Dr. Ivan Rusilko on why more athletes are turning to holistic medicine

Sophie Hessekiel | 2 Hours Ago

Dr. Ivan Rusilko / Lifestyle Medicine

Have you noticed that more athletes are continuing to compete into their late 30s and 40s, rather than succumbing to early retirement? Dr. Ivan Rusilko says functional medicine methods are the key.

The former college athlete, bodybuilder, and Mr. U.S.A. winner is an expert on not just the physical but the mental health of athletes. Central to Dr. Rusilko’s practice is his understanding that everyone — both professional athletes and people looking to improve their health — will have unique issues and will need unique solutions. At Lifestyle Medicine, he leverages a patient-centered, hyper-customizable, holistic approach to functional medicine.

He incorporates the same discipline, recovery strategies, and functional medicine principles that helped him excel, creating personalized treatment plans that address both physical health and mental resilience. By drawing from his own athletic journey, he told SI, he aims to not only provide comprehensive care, but to inspire patients to “push beyond their limits and achieve peak performance.”

Cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and regenerative techniques like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapy are just a few of the techniques the doctor recommends for optimizing health and performance. Most of all, he says, it’s important to make sure your head is in the game. “Mental and emotional health are just as important as physical health for professional athletes, as they are all equally aligned and essential to overall well-being. I incorporate stress management and mental health balancing into my treatment protocols by addressing things like sexual health, sleep hygiene, relationship diagnosis, and multiple stress-reducing practices. By integrating techniques such as mindfulness, personalized coaching, and functional medicine, I help athletes maintain peak mental focus and manage stress to maximize their efforts on and off the field at the game of life.”

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —

Texas stunner: Gabby Thomas flaunts legs in Daisy Dukes on ‘College Gameday’

Hooray!: Livvy Dunne brimming with excitement after MLB star proposes in Italy

Kiss the chef: Josh Allen’s gf Hailee Steinfeld turns up the heat in shoestring tank

FTW F1: Danica Patrick’s F1 fit in boots, miniskirt is perfect Texas salute

NFL WAG wins: Ciara steals Russell Wilson’s QB1 thunder with insane fit post