The Journey That Inspired Our Practice

When I entered medical school at the Faculty of Preventive Medicine at Charles University in Prague, I believed I would spend my career learning how to diagnose diseases and prescribe the right treatments. Instead, I discovered something much more important: medicine is not about making a diagnosis. It is about curiosity and never stopping asking “why”. As when we can figure out the “why”, we can start changing it. 

While still at medical school, one sentence profoundly shaped the way I approach treatment: “The only difference between a medication and a poison is the dose.”

That simple statement has stayed with me throughout my career.  It wasn’t a criticism of medications. Quite the opposite—it was a reminder that every treatment powerful enough to help also has the potential to cause harm if used inappropriately. That lesson taught me to respect medications, use them thoughtfully, My goal has never been simply to prescribe medications for diseases, but to understand why a health problem developed in the first place and whether there is an opportunity to stop, reverse, or at least slow the disease process—and restore health.

Over more than 25 years of caring for patients, one fact has never changed: a healthy lifestyle remains the foundation of good health. Again and again, I have seen nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, meaningful relationships, and a strong sense of purpose transform people’s health in ways that medications alone cannot. Dietary changes, in particular, have produced some of the most profound improvements I have witnessed.

As I cared for increasingly complex patients, I also realized that a healthy lifestyle, while essential, is not always enough. Our health is shaped by the continuous interaction of our genetics, our lifestyle, and our environment, and it is this third factor that has become increasingly important over the past few decades. Today, we face unprecedented exposure to environmental toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (such as microplastics). These exposures may contribute not only to hormonal imbalances but also to immune dysfunction, increasing susceptibility to chronic infections, mast cell activation, and other chronic inflammatory conditions. I have found these factors to be common underlying contributors to many chronic diseases and medical mysteries. In addition, we frequently see nutrient deficiencies despite healthy diets and microbiome imbalances that can contribute to disease—even in people who appear to be doing everything right.

The desire to create a place where all these factors would be considered, the dots connected, and restorative steps initiated ultimately led to the creation of Colorado Precision Medicine.

The medical toolbox is expanding rapidly. Every day—without exaggeration—we learn something new. We gain new insights, develop new diagnostic tests, and discover new treatment options. At the same time, many of these advances have not yet stood the test of time or been validated by large, rigorous clinical studies. I believe in staying curious, embracing innovation thoughtfully, understanding both the potential and the limitations of new approaches, and being fully transparent with my patients. Medicine is both a science and an art. While I rely on the best available evidence whenever possible, I also recognize that every patient is unique, and that sometimes thoughtful clinical judgment is needed when evidence is still emerging and conventional options are limited.

Above all, I believe the best outcomes are achieved when physician and patient become partners—co-detectives and co-learners—engaging in open, honest conversations and making decisions together. Together, we can develop a personalized plan that helps you not only live longer, but more importantly, live healthier, more fulfilling, and more vibrant years. Looking back, I realize that Colorado Precision Medicine was not created overnight. It is the culmination of more than three decades of learning, listening, questioning, and caring for patients. It is both a privilege and a responsibility that I never take for granted, and I look forward to continuing that journey with every patient who entrusts me with their care.