DOCTOR WITH A MISSION – DR Sly Nedic
Tell us a bit about yourself – your history and how you came to start your own Aesthetic and Functional Medicine practice
I came to South Africa 32 years ago, thinking it would be a temporary exotic destination for a courageous young doctor seeking adventure, before settling. I never imagined it would become my home. I fell in love with South Africa. I even less imagined that this country would be such a forward-thinking milieu to accept Functional Medicine approaches, cutting- age Anti – Aging, using Bio-Identical hormones and innovative Aesthetics. These are all unconventional Medical methodologies that use the latest scientific researches to treat each individual to better health, inside- out!
When I started aesthetics 20 years ago, which was surprisingly taken by storm, I realized that it would satisfy my artist’s side and give me the freedom to study and be engaged in ground-breaking, pioneering Functional Medicine. Being a clinician with a previous 15 years of paediatric experience, I was thirsty to explore a new medicine that identifies the cause of disease rather than treating the symptoms, respects patients’ individualism and genetics, and treats patients as a whole. While mastering Aesthetic Medicine skills, I studied in Europe and USA Genetics, Hormones, Anti -Aging and Functional Medicine.
2. What is your passion for business and personal time, and why?
My passion is ongoing education and continuous research in ever-evolving Functional Medicine, Genetics, Anti-aging, etc. I am a nerd, but what I do and study is like a hobby. It is an absolute dream come true. I listen to my latest educational webinars whenever I walk on my trade meal, sit in the infrared sauna, or cook my organic nutrients pack meal. It makes me happy! I always do what I “preach” to my patients. That does not mean I will not “dress to kill” and go out to dance, fly for a weekend to Europe to see my favourite singer with my daughter, or spend time in the bush meditating.
3. What is your vision – today and in the future?
I am following the vision of thousands of Functional Medicine doctors worldwide who are changing the Medicine we do! By addressing the underlying causes of the common conditions— stubborn belly fat, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and gut issues, to name a few—Functional Medicine brings the potential to liberate patients from chronic medications that are not designed to address the root causes of their disease. Often just by correcting their lifestyle and diet, many patients improve. Numerous Functional Medicine patients have experienced the resolution of illnesses considered untreatable by conventional Medicine. Back to basics – sleep, wholesome organic food, exercise, good social life, prayers, and meditation- is what the latest literature supports in modifying chronic disease and for excellent health and longevity. Our biological age can decrease and reverse by using these fundamental principles we abandoned in our busy modern life. That’s the future of Medicine and the Medicine known from Hippocrates’ time.
4. To date, what do you feel is your most outstanding achievement?
My most outstanding achievement is being able to experience, love, and couch my daughter (in these challenging times) in becoming a sincere, authentic, loving, and giving human being and medical doctor who will hopefully continue similar work. Nothing less of the greatest is the satisfaction and happiness I experience every time I see that a patient has improved or been cured medical condition after we found the cause. Every time they grasp the concept of Functional Medicine and embark on a personal journey of supporting their genes, changing their lifestyle, avoiding toxins, etc., it is an achievement! The same applies to seeing aesthetic patients regaining their confidence, feeling good, and ready to conquer the world after my signature “ Re-fresh” treatment using personalized aesthetic procedures tailored to their needs.
5. What would it be if you had to change anything in the industry?
We definitely need more targeted education in aesthetics to understand the numerous issues that happen on our skin (pigmentations, acne, premature aging, etc.) and many acquired “imperfections” on our body (stubborn belly fat, hair loss, sagging skin, saddle bags, etc.) are results of some health issues happening inside the body. Identifying the causes, such as visceral fat and insulin resistance in patients with abdominal obesity, will remove the belly fat and address the dangerous consequences of insulin resistance. That does not mean we will not use aesthetic procedures to complement the treatment. This illustrates why Aesthetic and Functional Medicine doctors must complement each other’s work.
Additionally, how Functional Medicine is evolving and the presence of supporting research will get more conventional doctors undergoing training in this field worldwide. We are already seeing this tendency. Having many conventionally trained doctors as my patients is a great sign and, as I mentioned, South Africa has always been forward–thinking!