Dr. Forrest Smith Integrating Contemporary and Traditional Medicine

publication date: Mar 17, 2008

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author/source: Kate Copsey / STAFF

By Kate Copsey / STAFF

Dr. Forrest Smith of Crabapple Wellness, located in Roswell, shows the treated water dispenser.

For most of the two decades, Smith ran a very successful, conventional medical practice that employed close to 20 people. Smith and her team saw to medical needs, insurance needs and sent patients on their way with prescriptions for medications.

Somewhere along the way though, Smith became increasingly frustrated with the way the practice was operating.

The Problems
One of the major problems in the practice was the time needed to address insurance issues. The multitude of insurance companies and their forms was staggering. HMOs had caused a huge escalation in costs including way too much time being taken in filing insurance claims, and refiling them, sometimes several times.

Pharmaceutical companies were pushing products that treated symptoms, not the underlying causes, and they were concentrating their efforts in what she thought were the wrong places. Diabetes is a serious health issue that should be addressed. Meanwhile the drug companies are addressing inconvenient aging problems such as erectile dysfunction. Additionally, companies are advertising in the media and thus are creating a market for themselves.

Furthermore, people are metabolically different, and the idea that one pharmaceutical can effectively treat the same disease in everyone is, in Smith’s opinion, a flawed assumption.

The frustration of working harder and harder and a sense of not effectively solving the medical problems that were presented grew to the point where she felt compelled to address them.

“When you look at the American health care system, most people think it is broken,” she asserted.

The course correction did not occur overnight, but she found that increasingly her patients would bring ideas to her and, after researching these alternative ideas, she came to the conclusion that there might well be something to them.

Entering a New Phase
Going from a thriving, busy practice with many employees, to a small and intimate practice that does not take insurance was a shock to both her co-workers and her patients. The staff that was necessary to deal with insurance issues was no longer needed, and the “Total Wellness” concept required a different kind of medical training.

The new model of treatment came from Smith’s change in focus.

“What I see now is that wellness is so much more than treating a disease,” she said.

One important part of philosophy is that Smith is asking people to take ownership of their health.

Smith now takes much longer with her patients. There is no longer the pressure to do a quick fix. Extensive medical history and lifestyle questions are discussed in a relaxed and comprehensive way.

Getting the Full Picture
A patient is viewed as a combination of working systems, any one of which can malfunction. Knowing which systems are failing produces a fuller picture of what is wrong and why it is wrong.

Metabolic toxins are identified by chemical profiles which are very different from the standard blood test results. Some of these toxins have been found in over-the-counter supplements as well as through environmental contamination.

Function tests show how a body uses and replenishes vitamins and nutrients. A standard blood test only shows what is in the bloodstream, whereas a Functional Intracellular Analysis (FIA) will show how the cells are using the vitamins.

Soundwave therapy is also used. This technique uses the audio frequencies that resonate around the body to detect and correct problems.

Put together, these tests give a fully comprehensive picture of your state of health, which is far superior to the information that your cholesterol number will ever yield.

The Treatments
At Dr. Smith’s office the treatment of patients is compassionate and caring, as one would expect from any medical professional. The office is also warm and comforting so that it can nurture not just the body, but the mind and the spirit of the patient.

All the usual ailments are treated at the clinic. They are just treated with fewer pills and in a more integrated way. Prevention techniques are also emphasized.

For instance, hypertension can be alleviated by simple breathing exercises that can slow the body down and reduce blood pressure.

Pain management is another major problem that is frequently “cured” with pills. Smith prefers to let the body heal itself, and in an effort to help the body do just that, she uses magnets. A simple magnetic bracelet or ball creates a field which dilates the blood vessels and allows more blood to flow into the area, bringing healing nutrients along with it.

The power of this integrated system is best illustrated by the relief that patients get when they receive the right treatment for their problem.

One gentleman had abdominal problems and made an appointment with his primary physician for treatment. He was dispatched to have blood work performed. The results of the blood work showed that he was healthy with no medical problems – not a great comfort to someone in pain. As with many patients who are dismayed with a modern medical diagnosis he then sought an appointment with Smith. The clinic did their standard testing which yielded a result of heavy metal toxicity. A treatment that included chelation was started resulting in a healthy, contented patient.

Services Offered
The total wellness philosophy of the clinic treats an array of afflictions that stem anywhere from neurological causes through emotionally triggered problems.

Hypertension and diabetes, fibromyalgia, depression, ADD, allergies, asthma, menopausal problems and weight problems are all treated with a combination of counseling and nutritional advice along with pharmaceutical remedies.

The Personnel
The clinic has just a few critical people to help care for its patients. Smith is helped by a very knowledgeable assistant, Gail Tobias. Between these two the clinic can cater to more problems than a contemporary medical facility. The procedures include skin care and non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

Additional personnel are added as needed. A new addition to the group is a specialist in oriental methods. Pamela Bellamy, L.Ac., adds acupuncture, Reiki and Karuna Ki therapy to the services offered. Bellamy will also be able to offer Chinese Herbology to the treatment programs as needed.

Without a doubt, Smith and her practice bring a much-needed resource to the area, particularly to those who are sick of the inadequacies of modern medical practices. Those who are disgusted with unyielding HMOs and finicky health insurance regulations that fail to meet their needs will find that the clinic provides simplicity and a breath of much-needed fresh air to their health care options.