#176 - They Both Walked Away From Traditional Medicine. Here's What They Found.#176 - They Both Walked Away From Traditional Medicine. Here's What They Found.
The Dr. Joy Kong Podcast
A former firefighter–paramedic and an interventional cardiologist explain why they left conventional medicine to focus on functional, data-driven, preventative care. They share how IV therapies, advanced testing, lifestyle changes and longevity tools can shift patients from crisis management towards genuine health optimisation.
1:12:07•31 Mar 2026
Why Two Doctors Left Conventional Medicine to Truly Help Patients Heal
Episode Overview
- Traditional medicine often manages chronic illness with repeated hospital visits and rising medication loads, without addressing lifestyle or root causes.
- Functional and precision approaches that focus on nutrition, movement, sleep and targeted therapies can reduce medications and improve quality of life.
- Objective data such as VO2 max, body composition, blood markers, toxin panels and wearable metrics are vital, because "you can't improve what you don't measure."
- IV nutrient therapy, peptides, saunas, hyperbaric oxygen and structured exercise programmes are being used to boost mitochondrial function and cardiovascular health.
- There is growing interest among doctors in holistic, prevention-focused care, but regulation, insurance models and lack of education remain major barriers.
“"You can't improve what you don't measure."”
In this eye-opening episode, you'll learn about two clinicians who walked away from the safety of conventional medicine after seeing that many patients were being managed, not truly healed. Dr Joy Kong sits down with entrepreneur and former firefighter–paramedic **Sam Tejada** and triple board-certified cardiologist **Dr Christopher Davis**.
Sam shares how only about 10% of his 911 calls were dramatic rescues, while "90% of the 911 calls was me being part of the broken medical system", watching the same people cycle in and out of hospital as their medications increased and their lifestyle never changed. That experience pushed him into functional medicine and eventually to founding Liquivita Wellness Centers.
Dr Davis explains how, as an interventional cardiologist, he grew frustrated watching heart attack patients return again and again despite guideline-based treatment. Simple nutritional changes and supplements like vitamin D, fish oil and gluten removal started helping patients more than he expected, which he calls a major wake-up call. He now runs Reveal Vitality, combining cardiology with precision, integrative longevity practices.
You’ll hear how both guests use advanced testing, IV nutrient therapy, peptides, hyperbaric oxygen, saunas and structured exercise to improve VO2 max, mitochondrial health and long-term outcomes. They stress they are not anti-medicine, but firmly against over-using drugs when root causes such as poor nutrition, toxins, inactivity and sleep are ignored.
A key theme is data: "You can't improve what you don't measure." From environmental toxin testing to fitness metrics and wearables, they argue that tracking real numbers is essential if you want to change your health trajectory rather than drift slowly towards chronic disease. If you’re questioning symptom-chasing medicine, curious about root-cause approaches, or simply want ideas to feel better and live longer, this conversation might get you rethinking what "healthcare" should look like.
What would your health plan look like if it focused on preventing the next emergency call rather than waiting for it?
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