An interview with Dr. Veronica by Dina Morrone – Part 4

Many medical schools do not place enough emphasis on nutritional well-being. We are literally what we eat, but we are also what we absorb. How often do we enquire about our gut microbiome? How often are we aware of what is happening in our body /what are we putting in our mouths? Everything we eat is a building block for the next red blood cell, nerve cell, or muscle cell. If we thought about this every day, we might make wiser choices when it comes to eating. 

Every stem cell has an incredible innate intelligence. How does a cell decide whether to be a kidney, an eyelash, or a fingernail? It is truly fascinating that our bodies have this capacity for growth and discernment. Everything we consume is a building block for that. It is not about having a rigid or fad diet. It is about the importance of recognizing what might work for us. When it comes to eating, inner wisdom and knowledge can go a long way. 

The mind-body connection is crucial. It is simply a matter of listening to your body and asking it what it wants. Am I thirsty? Am I hungry? If you have a hunger signal then, then what do I truly desire and need? Much of the time, we mistake thirst for hunger, and this can lead to the wrong choices being made. Adequate Hydration is a key factor in the health of every cell. 

I did not open a private clinic because I wanted to be a money-motivated entrepreneur. 

I wanted to open a private clinic to create a truly healing environment with sufficient time and means to offer patients the chance to be heard and nurtured as best I could. 

We offer varying fee ranges. I like to see all my new patients for an hour, but sometimes, this is not possible, and if a patient asks to see me for a shorter time, we will honor this. Patients can book an appointment with me or with the nurse consultant on a different fee scale. 

Westbourne Medical Studios is open to everyone, and we hold many free community and charity events, including a drop-in meditation sessions and sound evenings, creative art classes, and a community cinema wall every month. When people come to see me, I love to see them, but it's not necessarily all about booking numerous return visits. I want to teach patients how to breathe correctly, how to meditate, correct nutritional advice, cold water bathing, and much more, as these are all great tools we can share to empower our patients to thrive and reach a state of optimal wellness, and live life to the fullest. 

Of course, I also write out the occasional prescription too but that's the beauty of combining all skills for the best possible outcome.

The studios are located inside a beautiful 160-year-old stone building. I want everyone to feel loved, nurtured, and the most important priority when arriving. As you climb the broad stone steps bordered by plant pots filled with fragrant herbs and tumbling flowers, you enter the foyer filled with more greenery and artwork alongside the flickering flame of a welcome candle, signifying our light and yours. 

As you enter the original doorframe, you are greeted by the friendly front-of-house team and seated by the log fire with a cup of herbal tea while beautiful music plays and essential oils gently burn in the background. There are three studio clinical rooms and a small and intimate massage space called The Sanctuary. And a beautiful general studio space where we hold yoga/breathing/movement/singing classes for up to 10 to 12 people. This space also has a cinema wall where we show community cinema films. We also have a residential area below where clients can come and stay for the weekend if they are having a series of treatments or a retreat day. 

We have had patients come for the weekend to have a retreat day. There are three double bedrooms. You can have a retreat day, be pampered, have quite an intensive weekend experience, and then go home again. We also have something called Soul Food Sundays, where we have a cooking demo, and then we will sit and eat together. 

Being the first person to open something new can be quite scary, especially when we, as physicians, are bound by such strong regulations. We are governed by the National Health System, and we are inspected within an inch of our lives to ensure we meet all necessary regulations. Thankfully, when we opened, we passed our inspections with flying colors. Scotland is a country full to the brim with innovative thinkers -- James Watt, Alexander Graham Bell, John Logie Baird, and Alexander Fleming, to name but a few. I am not claiming that Scotland is the only place with holistic health, but I am saying that, as a conventional doctor, it was quite a big step to open a new clinic with a different health model from scratch. 

I have clients in Los Angeles, the Caribbean, and Australia, to name only a few locations. 

My patients are from a broad age group and demographic and increasingly international as well as native Scots. On an average day, I could see a sick child, an aging senior, or an over-stressed, overdoing it, permanently jet-lagged 40-something who needs to be told politely that they do need to calm their jets. 

I'm also increasingly being requested to treat patients from the entertainment industry, be that list touring Pop or Rock Stars, or major movie production and TV location shoots that are drawn in by our beautiful mountainous and dramatic scenery. They all think it's funny now as they know I sing and call me the Rock Doc. Of course, I take no notice of such frivolities, and I am wise enough not to state in print that deep down, I do quite like it. 

The new age of Zoom and video communications has opened up all kinds of possibilities. One of the most important aspects of any consultation is that patients have a space where they can be themselves and feel nurtured and heard. There is so much therapeutic healing that can happen in any consultation, even on video. Many of our therapies are available online, and I am also delighted to be able to work with the local physician on the ground and liaise with various treatments in that way, too. 

We can get lab tests done anywhere, so we can do quite a lot, even if it is long distance. We can even do meditation work online. 

One of the most important questions I ask my patients is about their sleep. Sleep is so important. If we don't sleep, then we don't repair. That's another time when our brain goes detoxification rinse a bit like a car wash for at least one, if not two, cycles, so sleep is essential.

Besides sleep, another important question I ask my patients is, “What brings you joy?” It takes people by surprise. Many people don't have an answer for a long pause. It's interesting. Sometimes, I rephrase it a little: “What do you enjoy doing that brings you joy in your heart?” If we have joy in our hearts, then we are the best version of ourselves and share our best assets with everyone else. Then, when our light shines brightly, so does everyone else's.

The final part of this interview will be released next week

Part 1 - Click here