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Patient Testimonials
“When I stepped into Brigette Ruge’s office, I was on a slippery slope into obesity and old age. I had recently read the consultation note, from a foot doctor that I had consulted, who stated that I was “a 58-year-old obese woman.” I was insulted. Obese?!? But the reality was that I was becoming out of breath and finding it increasingly difficult to work as a nurse on a busy unit. How did it happen? Stress, hypothyroid and age were only some of the factors that I was dealing with, when Christelle Renta ARNP suggested that I see a nutritionist. On 3/25/19, Brigette did a biometric screening on me which placed me at 190.4 pounds, 46% body fat, 12% visceral fat, 39.9% water mass and a biometric age of 88 years old! No wonder I felt terrible. 190 pounds on a 5’5” small framed body was…obese. I had never weighed that even during my 2 pregnancies. I signed up for 12 sessions with Brigette and as a result of that I have lost 40 pounds.
My last biometric screening showed that I had 38.5% body fat, was better hydrated at 44.8% water mass, visceral fat of 8% and a biometric age of 61 years old. I took 27 years off my biometric age! During this time, Brigette instructed me on ways to decrease stress through heart math and breathing, how to hydrate better, how to monitor my pH and she started me on a doable exercise regimen using resistance bands. Brigette is so fun, knowledgeable and nonjudgmental. I look forward to the accountability, the suggestions she gives to tweak my choices and the encouragement. I never thought it could be done. I honestly had begun to resign myself to the slippery slope of obesity and old age. I continue to see Brigette on a monthly basis as I continue toward my goal of 20 more pounds. I am no longer short of breath; I feel great, look great, have more energy and my husband is happy too! I highly recommend everyone to at least give this program a try. If I could do it, with the health issues that I have, which are more than I have shared, then anyone can do it. I truly believe it.”
“I have had the privilege of working with Bridgette over the past two months. It’s been different in that I am in North Carolina over the summer. During this time frame, Bridgette has taught me more about nutrition than I ever imagined possible. I have a pretty good foundation, but she has taken my understanding to an entirely new level of what optimum health can look and feel like. When we started, I was feeling very tired. Due to the supplements and some of the other ideas she has shared, my energy has been restored. Both my husband and I are eating better, and I feel like I have a good strategy in place moving forward.
The Spectra Cell test was particularly useful as it gave me some hard data from which to work. Bridgette’s knowledge and patience in going through the results was also very meaningful to me in that she doesn’t just settle for “good enough.” She has alerted me to the value and importance of optimal metrics.
Another interesting thing about working with Bridgette is her passion and dedication to both optimal health and the client. She has a unique way of challenging you without making you feel guilty or shamed for mistakes along the way. For example, I’m struggling here in NC a bit in staying completely on task since we are somewhat on vacation and trying to explore foods of the region. Bridgette has helped me lean into better choices, but if I do fall off, she patiently nudges me back in the right direction.
I intend to take the hormone test when I return to Orlando and to also send my husband to her. For the first time in a very long time, I feel that I have a real plan of action based on metrics that will help me live a more healthy lifestyle. I’m so appreciative of her knowledge and expertise.”
I’ve always been someone that likes to do one thing at a time when trying to change an aspect of my lifestyle. Bridgette has been so incredibly patient with me, especially since I had many things I needed to change and struggled with the supplement routine. She explains protocols completely and when she doesn’t know the answers, will research feverishly to find it. Even outside of our coaching sessions she sends articles, recipes or tidbits of info to consider which I have found incredibly beneficial. But what I am most grateful for is Bridgette’s natural empathy and care for me – she is helping me co-create a plan that’s doable for me and producing the results I need. I feel like she really cares about me and genuinely celebrates with me when I have accomplishments.”
“In November 2017 I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Almost a year later after not understanding the proper procedures and treatments about this disease, I suffered a severe flare-up which led to me being hospitalized for a week. After 4 hours in the ER of the staff trying to draw blood to run tests, a technician was finally able to find a “good vein” which lead to labs showing my blood count at below 7. I was given a blood transfusion along with lots of steroids and other anti-inflammatory medicines to calm the storm in my colon. Thankfully I recovered and was advised by Dr. Pati to begin the coaching program with Bridgette to learn how to handle UC more efficiently.
Our first meeting was in December of 2018, the 12 week program. After learning of my condition, reviewing and setting my goals and reviewing the current protocol, Bridgette customized a new protocol that would best benefit reversing UC and empower me with the knowledge and tips to gain control over my condition. She was constantly doing research and sharing articles and tips she read on UC, sharing recipes for reducing inflammation and offering suggestions for eating well. She would always encourage me learn to eat a balance/healthy diet which would result in not only weight loss but suppression of cravings which lead to bad habits. She encouraged me to pay attention of how I felt after eating certain types of food and look out for things that triggered any bad habits.
Bridgette was the big sister looking over in a sense, she made me become more responsible for myself because I had someone else to answer to. Keeping logs was a way to track and learn about what I was putting into my body and how impactful the wrong thing could be. She was always cheering me on even though some weeks were better than others and never made my shortcoming seem to be something that I couldn’t overcome. She thought me things I would not have known before and her advice still rings in my ear almost daily. If I don’t drink almost 90oz of water daily, I remember Bridgette’s frowning face on my logs which is a good thing. The habit of taking my supplements, drinking water, exercising, eating lots more veggies and trying new alternatives to clean eating have been a blessing. Besides being focused on my weight all the time, I am more focused on a healthy lifestyle and that I believe is very important to living well and being well.
My heartfelt gratitude to Bridgette for her coaching and advice. It have been a blessing.”
“When I first met with Bridgette, I was taking meds for high blood sugar, had severe stomach pains that kept me awake at night and was struggling with my weight. What added to my frustration was that at the time, I was a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers. I had subscribed to their low fat, low sugar, diet for so long that I didn’t think there were other options. The first thing Bridgette suggested was that I increase my fat intake. Right away, my appetite was more under control and my sugar cravings were gone. I’m proud to say that I no longer have to take the high blood sugar medication. Additionally, she worked with my super-picky palate on finding healthy choices of vegetables, which was sorely missing from my diet. Fast forward to today and I’m looking at a ziploc bag of fresh organic baby spinach that I eat before having lunch every day. I take my air fryer with me when I travel, and do way more cooking at home than I used to, which allows me to know exactly what I’m eating. Lastly, I’ve been around co-workers who were sick, and now my husband and son are both sick but I’m not. I attribute that to my healthier diet, probiotics and overall better self care thanks to Bridgette. I am so grateful and am so glad I took that step even though I was skeptical”.
“I started seeing Dr. Pati more than 10 years ago when we lived in FL. She is a delight, she listens and truly cares. Dr. Pati looks at me as a whole person and not just at my symptoms. She corrected my thyroid when several other doctors told me it was fine. She corrected another misdiagnosis of another Dr. and got me on track. After we moved away, I had a difficult time finding a Dr. that I liked. I became quite ill and was told the only help for my newly discovered autoimmune disease was a chemotherapy drug. I decided to go back to FL visit Dr. Pati. It was well worth my time and expense to travel to see her. She agreed that chemo was not the best course of action for my issues. She got me back on track and feeling close to better by correcting hormones and other imbalances. I went from being bed ridden to feeling like I could function in the world. I would say I was at about 85%. Dr. Pati said that just wasn’t good enough and said I should see Dr. Apsley. Dr. Apsley took a very thorough history and really listened to me. He had a multi step plan for me and I can honestly say I haven’t felt this well in many many years! I think of Dr. Apsley as the Gregory House of integrative medicine, he can figure anything out!
SaJune is a busy place and the staff is lovely. Please note that since they are so busy, you may have to extend some patience with office side of things. Knowing that helps and they are all very kind and helpful, just really busy.
Thank you Dr. Pati and Dr. Apsley for saving my life and giving me back quality of life. I am forever grateful to both of you. I will continue to travel to FL for your expert care”.
“This whole process of first trying the plate diet for about 6 months and then going on to do 2 rounds of HCG over the span of a year has given me results that I never thought I would achieve. While certainly challenging and tough, this diet regimen has been super effective. Prior to trying HCG, I tried several other diet and exercise plans that really didn’t work for me at all. Under Bridgette’s guidance, I lost a total of about 95 pounds! Throughout this process, I not only lost the weight I never thought I would lose but also gained an understanding of how to eat in a way that is healthy for my body and my individual metabolism. I have found a nutrition and lifestyle plan that works best for me and allows me to feel nourished, energized, and replenished and this lifestyle change is the biggest thing that has stuck with me throughout this process. Thank you so much for everything”.