Vibrant Provider Spotlight: Paul Burgess
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Meet Paul Burgess, a UK-based Clinical Nutritionist and Functional Medicine practitioner with a diploma in anti-aging.
Paul uses functional medicine to promote happier, healthier lives by addressing mental, physical, and lifestyle factors at the core of health issues.
Paul shared why he loves working in functional medicine and why his career isn’t a job for him—it's a passion.
What led you to work in functional medicine?
I began to work in functional medicine because it was the only route that made sense when looking to address overall health and well-being. For example, just fixing your bloating or energy issues by treating the symptoms does not work long-term.
The root cause is never addressed in traditional medicine, so it made no sense to follow that path.
Additionally, I use functional testing on all my patients because I want to know where they are health-wise.
Why do you trust Vibrant Wellness lab tests in particular?
I like Vibrant because the ordering is simple and the customer service is efficient. I have patients all over the world, and using Vibrant tests allows me to service most of them with very little hassle.
I also like the lab reports produced and the detail they go into.
With the Mycotoxin panel, for example, other evaluations may just give you a general view of a particular mold, whereas Vibrant will go into further detail and tell you the subspecies.
What is your favorite Vibrant lab test?
I use Total Tox Burden with Heavy Metals, Tickborne 1.0 or 2.0, and a 125-marker comprehensive blood test on all new patients. From there, I have a very good understanding of which areas need addressing and in what order.
What motivates you to get out of bed and do the work each day?
Changing people's lives.
When a patient who has been debilitated for 10 years and unable to function tells you that they are now living the best life they have ever lived, it proves that what I do creates a better life not just for the patient, but for their family for generations to come.
Another example is if a cancer patient has their 12-month checkup and there is no further tumor growth, and their husband reaches out to tell you how thankful he is.
You then realize that personal happiness and fulfillment are all about helping others.
What is your #1 advice for your patients?
Enlist an individual who can treat you as an individual and stop looking online for the magic cure to your issues.
What are some of your patient's biggest takeaways from the lab tests?
Visually seeing how their habits and lifestyle are directly affecting their health.
What are your biggest patient objections, and how do you overcome them?
Because of the way I work, I tend not to get any objections as the patient understands the value of the testing. When it comes to habit change, showing the patient the consequences of their current behaviors in a way they actually understand tends to negate any objections.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Seeing the progress a patient makes and knowing you have changed their life for the better.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I know it's a cliché, but what I do is not work to me; it's a passion that I love to do.
Thus, my practice takes up a lot of my time. Having said that, I exercise most days, enjoy the company of my children and partner daily, and love to spend time in non-polluted environments as much as possible, which are surprisingly hard to find!
Paul Burgess is a UK-based Clinical Nutritionist and Functional Medicine practitioner with a diploma in anti-aging.
He specializes in functional medicine to promote happier, healthier lives by addressing the mental, physical, and lifestyle factors creating health issues.
Schedule a consultation with Paul on his website, and follow him on Instagram @paulburgess.uk
