Understanding Health and Wellness with Dr. Kimberly Rogers

A Prescription on Health, Healing, and Wellness.

“Health is wealth”, “Health comes first”, “Health is a state of body, wellness is a state of mind” - we hear and read statements like these constantly, and whenever we do, we nod in agreement. Yes. Health is wealth, but what is good health, and are we truly listening to our bodies and giving it what it needs?

Many a times, we say, we're on a diet or were trying to eat better or go to the gym more, we stress about all that we do and eat, so that we can either lose a couple of pounds or fit into that awesome outfit hanging in our closets. Sometimes though, our hearts and minds just need an indulgence, so if you find yourself constantly thinking about that bar of chocolate that’s been sitting in your fridge for months, have it, don’t stress. Have it, and burn it off later. Wellness is balance, it is the act of achieving equilibrium, the ability to be happy and healthy all at once.

We spoke with Dr. Kimberly Rogers, a board-certified Internal Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine physician, to learn about all things Wellness and how this impacts the body, mind, and skin. As you know we believe that your heart can be seen on your skin. If you are sad, your skin will reflect it, if you’re happy you will glow.

Dr. Kimberly was born and raised in Anguilla. She holds a bachelor of science degree in Neurophysiology, as well as a medical degree. She completed her internal medicine residency at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, and was also awarded ‘Most Outstanding Third Year Resident in Outpatient Care’.

Her experience treating a medically complex patient population highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to addressing the root cause of illness; this inspired her pursuit of board certification in Lifestyle Medicine, which she obtained in 2019.

Dr. Rogers enjoys fostering a collaborative relationship with her patients and is passionate about empowering people to achieve optimal health and wellness. She promotes an evidence-based focus on nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle factors as an adjunct to traditional treatment modalities.

To learn more about her take on the above and about how every patient’s journeys have taught her something new each time, but has been fulfilling nonetheless continue on

1. Founders Beauty:  What do you love about what you do?

   Dr. Kimberly:  “I practice lifestyle medicine and what I love about this is it lets me have a lifetime relationship with my patients. It allows me to get to know them and help them in several ways. The entire process as a generalist is very rewarding. Part of my job also helps me empower patients and help them optimize their health. For instance, some patients who walk in with pre-diabetes or high cholesterol don’t know how to go about making lifestyle changes without medication. They are unaware and don’t know where to start. That's where I come in to guide them and to help them be advocates of their life. I consider myself a consultant and I just help them with tools which then lead to several success stories.”

2. FB:  What made you choose this holistic approach compared to traditional western medicine? Tell us about a time you were proud to choose this approach?

   Dr. K:  “I am trained in traditional western medicine but I’ve always had respect for holistic medicine. Growing up, I remember, my mom always talked about this one doctor who’d always figure out any mysterious illness or problem she had. Unfortunately for her, western medicines didn’t work as well as traditional medicines. The doctor helped her change her diet, her lifestyle and that stayed with me always.

   I always had respect for this holistic approach so when I finished my residency, I realized that there are so many illnesses people have that are directly related to lifestyle. At that point, I didn’t feel I had the tools to be able to counsel them, so getting the right training and helping patients now gives me a rounder perspective. I’ve had so many patients come in with health concerns who believe that they’re going to need medicines forever. Like for patients with diabetes, they thought they would have to do insulin always. However, with a few lifestyle changes, my patients got off their medication.”

3. FB:  When it comes to adapting to a healthy and balanced lifestyle, what are some essentials according to you?

   Dr. K:  “I believe in 6 core tenets of lifestyle medicine. All of these are linked to the overall well-being of the body. For example, drinking a lot of alcohol can cause poor sleep and poor sleep can affect the skin. To all my patients, I recommend focusing on one thing at a time and focusing on making gradual changes. Recognizing areas of improvement in your routine one at a time is the key to establishing a great routine.”

   

4. FB:  Wellness and the ability to control your emotional well-being through balanced living, in general, is something our founder believes to be tied together, is this something you agree with? If so tell us more about this.

   Dr. K:  “I agree with it and believe in it too. Apart from this, the 6 core tenets that I mentioned are interconnected and leave an impact on both, the mind and the body. There’s no way you can be completely healthy without focusing on your emotional well-being and mental health.”

5. FB:  Do you think that these two aspects of your life affect the skin?

   Dr. K:  “100%. The skin is the largest organ of the body. So a lot of times we forget that every organ in the body is related. A lot of times, patients who aren't healthy have skin concerns like dullness, saggy skin, acne, blemishes, etc. and all of those things are the outward manifestations of internal imbalance. Similarly, our skin is connected to overall health and so when people make changes to their lifestyle, there’s a big difference seen even on their skin. Everything matters!”

6. FB:  What is your take on western medicine, and supplementing healing through both food and medication as opposed to just medication?

   Dr. K:  “Medication has its place for sure, but the food is also medicine. There are so many things like nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and the like that can be found in food. We’re indoctrinated that we need to take supplements to benefit from food but there are so many natural sources to get these nutrients that the body can process better."

7. FB:  What are some mistakes people are making these days when it comes to their skincare?

   Dr. K:  “Firstly, not recognizing your skin type. There are so many products out there that promise great results but are all of them for you? Determining that is important and I think people must start accounting for it."

   Secondly, having a reactive approach i.e. treating the concern instead of trying to prevent the cause for a reaction.

   Thirdly, not trying to figure out the underlying cause and getting to the bottom of why you suffer from that concern."

8. FB:  If someone wanted better skin and came to you, what would you advise them to do?

   Dr. K: “First of all, everyone must recognize their concerns and get to the bottom of them. I’d try to understand if they have any health issues behind the skin problem or if there is anything else that has to be fixed. I would individualize the problem instead of just prescribing medicines. Having said the above, I am not a dermatologist so guiding patients to visit a certified dermatologist or aesthetician is what I’d do if something is beyond my care."

9. FB:  Do you see the connection between those with a less nourishing diet and skin? Is there an impact if someone is not eating healthy, and vice versa?

   Dr. K:  “Yes, definitely. Like I said, skin is an organ so think about feeding this organ with healthy fats, nutrients, and vitamins that help to boost radiance. If the intake of preservatives, foods with high glycemic is more, the effects are negative. Let’s just say, I’ve never heard anybody say that my skin had an impact by not eating healthy. A clean diet does have a direct effect on nourished skin. In fact, I can talk about myself - I have a major sweet tooth and when I’m not on track with my food, I see an instant change in the way my skin reacts.”

10. FB:  Is there a connection in your opinion, between stress and skin health?

    Dr. K:  “When you’re stressed, your body produces stress hormones which cause an imbalance in the body like too much insulin, too much testosterone, or even estrogen imbalance. Additionally, there are side effects of stress like poor sleep, poor diet, lack of concentration, and so on and these are all linked to skin health, so yes, there is a connection between stress and your skin.”

11. FB:  What are some hacks one can do food-wise or health-wise to achieve balance in their lives?

    Dr. K:  "Striking a perfect balance in life is a journey according to me. It’s not something you achieve instantly. One of the key aspects is to focus on is nutrition. I encourage every patient of mine to include items in their routine instead of eliminating some. A minimum of six to seven fruits a day and a good mix of veggies have promising results. Fibers, proteins, some carbs, and fats are all necessary. Incorporating the above in the routine automatically leads to lesser consumption of junk food. Additionally, establishing a number of lifestyle habits has always been beneficial."

12. FB:  What are three things one should never do?

    Dr. K:  “As humans, we’re built in a way where everything is inter-connected to something or the other. Especially with health. And when it comes to health, one must be very mindful of what they do or consume, but to pick a few… "