About

 About Ryan Newell DO

 

As a third-generation family physician in rural West Virginia, I am currently working in the medical clinic my grandfather converted from a coal mining company store over 40 years ago. In practice with my wife and father, who are also family physicians at the Fayette Clinic, I treat patients from two weeks old until they pass away and have had the privilege of treating 40- and 50-year old patients that my grandfather delivered. 

 

Being a family physician in a rural area, I have developed a unique perspective on how people age. Like many doctors, I have typically seen patients with acute conditions, such as a cold, cough, ache or pain, which I can usually treat quickly and effectively. However, through seeing the same patients consistently over many years, I have begun to notice that I and my fellow physicians are losing a much bigger battle, evidenced by the rapid decline of patients’ overall health as they age.

 

It’s true that we all naturally experience a decline in health as we age. However, I have seen some patients age more rapidly than others, leading to lives than are not only shorter in span but poorer in quality while they are living. 

 

About 3 years ago, I began to address this problem, turning my time with patients (which are typically constrained by 15- to 30-minute time slots!) into consultations to help them develop proactive strategies for preventing the number one killer of Americans: cardiovascular disease. 

 

At first, many of my patients replied with, “Yeah, I’ve heard about that on TV: I need to eat less fat and exercise more.” However, by spending just a few minutes with patients talking about their lives and aspirations, I have been able to help them develop new practices that fit into their current lifestyles while bringing significant improvement to their health. Patients have reported many victories in their health and in their lives, whether in being better parents, making career advancements, being better husbands or wives or simply feeling more relaxed and confident. I have worked with many types of people, from single moms and school teachers to health care professionals and coal miners. The common denominator isn’t your current health or your financial status, it’s a desire to improve and a willingness to change.

 

I have also seen many failures that start with good motivation but are stopped quickly because of the challenges of life.  Some of these include not having enough hours in the day, caring for kids or parents, being too “busy”, or working long hours that don’t allow time to take care or yourself.  In my experience as a family doctor, I think I have heard them all, even some I tell myself.  All of these challenges are very real and valid but they all lead to the similar outcomes.  I think that is why heart disease is so difficult to avoid.  I have created these posts as a way to offer a different philosophy to address these concerns.

 

I am passionate about winning the ”big” game of health and thus have devoted some of my time and energy to develop creative strategies to keeping people engaged in living healthier and more productive lives.