Anti-Aging Secrets with Dr. Wdowin

According to Dr. Garrett Wdowin, Beauty Starts From Within

Written By: Randa Akeel Anti-Aging Secrets with Dr. Wdowin
Photographed By: Olivia Bush

The Expert: Dr. Garrett Wdowin, Licensed Naturopathic Doctor, Founder of Wdowin NMD
Field Goal: Dr. Wdowin grew up on a family farm in central New York, and he played football at Brown University before pursuing medicine as his profession.

In early October of 2013, licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) Dr. Garrett Wdowin opened a truly one-of-a-kind and integrative medical center located in beautiful Corona Del Mar, California. After growing up on a family farm in central New York, having the privilege of playing football at Brown University and completing medical school at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, he has now made Newport Beach his home and strives to help his patients live happier and healthier lives. Dr. Wdowin’s eight years of expertise focus on anti-aging and regenerative medicine using a four-pronged approach: genetic evaluation, boosting nutrition, balancing hormones and detoxifying the body from harmful environmental toxins to support the body and prevent diseases. His practice takes pride in providing each patient quality care and services. The doctors and medical staff at Wdowin NMD determine precisely what each patient needs to support the body’s ability to naturally regenerate and rejuvenate.

Q: Why did you decide to enter the field of naturopathy?

Garrett Wdowin: I chose [the field] because after medical school, I started working in integrated oncology where we had a lot of cancer patients with stage IV metastatic disease coming into our clinic in North Scottsdale, Arizona. After a year and a half [of working at the center], a string of kids with brain tumors checked in. It was such an evasive and fast-paced disease. After diagnosis, 98 percent of the kids as young as 3 and as old as 11 were expected to be dead within 14 to 16 months. Having these conversations with the parents just tore my heart out. At the clinic, people in their 50s, 60s and 70s who had cancer as well said, “If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.” All of this made me take a step back and think, “Why can’t we focus on prevention to avoid getting to this point?” So, I decided to step away from treating chronic disease and started focusing more on prevention.

Q: Why do patients typically seek out treatment at Wdowin NMD?

GW: There’s a lot of awareness focused on health in the Orange County area, so most of our patients are coming in for preventative medicine. They may be in their late 30s, early 40s and just want to do a little bit better. They remember feeling invincible in their 20s, but are now realizing that they’re starting to slow down.

Q: Can you give us a picture of an everyday naturopathic consultation?
GW: I love sharing information with people and teaching them about their health and how to stay healthy. During the initial visit, they fill out some paperwork, sit with me and we talk. We do a medical intake by going over their history of medications and allergies. We spend about 45 minutes to an hour evaluating your health. If we have time during the first visit, we will draw blood for testing and give you supplements to address what’s going on [currently in the patient’s body]. Then when we get your labs back in a week or two, we sit down again and talk about the results and the changes made after taking the supplements to make an overall plan. We are continuously following up with patients, making sure to schedule their next appointment before they leave.

Q: What advice would you give someone who wants to prevent disease and promote anti-aging functions?

GW: If someone is 100 percent healthy and they’re just curious about what they can do to stay healthy and prevent disease, we will take baseline labs to see how they are now by looking at their genetics and start avoiding toxins that we’re exposed to. By doing a baseline lab that tests your organ functions and measures your hormone levels as early as your 20s, you can get a snapshot of how your system is running right now. Later down the road, you will have lab work to compare your results. With the lab work, it’s also better to be treated if you were to have a chronic disease. I would recommend starting sooner rather than later, but it’s never too late to start because you can get the body to respond at any time.

Q: What do you love most about your job?

GW: I realize that I’m a service animal—I really like to help people, to make them feel better and just be happy. We haven’t done any marketing or advertising for this clinic, yet people respect and trust us enough to send their family and friends in. It’s fantastically rewarding when people come in to thank you, to give you hugs, drop off flowers or give you gifts because they are so appreciative; you can see [the appreciation] in their eyes. It’s rewarding to be able to improve and change patients’ lives from the day I meet them. Let’s jump on the bandwagon of health and take care of each other—I love it!

Q: What can a client expect as far as anti-aging procedures, products and services offered at your clinic?

GW: Anti-aging isn’t just about the outside; it’s not cosmetic, it’s not exterior. To me, it’s about the interior. If my brain is aging at a rapid pace because I’m not getting enough B vitamins, that’s way more important to me than my smile line. I want to know my brain is going to work in my older years. I want to lower my risks of dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease rather than getting injections to get rid of my wrinkles. After regulating inflammation, making sure your heart is working, making sure your nervous system is repairing, making sure your functions are at a healthy level, then you can worry about the exterior side.

I think people are going about anti-aging the wrong way, they think it’s skin deep. There are plenty of people who look young, but after testing you can see that they’re broken up inside. There’s so much more than just wrinkles. Making the body function better will have positive health benefits that reflect on the outside. That’s the important piece.

Q: What do you suggest your patients do to slow down the aging process?

GW: Be involved in your health. Pay attention and stay committed by watching what you eat and take the necessary vitamins and supplements that your body needs. Come into the clinic every two to four weeks, to get booster shots and IV treatment. We provide supplements in the office that help boost metabolism and improve hair, skin and nail health. Also, by receiving nutritional IV treatment, you absorb more vitamins and minerals to make the body work better.

Q: What products do you provide for your patients?

GW: I have a whole retail section in my office that are physician-only products that are regulated and NSF certified. They are all formulas for exercise, supporting growth hormones and supporting your metabolism. As you get those nutritional and hormonal balances, then you’ll get fewer wrinkles, smoother skin, brighter eyes and stronger hair and nails.

Q: What are the long-term benefits of receiving nutritional IV?

GW: Prevention. Also, by receiving nutritional IV treatments, you’re making the body function better and in turn getting a better glow, a better look, your eyes are brighter, your hair, skin and nails are healthier. There are so many things that people do to try and cover up their exterior, but if you focus on the interior, it will reflect on the outside, which is where the regenerative medicine comes in.

Q: What’s the most challenging aspect of anti-aging and regenerative medicine?

GW: The body is complicated. [Treating each client] is like constantly trying to solve a puzzle. The most challenging thing for me is being patient. You can put someone on the best plan, but if you have somebody who’s had a chronic disease for a long time, that chronic disease doesn’t just turn around and go away. Everyone wants that quick fix, that instant gratification and, for certain people, their bodies are not quite there yet.

Q: How would you describe your clientele?

GW: We have a fantastic spread of people who are [current] professional athletes, retired professional athletes and celebrities. It’s an amazing collection of people who live in Orange County. I’m very blessed and happy with my patient base and my amazing staff. We are doing things on a day-to-day basis to help everyone out, and that just makes me smile.