To consumers who take their health for granted or prioritize weight loss goals over mindful nutrition, Dr. Sonza Curtis, ND, PAC, IFMCP, functional medicine specialist based in Atlanta, GA, who is known as “The Gut Doctor,” advises considering the first three letters of the word “diet.”

The effect of dietary habits on the brain and the gut-brain connection is what propelled Curtis into the world of medicine.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, the brain’s function is dependent upon high-quality foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that serve to nourish and prevent oxidative stress.

Foods high in refined sugars not only cause oxidative stress, but can also promote inflammation and worsen existing mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

The Gut is the Root of All Health

Stress and anxiety can affect the movement and contractions of the gastrointestinal tract. When stress is chronic, gastrointestinal and health issues result.

“Gut health is the root to all health,” explained Curtis, a holistic autoimmune specialist and member of the Georgia Integrative Health Coalition.

Curtis’ understanding of the ties binding good health and wellness stem from her grandmother and great-grandmother who were herbalists.

Curtis knew medicine was her calling following her father’s untimely death at age 50 from a heart attack, and after her grandmother fell ill.

Later in her life, Curtis’ knowledge came in handy when her daughter was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. The autoimmune disorder affects the thyroid gland, which releases hormones that help regulate many bodily functions.

A battery of tests performed showed her daughter was sensitive to gluten and dairy. The first step in her recovery was cutting those foods from her diet. These changes helped to send her autoimmune disease into remission.

Certified by the Institute of Functional Medicine, Curtis has helped many other patients successfully find the root cause of their issues. She founded Three D Wellness, a full-service Functional Medicine Practice of dedicated, experienced practitioners who believe in working with patients to maintain and improve their overall health. She also co-authored “No More Band-Aids 2.0: Finding Answers in a Broken Medical System,” a book about getting to the root cause of a problem instead of covering it up.

Many of her patients come to her with thyroid issues, lupus, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a disabling extension of PMS that can damage relationships and self-image, among others.

Curtis works with patients to develop individualized plans to improve mind, body, and spirit to get their diets and sleep cycles back on track by removing inflammatory foods from their diet and introducing them to stress management techniques.

Focusing On Functional Medicine

Through functional medicine, Curtis combines the training of both allopathic and natural medicine to treat the whole person and to assist in balancing their overall health. This starts with comprehensive blood work. Vitamin D levels, for example, are tested every three months, depending on lower levels, and for hormone disorders every 6-8 weeks. 

“When you feel better, you’ll do better,” said Curtis. “The body is speaking to us [and it’s up to us to] listen.”

Like a good therapist, Curtis brings insight to her patients, but the decision to keep their newfound healthy lifestyle is up to them.

“It’s not just me telling them, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that,” explained Curtis, who likened patients’ wellness journeys to a GPS system. “When you get off, it’s rerouting. If you fall off the horse, it’s your choice. How do you want to continue to feel?”

Gratitude and Healing

After preparing a plan for the mind and body to manage stress, the spirit is next.

“I tell my patients to spend five minutes in the morning reciting three things they’re grateful for and again in the evening,” said Curtis, adding that these change every 72 hours. These range from being gainfully employed to being grateful for family.

“Gratitude increases dopamine production in the brain, decreasing inflammation at the cellular level,” she said.

She also encourages her patients to look at both sides of the coin before getting upset over a perceived misfortune.

“I try to get them to seek to understand we have a lot to be grateful for, and it’s been working.”

While people are more health-conscious in the COVID-19 era, many continue to struggle with ongoing mental health issues tied to stress.

“I’m real with my patients, I don’t sugar-coat,” said Curtis, who spends a good hour-and-a-half getting to know her patients. “I’m going to do it softly and use wisdom. Together, it takes a village to heal a community.”