processed, chemical-laden foods.
• Younger consumers will shy away from drug medicine in future generations in favor of less expensive natural, nutrition and exercise-based solutions.
• People will turn away from traditional grocery stores and grow their own food using technologically advanced methods such as hydroponic gardening.

Consumers Broaden their Horizons – Cost and Quality

• More consumers, especially those with serious chronic illness will begin to become disenchanted with conventional medicine and look for better service and more effective treatment. They will realize that they are able to buy direct from certain health care providers, not use insurance (due to high deductibles) and negotiate fees directly with the professionals they use. Not surprisingly, baby boomers will lead this trend.
• When negotiating directly, the price of all services in the marketplace will go down.
• When the taxes and premiums consumers pay become unsustainable, they will likely drop the insurance.  At this point, all the practitioners whose scope of practice has been increased will have a higher likelihood of getting some of these consumers to come to them.
• Some consumers will leave the country and settle in countries with lower cost of living and better medical care. This is already happening but the trend will continue and the number of people moving will increase.
• There will be more practitioners that do not accept insurance because it is too costly to wait for payment and hire additional staff to fight insurance companies for a reduced reimbursement.
• Hospitals will also lose some control of patients as consumers become more sophisticated. Well-educated customers will demand more respect, shorter wait times and better pricing.
• Practitioners of every stripe will begin educating current and prospective clients in their respective disciplines. By so doing they will be connecting with their customers and engaging them in the health conversation.  These relationships will be bonding, long-lasting and mutually beneficial.

Law and Politics

• Laws, while necessary for an orderly society, will remain archaic in the near term because politicians in bed with special interest groups create obstacles to progress. For example the FDA whose job it is to “protect” us from unsafe foods and drugs is funded by new drug applications paid for by drug companies.  The research on many drugs has been found to be flawed and the FDA takes the word of the drug company that the drugs are safe. Drug companies routinely leave out bad results and only report positive ones.
• As consumers are awakened to the “game” they will demand the changes in laws that protect drug and chemical companies. This is probably five to ten years into the future.
• Increased scope of practice – nurses, physician’s assistants, pharmacists and other licensed practitioners will lobby lawmakers to allow their licensure more latitude in the number and types of services they can provide. After all the population is aging and numbers of consumers are increasing faster than we can educate practitioners.
• When Medicare and the Affordable Care Act become financially unsustainable, the tax laws will create a vehicle for medical practitioners to accept tax credits in lieu of payment for services for select categories of patients.

Conclusion

No one has a crystal ball, but if you look around and keep in touch with news stories and talk to your friends and family you will see that these predictions are clearly in the works.  The high voter turnout in the 2014 midterm general election was a clear sign that there is a movement to change the status quo in a big way.  We must be careful, though not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We are guardedly optimistic that things will improve over the next thirty years.

Note: This paper was composed to celebrate Kotsanis Institute’s thirty years in business. Anyone who is familiar with the Kotsanis Institute will know that we are actually doing 90% of everything discussed above.  If you really want to know what the future holds in store, just follow us on Facebook and visit our web site often.  We have led the way for over thirty years and plan to continue at least thirty more. 

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!” ~Goethe

2260 Pool Road
Grapevine, TX 76051
817-380-4992
Kotsanisinstitute.com
info@kotsanisinstitute.com

Dr. Kotsanis’ practice integrates elements of both mainstream and complementary medicine. This practice know as integrative medicine embraces principals and treatment methods which may or may not be accepted or embraced by conventional medicine providers, individual physicians or other health care institutions.

   Regenerate, Repair, Renew!

   Exciting New Treatments at the

Kotsanis Institute

Dr. Kotsanis is highly dedicated to spreading the word regarding whole-body health, disease prevention, and the unfortunate, but sometimes necessary, treatment of disease.

The next three months Dr. Kotsanis will be working harder than ever to get the message out!  Audiences large and small, including support groups, Wellness Expos, Integrative Physicians, and retirees will hear his powerful message.  Additionally, he will host events at the Kotsanis Institute designed to empower individuals who wish to tread the path of whole-body healing.

Along the way, Dr. Kotsanis will introduce exciting new treatments now available in our office:

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a procedure using a patient's own blood spun in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate the platelets.  The concentrated platelets are then injected into the affected area to promote faster, more thorough healing.

Adipose-Derived Adult Stem Cell Treatment delivers the patient's very own adipose-derived stem cells, combined with the platelets, by injection or IV, depending on the condition.

Stem cells are the building blocks of our bodies, able to regenerate and create new cells.  Using the PRP and Adipose-Derived Adult Stem Cell Treatment will draw the stem cells to the damaged/inflamed areas of the body where they can begin healing!

Look for Dr. Kotsanis at:

The North Texas Lyme Group, http://thec2.net/ntxlyme/

Natural HealthFest in Plano, http://www.naturalhealthfest.com/

Wellness Expo in Addison, http://www.holisticnetworker.com/expo/  

 Exciting happenings at Kotsanis!   

Want to know more???

For more information about what we do please call our office at 888-302-9740!!

2260 Pool Road
Grapevine, TX 76051
817.380.4992

http://kotsanisinstitute.com | info@kotsanisinstitute.com

Dr. Constantine A. Kotsanis MD complements traditional medicine with functional medicine and nutrition to optimize health, wellness, and the anti-aging process.  

Dr. Kotsanis specialties include Insulin Potentiation Targeted Low Dose Therapy (IPTLDSM) in the treatment of Cancer, Comprehensive Cancer Care & AfterCare, Autism, Hormone Imbalances, Allergies, Digestive Disorders, Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Disorders.

The Kotsanis Institute is located located in Grapevine, Texas - close to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Dr. Kotsanis’ practice integrates elements of both mainstream and complementary medicine. This practice know as integrative medicine embraces principals and treatment methods which may or may not be accepted or embraced by conventional medicine providers, individual physicians or other health care institutions.

Millions of men are feeling their health deteriorate. The responsibilities of career, family, church and friends create intense stress. Yet society expects men to be stoic, internalizing their worries and pressures until the high stress begins to break down the body.

Sleep problems are a common side effect of this stress, and overall health and well-being soon become casualties as well. Recent studies in twins have proven that getting seven hours of sleep or less a night directly correlates to obesity as well as an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

You may not realize it, but restless sleep, sleep apnea and long-term sleep deprivation affects your spouse and loved ones by disturbing their sleep patterns, too. It is not only a good idea to take care of yourself – it is the responsible thing to do if you have a family.

According to Dr. Constantine A. Kotsanis, MD, Director of the Kotsanis Institute, a medical clinic that bridges traditional medicine with complementary medicine, feeling rested is not just about going to bed earlier. “Many men can’t sleep deeply. Their minds race or they awaken frequently in the night, or they physically feel badly and can’t rest properly,” said Kotsanis.

“Sleep disorders and health issues need a whole body balanced approach.  Nutrition, diet, alternative treatments and new health habits can make a huge impact on a man’s health and vitality,” he added.

Don’t let stress take you down the path to illness. Regain your health. Experience the healing benefits of deep rest. Attend a FREE Lunch & Learn at the Kotsanis Institute on July 25, 2012 at noon.

Specifically, you will learn how you can achieve optimum health and improve your quality of sleep with:

• Nutritional supplements
• Homeopathics
• Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Fields (PEMPs)
• Oxygen therapies

In addition to answering your questions, the meeting includes lunch. The Kotsanis institute is located in Grapevine at 2260 Pool Road. Space is limited, so please sign up at http://www.kotsanisinstitute.com/lunch-learn or call 817-591-0260.

2260 Pool Road
Grapevine, TX 76051
817.380.4992

http://kotsanisinstitute.com | info@kotsanisinstitute.com

Dr. Constantine A. Kotsanis MD complements traditional medicine with functional medicine and nutrition to optimize health, wellness, and the anti-aging process.  

Dr. Kotsanis specialties include Insulin Potentiation Targeted Low Dose Therapy (IPTLDSM) in the treatment of Cancer, Comprehensive Cancer Care & AfterCare, Autism, Hormone Imbalances, Allergies, Digestive Disorders, Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Disorders.

The Kotsanis Institute is located located in Grapevine, Texas - close to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Dr. Kotsanis’ practice integrates elements of both mainstream and complementary medicine. This practice know as integrative medicine embraces principals and treatment methods which may or may not be accepted or embraced by conventional medicine providers, individual physicians or other health care institutions.

DALLAS, Texas (May 4, 2012)—From macaroni and cheese to battered and fried anything, Americans love comfort food. But, what if your comfort food is the source of your discomfort?

For author Beverly Kotsanis, her goal is to help people feel good with food that’s also good for them. That’s why she co-wrote “Food For Thought: The Free Food Cookbook” (CreateSpace, 2012)

“A large percentage of our population has a gluten intolerance,” Beverly said. “This book will help you become more aware of food allergens,” and help those affected learn to heal.

It’s a hefty paperback chock-full of recipes and information to help readers build a diet that’s free of gluten, casein (milk protein), and many common allergens and toxins, some of which are believed to produce the symptoms observed in children on the autism spectrum.

Using food to heal is something Beverly’s been working on for about 20 years with her husband, Dr. Constantine Kotsanis, a well-known Otolaryngic allergist and founder of the Kotsanis Institute, a holistic practice based in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine that fuses traditional healing, modern medicine, and nutrition to optimize patient health.

 “Healthcare has gotten more technologically advanced,” Beverly said, “but it’s forgotten about its foundation.”

That foundation, as “Food For Thought” indicates, is the water you drink and the food you eat and all of the minerals and nutrients in them.

“We wanted to give people the benefit of all of this information,” said Beverly, who is the CEO of the Kotsanis Institute. Readers can learn to stock a pantry free of the “Great Eight Allergens,” and how to find items in restaurants and on the shelves that won’t disrupt a special diet.

Also inside “Food For Thought” are testimonials from patients whose lives were drastically changed by changing their diet. Some, overwhelmed with the symptoms of ADD, autism spectrum disorders, auto-immune disease, and side effects from cancer treatment, were able to find hope and recovery with specially-tailored diets.

But one testimonial you won’t find inside the book is Keller mom Kendra Jean Finestead’s. That’s because her name is on the cover.

Finestead, who co-wrote “Food For Thought” with the Kotsanis’, founded Greater Tots Organization after searching for a way to help her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum. She met the Kotsanis’ at an autism support group meeting and decided she was going to find a way to help other mothers. So she started developing recipes for gluten-free, casein-free foods that were kid friendly.

Or, as she says, Finestead is on a mission to “redefine the happy meal.”

In all, Beverly believes that the more people who discover the benefits of an allergen-free diet, the better.

“It’s about a more holistic way of living,” Beverly said. “[This cookbook] helps people understand that food can be medicine. The person who buys this cookbook is taking responsibility for their own health.”

You can find out more about the trio’s cookbook, available through Amazon.com, at www.foodforthoughtbook.com. 

Below is a sample recipe, Beverly’s Pancakes, from “Food For Thought: The Free Food Cookbook.”

 Ingredients:

• 2/3 cups rice milk
• 1 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer powder
• ¼ cup brown rice flour
• ¼ cup potato starch
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• Blend rice milk and egg-replacer powder in blender until frothy, about 1 minute.

Add remaining ingredients.

Blend until just mixed.

Place large, nonstick skillet that has been lightly coated with oil over medium heat.

Pour batter into skillet and cook until tops are bubbly (2 to 3 minutes).

Turn and cook until golden brown (30 seconds).

Makes about eight 4-inch pancakes.

2260 Pool Road
Grapevine, TX 76051
817.380.4992

http://kotsanisinstitute.com | info@kotsanisinstitute.com

The Kotsanis Institute is located in Grapevine, Texas - close to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) 

 http://iptforcancer.com/conference

Cancer and chemotherapy are two words that have become almost synonymous in a country where half of all men and one-third of all women will develop cancer during their lifetimes. 

Along with being well known for its use as a treatment for cancer, chemotherapy is also notorious for its harsh symptoms: hair loss, nausea, extreme fatigue, and pain among others. The patient’s body must endure not only the disease, but also a treatment that attacks the entire body-not just the cancer culprit. 

That’s why many physicians, like Constantine Kotsanis MD of the Kotsanis Institute in Grapevine, Texas, have turned to IPT or Insulin Potentiation Therapy.  IPT uses traditional chemotherapeutic drugs and insulin to more effectively transport the drugs across cell membranes and into the cancer cells, resulting in a treatment that is tougher on cancer and easier on the body.

Dr. Kotsanis’ main focus when treating his patients, no matter the illness, is focusing on their entire body. While many doctors prescribe a traditional high-dose chemotherapy treatment that can wreak havoc on other parts of the patient’s body, Kotsanis uses targeted low dose therapy, which results in a kinder, gentler, chemotherapy. In his book, “The Kinder, Gentler Cancer Treatment: Insulin Potentiation Target LowDose Therapy,” Dr. Kotsanis explains how patients can thrive and continue to live a life filled with dignity and productivity when choosing to undergo IPT over traditional cancer treatment approaches.

To learn more about IPT and the ways it can help you or someone you love in the fight against cancer, you can attend the 2012 Annual International IPT/IPTLD Integrative Cancer Conference. Held on Saturday, April 28 at the Hilton Dallas in Southlake Town Square.

This conference will feature presentations by noted experts, including Dr. Kotsanis, in their fields on different aspects of integrative cancer care with an emphasis on therapies that are kinder and gentler, but still very effective.

Two sessions are offered: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sessions are $25 each. 

2260 Pool Road
Grapevine, TX 76051
817.380.4992

http://kotsanisinstitute.com | info@kotsanisinstitute.com

Dr. Constantine A. Kotsanis MD complements traditional medicine with functional medicine and nutrition to optimize health, wellness, and the anti-aging process. Dr. Kotsanis integrates both mainstream and complementary medicine.  This practice, known as functional or integrative medicine embraces principles and treatment methods which may or may not be accepted or embraced by conventional medicine providers, individual physicians or other health care institutions.

Dr. Kotsanis specialties include Insulin Potentiation Targeted Low Dose Therapy (IPTLDSM) in the treatment of Cancer, Comprehensive Cancer Care & AfterCare, Autism, Hormone Imbalances, Allergies, Digestive Disorders, Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Disorders.

Located in Grapevine, Texas - close to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)