We recently connected with Ilyas Hamid and have shared our conversation below.

Ilyas , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?

During the summer of 2016, I journeyed to China to live the lifestyle of the Shaolin warrior monk. I adhered to the Shaolin philosophy by sleeping, eating, meditating, and training martial arts. The monks even designed a TCM program for my group, where I learned about manual therapies, acupuncture, food therapy, and the esoteric impact on health according to feng shui. It was during my stay at the temple that I met my mentor, Shifu Shi Yan Jun. His behavior embodied wisdom, and he taught me about my self-deprecating tendencies. I realized that change can only occur through self-awareness. The most important lessons I learned were about humility, dedication, and patience with my mentor. In all honesty, these principles will probably be a constant theme throughout this my life, let alone this interview.

Wisdom is not freely given, but instead, it is earned through time and experience. An important lesson I learned is that sometimes, you must first learn various preliminary things to comprehend more imperative lessons. By adhering to the principles of humility, dedication, and patience, one can achieve this type of growth.

Since 2016, I have gained a profound understanding of the importance of mentorship. In regard to medicine, modern conventional medicine relies on clinical research, while Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been passed down through mentorship. TCM considers real-time variables and associates various factors that affect a person’s health, making it a highly specialized field. To become an expert in TCM, having a mentor is crucial.

During the summers of 2017 and 2018, I returned to China to train with my Shifu and expand my knowledge in TCM. I had the opportunity to intern at Gulou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of the oldest and most reputable Chinese Medicine Hospitals in Beijing. Founded by descendants of imperial doctors who treated the royal families, Gulou has been a pillar in the field for over a century. Its exceptional reputation has made it a hub for esteemed Chinese Medicine doctors in China.

At Gulou Hospital, the doctors were committed to upholding tradition. They had apprentices who eventually became mentors after sufficient training and time. During my time at the hospital, I had three mentors in the dermatology, neurology, and orthopedic departments. I learned more in one week at Gulou than in an entire year in America. However, I knew that I needed to earn deeper knowledge. That’s why I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to be the chief English translator for “Tuina Manipulation Atlas of the Famous Senior TCM Doctor Cui Shusheng.” I felt honored to be given this opportunity and approached it with humility and gratitude. The knowledge I gained at Gulou was invaluable, and I felt compelled to establish a connection with the hospital and my alma mater, the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine. In 2018, I brought the first group of American students to intern at Gulou. My dedication to the hospital earned me the doctors’ trust, and they shared their wisdom on private herbal formulas that were highly effective in treating chronic pain.

I have been working as an apprentice under Dr. Kevin Clark since 2018. Dr. Clark is an exceptional educator who founded his own school in the 90s and has treated severe illnesses such as Cancer and AIDS. He has been a professor at ATOM for many decades and teaches the most challenging concepts in TCM, Herbs, and Formulas. Despite his teaching commitments, he still practices medicine. Dr. Clark has shared an immeasurable amount of knowledge, life experiences, and perspectives with me, which I consider to be invaluable. This transfer of knowledge, or ‘qi,’ has benefited not only me but also my patients time and again.

I also consider Dr. Eric Dorninger from Roots and Branches Integrative Healthcare to be a mentor in Functional Medicine. He is a true source of strength for people who have been overlooked in the healthcare industry. I admire his work ethic, and he constantly inspires me to work harder and go the extra mile to help those in need. Dr. Cameron Bishop has also been critical in helping me establish my identity as a TCM Doctor. He has taught me valuable acupuncture techniques and viewpoints from a Japanese perspective, and whether he knew it or not, he has also been a patient guide in preparing me for the future of my career.

Now, as an educator and mentor to apprentices at ATOM, I’ve come to appreciate the immense patience required for this role. Looking back at my younger self, I see how my ambition often blinded me to the importance of pacing myself. I also realize that I overestimated my knowledge upon graduation – the more I learn, the more I understand how much I don’t know. This realization has fueled my commitment to lifelong learning, as I strive to be the best possible doctor for my patients. My goal is to provide them with the support they need and desire.

I have to say that I’ve noticed that entitlement is widespread in our society. Our reliance on technology, like social media and search engines, has created a desire for immediate satisfaction and unrealistic expectations. Without mentors, we lack the valuable guidance of timeless wisdom to help us navigate life’s difficulties. This has resulted in a decrease in work ethic and resilience, leading to a mental health crisis in our culture. I think that as we progress towards modernity, our need for traditional values will become even more crucial.

Ilyas , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As far as my career path goes, pain is what brought me to Chinese Medicine. In 2008 I suffered a knee injury that no doctor could help me with. I worked with Physical therapists, Medications, Orthopedics, you name it. I was unable to do the activities that I loved to do, like playing basketball and martial arts. That knee injury drove me into depression. I became sedative and eventually, this lifestyle took a toll on my health. My immune system became so weak that I even had a shingles outbreak, at the age of 23.

At that point, I had become fed up with the conventional medical system and I decided to take control of my health and get back on track. In the early 2010s, I pursued a bachelor’s degree in Dietetics and Nutrition and worked as a personal trainer at Florida International University. I expanded my knowledge by learning techniques in corrective exercise, that were effective in not only helping me rehabilitate my knee but also my clients and their ailments. I was a trainer in the Lose-it weight loss program at FIU, which included hundreds of contestants every semester. I was responsible for metabolic testing to establish basal metabolic rate, creating meal plans, and training multiple groups of people throughout the week. I achieved great success and became the Lead Trainer and was awarded the 2013 Personal Trainer of the Year. At the time, my belief was that proper nutrition and exercise were enough to maintain good health.

However, despite my best efforts, I could not help a small portion of individuals who suffered from back pain or those who had spine or joint surgeries. I believed that Acupuncture could supplement my abilities and hence, I opted to pursue a master’s degree.

The concepts and principles of TCM broadened my understanding of health and opened a new world for me. I came to realize how my depression had led to my development of shingles and discovered the limitations of Western nutrition therapy. I also learned that exercise can sometimes weaken immunity. These realizations made me aware of how little I knew and motivated me to pursue a Doctorate Degree and study in China.

It’s important for everyone to know about a concept that is so foreign that it may seem unbelievable: Acupuncture is the only form of medicine where patients can enter their doctor’s office with symptoms and leave feeling significantly better or even completely healed, without ingesting anything. This treatment can address a range of issues such as menstrual pain, anxiety, depression, headaches, digestive disorders (e.g. constipation, diarrhea), stress, hot flashes, neuropathy, chronic body pain, shingles, and more. Essentially, Acupuncture has the ability to treat any problem in the body.

My current philosophy is that achieving optimal health requires a balance between mental and physical health through exercise, sleep, diet, and stress management. If you search for my business, Balance Integrative Medicine, on Google, you will find countless reviews from clients who have overcome seemingly impossible health challenges. My success is a testament to my philosophy of balance.

In my practice, I prioritize the well-being of my patients by focusing on mental health, metabolic health, and physical health. To address various illnesses, I employ methods such as Acupuncture, Herbal Therapy, Functional Medicine, Meditation, Exercise Therapy, and other self-healing techniques. Some of the common health concerns I address include:
-Back, Neck, and Joint Pain
-Menstrual disorders: PMS, PMDD, Pain, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, and more
-Anxiety and Depression
-Metabolic Health: Diabetes, Heart Health, Inflammation, Hormonal disorders, Exhaustion, Weight Gain
-Neuropathy, Migraine, Tinnitus
-Menopausal disorders: Hot flashes and sweating
-Gastrointestinal Disorders: Constipation, Diarrhea, Bloating, Pain, Leaky Gut

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The American businessman and futurist Alvin Toffler made this prediction more than 50 years ago:
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

In my opinion, growth and development involve earning wisdom, and lessons are preparations for future lessons. This was evident during my time in Chinese Medicine School. To better grasp Chinese Medicine, the first two years of education aimed to shift our perspective of health from Western civilization’s beliefs. Chinese Medicine is a culmination of various philosophies refined over thousands of years. The first two years established a base for comprehending what we would learn in the third year, where we were encouraged to let go of our prior teachings and re-conceptualize our understanding. To this day, I continue to re-conceptualize my understanding as I acquire more knowledge.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

If I had the chance to go back in time, I would have chosen to study engineering. Helping people is something I am passionate about, and it brings me a great sense of joy when I can assist them in returning to the activities they enjoy, such as sports or playing with their kids on the floor -bringing them back into enjoying life. However, I think I could have a greater impact on society if I pursued a field of engineering. Our environment has a significant impact on our well-being, not only in terms of what is consumed through what we breathe and ingest but also through what is consumed mentally. In today’s world, water is becoming more expensive, oxygen is being sold in bottles, and healthy food is becoming increasingly unaffordable. Climate change, caused by pollution, has made people worry about the future of our planet in the next century. This affects behavior, actions, and mental state.

I am deeply committed to preserving the health of our planet because it directly impacts the well-being of humans. It is vital to prioritize the cleaning up of our oceans and air in pursuit of this goal. I believe that by bringing together creative minds to work on these issues, we can create a more sustainable and peaceful world.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.acuhollywood.com
• Instagram: @ibalanceus
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/BIMLLC
• Linkedin: Ilyas DAOM, B.Sci. D.N., Meta-NLP, CES

Image Credits
Kristen Benson