As we embrace the new year, our conversation with Dr. Steven Conroy, founder of BOOST Performance & Longevity Center, delves deep into his unique philosophy that combines integrative and proactive care, representing a shift from conventional medical practices.
Interview with Dr. Steven Conroy
What motivated you to transition from emergency medicine to establishing BOOST Performance & Longevity Center?
I have always been interested in this aspect of medicine. I was a believer that if left unchecked, with proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction, the body has an innate ability to heal itself. As an endurance athlete who strived for proper nutrition and health, I saw the effects that emergency medicine was having on my own health, from impaired sleep to stress, etc. I also was able to see how the same individuals in my emergency department would return and progressively get worse. I thought that all of what I was seeing was preventable and could be corrected with proper guidance and an individualized plan. I was able to help my father reverse most of his disease processes by taking him off of 8 different medications, all while losing a great deal of weight and improving his quality of life. This was the biggest contribution to my starting BOOST Performance and Longevity Center.
Can you explain the role of integrative medicine at your center and its impact on patient care?
As a physician trained in the standard practice of Western medicine, along with my background in functional medicine, I am able to integrate alternative therapies with the use of Western medicine. However, my goal is to get people off of medications that are unnecessary but use them when it is imperative for their health. I think the ability to think outside the box of standard medicine, integrating my background training in nutrition, endurance sports training, and supplementation, along with diet and lifestyle modification, has made tremendous impacts on my patients' health.
How has your background in emergency medicine shaped your preventive healthcare approach?
As an emergency medicine physician with over a decade and a half of experience, I have seen diseases in their most severe presentations you could imagine. I have been involved in severe, acute, life-threatening situations on a daily basis, along with chronic debilitating diseases as well. As you witness all these diseases and presentations over time, there is one common theme in all these processes: it is all preventable and often able to be reversed once it is present, or at a minimum, can be slowed.
As an endurance athlete, how does this influence the advice you give to patients?
I believe my years of endurance sports have taught me a lot about my body, nutrition, and the stress loads the body can handle. I am able to empathize with patients who are actively training for a race. This also allows me to give them the proper advice and counsel they need for training, sleep, nutrition, etc. Additionally, my endurance background training, which often consists of a lot of zone 2 training along with sprinkles of Vo2max training, is necessary to have adequate mitochondrial functioning as well as to allow us to train for later stages of life. This enables me to tailor a plan directly for each patient.
What are your goals for the New Year at the center, especially in terms of community health?
I would like to proceed to grow my practice and network of great practitioners that I can continue to integrate in the best care for my patients. I also am looking to collaborate with some local individuals in order to potentially create a kids triathlon in the spring in order to promote healthy habits with children.
How can our readers begin their journey with your center and learn about the services you provide? For those ready to take their health into their own hands, visit BoostPLC.com/PatientInfo to set up your patient profile. You can also call my office at 512-888-9086 or email Info@BoostPLC.com. Additionally, we offer specialized VO2Max and RMR testing for those interested in a comprehensive health evaluation, with easy online booking available. We are committed to guiding and supporting you on your path to optimal health and wellness.
"I am a believer that it is important to detect disease early in order to intervene." - Dr. Steven Conroy, Founder of BOOST Performance & Longevity Center
"I was able to help my father reverse most of his disease processes by taking him off of 8 different medications, all while losing a great deal of weight and improving his quality of life." - Dr. Steven Conroy
