Dr. Sharief Ibrahim
Dr. Sharief Ibrahim
About the Author: Dr Sharief Ibrahim
(MRCP, FRCP, IFMCP)
Dr Ibrahim has spent his career bridging traditional medicine and functional medicine — combining the best of both worlds to find and fix the root cause of chronic illness.
One of the most highly respected Functional Medicine doctors in the UK
Member of the Royal College of Physicians (London) and Institute of Functional Medicine (USA).
Fellow of the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG).
Consultant Physician at Harley Street and Weybridge.
Founder of The Vitality Clinic.
Has helped thousands of patients transform their health naturally.
"One moment, I was the busiest doctor in the hospital. Next, I was the most serious patient."
How I went from a fatal crisis to running over 120 Marathons.
From Doctor to Patient
It happened almost 25 years ago, but I remember it as if it were yesterday.
One moment, I was reviewing critically ill patients as they came through the hospital corridor. Next, I collapsed and became the most serious patient in my own hospital.
A bleeding thyroid cyst had compromised my airway. An anaesthetist intubated me right there on the corridor floor before colleagues rushed me into theatre. I underwent emergency surgery, only for the bleeding to recur, requiring a second operation. By the end, I had lost three-quarters of my thyroid and spent a week on a ventilator in intensive care.
That incident changed not only my health but also my entire philosophy of medicine.
The Hidden Thread Behind Modern Diseases
Metabolic syndrome is a silent epidemic fuelling today’s most common and deadly diseases: diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, dementia, and even cancer. The root cause is insulin resistance, in which the body’s cells become insensitive to insulin’s effects in bringing sugar in.
Addressing insulin resistance can therefore improve multiple diseases simultaneously, reducing the need for medication and restoring vitality from the inside out.
“By targeting insulin resistance, we can improve blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and energy — all at the same time.
Reversing My Own Metabolic Crisis
At first, even walking to the train station was a struggle. I started by walking once around the block. Gradually, I added distance. The transformation was remarkable. I lost eight inches from my waist, from 40 to 32 inches, and regained energy. Those short walks led, eventually, to running more than 120 marathons, most of them after turning 60.
I don’t share this to suggest everyone should run marathons, but to show what’s possible. Sustainable changes of real whole food, regular movement, good sleep, and stress balance are powerful medicine in themselves.
Lessons From the Front Line
Over a 45-year medical career and treating over 50,000 patients, I have learnt that a healthy lifestyle empowers the body’s healing mechanisms. Patients can naturally improve their blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels while reducing their dependence on medications.
“Medicine is powerful, but the body itself still holds remarkable healing power.”
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