Anita Katikineni, MD

For almost 15 years, I cared for patients across every stage of disease, both inside and outside of the hospital. While we excelled at acute care, the traditional system seemed to fall short in chronic disease. I became increasingly interested in how we could identify those at risk and intervene earlier. My interest grew as "healthy" family members were diagnosed with cardiometabolic disease, and I began to apply that lens to myself, adding in lifestyle changes to my already busy days.

Over time small symptoms quietly accumulated. Life got more complicated over the years, as it does for most of us, with responsibilities and stressors increasing. I stayed the course — never missing a day of work, an exercise class, or a social commitment. Until my body finally stopped me, medical conditions worsened, I was prescribed a walker to navigate the length of my city home, and my physician told me I had to stop working.

That pause became an opportunity. I went deeper into functional medicine and applied it to my own story, and quickly found that a few intentional changes, selected carefully and layered over time, accomplished more than years of doing "all the things." Along the way, I rediscovered the Eastern practices I grew up with, and came to appreciate both their therapeutic value and how well they can work in synergy with Western medicine. The experience became the foundation of Balance Med: a precise, whole-person approach built on what actually works.