We recently connected with Anya Szigeti and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dr. Anya thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I took a huge risk when I quit my lucrative job in corporate America to pursue my doctorate degree and a career following my passion of empowering, educating and equipping others to make the best decision for their own health…it could have ended badly.

I had experienced such a transformation in my own health and life that it was worth the risk to pursue this passion, with the hope to be able to help others on the other side.

But what stood between me and my dream was a lot of school, exams, additional classes on nights and weekends, an internship and nine national board examinations! But I was determined to do whatever it took to reach my goals.

To really understand the risks, let’s go back a few years to when I was in my late 20s and early 30s. I began to have unexplained digestive problems. The doctors I saw at the time were unable to find a diagnosis, so they told me I had irritable bowel syndrome. For me, “syndrome” is code for, “we do not know what is wrong with you, we don’t have a surgical procedure or drug to prescribe for it, so there is nothing we can do for you.” After doing some research, I decided to eliminate the most common food allergens from my diet to see if they were the cause of my symptoms.

For a few months, I removed these items from my diet: gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, shellfish, soy, fish, alcohol, and caffeine. The results surprised me as I found that caffeine increased the frequency of my bowel movements, which was not a good thing since they were moving too quickly already! I also found that gluten recreated the bloating, stabbing abdominal pain, and rapid emptying of my bowels. I felt like I was in a fog and was unable to focus or think clearly when I ate gluten. I switched to a “gluten-free lifestyle,” but unfortunately, at that time, this included a lot of processed foods and sugars. Yes, I avoided what I thought was the problem, gluten. Still, I was adding in ultra-processed and genetically modified (GMO) corn, soy, and other products that can cause serious health issues including inflammation and leaky gut. I knew nothing at the time about cross-reactive foods, which can cause similar issues; and I knew nothing about leaky gut, which is often caused by a combination of an unhealthy diet, stress, consuming gluten, and gluten cross-reactive foods.

Furthermore, I did not know that leaky gut, if left unchecked, could result in systemic inflammation and trigger autoimmune disease processes. These ailments would linger below the surface and haunt me for years. Initially, changing my diet by going gluten-free provided me with increased energy and, as a result, allowed me the ability to train for and complete two Ironman triathlons and more than nineteen marathon and ultra-marathon races. I began to see the connection between nutrition, lifestyle, and health.

Endurance training has taught me many lessons. One that sincerely stands out for me is learning to listen to my body. This is critical with any level of physical activity as there is a fine line between discomfort and doing damage to your body. You need to listen and learn the signals that your body is sharing with you, indicating that it is at the end of its limit for that training session or race. Otherwise, you may become injured, which may prevent you from reaching your goals or the finish line. I carried this skill over to my diet, lifestyle, and particularly anything that affected my digestion. I began to listen to my body and heed the warning signs that foods or beverages did not agree with me. I also learned how much sleep my body needs and stress management techniques that work for me. Unfortunately, I did not learn my lesson soon enough.

My second punch came a few years later in my late 30s. This was when I learned that even though I raced hundreds of races, my poor dietary and lifestyle choices finally caught up with me, and the truth sank in, I really can’t outrun my fork!

After leaving the U.S. Coast Guard, I was offered a medical device sales position and was excited about this opportunity. As I progressed in my career, I was promoted to Regional Sales Director and was rewarded with a larger territory. But this meant more travel, more stress, and less time for my health. I found myself making serious compromises resulting in unhealthy dietary and lifestyle choices. You think I would have learned my lesson already, but no! Stressed and exhausted, I went to my doctor to see if something was going on. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. My primary care provider told me that we would wait until the disease progressed further and then medicate me for the rest of my life. Unhappy with this “solution,” I searched for an alternative treatment plan. Thankfully, I was connected with a holistic doctor in Colorado, Dr. Bill, who helped me modify my diet and lifestyle and ultimately halt and reverse my autoimmune disease. This further solidified my belief in nutrition as the cornerstone of our health.

As a result, I decided to quit my high-stress corporate job. I went to chiropractic school and completed the coursework for post-doctorate diplomates in Internal Diagnosis and Disorders, to become someone who could help others heal naturally! The more I learned about autoimmune disease pathology, the more I understood my disease was likely triggered years before I felt like something was wrong. The repeated cycle of an unhealthy diet and a high-stress lifestyle created the perfect breeding ground for the disease to progress undetected for years until symptoms presented. Even though it is beneficial to our bodies, exercise can also be a source of stress, and exercising for longer than an hour at a time depresses our immune system. So, not only did my endurance training fail to prevent disease, but it may also have been a contributing factor. After completing medical school, I created my practice, Back to Health Functional Medicine, driven by my suffering from a chronic disease, not finding good solutions with traditional medical providers, and wanting to offer patients better options.

So, the risk I took by quitting my job and going back to school was a big risk, but it also had big rewards. I am now able to empower, educate, and equip others to make the best decisions for their health. I’m also able to show others that there is another way to address our health challenges, and that is through investigating and identifying the root causes of imbalances and dysfunctions within our bodies. Then using food as medicine, lifestyle modifications, and powerful nutraceuticals, we can bring the body back into balance.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I became a doctor after my own health struggles and frustrated with the lack of solutions available through Western medicine for my chronic conditions.

The main focus of Back to Health Functional Medicine is investigating the causes of imbalances and dysfunctions within the body through detailed history taking during comprehensive patient appointments and with diagnostic testing. Then utilizing the power of nature to bring the body back into balance using food as medicine, lifestyle modifications, and nutraceuticals.

Many chronic conditions are the result of deficiencies, toxins, or infections and when these are resolved naturally, the body responds with what I refer to as the holistic healing domino effect, bring balance to other areas of the body as well!

More details specific to my additional training in holistic functional medicine:
A Chiropractor who earns a Diplomate in Diagnosis and Internal Disorders, also referred to as a Chiropractic Internist is a doctor with the tools and training to diagnose a broad spectrum of internal conditions in addition to those of the neuromusculoskeletal system along with education on utilizing natural treatment options. These doctors are not only trained in medical diagnostics, but also employ more alternative and cutting-edge testing to create patient customized natural treatment plans. As a result, many of my patients,
who were initially deemed “challenging” or even “hopeless” by the medical community, are now thriving under my care.

The significant difference with my approach is a time-honored method of “detective” work to determine the root cause of health issues. Then, I use nutrition to replace dysfunction and illness with normal body function and health. My treatment plans are generally less about giving something to control or mask symptoms, and more about finding and correcting the source of the disease. The job of a Chiropractic Internist is to search and reveal not only what is going on, but also to answer the question, “why is this happening?” and then design a plan to fix it.

Through my education and experiences, I am trained to think differently. I am uniquely suited to understand the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the human body. This includes how external factors, like the food you eat, the air you breathe, the quality and quantity of your sleep, your stress response, trauma, injuries, and medications or supplements you take all affect your body, for better or for worse.

In addition, I was a patient for many years, so I have a deeper understanding of the frustrations, confusion, and struggles associated with navigating chronic disease treatments.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Earning my Mechanical Engineering BS degree in conjunction with attending a military academy (US Coast Guard Academy) taught me time management, communication, attention to detail, organizational, and leadership skills.

Competing in endurance events and finishing 2 Ironman triathlons and 19 marathons and ultra-marathons (the longest being 50 miles) taught me perseverance, stubborn determination, and resourcefulness.

One of the best lessons I learned from endurance events is perseverance. The body is a beautiful, incredible machine that is capable of so much but it is our mind that we have to convince. We can achieve so much more when we have the right mindset. I believe your mindset is absolutely critical to success or failure. Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.

These life skills and experiences have helped to shape the woman I am today and also assisted me with becoming a successful entrepreneur running several businesses.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’ve learned that I am way more stubborn and resilient than I thought I was and those closest to me can attest to this as well. When I put my mind to something I’m going to finish it.

One example of this is completing my second Ironman triathlon. The month prior to my second Ironman triathlon, I went with my now husband to visit his family in Europe for the first time. His best friend organized a bicycle ride around the largest lake in Europe called Lake Balaton. About halfway around the lake there is a sharp right-hand turn. I was leading a small pack and didn’t realize that there was a sharp turn, since I’ve never been there before. I pulled my brakes to try to make the turn but the two cyclists behind me didn’t realize that I was breaking, and they hit me and ejecting me off my bike. I slid across the pavement, and I suffered some minor injuries, but they were enough to where I was in a sling and I couldn’t raise my arm up to shoulder height and definitely not above my head.

That’s definitely not what you want the month before you’re going to do an Ironman triathlon!
Quick background an Ironman triathlon, it is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and then a 26.2 full marathon at the end. The race I signed up for was in Cabo Mexico and the day before a CAT5 hurricane had hit about 100 miles south of where we were racing. The ocean was very rough so they had all the volunteers stationed at the swim exit to pull the participants out of the ocean because it was that rough! I had trained for the 2.4 mile swim with the free freestyle stroke but since I couldn’t lift my arm above my head, I had to do the entire 2.4 miles using the breaststroke! I was much slower and since I hadn’t trained in that method, it was exhausting but I was stubborn and determined to finish what I had set out to do. By the time I started the 26.2 mile run, I was struggling because I couldn’t use my right arm at all. I ended up basically making like a makeshift sling with my tank top and then every aid station/water station I would just grab handfuls of ice and just put it on my shoulder because it was in that much pain.

One portion of the run was a loop that you complete multiple times, and I was running next to a gentleman. He asked what was going on with my shoulder. I shared about my accident and he was basically yelling at me! He said he’s an orthopedic surgeon and then there’s no reason why I should be doing this race, and I need to stop immediately; that I was doing more harm than good! He probably wasn’t too far off but I was determined, I was stubborn. I had signed up for it. I said I was going to do it. And I was one of the last people to finish that race. I could hear the cars behind me, picking up the people that weren’t going to make the time cut off, and that pushed me to finish the race.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.backtohealthfunctionalmedicine.com
• Instagram: dr_anya_fm
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/backtohealthfunctionalmedicine
• Other: 2nd IG @youcantoutrunyourfork

Image Credits
Sarah Stone, Cara Nobles