Beyond ADHD A Physicians Perspective Ep 17: Dr. Andrea Bustamante (Functional Medicine Specialist)

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: If they're struggling with any mental health issue or they think they may be struggling with something that they're okay, that they have the power to make the steps to move forward and to take it day by day and never compare your past journey.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Hi, welcome to Beyond ADHD, A Physician's Perspective podcast. I am your host, Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh. I'm a family medicine doc, with ADHD, practicing in a rural setting in Texas. I am a mother to two very energetic toddlers who are three and four years of age.

And in the past year, I have undergone radical transformation after discovering  ADHD coaching, and life-coaching. For the past decade, my typical day consisted of having 300 charts backlog, a graveyard of unfinished projects, and a lack of time awareness. I didn't realize that I was not filling my own cup. I was running on fumes, the last year I figured out the secret; learn to stay in your lane. So now my mission is to help others develop systems that tap into their zone of genius. So they too can reclaim their personal lives back like I have.

I am so excited today. I have a very special guest with me, Dr. Andrea Bustamante , she's a functional medicine specialist and, she is going to talk to us about medicine because she's also a behavior therapist, pharmacists. So it's such a unique trait to have her here. What she does is she helps people achieve their best mental and physical health beyond the medications, through functional medicine.

So we are in for an amazing treat. And so Andrea actually also has ADHD. So she knows all the ins and outs, but first of all, let me just welcome her. And Andrea, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Thank you so much. Yeah. So, I work in the behavioral health fields and also have dealt with ADHD, anxiety, all of those issues myself.

I wasn't diagnosed until a little bit later on into college when it got severe, where I couldn't do the normal things that I saw my peers doing, and then went through a journey of medications and seeing my other patients going through journeys of medications and finding another route, which is functional medicine that looks from the inside out and through that, I just fell in love with it and learned how to turn ADHD more into a superpower, versus something that is dreadful.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Awesome. And can you explain to me a little bit about how you came to realize that you might be a little bit different with, from somebody else? Or did somebody pointed out to you? Like what happened?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: So I, throughout school, I always had issues of not paying attention. Even in kindergarten, they made me go get a hearing test because they thought, I couldn't hear my mom.

She's like, she can hear just fine. I'm telling you she talks nonstop. And they didn't, you know, I always had difficulties in school with paying attention and, you know, not being present, but so that went on and my grades were okay. Nothing spectacular, nothing, you know, not an "A" student, but not a terrible student.

And then I, you know, went through certain anxiety and depression things, and I didn't understand where they were coming from because then no one in my family really had that. And I ended up going to college and all of these things. And my nephew actually was diagnosed with ADHD. And my sister will going through this process with him.

That was learning a lot about it. And I was on the phone with her, just talking about my struggles with school and how it was hard for me to clean my house, like simple tasks. And I didn't know why it was so hard and like, am I lazy? I'm no, I'm not lazy, but maybe I am. And she said, well, maybe you should talk to someone that you're very similar to my son. And so I went ahead and talked to someone and we went through everything and it was just like a light bulb went off and he was like, do you do this? Do you do this? And I'm like, yeah, I do that all the time. And I kind of explained to him what a week looks like. And, sure enough, it was great. We worked through things and he gave me the diagnosis and walked me through it.

And what that. And it was, it was a big light bulb and it made me relieved because I finally had a name to what was going on with all of these symptoms. And I met all of the marks cause they say women with ADHD are more prone to. Like teenage pregnancy. I had a teenage pregnancy. I had those behaviors.

I had those impulsivity is, you know, I had all, all of that too. So it just, it, it made me feel comfort, but then it also was like, whoa. Okay. So now what do I do?

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Awesome. So tell me, once you had that diagnosis, how did you end up with where you're here today with being this functional medicine specialist? Like how did you arrive there?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yeah, so at first, you know, we went through, I guess, tools that could help. And, I was seeing not only a psychiatrist, but also a therapist. And so. Different rounds of medications. And then, the therapist was super sweet and gave me all of these great tools, but I wasn't going to read all of them too many steps.

Like it, it just, I tried to implement them, but I mean, you know how it is or they don't read directions, you kind of glance at it. And you're like, all right. And then with the medication. They, they helped a little bit, but there was trials of, um, you know, when your doctor changes or your insurance changes or that type of thing.

So there was those struggles and then finding the right one. And I ended up finding a regimen that somewhat helps, but I was on three different medications and I didn't like the side effects. And I was just thinking there has to be another way, like there has to be something. That I'm missing here. And so I just started diving a little bit deeper and I met some wonderful functional medicine doctors and they taught me a lot about nutrition and toxins and sounds, and lights and all these things that are, were affecting me that I didn't even realize.

So once I started. Listening more to that and diving into that. I said, okay, I think I can do this. And I just started making little implementations here and there. And I mean, it's still a work in progress, but I felt a lot better doing that. And then I actually came off my medications and I just. A lot better that being said, medications still have a great place.

They are still awesome. Like all the time. If I took them, when I was at my peak state of going through school and everything. And I can't imagine not having that tool, but there's a lot more out there that we can do for ADHD. Isn't talked about.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Yeah . And, thank you so much for pointing that out. You know, like you said, there is 10 to 20% of people who do not tolerate medicines, you know, an 80%, you know, 80 to 90% do.

That they do. Sometimes you wonder if they're even optimized because they start to work and then sometimes people feel embarrassed or they don't want to say that it's not working that well. And they feel, you know, and so you don't really know me as a family medicine doctor, you know, the more I've got an educated, like every time they come in, I asked them the questionnaire and I don't just ask him to adult self questionnaire.

Make sure. I screen for anxiety and depression, like all three at once. They laugh at me because if they're an exciting patient, I'm testing them for depression and ADHD. If they're an ADHD patient, I'm screening them for anxiety and depression. Like it doesn't matter where they're coming from.

They're getting the three questionnaires, every single visit because to me, I really think you need to objectivize it. Because you're not going to remember what you answered the first time versus the next time we just don't. Right. And just like I asked my people with diabetes and high blood pressure to bring me their sugars, to bring me their blood pressure.

Like this is. The thing that I do for them, like I tell them to sometimes bring me their ADHD, like scale or like ADHD diary. And, and they laugh at me, but I'm like, no, there's certain times in the day where your medicine's going to wear off. If you don't even have awareness, how can I change it? How do I know?

You know? And so while some medications, like you said, could work or might work sometimes they're not even ideal. Like you said some of the side effects. Oh my God. Like the side effects, it's like, you could almost tolerate them, but I mean, are you going to have really have Tachycardia from it, like all day?

Probably not. Right. Are you really going to have a massive headache where you can't even move because you're withdrawing from it? Probably not. And so if it does work. It works to some extent, but they're not going to regulate like the emotional component, the emotional dysregulation from it. Right. And not only that, but they don't provide the tools.

Like you said, they don't, it's one of the many tools in your toolbox, but you need to understand all the other pieces. Now, can you share me some of the big insights that you have had as you're understanding all the other cool pieces?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yeah. So, there's just so much in it. So like one of the biggest ones is nutrition.

Whether you're on meds or off meds. If you have ADHD, it's so different on how you view food, eat food, all of those things. And that was one thing where some days I, you know, you don't eat, you get busy, you get hyper-focused on something. And I, remember, I used to get stressed out because I would see people on social media making these beautiful, healthy meals.

And I was like, I don't, I can't. There's a block. There's a wall. I can't cook dinner right now. And then I would feel guilty. Will do I eat this like packaged food because it's not technically healthy, but I'm starving. And so it was this whole cycle and I had to almost, you almost have to like allow yourself to be like, Hey, this is what I'm doing today.

And this is a great step. And I think making sure, even setting alarms to check in with myself of, did you, have you eaten yet? Have you had water, those little things have helped so much with focus with mood. Oh my goodness. Because it's, I think it's a common thing and people don't talk about it. Sure. You talked about, if you're on stimulants, it can decrease your appetite, but on or off you you're distracted. You're not going to eat.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: I wish people could see that I will be here laughing because it's so true. Like I have some reminders, like at 2:00 PM. What are you doing? Are you doing something interesting or something that you're avoiding? Like, I'm I on Facebook? Like, you know, or am I actually being productive and the same thing, like you said, like checking in with yourself.

Why am I overreacting? Did I forget to eat? Did I not drink all day? Like what's going on? Right. And so that's so insightful that you're saying that. And it's funny because yes, like you say, some people always just talk about like, not eating, but sometimes we do eat because like that's, the sugar is part of the dopamine that like trigger us to like find more sugar or find more energy somewhere. So tell me about the lights. What were you wanting to say about that earlier?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yeah, so even things with lights and stimulation in that aspect, making sure that, for example, like sleeping. It's hard, right? It's hard to turn your mind off. It's hard to sleep. It's hard to stay asleep, but making sure that, for example, like blue lights or anything like that, like I have my blue light glasses on at nighttime.

I try not to look at anything with light. You know, of course you have lights on in your house, but I try to stay away from that. And that really helps and getting into a nighttime routine of something very minimal, whether it's my glass of tea, I'm going to, you know, Not look at my phone for at least an hour before bed, things like that, which at first I was like, oh, that's silly.

But it actually helps in getting into that routine and getting sleep has helped tremendously too. So. Paying attention to all of those things, as well as even what we're seeing on our phone with social media, all of those things, too, that plays a huge role with anxiety. Like I always tell my patients and clients, I give them a news diet.

So if someone's watching the news all the time, I'm like, all right, try to minimize that because you're putting all of that into you and it's in your subconscious. And I think it's important to monitor what we're feeding ourselves, you know, with social media, with our mind.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Yeah, you're so right. Like, you know, whatever you focus your attention to, like that's where you're going to go. Right. And I think most of us with ADHD, we tend to be like curious and learners and, we all of a sudden, we feel like sleep, oh my God, that's boring. Like, you mean I'm not going to be doing anything. And so it's almost like revenge, like against sleep and then guess what we pay for it the next day.

Right? Like, we're not whatever we were enjoying right there as we were doing it. It's not like it was amazing. Like the next day you're just like, oh my God. And then you forgot because you were half reading, half this half, whatever. Right. Or you went down a rabbit hole that you didn't even know how you ended up there.

Right. And so you're right. Like focusing on like, okay, let me put my phone away. Like making it invisible for the last hour or charging it in the other room or like, you know, so. It's not right there. And you have to take a few steps to like, get yourself to touch the phone. You know, it can make, make a difference when you separate that.

So when your clients come to you, like how do they usually find you? Like, because I hadn't heard about functional medicine being used for ADHD, so I'm so curious.

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yeah. So a lot of it, is through right now is word of mouth. A lot of people, it's word of mouth, social media. So Instagram, I have Facebook groups and, a lot of it is awesome there.

Cause you have community of just like hear other people supporting other people with these conditions because it's not, it's not like you can cure ADHD. Right. But you can learn how to live with it. And chances are, if you have it and you have children, they're going to have it too. And you can all, it's always like you're teaching.

But, so most of it's through word of mouth and just through internet meeting, other people that have this especially professionals that have ADHD or anxiety. That it's now starting to be talked about, but before it wasn't, and, I was even hesitant at first to come out with this and everything, but I love it now.

And it's, it's amazing. It's so, so amazing.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: So tell me. What do you think was like one of the pivoting points for you to be able to now, because you, you were kind of sharing with me that sometimes, you know, uh, prior to starting the podcast, you, you were saying that sometimes you weren't sure whether just to share.

I mean, I was there too. The first time I shared about it was about a year ago, actually. And then Tracy Otsuka's podcasts. Like that was the first time I talked about ADHD. I had told like five people prior to that, because in my mind, oh my God, I was broken. Like, that was what my brain was telling me.

And I didn't realize that, you know, it's whatever. Make it mean. And like you said, like she teaches you that it could be a superpower if you know how to share it. But what do you think was the defining moment for you where you're like, okay, I need to talk about this. I need to help other people.

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: I think it was the fact of getting out of myself and realizing it's not about me, it's who I'm going to help.

And once I did that and I said, imagine if I was struggling, if I had someone say. It's it's okay. And like you said, you feel broken, you feel like something's wrong with you. There are days, even still now where I'm like, I wish my brain would just be a normal brain. So I think it just came to that point of, I need to help others.

And it's not about me. It's about these other people. And when I would see patients at the hospital and they're getting these treatments and getting all of this. Yes, it can be helpful, but when you have something you can relate to someone on a whole different level. You know, like my best friend has type one diabetes.

She can relate to people on a whole nother level. She knows what it's like to stick herself every day to go through all her meds. When you have ADHD, you will and understand how the brain is, how everything is different. And I think that's what made me get out is like, Don't make it about you. Like this is about them and I think it should be talked about it.

Shouldn't be something to be ashamed of at all.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Yes. You're so right about that. I think people with ADHD, you know, I don't know if you knew this, but I'm pretty sure you do. Like, we tend to think outside the box and we tend to be the risk takers and the, and because of that entrepreneurs.

Right. And like, we tend to. Say things before we even realized we already said it out loud, which can be good and bad. Right. But at the most part, I feel like we wear our hearts on the sleeve. And like you said, we tend to be brave when we realize it's not about us. Right. When we realized that sharing my story could make a difference in that person. So like, you know, when people get diagnosed, when I diagnosed him with ADHD or anxiety or depression, I think like you said, the first step is awareness and then normalizing it, like making sure that, Hey, you know, it can be genetic. It is genetic. And then like your whatever happens to us, you know, it, it might mean.

We might get diagnosed sooner or later or way later, you know, and then, and sometimes you don't realize that. And so it doesn't matter where you are. If you finally have gotten the diagnosis, become curious and figure out. What can I use? Can I use meditation? Can I use stretching? Can I use running? Can I use sleep?

Can I use low carb diet? Like what can I use to help compliment how I manage my ADHD? Like you said, it's never going to go away, but can you make it be? And like you said, sometimes the brain offers, like, why can't I just be normal? But I'm like, well, normal is boring. Like nobody ever made history by being normal, you know?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Oh yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And I think too, There's so much where people say, oh, ADHD moment. You know, when people throw around the word, and I remember when I met my now partner, I told him, I said, I just want to let you know upfront. I have ADHD. And you know, he knew a little about it. Maybe. Maybe can't pay attention a little hyper, but now he knows it on a whole another level.

And it's that excitement that, you know, all of the, the enthusiasm and motivation and positivity, and let's go, let's do this type of thing. And it's funny, but it's great. And he's like, yeah, it's a whole, it's never boring.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: It's never boring. And you know, the other thing I wanted to point out, or what you said is that.

When we get out of our heads when we know why the why it's when it's so important, like you said, you are out here doing things that for most people might be uncomfortable, which is like, interacted in different social groups and in different Instagrams and in different things. But you're doing it again from a place of service to like empower others to then go and live their best lives. And so as physicians, I'm used to like always trying to have everything right. Because of obviously, we feel like if we don't have it right, we're gonna. You know, mess up stuff. And I'm not saying that, that puts us at risk, but I'm just saying medicine comes to us at a place where you always have to a hundred percent certainty know things.

The thing is life is never a hundred percent certain. And if we really wait to think that way we can like miss so much. And if we start to understand. You don't have to know everything that every single person in front of us, like we don't have one minute, like in the board exam, just one minute to figure it out.

Like you can keep bringing them up back and try different things. Try Eastern medicine, Western medicine, a mixture of stuff, and like, You're so much better for being a better listener and not jumping to conclusions. And so I think it's so nice to be able to have a conversation with somebody who can have an open mind.

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yeah, absolutely. And just like, like with a lot of psychiatric, even medications and things like there isn't one that fits everyone. I mean, it's so different and our bodies are made different and everybody is so uniquely and wonderfully made inside and out. And so I think it's just so important to do it.

So individualized, all of the options and if it doesn't work, that's okay. We can try something else.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: So tell me, what do you have? Like, what are your big goals in the next, like five, 10 years? What is your, what are you working towards that you're so excited that it's like lighting you up?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yeah. So I'm hoping to transition my business to, full-time just me seeing my clients with my functional medicine business and doing group programs and diving in, and I just really want to help men and women who are frustrated and just tired and just want answers and don't want this run around. They're there ready? And I'm just looking to, to build that community with them and to, to change lives and to just continue learning, because there's so much that I've just learned in the past couple of years. I can't imagine the next five years what's going to happen.

And I think the COVID was rough, but it was also beautiful because I mean, look at me. Virtually interacting and making wonderful friends. And I think it's the next couple of years, it's going to be awesome. Just like that. To have a big community.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Yeah, like you never in a million years would I had thought I'm just going to talk to people out there and be like, Hey, so what are you up to, you know, like never did I think that that was possible. And to be able to have, like you said, a new way of having friendships all over the world and not make it mean anything that we're just talking through the computer. Right. Like, and to understand that one day we might meet in person, out of conference somewhere and it's going to be amazing. And because you get to create that because all of a sudden, from the place of like, where do we go from here?

That's where COVID kind of put everybody at right to really. On themselves to realize like what was going on for them, because sometimes we live our lives. Like whether, you know, what did they say, blinders on? So you're not, you're just going through the motions. Right. And you don't realize that a week has gone by a year, has gone by whatever your kids, all of a sudden, a little older.

And you're like, what happened? Like when did this happen? And so I think COVID kind of makes. Everybody kind of like stop and reset and like figure out what's important. What is not, what do I let go of and how can I make a difference in this world? You know? And I think, I think like you said, it was hard, but it was also a beautiful thing.

What do you spend so much time on that you maybe want to let go a little bit?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Oh gosh. I think worrying honestly, I've I don't think I worry as much as I do, but when I confront it and I stay present and I realized, why am I worrying about this? You know, and even little worries, big worries. All of it. And I think letting go of that makes more room to being present and enjoying the moment.

And enjoying family friends like anything. So that's my number one thing to, to let go of for sure.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Yeah. And so that's the thing, right? With human brain. Like it tries to trick us sometimes like it's main mechanism is to keep us alive. Right. It wants to keep us alive. And so by making you feel worry, it's telling you, Hey, you gotta think about situation a, B, and C and D.

When that comes along, you got it. Cause you're already worried about it. But the, but the thing is that when situation arises. Thank you are going to figure it out because it doesn't matter how much you worried about it beforehand. It can never prepare you for whatever is going to come, whatever curve, ball, life throws at you.

Right. But meanwhile, if you are stuck in that, What if, what if, what if situation like you have the adrenaline going, you have the cortisol levels going. So you're like an always high state of like fight or flight type of thing. And it does not let you, like you said, step back and then actually enjoy the people who are right here with you present.

Right. And so that's why it's so important to, like you said, become intentional. Who's in the room. What am I doing in with the people in the room? Let me come back to what's going on right now.

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Absolutely. Yes. And it's, I mean, we people with ADHD already have, you know, higher levels of cortisol. So. Worrying only stresses that. And, and I've even tried to, like, I carry a notebook, one notebook I've learned to just one, but in this notebook I have, I can take notes. I can do whatever I want, but sometimes even if I'm in a meeting or watching something or say, my son said something to me, I'll write it down.

And that really helps me, even if I don't look at it again to actually absorb it and be present. And I think stuff like that help. That's what you remember. You don't remember, you know, worrying is never going to solve anything but memories. Those are the things that, that I really cherished.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: That's so good that you have that insight. And that's a really smart, trick and tool. You know, I had a patient today, actually today. She told me she's like, you know, Did she say she couldn't sleep well. And she says, she's going to sleep. She said, do you think it's because I'm taking my medication at 7:00 PM. She's on, on, an, a medication twice a day.

And I'm like, well, what time do you take the first one? She's like, well, I get up like at nine or 10:00 AM, but usually 11:00 AM. And so by that time I take the first one and I'm like, in what time are you sleeping? She's like, well, usually two or 3:00 AM. And I'm like, well, I'm like both, but what are you doing before that?

Nothing. And I'm like, but what are you really doing before that - worrying. That's what she told me. And so it goes back to worrying, right? And like the thing is that meds can help some, but if you don't take that moment to come back, But what am I doing? What's going on? Am I really in trouble right now? Or is my brain just telling me I'm in trouble?

Like, you know, just, you can't be like examining your brain and being your brain at the same time. So, so it just might give you that two second pause to just ask yourself, like, why. Angry. Why am I sad? Why am I mad? Like, just asking, but not judging. Just asking. It sounds silly, but it can bring you back and it can help you to be more present.

So yes, let's, let's let go of worry for you. We got to keep right. So how can my listeners get into. You, if they would like to find out more about you and your future coaching opportunities and all those things.

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yeah. So, Instagram is one way, so it's dr.andrea.bustamante, or I also have a website, it's avenahealth.online so event a v e n a, and then health.online. And you can see a whole list of ways to get in touch there too.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: How exciting. So one more question, before we let you go, if there was anything that. You could, let's say people just woke up and they just finally started paying attention.

What else would you like to share with them? What is like the one single takeaway point that you want them to have? Like if they just first started listening.

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: That if they're struggling with any mental health issue or they think they may be struggling with something. They're okay. That they have the power to make the steps to move forward and to take it day by day and never compare your past journey to.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Awesome. Thank you. I mean, that was a beautiful wrap-up. Yeah. It's like your past does not have to define your future. Your past can be, you know, it's not good or bad. It's just things happened. What did you learn from that? And what steps can you do to become the person you're trying to become? Right. And so it's never about who you finally become. It's about. How much fun you had becoming who you wanted to become, right?

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Yes. Yes. Yes, absolutely.

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: Yeah. Well, thank you so much. It was a pleasure to have you, and I'm pretty sure we'll continue this conversation.

Dr. Andrea Bustamante: Absolutely. It was a pleasure to be here. Thank you so much

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh: As someone who understands that time is your most valuable asset, I am so honored that you have shared your time with me. Please click the subscribe. And join my Facebook Group: Beyond ADHD A Physician's Perspective so that you never miss an opportunity to create time at will. Do share this podcast with your friends. So they too can learn to live life and stay in their own lane.

 

Stay connected with Dr. Andrea Bustamante:

www.instagram.com/dr.andrea.bustamante/

https://www.avenahealth.online/