We’re looking forward to introducing you to Emily Roedersheimer DO, IFMCP. Check out our conversation below.
Emily, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Traveling does this for me. When I am out of my normal routines and environments I can let go of the responsibilities that come with being a mission driver business owner and truly get lost in the awe, wonder and adventure of experiencing a new place. I just love it!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Dr. Emily Roedersheimer. I was in primary care for over 15 years when I learned about functional medicine and my entire life changed. I had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 10. And when I learned about functional medicine, I started to incorporate it’s tools – most of which were related to cleaning up my lifestyle, especially my stress – and ultimately was able to reverse my rheumatoid arthritis and get off my medications that I was injecting myself with weekly.
I had no idea that was possible. So now I am on a mission to bring healing and empowerment to others who are suffering from any chronic condition, illness or symptoms that they cannot seem to find an answer for within the confines of conventional medicine. So I left primary care and opened up my own practice in 2019 called Balanced Living Functional Medicine.
Balanced Living is unique in that is built on the understanding the the body has an innate capacity to heal and that there is always hope. We believe that starting with building a strong foundation via a healthy lifestyle we will find that healing capacity and return to a state of optimal health more quickly. In this day and age of fancy tests, medications and supplements, Balanced Living stays focused on first things first. Get the lifestyle in order and the health will come. To help have a greater impact in this way I have 3 board certified functional medicine health coaches that work with my clients in a close partnership type relationship to help guide them in creating their version of a healthy lifestyle.
And we see remarkable changes. On average, there is a 63% reduction in symptoms within 3 months of starting our signature lifestyle program called Health Begins Here. It gives me such joy to oversee this process and watch clients lives and health transform right before our eyes!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
This is a powerful question and so critical to my healing and reversing my rheumatoid arthritis. Throughout much of my adult life I thought I had to perform to be valuable. I would constantly busy myself – whether it was school work to get good grades or housework and kids projects to be helpful. I did not know how to rest. When my body was tired, I would push through with caffeine or sugar or just sheer determination. The state of constant busyness was harming my health and creating inflammation but I never knew that. Until I went to my first functional medicine conference and was introduced to the concept of stress and busyness as harming our health.
At that conference we were taken through a guided mindfulness practice and I remember afterwards feeling such a sense of peace, relief and stillness in my body that I had forgotten was available to me. And then everything changed. I decided that I needed to bring a bit of that feeling into my day to day life if I was going to heal. So I started pushing pause to heal by taking microbreaks during my day. This means taking 5 min in the day, even when busy, to stop what I am doing and take some full deep breaths and ground back into my body. I use a body scan idea to check in with my body and see what parts of me might be holding tension, feel tight or even painful. Then I breathe deeply into those parts and relax and let go. When I am finished with this process there is a new sense of lightness and ease.
Then before I get up to rejoin the hecticness of my life, I set an intention to bring this newfound feeling back with me into the day. And I know then that I will be able to handle whatever comes my way later on in a new way – with patience and a sense of calm. I know I can handle things in a better way because I pushed push and stepped away from the busy pace instead of pushing through like I used to. And my body really thanks for me for it!
When did you last change your mind about something important?
The decision to leave my primary care practice and my beloved patients (a very hard decision) to pursue functional medicine was a tough one. But I couldn’t unlearn what I had learned in my functional medicine training – that there is another way to practice medicine. There is a new lens with which to see health through – the lens of looking for the root cause to an underlying condition or symptoms. And in finding and treating that root cause, the body can heal and repair.
Once I had new and better tools, I had to put myself in the correct environment to be able to utilize them. I knew in my heart I was being guided to pursue my passion, no longer just a job. And I haven’t looked back since.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to helping women create health by creating a healthy lifestyle, especially with the understanding their stress and how it impacts their health and lives. I see amazing women in my practice who are making themselves sick by taking on too much and trying to care for all of those around them while forgetting to care for themselves. We have an epidemic of overdoing. Our society places so much value on productivity. We have forgotten that we have value outside of how productive we are. I am committed to normalizing rest, especially for women, to allow healing to occur.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop worrying what others think of me and stay focused on my mission. This had to be done to some degree for me to be able to leave the conventional medicine world and practice functional medicine. My colleagues and patients didn’t necessarily understand but I knew this is where I would have the biggest impact and what I was put on this earth to do. I continue to work towards not worrying about what others think but it is a work in progress.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.balancedlivingfm.com
- Instagram: @balancedlivingfxmed
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-roedersheimer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dremilyroedersheimer
