Good Neighbor Podcast: Cooper City
Bringing Together Local Businesses & Neighbors of Cooper City
Good Neighbor Podcast: Cooper City
EP #299 - Dr. Danelle Kutner with with Enlightened Medical
Ever wonder what happens when an ER doctor decides there must be a better way to keep people healthy? Dr. Danelle Kuttner joins us to reveal her remarkable journey from emergency medicine to founding Enlightened Medical, a holistic wellness practice transforming healthcare one patient at a time.
Growing weary of treating preventable conditions in the ER, Dr. Kuttner envisioned a practice focused on "keeping healthy people healthy" rather than merely treating sickness. What emerged is a revolutionary approach to wellness combining cutting-edge medical science with holistic healing principles.
We dive deep into bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, exploring how plant-derived hormones create balance and anti-inflammatory effects unlike their synthetic counterparts. Dr. Kuttner dispels myths surrounding these treatments while explaining their profound benefits for aging gracefully.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn as we explore Dr. Kuttner's proprietary skincare line, formulated through years of research to address everything from acne to aging. She reveals why mineral-based sunscreens outperform chemical alternatives and how proper skincare delivers 80% of aesthetic results patients seek.
Perhaps most compelling is her candid discussion about medical weight loss and aesthetic treatments. Dr. Kuttner emphasizes that medications like semaglutide work best alongside mindset shifting and lifestyle changes, while aesthetic procedures should enhance natural beauty rather than create an obviously "done" look.
The wisdom shared transcends medical advice when Dr. Kuttner recounts her experience as a pregnant ER doctor during COVID's darkest days. This crucible shaped her philosophy of mindfulness, presence, and gratitude—values now integrated into her practice.
Her parting message resonates powerfully: "Just start. We're not in this for a six-pack. We're in this for staying out of the nursing home, building strong bones, healthy muscles, healthy brains." It's a refreshing perspective in a world fixated on quick fixes.
Ready to transform your approach to health? Follow Enlightened Medical on social platforms or visit www.enlightenedmedicalpractice.com to begin your wellness journey today.
Call: (954) 210-8686
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Jeremy Wolf.
Speaker 2:Well, hello, hello, friends, family, community, great universe. We are back with another episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast. I don't know about everyone else out there, but I am feeling particularly enlightened today. Reason being is that I'm here with Dr Danelle Kuttner from Enlightened Medical and I actually had the pleasure of meeting Danelle. Should I call you Danelle or Dr Kuttner?
Speaker 3:Whatever you prefer.
Speaker 2:I'm going to go, danelle, we'll keep it formal today. I had the pleasure of meeting her at the most recent Davie Cooper City Chamber of Commerce luncheon. She was the presenter there and she spoke about her business, and at the end of her presentation, one of the members got up and gave her such a glowing review and recommendation I had no other choice but to extend the olive branch and invite her to come on the show. So, danelle, thanks for joining us. Thanks so much, jeremy. It's great to be here. Yes, yes, great to have you. And thanks, as always, to our listeners for tuning in. So why don't we start from the top? Tell everybody a little bit about your business. Enlightened Medical.
Speaker 3:So Enlightened Medical is a concierge medical practice that focuses on the whole body. So holistic medicine, holistic healing. We focus very much on the entire person. We want to make everybody feel men and women that's very important to feel like the best version of themselves. So we focus on aesthetic medicine as well advanced aesthetics procedures. We do bioidentical, hormone replacement therapy, medical weight loss, gut health restoration, lasers and all aesthetics. So we're working from the inside out.
Speaker 2:Well, now you're speaking my language. I find myself increasingly surrounded by people in the wellness space that focus on holistic whole body healing. I think it has something to do with my own personal journey on the north side of 40. I've become more aware of my body and its ability to heal itself from within, so I am truly fascinated by this stuff. I want to get into some of these different services that you offer there. You mentioned one bio-medical. What was that?
Speaker 3:Bio-identical or body-identical hormone replacement therapy.
Speaker 2:So what exactly is that?
Speaker 3:So this is. We've heard of hormone replacement therapy in the past. I'm sure you know a whole generation of women were scared out of doing hormone replacement therapy because of a study that came out in 2001 called the Women's Health Initiative, which led people to believe that there was an increased risk of some cancers and blood clots using hormone replacement therapy. This is because that study used synthetic hormones, which is what many women are on with birth control pills and other hormone replacement therapies. People didn't really know that there's another option, but it's becoming much more popular now. So the old type of hormones created inflammation in the body, so there was that increased risk. Now we have bioidenticals, which are made from plant hormones like soy or yam, so they're exactly identical to the structure of our own human hormones. So they actually create homeostasis or balance within the body and they create an anti-inflammatory effect in the body while also replacing create an anti-inflammatory effect in the body while also replacing the necessary hormones that women and men lose as they age.
Speaker 2:Fascinating stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So you had also mentioned. When we spoke, when we met, I was actually and forgive me I had been meaning to set up an appointment for my daughter to come see you. The recommendation that you got at the chamber was about the skincare side of what you do, and she said that. Remind me again what she said. She said that the she had a transformation in herself and then she took her daughter there for her acne and got cleared up very quickly as well. Talk a little bit about that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I formulated my own medical grade skincare line. So it's Enlightened Medical's own medical grade skincare line. All different types of skin concerns, whether it be fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation from the sun, rosacea, acne, anything that you can think of we have a solution for you. So I had her on an AM and PM regimen that particular person you're speaking of for an anti-aging regimen and I have her daughter on an acne regimen and it's so super simple to use. It takes about four to five minutes in the morning, four to five minutes at night and it really gets your skin in amazing shape and glowing and the change happens within two weeks and then the most results you'll see is in three months. So it takes about three full months to get the maximum results, but patients notice a difference near immediately and it's so rewarding to hear the stories of people and their lives are being changed by this.
Speaker 2:So how does one go about formulating their own natural line of skincare products? You said that to me and I'm in my mind thinking like are you taking natural products and trying them? Are you looking at studies? How are you coming up with a formula like this? Is it a trial? And error thing. I'm curious how that process works.
Speaker 3:All of the above. I've pretty much, I believe, tried every skincare product on the market. I know what works and I know what doesn't work. So, yes, a lot of trial and error and a lot of investigating the ingredients. There's active acids that do certain things, you know. So, putting together a regimen in that way where we have all of the correct active acids working on the things that we're trying to treat. Plus, we're protecting the skin barrier, so we're getting great moisturizer. We're protecting the skin from the sun, so we're using mineral SPF because, as we know now, chemical SPF does get into our bloodstream and it can create hormonal imbalances and other untoward things. So, really trying to focus on the holistic side of the skincare too. But yes, I worked with a pharmacist and you know who's been in the business for 30 years and came up with this fantastic line.
Speaker 2:That's one of the things that I've struggled with as I've become more aware of what I've been. What I'm putting in my body is sourcing, and not just for skincare products, but also for food, any anything you really put in your body or put on your body. If you're out there looking at these things and you look at all the ingredients, like we don't know what these things are, and then, if you try to research it, there's so much information out there. Some is accurate, some is not accurate. So it's refreshing to have folks like you out there kind of coming up and formulating products that are very, very positive and healthy for the body and really serve their function a lot better than some of the things that are currently out there on the shelf.
Speaker 3:Thank you. We know so much now and we know so many things are banned in Europe that are not banned here. And we know better, so we must do better. Not banned here. And we know better, so we must do better. You know, we really have to protect our bodies from the toxins that are in the environment, in our food source, in our soil, in our skincare, in all of our hygiene products.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we live in I say this all the time we live in an instant gratification, quick fix society, right, Everybody is looking for the shortcut, the one thing they could do, and it just doesn't exist out there. You got to. We live in an instant gratification, quick fix society, right, everybody is looking for the shortcut, the one thing they could do, and it just doesn't exist out there. You gotta uh, you gotta do the research. You gotta put the work in in terms of taking care of yourself, right, exercising the food you put in your body. Um, this is our body, this is our temple. We only got one life to live and it's so important.
Speaker 2:That's why I love having conversations like this and that's why I think I'm having more and more conversations with people in the holistic healthcare space, and it seems like every other day I'm having these conversations and it's because I'm like is attracting, like it's on my mind, so these things are gravitating towards me. I'm interested, danelle, how did Enlightened Medical come to be Now? Is this something that you've always had a fascination with going back to when you were young? Tell us a little bit about your journey that led you to where you're at today.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I was an ER physician for many, many years at a level one trauma center and in 2018, I started dreaming of Enlightened Medical. I didn't know exactly what it was going to look like or how it was going to be, but that it sparked something in me and I knew that I had to open this practice. I was on a night shift. It was 3 am. The chest pain patients are coming in, one after the other. The patients were getting sicker and sicker and there was no end in sight. So our medical system is so set up and really great at catching people when they fall, but how about preventing the fall?
Speaker 2:in the first place.
Speaker 3:How about keeping healthy people healthy? Keeping healthy people healthy. We're so good at saving lives, but we're not good at keeping the lives beautiful from the beginning. If we taught people how to be healthy and how to prevent things from happening in the first place, we wouldn't have so many patients with morbid obesity on multiple medications that they have trouble getting off of. A lot of this comes from mindset shifting and habit formation and discipline, which is what I teach so much here, especially for my wellness patients, my weight loss patients. It's not just putting people on medications. It's really changing their mindset so that they can live a healthier and happier life. Moving forward. I want to get them off their medications. I want to get them understanding their bodies so that they can feel like their absolute best self. That's the goal here.
Speaker 2:The mind is so incredibly powerful. All right, and it's. We all know how important it is to create these routines and habits and to eat good food and all that. It's just so easy to fall into old habits, right, old habits die hard. And it goes back to education, raising awareness and teaching our kids from an early age One of the things that you'll probably meet my daughter because she's going to come in there for the skin issue, one of the things that she was. My kids were eating pretty bad for a while and then, all of a sudden, my daughter started getting into soccer and training and she decided she wanted to start eating healthier and she's eating a lot of protein now and she gave me lists. She sends me little like TikTok videos of foods and dinners and dishes that she wants me to create and it's really been refreshing and it's given me a sense of rejuvenation. It's something about when your kids have that kind of mindset. It just it fuels me and it makes me want to do better myself. So, yeah, that's excellent.
Speaker 3:She's setting herself up for a really healthy life with activity and clean, whole foods. It sounds wonderful.
Speaker 2:Now we just got to keep that train going, because I know she fell off recently the other day and went to McDonald's. She used to love McDonald's and she's like I don't want that anymore. It's gross. But then she had a cheeseburger the other day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, jeremy, it's not a linear path and a lot of people feel that, oh, I have to be perfect. There's no such thing as perfection. We have to stop judging ourselves so harshly and really create a positive mindset, because that voice in our head is our beacon. If we don't speak kindly to ourselves and we have negative self-talk, we're not going to be really productive and we're not going to be able to be our best selves for others too, and we're not gonna be able to be our best selves for others too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. And speaking of that, so one of the reasons why we do this show is to educate, and there's a lot. I'm sure you run into a lot of myths and misconceptions in the work that you do. What are some of the most common things that you hear from your clients, people in this space that you can speak to to kind of clear the air around those things?
Speaker 3:You know there's been a lot of shaming for people who are doing medical weight loss, people who are on medications like semaglutide and terzapatide as you have heard of Ozembic that's the buzzword. As you have heard of Ozambic that's the buzzword yeah, there's been, you know, a lot of misinformation out there and you know people really do need this medication. It really helps them. But it's not the medication alone. Like I discussed with you prior, it's it's the mindset shifting, it's the habit formation, it's teaching. You know people people eat how. They know they grew up in families that ate this way and it becomes a family problem and a family disease. So when you can take that person out of the environment and really teach them how to eat, how to exercise, how to sleep, how to meditate, all of these things come together and you know they become a different person. They become the really the best version of themselves. So it's not just a medicine and I do medical weight loss without medication too. But you know there's been a lot of shaming and you know just a lot of buzz around these medications and they're so excellent for helping people get that kick that they need and there's talk about that. People lose muscle on it. People lose muscle on any diet they're on. We cannot pick where we lose our weight from. We lose fat and we lose muscle. So it's so important to weight train during these, when you're on these medications, and eat protein and get proper sleep and really work on changing the diet and not diet diet's a bad word, but changing the food sourcing so that it's cleaner eating and patients understand where they're getting their food sources and understanding how the protein works in the body to build the muscle up.
Speaker 3:Also, another misconception on the aesthetic side is that when we do aesthetics procedures that patients look unnatural, and that is not true. The natural look is in the hands of the injector, the hands of the physician, so it comes with an artistic ability, it comes with expertise and training and the aesthetic look can be so natural and just enhances the person's natural beauty. They don't have to look like they've had anything done. The best injectable is undetectable and if patients come to thank you, if patients come to Enlightened Medical, they really will see that they have amazing transformations, but they just look like the best version of themselves. They don't look done and they don't look injected or fake.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I know for me when I start thinking about making changes like that. I know aesthetics is different than like plastic surgery, but you get this vision in your head from plastic surgery all these actors and actresses that have had work done and as they get older, like their faces start looking plastic, right. So I think people kind of gravitate towards that in terms of what they're thinking when it comes to this type of stuff. But aesthetics is a different thing altogether. Yes, it's a-.
Speaker 3:Well, I mean it is. They go hand in hand, though you know a lot of plastic surgeons do aesthetics with injectables like dermal filler, bio-stimulators, Botox, things like that, and lasers. So it all goes hand in hand, and I do everything here aside from the surgery. So I do like non-surgical facelifts here, all the lasers, microneedling and the skincare, which is the foundation of everything, and that's really truly 80% of the results. People think that they need to do all of these procedures to get results. Really, it's the skincare, the medical grade skincare, that makes all the difference.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely so. In all that we do, family is usually at the backbone. I know it is for me. I got a beautiful 10-year-old son. My daughter's about to turn 13. My lovely wife really drives me in all that. I do. Tell us a little bit about your family.
Speaker 3:My family is amazing. I have three unbelievable stepkids who are my own kids 25, 22, 18. The 18-year-old lives with us and he's amazing. He's graduating from high school, about to go to college, and I have a three-year-old as well. So it is a busy house, busy life. I have an amazing husband who is the most supportive and just so loving, and I have two dogs. So really busy life.
Speaker 2:What do you guys like to do for fun when you're not working in your downtime?
Speaker 3:We love to go to the beach we have. We've been going to do what's your beach of choice. We go to Fort Lauderdale Beach. We do Sunday sunrise on the beach Many weeks when the weather is great. We go for walks, we go to the park, we play in the backyard. We just have a really great time together and really enjoy each other's company.
Speaker 2:Yes, I don't often go to the beach, but I was just there with my son and we had such a wonderful time. I buried him to his head in the sand and then we went out for dinner. He loves steak, so we went to Steak 954 when we were done and had a beautiful evening.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's delicious there. That sounds like such a great day.
Speaker 2:Yes, it really was.
Speaker 2:That's bonding time with the children. So important, so important. So looking like what I found in my own life. The older I get like when I was younger I always used to. When I had some kind of challenging situation or obstacle come up in my life, I always used to get super stressed out and I would kind of ask myself why does this always happen to me?
Speaker 2:What I've come to learn as I've gotten older is that these are the experiences that really help us to grow, and often it's some of the most challenging experiences that we've had in our life that shape us to where we're at today and we draw the most valuable lessons from those experiences. Looking back through your journey, is there something that comes to mind that kind of fits the bill there? Some life hardship or challenge, a crisis situation where you thought the world was ending. You thought there was no coming back from it. But with hindsight now, sitting here today, you look back at that moment and you say, man, had I not gone through that, I wouldn't be where I'm at today. What comes to mind for you there?
Speaker 3:Being on the front lines for COVID in the ER yeah, pregnant that was really an experience that I didn't know if we were going to come back from that and it was so difficult to watch everything happen, the way it transpired, and you know how the world responded, and it was such a difficult time seeing people that I loved pass away, seeing friends, parents very sick, colleagues very sick, and not knowing if I was going to have my baby be sick or if everything was going to be okay, if I was going to bring home something to the virus to my family. It was a very stressful time and I was trying to foster such a peaceful environment for my growing baby that it was definitely the biggest challenge that I've faced thus far, but we came out the other side, so that we did and it really does give you just a deeper appreciation for life and for our health going through these, these challenging experiences like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, covid was a doozy for for for many out there. Yeah.
Speaker 3:It was a huge turning point in for me in gratitude, in just appreciation, gratitude and being present.
Speaker 2:Mindful and present. That's one of the things I really wish they would start implementing more in the public school system is mindfulness they should have. That should be instilled. It's just so important I can't tell you how many times I've been in it in the moment and then I just take a step away from what I'm doing and do like a minute of breathing or just just even sitting in silence or whatever, just meditating and it just really grounds you and centers you and brings you back. And that needs to become more mainstream because I think a lot of people out there still still feel that they still hear about that stuff and they feel the woo coming on right, the woo-woo stuff. But it's just so powerful it really is.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. It is a huge game changer and you just kind of have to lean into it. It may seem woo-woo at first, but leaning in to it really changes everything. And on top of it, changing the food sources in our school system would also be amazing, little by little bringing whole food sources into the schools, because if kids' brains are on these preservatives and dyes they're not going to be able to be present or mindful period. So it's a combination and I think we really have to do the work to get the school system on board with these changes. So hopefully in the future we'll see that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I mentioned earlier, we only have this one life to live and this is our body, this is our temple and we put so much crap inside our bodies and like you said, it's okay to have a little bit of cheat day, it's good to eat good stuff and all that, but it's just so much more beneficial for your well-being when you have a nice, balanced diet. Very, very difficult to do sometimes, but again, all we could do is keep talking about it and keep raising awareness and keep enhancing the narrative forward.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:What would be, before we wrap this up here, what would be one thing that you'd like to leave our listeners with about your business? You know it could be about the business, something you'd like me I'll tell you. I'll give you two things. One thing you'd like our listeners to know about the business specifically, and then, on the other side, maybe like a life, a little piece of wisdom, a tidbit, something that you'd like to leave the listeners with.
Speaker 3:So about the business is that we're not just another medical practice. We really are a concierge practice, which means you're going to get expertise, you're going to get handholding, you're going to feel the love from us. We have a lot of compassionate care here and you know we put together high quality treatment plans for our patients for like a year, year and a half, so you can see where you've been and you know where you're going. So there's never a question as to what's coming next and what am I going to do. But I sit with my patients, I hear their stories and we work together to get to the goal for the patients. So you're never going to feel alone in this journey.
Speaker 3:And then something um, just the wisdom that I have is just start. It doesn't matter if it's, you know, a Tuesday, or you feel too late, or you feel I'm 60, I can't do it. No, just start. We all start somewhere. Stop judging yourself and just start. Whatever that may be lifting weights, going for a walk, changing one thing in your diet, adding more protein, getting an hour extra of sleep, being outside more whatever that may look like to you, just start. And the trajectory is not linear, but it's beautiful when you start to see the fruits of your labor.
Speaker 2:Beautiful. I absolutely love it. That's great advice because this stuff can be incredibly overwhelming. But, like you said, if you just take it one step at a time and just slowly start implementing things and build on it, you'll start to see maybe not right away, but months down the road you're going to start to see huge transformations in your life and you're going to feel a lot better.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're in this for longevity. We're not in this for a six pack. We're in this for staying out of the nursing home, for building strong bones, healthy muscles, healthy brains. This is what it's about.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. How can we learn more? Let us know, let our listeners know, how we can reach you. Maybe share your contact information, your website, social media? How can we find you? I know there's going to be folks out there listening that are going to want to reach out, because I really love what you're doing out there.
Speaker 3:Thank you. So you can find us on all social platforms. At Enlightened Medical. You can check out our website at wwwenlightenedmedicalpracticecom, and you can text or call our office at 954-210-8686.
Speaker 2:Excellent. We will, of course, put in the link in the description below. We're going to drop a link in the description below to all of your contact information. Anyone out there listening. If you found this content useful, don't forget to like and subscribe. And if you've had your own experience in aesthetics or in the space, leave it in the comments below. Let us know what's on your mind. We always appreciate hearing your feedback and we thank you so much for joining us, danelle. It was a pleasure. I love what you're doing. Keep up the great work in the community. If you're out there listening, please reach out to Danelle if you need help with any of this stuff. She really is doing great work for us here in our community. So thanks for coming on the show, danelle.
Speaker 3:Thanks so much, Jeremy. It's been a pleasure. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Of course, everyone take care, stay blessed out there and have a wonderful day. Catch you next time.
Speaker 1:Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Cooper City. To nominate your favorite local business to be featured on the show, go to GNPCooperCitycom. That's GNPCooperCitycom, or call 954-231-3170.