Meet Dr. Yazdaan Juma from Northwest Family Clinics in Plymouth, MN. He is a Board-certified Family Medicine physician with a special interest in women’s health, pre-natal care, and weight loss management. He is also certified in Integrative Medicine and is the first physician to offer a blend of Eastern and Western medicine to the clinic. I am excited to report that he has experience in diagnosing and treating Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Most of us know how challenging it is to find a physician that understands the difficulties of ME/CFS. Finding one that can diagnose the condition is even harder. This month I had an opportunity to talk with Dr. Juma. Understanding his background and what led him to a career of medicine in Minnesota was on my mind.

Dr. Juma is born and raised in Minnesota and attended Ross University School of Medicine. I asked him why he chose the profession of medicine. He said that he was always fascinated with the human body and decided quite young that he wanted to be a doctor. He was inquisitive as a young boy and his parents supported his desire to learn. As he became older, he became more immersed in the concept of medicine as a career and understood what it took to get there. He became interested in public policy, advocating for others and volunteering. Medicine was a way to merge his desire to help others with his fascination for the human body.

I wondered about Dr. Juna’s first experience with ME/CFS. He said that his first encounter with the debilitating illness was through one of his weight loss patients two years ago. This individual had already been diagnosed with ME/CFS and while she was motivated to lose weight, she was unable to exercise due to her illness and the effects of post exertional malaise. She had been to the Mayo Clinic and was diagnosed, but essentially received nothing around post care or management of the illness. Dr. Juna immediately researched the illness and started learning as much as possible to help her. After that, he diagnosed a few more patients with ME/CFS. He said that he likes the challenge of trying to help these patients improve their quality of life and he recognizes the need for more medical experts in this area. Because of his experience in Integrative Medicine, Dr Juna looks at each situation holistically. With each patient, all he asks is for the patient to keep an open mind and meet him halfway. “ME/CFS is a lifelong diagnosis. There is no cure, but there are things we can do to help a patient live happier and improve life quality.”

We discussed some of the treatments he uses within his practice at Northwest Family Clinics. Dr. Juna is certified in Integrative Medicine and blends the best of eastern and western medicine together. As he looks at each person holistically to determine the next steps, he might include Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), various supplements and sometimes referrals to holistic wellness centers such as the Bhakti Wellness Center|Holistic Health Care Clinic in Edina, MN. He has seen positive results in holistic treatments such as Neurofeedback.

With some research, I could see that there are hundreds of clinical trials showing evidence of improvement from Neurofeedback for a variety of illnesses. In one 2010 study, there was some evidence of neuroplastic changes occurring after brainwave training. In fact, after just a half an hour of voluntary control of brain rhythms led in this study to a lasting shift in cortical excitability and intracortical function which can improve memory, cognitive function, sleep function and even reduce pain in some people. This is just one of many services offered but check out Bhakti Wellness at https://bhakticlinic.com/ for more information. It is also interesting to note that this facility offers half off services for front line workers but will also help design a care program with consideration for one’s financial resources. This center does not take insurance but works with its patients.

Also, if you see Dr. Juma you can expect to see follow-up from him. While he does offer tele visits, he prefers to see a patient in person for the first visit. After that, plan a follow up visit in two (2) weeks to review labs and any other pertinent information. At four (4) weeks, you will generally return in person again (if possible) to optimize treatments, review any tracking or health journaling to identify trends.

Of course, I asked Dr. Juma about what he enjoys in his free time. He told me that he is a husband and a father of two young children. Spending time with his family is a priority, especially after completing a busy residency program at Hennepin County Medical Center. He also enjoys exercising and admitted that he is a fond of any exercise that gets his adrenaline going. He also practices yoga a couple times a week and rounds out his fitness quest with periodic strength training. He also loves traveling but the recent pandemic has put a temporary hold on that. He’s hoping to find more time this next year to travel within the United States. It was also fun to hear that he is an avid baker. His wife handles the main meals and leaves the dessert to him to create. I am hoping he will share some of his favorite recipes with us in the future.

If you have not met Dr. Juma yet, perhaps you will consider having him as a part of your care team for ME/CFS or even for general care for a family member? He is thrilled at the opportunity to provide multi-generational care and has many clients where he sees their children and/or their parents for general health and wellness. His commitment to learning more about ME/CFS is extraordinary, but he is also a resource for many other illnesses facing our family members of all ages. He can be reached at Northwest Family Clinics at (763) 504-6600.