BRIEFLY ABOUT

DR. SYLVIA ANUNOBI (ONYENSOH)

As an Occupational Medicine Specialist and General Practitioner, my job was pretty diverse and fun for the most part, but also gave me the opportunity to observe the field of medicine from a broad perspective. My last occupation, prior to starting my own practice, was in the Urgent Care setting, where I worked for over 7 years, seeing thousands of patients yearly.  My job was to address myriads of urgent medical issues and perform minor medical procedures for individuals as they walked in from the streets. I also treated acute injuries, such as joint and muscle sprains and strains, minor lacerations, foreign body removals, etc., for injured workers, as well as regular individuals, and provided occupational health services for the benefit of employers.  I have learned that regardless of how big or small the medical issue presented, patients need to know that they are listened to and evaluated from a holistic stand-point, while offering the right medical solution for the problem. My aim is to help bridge the healthcare gap, and use my talent to serve humanity.

PIVOT TO FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Because the Urgent Care setting is really the front-line location for most patients who need to see a doctor quickly for any health condition they have, it was very common for a lot of patients with both acute and chronic conditions to come to me either because they were unable to get a quick appointment with their primary care physician (PCP) or because some (many) patients did not even have a PCP to begin with. Aside from the frequent patient encounters for common respiratory issues like Acute Sinusitis, Acute Bronchitis, common Cold & Flu, etc., there were also frequent visits for a bit more serious cases like Asthma exacerbation, COPD exacerbations, Pneumonia, and for gut issues like abdominal pain, vomiting/diarrhea, GERD, irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, colitis, etc. Then, there were the less frequent but interesting cases where I would be the first physician to identity and diagnose a patient’s condition, for example a leg swelling complaint that turned out to be a DVT after I sent them for Ultrasound, a case of pitting edema that turned out to be a heart failure after an ER transfer, or joint swelling cases that turned out to be Rheumatoid Arthritis or Lupus after I ordered labs, etc.  Additionally, I also diagnosed some patients of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes because they either did not have a PCP yet or could not get in with their PCP, and I would start them on medications until they’re able to get in with a PCP.  So, I said all that to say that I loved my job as a General Practice physician, as much as I also enjoyed my role as the Occupational Medicine doctor.

This gave me a pretty wide exposure to patients with all kinds of medical conditions.  However, I began learning more about nutrition on my own and also tapped into some of my residency didactics and rotations in Preventive Medicine and my Masters Degree in Public Health. When I looked at those patient encounters from a broader perspective, I could see that the three major categories to classify most patient visits is – inflammation (acute, recurrent or chronic), gut dysbiosis, and metabolic syndrome.  This means that, from a root cause perspective, if I can help people fix the foods they eat and fix their gut environment, a good number of them would begin to have a much better handle on their health.

My Personal Experience with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

One of the most intriguing and sometimes bewildering complaint that would come through the doors of the Urgent Care clinic was that of “Fatigue” – at least once or twice per day.  I can usually feel while talking with the patients how frustrated they felt with their symptoms, and the slight fear in their faces that they might be told that there was nothing wrong with them.  I could relate with these patients because, unbeknownst to them, I was also dealing with the same or similar symptoms.

For over 3 decades, I dealt with symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and was actually diagnosed of Idiopathic Hypersomnolence, a sleep disorder with similar symptoms as CFS. So, I know what it’s like to feel vulnerable due to dealing with a complex medical condition that is not well-understood by conventional medicine, and for which there is no real cure.  However, by finally applying a strategic nutritional approach on myself, I was able to reclaim my vitality, and also saw significant improvement in my metabolic health and in my weight management.  That is why I have developed some strategic nutritional protocols to help others regain their health and wellness, and achieve a healthy weight and longevity in a holistic manner.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

I obtained my medical degree (MD) from Meharry Medical College, School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, from 2009 to 2013, after which I immediately went on to Yale/Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Connecticut, and completed my Internship in Internal Medicine in 2014. I subsequently completed my Residency training specializing in Occupational Medicine at Meharry Medical College, where I also obtained a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) degree in 2018.  My MSPH degree is notable because I learned about the social determinants of health that includes your environment, food, etc., which constitutes about 80% of one’s health outcome, and that the healthcare system only determines about 10 to 20% of health outcomes.  With a focus on Occupational and Environmental Health, I also learned about the extent to which environmental toxins can affects one’s health, for example how some substances we come into contact with have been studied and determined to be carcinogenic, as well as how some fruits and vegetables we eat have been studied and found to have anti-cancer properties.  Additionally, my Residency training was unique in that we were exposed to the same didactic sessions as our Preventive Medicine colleagues, which exposed me to a well-rounded approach to healthcare including Integrative Medicine modalities like Nutrition, Mindfulness Meditation; Motivational Interviewing, the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), etc.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Throughout my Internship and Residency training, I had the opportunity to gain rich patient care experience in both the hospital and out-patient/clinic settings.  My Internship in Internal Medicine at Yale/Greenwich Hospital gave me the unique insight into how severe the chronic disease epidemic is and how grave the in-patient/hospital environment can be. Additionally, I have had significant work experience with some prominent Urgent Care clinics in the Nashville area, the last one being at HCA CareNow Urgent Care, where I worked for many years, and saw thousands of patients yearly, as described earlier.

I am board certification in Occupational Medicine, and have been certified by the Tennessee Bureau of Worker’s Compensation as a Certified Physician (CPP) and a Medical Impairment Rater, which means that I also perform Independent Medical Examinations for Worker’s Comp cases, as well as for individuals who need it for various purposes.  Also worth a mention is the fact that I do have a law degree (JD) from Howard University School of Law (1999), and this knowledge comes in handy when working with medico-legal clients. I am currently licensed to practice in Tennessee and Kentucky for one-on-one clinic visits and occupational health services.

Presently working for myself, I am also pleased to be able to combine all my experiences – professional, educational, and personal life – into my practice of Functional Medicine, helping people take back their health with strategic nutrition and holistic lifestyle changes.