Her lecture was a thunderous ringing bell on the powerful narcotic pain medications and antidepressants
Mega Doctor News
By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
Patricia J. Sulak, M.D. is a nationally recognized practicing physician, researcher, speaker, and medical school professor. Just recently she was a guest speaker and member of the faculty at the 26th Annual Rio Grande Valley Medical, Education Conference & Exposition.
This year’s theme titled “Reaching New Horizons” was specially designed for primary care physicians and medical practitioners in the following specialties: family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB-GYN, surgery, emergency medicine, and infectious diseases.
Mega Doctor News was invited to this annual event by Dr. Roberto Sepulveda and Dr. Dionisio Calvo, III, two of the most active physicians in the Rio Grande Valley.
Dr. Sulak is a gynecologist; she sees patients two days a week. Her speaking engagements keep her traveling all over the United States, sharing her knowledge on important essentials related to wellness.
She was absolutely phenomenal, being the first one to open the medical symposium. She presented two lectures during the morning, one on Wellness and the other topic on Why People Die?
Dr. Sulak, told her audience of mostly physicians, that we need to be pursuing wellness because the number one killer of Americans today is a self-induced disease. “We are killing ourselves, and first among the top killers is physical inactivity, which is becoming the number one killer.” She said, “We’re not moving, we’re sitting too much all day long. Excessive and unhealthy food consumption is another; we are eating more than our body can get rid of.”
Despite all the dissemination of educational information, she says, that many people still smoke and consume too much alcohol. “Excessive alcohol consumption, unfortunately, has become socially acceptable and it’s not good.”
The other thing of concern is narcotics. “Unfortunately, we have a narcotic pain medication epidemic. We have millions of people that are addicted to these powerful, narcotic pain medications. All of this unhappiness is actually causing an increase in suicide rates in America even though we’re using antidepressants more than ever before.”
Narcotics and antidepressants are not fixing the problem. “My goal in pursuing wellness is to get people to take ownership of their wellness. We as individuals have to take care of our wellness, not my doctor.” She said, “My job is to do everything I can to prevent disease, and anything that I can’t prevent, then my doctor is going to help me.”
Dr. Sulak is the author of a book called, Should I Fire My Doctor? In this book and during her keynote addresses and conferences, she delineates the eleven essential elements of health and happiness. She is keen on empowering everyone to take ownership of their well-being and partner with their healthcare providers for optimal health. So, don’t fire your doctor.
She emphasized, “We all have to realize and to take ownership of our health, and let the doctor do the part they can do.” She continued, “But you can do so much more than your doctors can do for your health. There is no doubt about it. And this is coming from a doctor.”
In her book, she talks about the 11 essential elements that help work on five aspects of health, they form the framework of Living WELL AwareTM. “These 11 elements encompass the five aspects of our health as discussed by the World Health Organization.” She said, “We need to be concerned about our physical health, our emotional health, our social health, the quality of our relationships, our financial health – what are we doing with our money, and more importantly our spiritual health.”
The second topic of her lecture was Why People Die? Her explanation is straightforward, “We refuse to give up things that are bad for us.” She said, “It’s different for everybody. For some people they refuse to give up their excessive, eating unhealthy foods or alcohol. For others it’s gambling, and for some people, it’s pornography, or just sitting on the couch watching TV programs that are not helping at all.”
Dr. Sulak said that sometimes we’re more worried about other people’s problems than we are our own. “We can’t change other people, but for sure we can change ourselves.”
She pointed out that if we take care of ourselves, we’re an example for others. She added that the killer of wellness number four is that we need to quit living in the past. “We’re letting the past drag us down, and we won’t let it go.” She repeated that we are doing it to ourselves.
“Another killer of wellness is that we refuse to make health a priority. We need to get up every day and first and foremost make health a priority.”
Bear in mind, that this doctor continues to be included in the “Best Doctors in America” and “Texas Super Docs”. She has been selected as an Outstanding Clinical Instructor by the Texas A&M College of Medicine for medical students.
So, when she says, “People that focus on wellness and take care of themselves are the most successful and happiest people out there. You can’t ignore that one.”
Dr. Sulak told Mega Doctor News that she knows a lot of people who are financially very successful, but physically, are a wreck. She also said, “I know people who are physically healthy, but socially, are a wreck.” She continued, “They have ignored their marriage and are doing things they shouldn’t be doing.”
According to Dr. Sulak, all of these areas are critical. “You leave one out and then it’s not going to be good, and you wonder why you don’t have the amazing life that God created you to have.”
Dr. Sulak started her practice in Scott & White Hospital in Temple Texas. This institution turned into a huge health care facility that dates back to over 100 years ago; it was started by Dr. Arthur C. Scott, Sr. and Dr. Raleigh R. White, Jr. “Because of the merger with Baylor five years ago, now we are Baylor Scott & White.” She said, “I practice gynecology two days a week, and the rest of the time I’m speaking around the country on wellness, trying to get all of us to look at our lives and to find out what we are doing.”
Dr. Sulak loves speaking in school districts, which is her number one venue. “Superintendents will get all their employees into an auditorium. Bus drivers, teachers, and everyone, I mean everyone… when it comes to wellness, we all play by the same rules. There’s no difference.” Last year, she spoke in about 60 meetings.
The last word for Mega Doctor News, she said, “We need to be Living WELL AwareTM. We need to create an awareness of what is going on in our lives. And the only way we’re going to do that is to stop and turn everything off.”
Dr. Sulak said we need to become disconnected, take ownership of caring for our own health, and visualize what’s happening in our life, in a nonjudgmental fashion. “How are we doing physically, emotionally, socially, and financially? But, it’s important as well to ask, where are we spiritually?” She said that for this to work, you need to be honest with yourself and then visualize where you want to be.
“The more you think about where you want to be, then all of the sudden, opportunities will open up and you’re more apt to do those things.” She continued, “Don’t go through each day living each day after day after day doing the same things. You now need to visualize a new destination. Where do you want to be and keep imagining and then make it happen?” She finalized.
Patricia J. Sulak, M.D. – BIO
Dr. Patricia J. Sulak graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Medicine and was named the 2006 Distinguished Alumni. In addition to her busy clinical practice, teaching, and research, she presents throughout the country to businesses, organizations, schools, and healthcare institutions on numerous health issues with a focus on disease prevention.
Dr. Sulak was given a “Heroes for Children” award by the Texas State Board of Education and received the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Community Service Award for her work in school health. She is internationally recognized for her research on elimination of monthly menstruation to treat menstrual migraines, PMS, pelvic pain, and bleeding. Her areas of expertise also include perimenopause and menopause while her latest pursuit is in wellness to obtain optimal health through lifestyle interventions.
Dr. Sulak founded and directs Living WELL AwareTM, a truly unique wellness program on disease prevention through healthy living. Her book Should I Fire My Doctor? and her keynote addresses and conferences delineate the eleven essential elements to health and happiness, empowering everyone to take ownership of their well-being and partner with their healthcare providers for optimal health.
