Lowveld - Jan 2020

BACK
to basics
Medical doctor Rav James of White River talks
to Get It about functional medicine and her
love of discovering ways to awaken people’s
intuition and connection to their bodies.
Rav endeavours to change perceptions about medicine
From the moment you set foot in Rav’s spacious consulting room, it is evident
that she approaches life in an alternative, holistic way. She is passionate about
functional medicine and tackles health issues by viewing every person as a
unique being. According to Rav, each patient walks an individual path which
leads to the specific disease and this path should be explored. A patient’s unique
genetic make-up as well as personal history and many other factors should
also be taken into account. She tells us more about her endeavour to change
perceptions about medicine.
Tell us about your journey to becoming a medical doctor?
I grew up in Johannesburg, where I attended the British International College.
After finishing college, I attended Stellenbosch University and achieved an
MBChB degree. I did my internship at Port Shepstone Provincial Hospital
followed by community service at Sabie Provincial Hospital, where I developed
a love and passion for working in the field of HIV medicine. During the time I
completed a diploma in HIV management.
14 Get It Lowveld January 2020
You also worked at ACTS Clinic?
Yes. ACTS was an NGO clinic
dedicated to treating around
6 000 HIV patients in the Masoyi
area just outside White River. I really
enjoyed the time spent as part of the
project, as I could focus on bringing
life and change into the lives of
many patients. It also gave me an
opportunity to witness the effects of
simple changes in diet and lifestyle
on health. Ryan, my husband, shares
my passion for community work and
serves as head of development for
the Good Work Foundation, which
is an organisation that brings digital
learning to rural Africa. At present I
practise functional medicine.