Stay tuned to meet a woman
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whose gifts have
made room for her.
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My name is Yvonne Lewis Shelton
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and you are
watching Urban Report.
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Hello, and
welcome to Urban Report.
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My guest today is
Dr. Dona Cooper Dockery,
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physician,
missionary, author and founder
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of the Cooper Wellness Center.
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Welcome to Urban Report.
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Oh, it's a pleasure.
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Thank you for having me.
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Oh, absolutely.
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May I call you doc?
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Doc is great.
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Oh, great, great.
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So before we talk about
the Cooper Wellness Center,
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I want to talk
about you and your journey
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and how you got
to where you are.
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So let's talk
about your journey.
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Where are you from?
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I am from Jamaica, from
western part of Jamaica.
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Ah, Jamaica is beautiful.
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Thank you. I've been
there more than once.
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It's a paradise. Lovely place.
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Yes, indeed.
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So you were raised in Jamaica?
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Mm-hmm.
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And at what point did you think
you wanted to be a physician?
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So I was raised
at my grandparent's,
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thanks to them,
and then my mother...
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I wanted to be a nurse
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or a lab-tech
and my mother told me
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that my father
wanted me to be a doctor.
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So then I started
thinking of becoming a doctor,
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and then something
happened when I was younger.
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My church elder died.
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I was right at his bed side
when he died in the hospital.
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I was very upset.
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I said, "This
shouldn't have happened.
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Why did he die?"
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Then I said, "You know what?
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I am going to become
a doctor to stop this."
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And that's where
my journey began.
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Really?
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So you decided at that...
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That was a
pivotal point for you.
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Absolutely.
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And so what did
you do after that?
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Did you decide to
go on to medical school
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in Jamaica or where did you go?
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Well, then I was young.
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So, of course, I went through
our Adventist school system.
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I went to high school.
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Then I went to
West Indies College,
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now Northern
Caribbean University.
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Then I went to Montemorelos
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and then from Montemorelos,
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I did my seven years
there, I went back to Jamaica,
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worked for a year, went
back to Mexico for a year
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and then I went to New York
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to do my residency
in internal medicine.
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And now I have been
in the Rio Grande Valley
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for the last 22 years.
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Wow.
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Wow, that's amazing.
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What have you found to be
some of the main challenges
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that you've been
confronted with on
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this journey for wellness?
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What I see...
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I see my patients, even
though I gave the best drugs,
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the best care, they
continue to have complications
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whether it's renal
failure or heart disease.
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They are on so many drugs
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and I realized this
is not the way to go.
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Why don't I empower them
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to take control
and prevent the disease
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rather than
treating the complication,
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and that is what
I am enjoying now.
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Yes, yes, yes.
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And that too, I would imagine,
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took some pivotal events...
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Absolutely.
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To change that mindset?
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I'll be honest, you know,
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I was 25 pound
overweight in 2010.
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And then, in 2011, my
area, McAllen Mission Texas
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was the fattest
in the United States.
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So in 2010-11, I
decided to change my lifestyle.
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So I began to eat healthier,
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to sleep more and
just change lifestyle.
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And I did so well that I decided
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to give my
patients the same remedy.
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Why not?
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And I am enjoying
medicine now more than ever.
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Yes.
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So I spend a lot of my
time educating patients.
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And this is, I think a key
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because, well, you
said a few things here.
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Number one, you wanted
to empower your patients.
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Absolutely.
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And you do that by
giving them information
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but not only did you
give them information,
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you changed as well.
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Absolutely.
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They could look at you and say,
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"Well, it worked for my doctor."
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'Cause I have seen some doctors
that are way, way overweight,
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and they are
trying to tell people
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how to lose weight
and this kind of like,
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"You try first
and then let me know."
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Right?
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So you empowered
them with information,
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you changed your lifestyle,
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and you showed them
through example how it worked.
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And then, I'm sure, from that,
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you tell me if
I am right or not,
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when they began to
implement these things,
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they saw changes
in their numbers.
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Absolutely.
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Significant health
miracles I would call them.
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Let's talk about some of those.
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Alrighty.
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So one day a patient
walked in with his mother,
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25 years old, mother is a nurse.
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He was 400 pounds.
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Mother felt guilty.
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"My son is 400 pound.
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He is diabetic.
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He has
hypertension and I am a nurse."
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And how old was he?
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Twenty five, yes.
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So we sat
together, all three of us,
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and we decided to use
lifestyle rather than drugs.
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He was in for the challenge.
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He lost 90 pounds. Wow.
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He changed his
healthcare destiny.
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Diabetes became controlled,
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blood pressure
better controlled,
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cholesterol controlled
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and he was just a happier person
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and I have several of that.
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That's it.
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I think that what you are doing,
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if more
physicians would get involved
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in lifestyle change
and less pharmaceuticals,
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it could change
the health outcome.
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Absolutely.
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And so what you did was,
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you kind of
gave him a challenge,
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he rose to the
challenge, lost 90 pounds.
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He must feel like
a totally new person.
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Absolutely.
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He must look like
a totally new person.
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Looked and he felt...
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Of course, the
mother was very happy.
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Yes, yes.
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And I have several
of the same stories.
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Yes.
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What's happening
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is you are
getting to the root cause.
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You are not
treating symptoms. No.
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You are getting
to the root cause.
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And a lot of times I think,
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well, I used to have a
practice in Dallas, and...
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Are you a physician too?
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I am a naturopathic
doctor and I was board certified
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in traditional Chinese medicine
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but God took me out of
the Chinese medicine thing
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because the
acupuncture and all of that.
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But I used to recommend herbs
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and lifestyle
change as a naturopath,
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and some people are open
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and they are ready
to accept the challenge.
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Other people are
like, you know what?
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I am not going to
give up my pick something,
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fried chicken, or my coffee...
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My sodas.
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Or my sodas, my
cakes and cookies.
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I'm not going to give that up.
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So, you know, if they weren't up
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for a lifestyle change,
then I couldn't really help
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because that's what
I was equipped to do.
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And so, but you, as a physician,
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you could prescribe
drugs, pharmaceuticals,
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or you could
teach lifestyle change
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and you chose the latter.
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Exactly.
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And you saw great results.
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Totally, totally.
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So you were trained
in allopathic medicine?
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Absolutely.
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At what point did you decide
to do integrative medicine?
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How did you get to a place
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of realizing that nutrition
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and exercise in the natural
way was a really important thing
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to integrate into your practice?
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You see, I have a
friend, Dr. Errol Bryce,
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who spent many
years doing lifestyle...
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Do you know him?
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Yes, I know Dr. Bryce, yes.
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He is my mentor.
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That is how...
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He is a great mentor.
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Yes, Dr. Charles Marcel as well.
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So that is how I
listened to these doctors
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that I realized I
needed to integrate
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lifestyle
medicine in my practice.
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I have two, three offices,
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two traditional
medical practices
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and then my
lifestyle medicine practice.
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And so how long has it been
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since you started
doing lifestyle medicine?
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About eight years.
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Okay, well, so have you found
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that you have kind of
immersed yourself in it
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or are you
studying it all the time?
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I am totally immerged.
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I spend a lot of time writing.
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I have a magazine, Get Healthy,
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that I publish every quarter.
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I am on the
radio, on TV locally,
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two TV stations
discussing lifestyle medicine,
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the entire...
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All my patients, my
colleagues know that
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Dr. Cooper emphasizes
nutrition and exercise.
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So if you are going to
Dr. Cooper, be prepared.
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Be prepared.
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Exactly.
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That's great. That's great.
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And so in your daily practice
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how do you introduce
lifestyle to your patients?
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How does that happen?
00:09:39.37\00:09:41.14
So usually, my
patients are complex
00:09:41.18\00:09:43.65
those that are diabetics,
that are not controlled,
00:09:43.68\00:09:47.08
those that are overweight,
00:09:47.12\00:09:48.68
those that have
chronic diseases,
00:09:48.72\00:09:50.62
heart disease, I
will discuss to them,
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"Are you willing
to get off medication?
00:09:53.05\00:09:56.19
Are you willing to use
nutrition and exercise,
00:09:56.22\00:09:59.26
stress management
and spiritual renewal
00:09:59.29\00:10:03.26
to improve your health?"
00:10:03.30\00:10:05.60
If they are
ready for the change,
00:10:05.63\00:10:07.87
then I introduce them.
00:10:07.90\00:10:09.54
If they are not
ready, it doesn't matter
00:10:09.57\00:10:10.97
what I do or say,
nothing would happen.
00:10:11.01\00:10:13.04
I'll give you a story.
00:10:13.07\00:10:14.41
Good.
00:10:14.44\00:10:16.11
Couple of weeks
ago, a pharmaceutical rep
00:10:16.14\00:10:18.41
walked into my
office and he said to me,
00:10:18.45\00:10:20.75
"Hey, Dr. Cooper.
00:10:20.78\00:10:22.38
I lost 30 pounds."
00:10:22.42\00:10:23.79
I said, "How did you do that?"
00:10:23.82\00:10:25.49
He said, "I picked
up one of your magazine.
00:10:25.52\00:10:27.92
That's where it began."
00:10:27.96\00:10:29.42
And my three year old daughter's
00:10:29.46\00:10:31.09
now asking for kale smoothie.
00:10:31.13\00:10:35.46
I love to tell the joke.
00:10:35.50\00:10:37.30
And then, couple of weeks later,
00:10:37.33\00:10:38.73
he came back, "I am
now 50 pounds down."
00:10:38.77\00:10:42.07
You see? So he was
ready for the change.
00:10:42.10\00:10:44.11
I did not speak to
him. He read my magazine.
00:10:44.14\00:10:48.34
So those patients who are ready
for the change, it happened.
00:10:48.38\00:10:51.61
Another story.
00:10:51.65\00:10:52.98
Another patient
walked in, "Hey, Dr. Cooper,
00:10:53.01\00:10:54.85
I lost X amount of weight
and I going to do surgery."
00:10:54.88\00:10:57.85
"What happened?"
00:10:57.89\00:10:59.42
"Well, sometime in the past
you discussed nutrition with me
00:10:59.45\00:11:03.12
and that's where it began."
00:11:03.16\00:11:04.56
So those people were
ready for the change.
00:11:04.59\00:11:07.76
It just happened.
00:11:07.80\00:11:09.46
I think that is key.
00:11:09.50\00:11:11.00
Mm-hmm?
00:11:11.03\00:11:12.37
You can't make someone do.
00:11:12.40\00:11:14.34
No.
00:11:14.37\00:11:16.47
They have to be
ready and willing to do it.
00:11:16.50\00:11:19.91
Right. To implement.
00:11:19.94\00:11:21.28
To implement, to get started.
00:11:21.31\00:11:23.24
You can motivate,
you can, you know,
00:11:23.28\00:11:25.45
give them the rah-rah,
00:11:25.48\00:11:27.15
but until they
are ready to do it,
00:11:27.18\00:11:30.69
nothing will happen.
00:11:30.72\00:11:32.05
True. Nothing will happen.
00:11:32.09\00:11:33.49
So you have found
that through your magazine,
00:11:33.52\00:11:37.63
through your practice.
00:11:37.66\00:11:40.00
What do you do
for stress management?
00:11:40.03\00:11:43.20
What do you do
with your patients?
00:11:43.23\00:11:45.07
You mentioned stress management.
00:11:45.10\00:11:46.43
I pray with my
patients lot of times.
00:11:46.47\00:11:49.74
They come in, I can access,
00:11:49.77\00:11:51.94
I don't pray
with all my patients.
00:11:51.97\00:11:54.04
I know when they
need something beyond.
00:11:54.08\00:11:57.38
So I pray with my patients.
00:11:57.41\00:11:59.51
We have Bible studies
in the wellness center.
00:11:59.55\00:12:03.22
Nice. Right.
00:12:03.25\00:12:04.59
Let's talk about this.
00:12:04.62\00:12:05.95
So is the wellness center
kind of an evangelistic tool?
00:12:05.99\00:12:09.29
Absolutely, that
is a ministry. Okay.
00:12:09.32\00:12:12.06
It's the ministry
arm of my practice.
00:12:12.09\00:12:14.06
Oh, I love it.
00:12:14.10\00:12:15.43
'Cause that is why I'm so happy.
00:12:15.46\00:12:16.80
I mean, I'm totally focused
in changing lives for today
00:12:16.83\00:12:22.40
but for eternity, you know.
00:12:22.44\00:12:23.77
That's right.
00:12:23.81\00:12:25.14
And you are in a great position
to do that because as people,
00:12:25.17\00:12:29.54
the health message,
00:12:29.58\00:12:30.91
of course, is
the entering wedge,
00:12:30.95\00:12:32.41
so as people get healthier,
00:12:32.45\00:12:35.15
they want to look to you
for other guidance as well.
00:12:35.18\00:12:37.49
Exactly. They trust you more.
00:12:37.52\00:12:39.59
When patient will
walk in to their doctor,
00:12:39.62\00:12:41.29
they will open to the doctor.
00:12:41.32\00:12:42.66
Right.
00:12:42.69\00:12:44.03
I have patients
who walk in and say,
00:12:44.06\00:12:45.39
"Hey, Dr. Coop,
can I speak with you?"
00:12:45.43\00:12:46.76
"Okay, how can I help you?"
00:12:46.80\00:12:48.13
"Can you pray for my grandson,
00:12:48.16\00:12:49.50
or my son, or my
daughter that I don't know?"
00:12:49.53\00:12:52.33
So as physician, nurses
and health care providers,
00:12:52.37\00:12:56.87
we are placed in
a peculiar position
00:12:56.91\00:13:00.18
to help people not only
with their physical health
00:13:00.21\00:13:04.11
but social and spiritual health.
00:13:04.15\00:13:06.11
And we need to understand this
00:13:06.15\00:13:08.48
because we are
placed here for a reason.
00:13:08.52\00:13:10.35
Yes.
00:13:10.39\00:13:11.72
The reason is to go, tell,
00:13:11.75\00:13:13.09
preach and prepare
for God's second coming,
00:13:13.12\00:13:16.93
and we must do so or
else He is not going to come.
00:13:16.96\00:13:20.23
That's right.
00:13:20.26\00:13:21.60
I love the fact
00:13:21.63\00:13:23.16
that you are
looking at the whole person.
00:13:23.20\00:13:25.43
Total person.
00:13:25.47\00:13:26.80
You are not just
impacting health,
00:13:26.84\00:13:29.70
but you are acknowledging
00:13:29.74\00:13:31.07
that true health is not
just the physical aspect
00:13:31.11\00:13:35.04
but it's the emotional,
the social, the spiritual.
00:13:35.08\00:13:39.15
I take a holistic
approach to health.
00:13:39.18\00:13:41.42
Yes. Not all my
patients are open.
00:13:41.45\00:13:43.82
99.99%.
00:13:43.85\00:13:46.02
I've never asked
to pray with a patient
00:13:46.05\00:13:48.16
and the patient
have said no, never.
00:13:48.19\00:13:50.66
Really? Never.
00:13:50.69\00:13:52.33
So you have that sense
of for whom you should pray.
00:13:52.36\00:13:56.16
Absolutely.
00:13:56.20\00:13:57.53
And I believe the
Holy Spirit gives you
00:13:57.57\00:13:58.90
that to let you
know pray for this one,
00:13:58.93\00:14:01.27
pray with that one.
00:14:01.30\00:14:02.64
Right.
00:14:02.67\00:14:04.01
I had a patient who
came to me, new patient,
00:14:04.04\00:14:05.37
she said, "I am in your office
00:14:05.41\00:14:07.84
because I was told that you pray
00:14:07.88\00:14:09.64
with your patients."
00:14:09.68\00:14:11.01
That's the only
reason why she came to me.
00:14:11.05\00:14:12.38
Wow.
00:14:12.41\00:14:13.75
And
unfortunately, one day she came,
00:14:13.78\00:14:15.55
all right another patient
and I didn't suggest a prayer.
00:14:15.58\00:14:19.45
And she went out and she said,
00:14:19.49\00:14:20.82
"I almost came back
00:14:20.86\00:14:22.42
because you didn't
pray for me today."
00:14:22.46\00:14:23.79
I said, "Why didn't you call me?
00:14:23.83\00:14:25.26
Why didn't you just
come back to the office?"
00:14:25.29\00:14:28.26
She wanted that prayer.
She wanted that prayer, yes.
00:14:28.30\00:14:30.83
That was her
medicine. Yes, yes, yes.
00:14:30.87\00:14:33.34
I used to pray
with my patients too
00:14:33.37\00:14:35.10
in my office at Dallas
00:14:35.14\00:14:36.47
and it means something to them.
00:14:36.50\00:14:39.37
Absolutely. It really does.
00:14:39.41\00:14:40.88
It means a lot to them.
00:14:40.91\00:14:42.51
So let's say someone comes
00:14:42.54\00:14:45.71
to the Cooper Wellness Center.
00:14:45.75\00:14:49.05
Where do you start with them?
00:14:49.08\00:14:51.29
What is the
actual process? Okay.
00:14:51.32\00:14:55.09
So first of all,
00:14:55.12\00:14:56.46
they have to have the
desire for the change.
00:14:56.49\00:15:00.60
And then, at the
Cooper Wellness Center,
00:15:00.63\00:15:02.10
it's set up like
a lifestyle center.
00:15:02.13\00:15:04.43
So we have an educational room,
00:15:04.47\00:15:06.57
a classroom where we discuss
various topics in health.
00:15:06.60\00:15:10.81
We have a gym, a full
gym with a coach there.
00:15:10.84\00:15:16.88
Then we have the
full teaching kitchen.
00:15:16.91\00:15:19.51
So they go from the
educational to the gym,
00:15:19.55\00:15:23.05
then they are at the kitchen
where we're going to sit,
00:15:23.08\00:15:27.26
discuss food as a medicine,
do cooking demonstration,
00:15:27.29\00:15:31.29
show them how they can
change the way they eat
00:15:31.33\00:15:34.80
using plant based but healthy,
nutritious, and delicious.
00:15:34.83\00:15:39.73
That is awesome.
00:15:39.77\00:15:41.10
And you actually
came here to 3ABN
00:15:41.14\00:15:43.37
and did some cooking programs.
00:15:43.41\00:15:44.74
Yes.
00:15:44.77\00:15:46.11
Tell us some of
the foods you cooked.
00:15:46.14\00:15:47.54
Okay, so we cooked macaroni
and cheese without the cheese,
00:15:47.58\00:15:51.21
without the
cholesterol, very tasty.
00:15:51.25\00:15:52.58
Got you.
00:15:52.61\00:15:53.95
We cooked basmati
seasoned brown rice.
00:15:53.98\00:15:56.89
We made an ice-cream
that was so delicious
00:15:56.92\00:15:59.55
without the cholesterol.
00:15:59.59\00:16:01.69
We made Southwest
Black Bean burger.
00:16:01.72\00:16:04.79
Ah, you're making
me hungry right now.
00:16:04.83\00:16:07.96
We made a meatless meatball.
00:16:08.00\00:16:10.80
It was just
something else, the experience.
00:16:10.83\00:16:13.67
I think that
when people find that
00:16:13.70\00:16:16.81
you can have
tasty healthy foods.
00:16:16.84\00:16:20.01
Yes.
00:16:20.04\00:16:21.38
Some health foods taste
so bland and nobody is like,
00:16:21.41\00:16:27.42
"I don't want to eat like that."
00:16:27.45\00:16:28.78
That's right.
00:16:28.82\00:16:30.15
But if it can be
tasty, seasoned well,
00:16:30.19\00:16:33.32
and similar, not so foreign
00:16:33.36\00:16:36.73
but you know, similar
it can really be good.
00:16:36.76\00:16:40.23
That's right.
00:16:40.26\00:16:41.60
And so you are teaching them
how to, when they leave you,
00:16:41.63\00:16:47.50
they can continue
what you are teaching them
00:16:47.54\00:16:49.90
because you are giving them
00:16:49.94\00:16:51.27
the skills in the
kitchen to continue that.
00:16:51.31\00:16:54.74
We are using food as medicine.
00:16:54.78\00:16:56.68
Some patients would walk in
00:16:56.71\00:16:58.08
and they are
hesitant to try the food
00:16:58.11\00:17:00.68
because it is not what
they are accustomed to.
00:17:00.72\00:17:02.05
Right, right.
00:17:02.08\00:17:03.42
But after tasting the
food, they want the recipe,
00:17:03.45\00:17:05.82
they usually go with the recipe.
00:17:05.85\00:17:07.19
Or I'm going to make that
or they'd send me a message,
00:17:07.22\00:17:09.52
"Hey, I made this.
00:17:09.56\00:17:11.09
It was delicious."
00:17:11.13\00:17:13.16
I have patients telling me,
00:17:13.19\00:17:14.56
"Hey, I have my entire family
on this plant-based nutrition.
00:17:14.60\00:17:18.70
They don't even know
what they are eating."
00:17:18.73\00:17:20.80
That's true.
00:17:20.84\00:17:22.47
Because the
recipes are so delicious.
00:17:22.50\00:17:24.27
Yes, yes.
00:17:24.31\00:17:25.64
And they start
to lose the weight.
00:17:25.67\00:17:27.01
Oh, lose the weight,
00:17:27.04\00:17:29.04
improve their
sugar, blood pressure.
00:17:29.08\00:17:31.21
I had a gentleman who
walked in my office recently.
00:17:31.25\00:17:34.38
He has had hypertension
00:17:34.42\00:17:37.35
for 30 years on medication.
00:17:37.39\00:17:41.06
Thirty years? Thirty years.
00:17:41.09\00:17:42.89
He wanted to get off.
00:17:42.92\00:17:44.26
So he came to my office
00:17:44.29\00:17:45.63
and asked me if he
could get off the drugs.
00:17:45.66\00:17:47.00
I said, "Sure.
00:17:47.03\00:17:48.43
Let us put you on a
different lifestyle."
00:17:48.46\00:17:51.80
Not a diet, now
it's a lifestyle.
00:17:51.83\00:17:55.17
And in four weeks, he
got off his medication.
00:17:55.20\00:17:59.77
After being on for
all of those years?
00:17:59.81\00:18:01.94
Thirty years.
00:18:01.98\00:18:03.31
My...
00:18:03.35\00:18:04.68
So, of course,
he changed his diet.
00:18:04.71\00:18:06.11
He started to exercise,
manage his stress well,
00:18:06.15\00:18:10.05
you know, pray,
have good relationships,
00:18:10.09\00:18:12.89
it's the whole benefactors
with this lifestyle changes.
00:18:12.92\00:18:16.73
And I have so
many more patients.
00:18:16.76\00:18:18.09
A patient of mine, 70 years old,
00:18:18.13\00:18:20.63
heart disease,
diabetes, obesity, depression,
00:18:20.66\00:18:22.96
just lost his wife.
00:18:23.00\00:18:24.47
He was going in
and out the hospital
00:18:24.50\00:18:26.67
11 times in one year.
00:18:26.70\00:18:30.21
I physically went
into the emergency room
00:18:30.24\00:18:33.14
and I said, "Mr. so and so,
00:18:33.17\00:18:35.78
I'm going to get you
out of this hospital.
00:18:35.81\00:18:37.81
I want you to
come to the wellness
00:18:37.85\00:18:39.78
and disease prevention center.
00:18:39.81\00:18:42.32
I'll put you in a program
00:18:42.35\00:18:45.39
to keep you out of the hospital,
00:18:45.42\00:18:47.49
to decrease your medication
so you can fell well again.
00:18:47.52\00:18:50.99
It's going to
involve a change in the way
00:18:51.03\00:18:52.46
you eat and exercise."
00:18:52.49\00:18:53.83
He said to me, "Dr. Cooper,
00:18:53.86\00:18:55.30
I can't get from
my bed to my chair.
00:18:55.33\00:18:57.33
How am I going to exercise?"
I said, "Don't worry about it.
00:18:57.37\00:18:59.70
We'll work something out."
00:18:59.73\00:19:01.07
And believe me, he did so well
00:19:01.10\00:19:04.24
that he got from the bed
00:19:04.27\00:19:06.07
to the chair,
chair to the walker,
00:19:06.11\00:19:08.34
walker to the cane,
and then without the cane.
00:19:08.38\00:19:11.01
Come on.
00:19:11.05\00:19:12.81
And he was out of the
hospital for many, many months.
00:19:12.85\00:19:16.55
He did so well.
00:19:16.58\00:19:17.92
Look at God. God is wonderful.
00:19:17.95\00:19:19.55
If we use the natural
remedies and the things
00:19:19.59\00:19:22.46
that He has given
us, we can get well.
00:19:22.49\00:19:25.56
Absolutely. So
what a blessing that is.
00:19:25.59\00:19:27.50
Sure.
00:19:27.53\00:19:28.86
I must emphasize that there
are many places for medication,
00:19:28.90\00:19:32.77
not all...
00:19:32.80\00:19:34.14
You know, patients
would be off medication.
00:19:34.17\00:19:35.70
Right, right.
00:19:35.74\00:19:37.07
So I practiced
traditional medicines.
00:19:37.11\00:19:38.64
So patients who don't
want to change lifestyle
00:19:38.67\00:19:40.61
they are on drugs.
00:19:40.64\00:19:41.98
Right.
00:19:42.01\00:19:43.35
Patients who can get off
all of their hypertensions
00:19:43.38\00:19:45.98
and medications, then
they are on some, you see?
00:19:46.01\00:19:49.32
So, you know, there
are different levels.
00:19:49.35\00:19:51.85
And I think it's
important to acknowledge that.
00:19:51.89\00:19:54.62
I think it's
important to state that
00:19:54.66\00:19:57.29
we are not telling you to
get off of your medications.
00:19:57.33\00:19:59.19
Absolutely not.
00:19:59.23\00:20:00.93
Do not do that.
00:20:00.96\00:20:02.30
We are not
telling you to do that.
00:20:02.33\00:20:03.67
What we are saying is
that through natural means
00:20:03.70\00:20:07.70
and under the
supervision of a physician
00:20:07.74\00:20:10.44
like Dr. Cooper
here, it can happen.
00:20:10.47\00:20:15.84
By the grace of
God it can happen.
00:20:15.88\00:20:17.25
But we are not saying,
00:20:17.28\00:20:18.61
"Just stop taking any medication
00:20:18.65\00:20:19.98
and do the natural thing."
00:20:20.02\00:20:21.35
Because that's irresponsible
00:20:21.38\00:20:22.98
if you've been on
medication for years
00:20:23.02\00:20:24.69
and years and
years and you just up
00:20:24.72\00:20:26.45
and that's not what
the doctor is saying.
00:20:26.49\00:20:27.96
No, no.
00:20:27.99\00:20:29.32
So and I think that's
a very important point
00:20:29.36\00:20:31.23
because some
people will misunderstand
00:20:31.26\00:20:33.70
and think they should
get off and not take any.
00:20:33.73\00:20:36.46
I'm saying there
is hope. That's right.
00:20:36.50\00:20:38.43
Studies have shown that
the number one risk factor
00:20:38.47\00:20:40.70
for chronic diseases,
it's the food you eat.
00:20:40.74\00:20:44.21
I almost spoke in Spanish,
but it's the food you eat.
00:20:44.24\00:20:47.98
I didn't know you...
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.34
I lost my own...
00:20:49.38\00:20:50.71
You seek lot of
diseases. Okay, well, I know.
00:20:50.75\00:20:52.91
Therefore, if food is a problem,
00:20:52.95\00:20:55.78
if food is the
cause of your problem,
00:20:55.82\00:20:58.15
then how do you treat it?
00:20:58.19\00:20:59.59
With food. With food.
00:20:59.62\00:21:00.96
Exactly. Right.
00:21:00.99\00:21:02.42
But I think all too often
we don't make the connection
00:21:02.46\00:21:06.16
between nutrition
and disease status.
00:21:06.19\00:21:07.90
Exactly.
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.26
We just don't.
00:21:09.30\00:21:10.63
And we eat what we want to
eat, come on you know, you know,
00:21:10.67\00:21:15.00
you want to eat what
you want to eat and so...
00:21:15.04\00:21:17.17
But if you can find foods
00:21:17.21\00:21:20.44
that kind of
satisfy that taste craving
00:21:20.48\00:21:24.41
that you have as well as
that makes you healthy...
00:21:24.45\00:21:27.85
That's right, why not?
00:21:27.88\00:21:29.22
It's a win-win. Exactly.
00:21:29.25\00:21:30.59
It's a win-win. Right.
00:21:30.62\00:21:31.95
So right now my
emphasis is teaching patients
00:21:31.99\00:21:34.86
to use healthier food.
00:21:34.89\00:21:36.62
Eat more of the good stuff.
00:21:36.66\00:21:38.79
Eat more of the food
00:21:38.83\00:21:40.16
that gives you
vitamins and antioxidants,
00:21:40.20\00:21:42.66
the nutrients and iron,
and eat less of the things
00:21:42.70\00:21:46.07
that give you cholesterol
and sugar and heart disease.
00:21:46.10\00:21:50.31
Because it's
very hard for patients
00:21:50.34\00:21:52.47
to really change
the way they eat.
00:21:52.51\00:21:54.31
Yes. We must be realistic.
00:21:54.34\00:21:55.74
Absolutely.
00:21:55.78\00:21:57.11
Things are
culturally determined.
00:21:57.15\00:21:58.88
Exactly.
00:21:58.91\00:22:00.25
You know, so you just said
00:22:00.28\00:22:02.58
that you made
macaroni and cheese.
00:22:02.62\00:22:05.12
That's a cultural thing
in many American households
00:22:05.15\00:22:09.66
and in black community too.
00:22:09.69\00:22:11.69
Mac and cheese,
that's a big deal.
00:22:11.73\00:22:13.60
But you made a different kind.
00:22:13.63\00:22:15.86
A healthier kind. That's right.
00:22:15.90\00:22:17.67
We made meatballs,
the healthier kind.
00:22:17.70\00:22:19.87
Right, right.
00:22:19.90\00:22:21.24
And what you're doing now
00:22:21.27\00:22:23.04
is you are
establishing health principles.
00:22:23.07\00:22:25.31
Exactly.
00:22:25.34\00:22:26.68
So you are saying,
00:22:26.71\00:22:28.04
"Okay, instead of
eating this way..."
00:22:28.08\00:22:30.95
"Why don't we try it this way?"
00:22:30.98\00:22:32.58
"Do this."
00:22:32.61\00:22:33.95
Do the healthier thing.
00:22:33.98\00:22:35.32
Do something...
00:22:35.35\00:22:36.69
Do eat food, not
prepackaged processed things
00:22:36.72\00:22:40.69
but food that's going to nourish
00:22:40.72\00:22:43.12
with vitamins and minerals.
00:22:43.16\00:22:44.96
Iron and all this.
00:22:44.99\00:22:46.39
Eat food not too
much and mostly plant.
00:22:46.43\00:22:49.76
One of my colleagues said that.
00:22:49.80\00:22:51.73
So you must eat
food, don't overeat.
00:22:51.77\00:22:54.77
But mostly plant.
00:22:54.80\00:22:56.34
If the patients...
00:22:56.37\00:22:57.71
If we can
understand that in general,
00:22:57.74\00:22:59.57
we'll have healthier
people, healthier families,
00:22:59.61\00:23:02.24
healthier communities
and a healthier nation.
00:23:02.28\00:23:04.05
Yes, we will.
00:23:04.08\00:23:05.95
And so McAllen was
the obesity capital?
00:23:05.98\00:23:11.09
Yes, of American in 2011.
00:23:11.12\00:23:13.86
And we did well.
00:23:13.89\00:23:15.22
We dropped into
about number four,
00:23:15.26\00:23:18.56
and then, this
year, we went back up.
00:23:18.59\00:23:22.76
So we have to
work harder and harder
00:23:22.80\00:23:25.27
because we are
so fat in McAllen.
00:23:25.30\00:23:28.60
We have young people
with diabetes, hypertension,
00:23:28.64\00:23:32.31
heart disease, 12, 9 years old.
00:23:32.34\00:23:36.04
So it shows that if
we as heath care provider
00:23:36.08\00:23:39.61
don't empower and teach patients
00:23:39.65\00:23:41.62
who want to learn
how to stay healthier,
00:23:41.65\00:23:43.99
they don't have the information.
00:23:44.02\00:23:45.95
We have to empower them
by giving them information,
00:23:45.99\00:23:50.43
so they can make
informed decision on health
00:23:50.46\00:23:54.76
and that's how we
are going to change
00:23:54.80\00:23:56.13
our healthcare destiny.
00:23:56.16\00:23:57.50
Absolutely, if you know
better, you can do better.
00:23:57.53\00:23:59.37
Absolutely.
00:23:59.40\00:24:00.74
If you don't know better,
how are you going to do better?
00:24:00.77\00:24:02.50
Right. Right. So that's great.
00:24:02.54\00:24:03.94
So were you always a Christian?
00:24:03.97\00:24:06.98
No, no, I became
00:24:07.01\00:24:08.34
a Seventh-day
Adventist at age 12
00:24:08.38\00:24:10.95
after being enrolled
00:24:10.98\00:24:12.31
in one of our
Seventh-day Adventist schools.
00:24:12.35\00:24:15.28
My grandparents,
they were Baptists,
00:24:15.32\00:24:18.05
and I had a hard time,
00:24:18.09\00:24:19.42
actually, I was asked to
leave the house at age 12
00:24:19.45\00:24:23.29
because I became a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:24:23.32\00:24:25.33
Really? Did they
think it was occult?
00:24:25.36\00:24:27.40
Not occult, but they
didn't like the religion.
00:24:27.43\00:24:29.76
You worship on
Saturday, you don't eat this,
00:24:29.80\00:24:32.23
don't eat that and so forth.
00:24:32.27\00:24:34.00
And they asked you to leave?
00:24:34.04\00:24:35.37
Yes, my
grandfather asked me to leave.
00:24:35.40\00:24:36.74
But my
grandmother asked me to stay.
00:24:36.77\00:24:40.04
So I remained there
and you know what happened?
00:24:40.08\00:24:42.91
Guess what happened? What?
00:24:42.94\00:24:44.28
I've never even
discussed the message with them
00:24:44.31\00:24:47.15
but they died
Seventh-day Adventists
00:24:47.18\00:24:49.92
just because of the example.
00:24:49.95\00:24:51.75
Praise the Lord. So
they saw how you lived.
00:24:51.79\00:24:53.86
They saw the difference,
they saw how I lived,
00:24:53.89\00:24:56.29
and so for my sister now
is a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:24:56.32\00:25:01.03
Really?
00:25:01.06\00:25:02.40
So I really believe
in living evangeliving,
00:25:02.43\00:25:07.57
that is the most powerful way
00:25:07.60\00:25:09.94
of reaching family
members or friends,
00:25:09.97\00:25:12.34
just living the lifestyle.
00:25:12.37\00:25:13.71
Evangeliving, I love
that. That's a good term.
00:25:13.74\00:25:17.95
I'll give you credit
for it but I love it.
00:25:17.98\00:25:20.45
I might have to
use it but I love it.
00:25:20.48\00:25:22.25
Evangeliving and that's
00:25:22.28\00:25:24.09
you are reaching
out through example.
00:25:24.12\00:25:27.59
And did I tell you that
from my wellness center,
00:25:27.62\00:25:30.13
we've had five baptisms.
00:25:30.16\00:25:32.66
Really? Praise the Lord.
00:25:32.69\00:25:34.03
So we are
evangelizing right there
00:25:34.06\00:25:37.50
in the wellness center.
00:25:37.53\00:25:39.17
Praise the Lord.
00:25:39.20\00:25:40.54
I really believe that
as Seventh-day Adventist
00:25:40.57\00:25:42.34
physician, nurses,
whatever, teachers,
00:25:42.37\00:25:45.11
we must tell others about Him.
00:25:45.14\00:25:47.31
Yeah.
00:25:47.34\00:25:48.68
Find a way to preach the gospel.
00:25:48.71\00:25:50.45
Yes.
00:25:50.48\00:25:51.81
So that God could
come and come sooner.
00:25:51.85\00:25:53.18
I enjoy using health.
00:25:53.21\00:25:54.88
We know that
health is the open door
00:25:54.92\00:25:58.12
or health message.
00:25:58.15\00:25:59.49
That's right.
00:25:59.52\00:26:00.86
And we need to use it
as healthcare providers
00:26:00.89\00:26:03.32
to reach others.
00:26:03.36\00:26:04.99
That's what we're doing
right there in South Texas.
00:26:05.03\00:26:07.80
That's wonderful.
00:26:07.83\00:26:09.16
You have a website?
00:26:09.20\00:26:10.53
Yes, I have a website.
00:26:10.57\00:26:11.90
We'll put that
website out for you
00:26:11.93\00:26:13.60
and people can contact you.
00:26:13.64\00:26:15.44
If anybody is in that
vicinity or if anybody...
00:26:15.47\00:26:18.37
Worldwide, any...
00:26:18.41\00:26:19.74
Worldwide too. I
have online courses.
00:26:19.77\00:26:21.98
Oh, wonderful.
00:26:22.01\00:26:23.35
Yes, so I can be
reached anywhere.
00:26:23.38\00:26:25.71
So if they are in Texas,
00:26:25.75\00:26:27.08
I am there at
the wellness center.
00:26:27.12\00:26:28.45
If they are
anywhere in the world,
00:26:28.48\00:26:29.82
I can reach them
through my courses.
00:26:29.85\00:26:31.65
That's incredible.
00:26:31.69\00:26:33.02
You are doing a great work.
00:26:33.05\00:26:34.39
And you've traveled...
00:26:34.42\00:26:35.76
I traveled, yeah, all the world,
00:26:35.79\00:26:37.13
just got back from Africa.
00:26:37.16\00:26:39.89
I go to Africa
frequently, went twice.
00:26:39.93\00:26:42.40
And in the last trip we
baptized over 300 people,
00:26:42.43\00:26:45.47
reached 3000
patients, had 100 eye surgeries.
00:26:45.50\00:26:49.57
God is wonderful.
00:26:49.60\00:26:51.01
Look at how you
are using your gifts.
00:26:51.04\00:26:53.04
Yes, yes.
00:26:53.07\00:26:54.41
God has given you so many gifts
00:26:54.44\00:26:55.78
and you are using
them to His glory.
00:26:55.81\00:26:57.71
That's right. And
that's what it's all about.
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.62
That's right.
00:27:00.65\00:27:01.98
Just in 20 seconds,
00:27:02.02\00:27:03.62
what would you
tell a patient right now
00:27:03.65\00:27:06.15
who is battling
with chronic disease.
00:27:06.19\00:27:08.76
There is hope, hope is there.
00:27:08.79\00:27:12.26
You don't have to
be on all these drugs.
00:27:12.29\00:27:15.13
Find someone, find your
doctor, find my website,
00:27:15.16\00:27:20.40
we can lead you on
how to change lifestyle,
00:27:20.44\00:27:24.31
become healthier,
00:27:24.34\00:27:25.67
use less medication
and you can do well.
00:27:25.71\00:27:29.98
Oh, thank you so
much. It's a pleasure.
00:27:30.01\00:27:32.41
Thank you for having me.
What a blessing to have you.
00:27:32.45\00:27:34.42
Thank you so much.
00:27:34.45\00:27:35.78
We really appreciate
all that you are doing
00:27:35.82\00:27:37.39
in the community
to make a difference.
00:27:37.42\00:27:40.56
It's so important to
use our gifts for God,
00:27:40.59\00:27:43.26
and as you've seen,
00:27:43.29\00:27:44.96
Dr. Cooper Dockery
is doing just that.
00:27:44.99\00:27:47.96
Well, we've reached
another end of another program.
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.70
I can't believe it.
The time went by so fast.
00:27:50.73\00:27:53.00
Thank you for tuning in.
00:27:53.03\00:27:54.37
Make sure you join us
next time 'cause you know what?
00:27:54.40\00:27:56.87
It's just wouldn't
be the same without you.
00:27:56.91\00:27:59.81