Ep 10: Why Aren't Doctors Teaching This Yet?

In this eye-opening episode of The Balanced Blood Sugar Podcast, Adrienne unpacks why so many doctors don’t—or can’t—teach patients about holistic health solutions. From the constraints of the healthcare system to outdated medical education, and the tough decisions doctors face between job security and stepping outside the lines, this episode sheds light on the deeper systemic issues at play. Adrienne also shares practical tips for how you can take charge of your own health while giving grace to doctors navigating a broken system.

Key Takeaways:

• Doctors are often restricted by hospital policies, insurance companies, and regulatory boards, which limit their ability to recommend nontraditional treatments.
• Medical education frequently lags behind the latest research, leaving doctors with outdated knowledge on nutrition and lifestyle interventions.
• Many doctors are victims of a system that prioritizes profits and policies over patient health, forcing them to make difficult choices about their careers and integrity.
• Functional medicine and direct primary care models are growing but often operate outside traditional insurance, making them less accessible to some patients.
• The importance of being your own health advocate—asking questions, doing research, and seeking providers who align with your values.

Resources Mentioned:

• Dr. Ken Berry: Lies My Doctor Told Me
• Find a Functional Medicine Doctor
• FREE Get Started Guide HERE if you don’t have it already (and hop on our email list to be notified when our Holiday Recipe ebook comes out!)

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Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medication. The content shared here reflects my personal experiences and research but should not replace individualized medical care.

Transcript

Introduction:

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Hi friends, welcome back to The Balanced Blood Sugar Podcast! I’m your host, Adrienne Wheat, Registered Nurse and holistic health advocate, and today we’re diving into a topic that’s as frustrating as it is fascinating: ‘Why don’t doctors teach more about holistic health solutions?’

The short answer? The system they work in tells them they can’t. In our healthcare system here in the US, there is a tangled web of rules, outdated education, and financial incentives that keeps even the most well-meaning doctors from stepping outside the box. Today, we’re going to unpack all of this.

But first, let me say this loud and clear: this isn’t about bashing doctors. I’m not here to villainize the people who go through years of grueling education to care for us. In fact, most doctors are just as much victims of the system as we are. And by the end of this episode, I hope you’ll not only understand why this is happening, but also feel empowered to take charge of your own health in a system that isn’t set up to prioritize your best interests.

So grab your favorite drink—coffee, tea, or keto pumpkin latte—and let’s get started.

Section 1: The Healthcare System’s Limitations

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: the healthcare system itself.

Hospitals, clinics, and insurance companies all have very strict rules about what doctors can and can’t say or do. These rules are there to protect the institution—not necessarily the patient. If a doctor wants to stay employed or keep their license, they have to follow these rules, even if it means recommending treatments or programs they don’t fully believe in.

For example, doctors are often only allowed to refer you to programs that are officially certified by organizations like the American Diabetes Association or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That means even if your doctor knows a low-carb or whole-food-based diet could help you manage your blood sugar better, they might hesitate to recommend it, because it’s not on the ADA’s approved list.

And then there’s the issue of medications. During the pandemic, many doctors prescribed medicines for off-label use within their scope of practice, seeing great success. But licensing boards cracked down hard, and some of these doctors had their licenses suspended or revoked. Why? Because their choices didn’t align with government policies or corporate interests. 

Here’s a heartbreaking thought: how many lives could have been saved if doctors were free to think outside the box? Instead, we saw livelihoods destroyed, reputations ruined, and patients left without the care they needed. Thankfully, many of these doctors are now getting their licenses back, but that doesn’t change the years of hardship they, their families, and their patients went through because they cared more about patients than policies.

This doesn’t just apply to acute situations like a pandemic. It’s happening every day in chronic disease management. Most doctors are required to stick to ‘standards of care,’ which often prioritize medications over lifestyle changes. And let’s be honest—those medications are usually brought to you by pharmaceutical companies with billion-dollar marketing budgets who also fund organizations like the ADA, FDA, and CDC. The corruption is sadly so systemic. 

I know many practitioners now who have left mainstream healthcare in favor of opening their own clinics where THEY control the policies. But here’s the catch—these new clinics often don’t take insurance because insurance companies won’t reimburse for holistic treatments. So now, their services are out of reach for many patients who could benefit most. It’s all so frustrating, especially for people like my husband, who came from an ala-carte, holistic healthcare system in his home country of Peru. You just buy what you need when you need it out of pocket for relatively cheap - think MRI for around $200 cheap. It’s insane how hard it is to get what we need here at a price we can afford without having to play by the system’s rules.

Section 2: Outdated Medical Education

Ok, now, let’s talk about how doctors are trained.

Medical school is one of the hardest educational paths out there. Students are spending 10-12 years of their lives in school, residencies, and fellowships, working long hours and accumulating massive student debt. But the curriculum they’re taught is often outdated because it takes years—sometimes decades—for new research to make its way into textbooks.

Think about it: when was the last time you heard about a groundbreaking discovery in nutrition being taught in medical school? Probably never. That’s because nutrition isn’t a priority in most medical programs. In fact, many doctors graduate with less than 20 hours of formal nutrition training. Now, sidenote, Dr. Casey Means, a Stanfford medical school graduate, talks a lot about the lack of nutrition education in their program and is a huge advocate for change in this area. She’s very outspoken on socials if you’d like to give her a follow on your favorite platform! 

Ok, now back to the topic, here’s the kicker—most of what doctors are taught in medical school comes from sources influenced by organizations like the USDA or the CDC, which have their own biases and corporate ties. Remember the food pyramid we all grew up with? It was based on government recommendations that were heavily influenced by food companies and the agricultural industry.

Now, this is where Dr. Ken Berry’s book, Lies My Doctor Told Me, is so powerful. He exposes how many of the ‘truths’ we’ve been told about health—like the idea that fat is bad for you or that calorie counting is the key to weight loss—are based on flawed science. It’s a must-read if you want to understand just how deep this problem goes.

When I was in living in Peru, after working as a critical care nurse and moving to Peru to get married, I had a similar wake-up call. After encountering their more holistic system which included some elements of herbalism, I started researching more about healthcare and some of the claims we were taught in school, and it was shocked to find out how much of it was outdated, biased or just bad science, meaning that the quasi-scientific experiments used to justify safety of vaccines for example, didn’t follow the correct scientific method. 

All of this flood of information created a huge sense of cognitive dissonance because I wanted to trust the system and what I had been taught, but the evidence just wasn’t there to support it, and in fact, in many cases, the evidence showed the opposite! Learning that all this time you thought you were helping people, only to discovered you were being used as a pawn in someone else’s game to harm the very people you wanted to help - It’s a VERY tough pill to swallow. But it’s also what motivated me to dig deeper and learn the truth for myself and my family, and now to pass it on to you!

Section 3: The Human Side of Doctors

Lastly, here’s something we don’t talk about often enough: doctors are human, too.

Imagine you’re a doctor. You’ve spent years in school, taken out massive loans, and dedicated your life to helping people. But now you’re working in a system that limits what you can say and do - even when you may know there’s an alternative that works better. Do you risk your career to fight the system, or do you keep your head down and follow the rules to take care of yourself and your family?

For many doctors, the answer is clear. They stay in the system because they feel they have no other choice. They have families to support, bills to pay, and careers they’ve worked so hard to build.

But here’s the good news: more and more doctors are starting to break away. They’re opening functional medicine practices, joining direct primary care networks, or even going into telemedicine to reach more patients. The downside? Many of these options don’t accept insurance because they don’t fit within the traditional healthcare model.

This is why it’s so important for us, as patients, to take an active role in our own health. Doctors can’t do it all, and the system isn’t set up to help us thrive. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless. We ALWAYS have a say in what the healthcare system can and can’t do to us or put in us. Just because medicine is what is recommended, doesn’t mean that’s the only option - rather, that’s the only option they are allowed to tell you. 

Conclusion: Be Your Own Advocate

So, what can we do?

First, have grace for your doctor. Most of them are doing the best they can with the tools and knowledge they have. If they’re not giving you the answers you’re looking for, it’s not because they don’t care—it’s because the system has tied their hands. Or, they don’t realize they’ve been taught outdated information. Most doctors don’t go into the medical system to hurt people but rather, exactly the opposite. Remember - so many healthcare practitioners are just pawns in someone else’s game.

Second, be your own advocate. Ask questions. Do your own research. Seek out second opinions if something doesn’t feel right, or you have time to research another way. 

And finally, surround yourself with people who are committed to finding the truth. That’s what this podcast is all about—cutting through the noise and giving you the tools you need to take control of your health.

I know this all seems so frustrating, but you’re here! That means you’re finally getting your hands on the truth. 

So, thank you for joining me today on The Balanced Blood Sugar Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. And don’t forget to check out the show notes for resources, including a link my Get Started Guide, and to Dr. Ken Berry’s book.

Until next time, take care of yourself, be kind to your body and your doctor, and remember—you are your own best health advocate. See you next week!

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