https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJdt_NrVn8c
The video was an interview with Datuk Dr Selvam Rengasamy an O & G Specialist from Batu Pahat. Johore, Malaysia who spoke about:
Mitochondria: The Cell Powerhouse. He spoke extensively about integrative and holistic medicine and the need to treat the root causes of chronic diseases.
He connects the concept of mitochondria (“the cell powerhouse”) as central, presumably mitochondrial health
Here is my personal view on Dr. Selvam Rengasamy’s Philosophy of Healing Medicine.
Modern medicine has achieved remarkable success in extending human lifespan, yet it often falls short of restoring true health when chronic diseases take hold.
Datuk Dr. Selvam Rengasamy advocates a transformative philosophy of healing, one that transcends the suppression of symptoms to address the root causes of illness. His integrative and holistic model embraces nutrition, lifestyle medicine, stress management, emotional well-being, and spiritual care as essential elements in activating the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Let me explores Dr. Selvam’s healing paradigm in the context of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders, integrating both traditional wisdom and contemporary scientific research. In doing so, it reframes the role of the physician from one who merely cures to one who heals, guiding patients toward wholeness of body, mind, and soul.
Here is what the scientific literature supports and what remains uncertain, especially in relation to claims like Dr. Selvam’s.
What is well-supported or credible:
1.Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in many chronic diseases.
2. There is good evidence that in conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders (like type 2 diabetes), obesity, etc., mitochondrial damage or dysfunction plays a role (e.g. oxidative stress, reduced energy production). For example, reviews are showing that breast cancer survivors sometimes have ongoing mitochondrial damage influencing fatigue, metabolic health, etc.
3. Lifestyle factors affect mitochondrial health.
4. Diet, exercise, sleep, stress all influence mitochondrial function (e.g. through oxidative stress, inflammation, etc.).Nutrient deficiencies can impair mitochondrial enzymes, antioxidants etc., which is well-known.
5. Holistic approaches (diet, sleep, stress management, physical activity) have demonstrable positive effects on many chronic illnesses.
6. Even if not curing disease, these can improve quality of life, reduce symptoms, improve biomarkers (blood sugar, inflammation, lipid profiles etc.).
7. Hormone balance is important. Some hormone imbalances can contribute to disease states; using hormones (where indicated) can be helpful. However, “bio-identical hormone therapy” is sometimes controversial, depending on what exactly is meant, how it is administered, side effects etc.
What is more speculative, or less well-supported, caution is needed
1. “Root cause” vs “cure” in chronic disease is appealing but very hard to define.
2. Many chronic diseases are multifactorial, such as, genetics, environment, lifestyle, infections, aging, epigenetics. It may not be possible to find one root cause. Some root causes can be addressed well (e.g. diet, physical inactivity, obesity), but others are not modifiable.
3. Bio-identical hormones, anti-aging medicine, etc.
4. These have risks. The evidence is mixed, especially for long-term safety. There are concerns about side effects, unproven benefits in some cases. Regulatory oversight is variable.
5. “Natural” solutions / supplementation sometimes lack robust empirical evidence.
6. Some supplements are helpful, others are not. The quality of trials is often lower (smaller, less rigorous, potential bias).
7. Overuse or inappropriate use of supplements, or treatments outside well-standardized protocols, can be harmful.
8. “Reversing” many diseases without drug therapy is a strong claim , possible in some early / subclinical cases, much harder in advanced disease.
As a clinician this is what I think about Dr. Selvam’s approach.
Overall, Dr. Selvam’s approach aligns with many current trends / research in integrative, functional medicine that focuses on diet, stress, hormone balance, mitochondrial health, etc.
Those are valid areas of interest. There is a lot of promise, especially as adjuncts to conventional care, or for prevention / slowing disease progression, improving function, well-being.
However, some red flags or questions to consider:
Evidence level: For which specific diseases does Dr Selvam have on clinical trial-level proof of “reversal” or cure using his methods? Are there peer-reviewed trials, ideally randomized controlled trials (RCTs)? Or mostly case series / anecdotal reports?
Safety: Are all treatments safe across populations? For example, hormone therapies must be carefully monitored. Supplements must be standardized, safe, non-toxic interactions considered.
Regulation and standards: Are there oversight / regulatory bodies ensuring his clinic’s treatments meet safety / efficacy standards?
Transparency: How transparent is he about risks, how strong the evidence is, what failures occur?
Strengths & Cautions:
The holistic perspective is important; many conventional models tend to focus on symptoms rather than upstream causes. Emphasis on lifestyle, nutrition, stress, sleep, etc., which are often under-emphasized in standard care.
Focusing on mitochondrial health is biologically plausible and supported by growing evidence.
Cautions:
Avoid overpromising. Claims of “curing” chronic disease without drugs need rigorous proof; patients should be informed about what is known vs speculative.
Be careful with treatments that are not mainstream or that are less well-studied, need good monitoring and clarity about risks.
Ensuring that integrative methods complement rather than replace conventional treatments when those are needed (e.g. for serious conditions).
What I like to ask him, or what I’d like to see more is, to evaluate more fully. I’d want to see:
Specific clinical trials (published in peer‐reviewed journals) showing that his integrative methods lead to better outcomes than standard care (or in addition).
Data on safety / adverse events in his patient population, especially for hormone therapy or high-dose supplementation. Criteria for patient selection: which chronic diseases / stages respond well to his method, and which may not.
Biomarkers improvements: mitochondrial function tests, inflammation markers, clinical endpoints need to be demonstrated.
Long-term follow-up: what’s the relapse / recurrence rate etc.
Nevertheless, Dr. Selvam’s philosophy has many components that are scientifically plausible and in many cases promising. When done with care, monitoring, and transparency, integrative / holistic medicine can offer real benefits, especially for prevention, improving quality of life, possibly slowing or reversing disease progression in some cases.
But one should approach strong claims (especially “reversal”, “cure”, “without drugs”) with healthy skepticism, ask for evidence, and ensure safety.
However, Dr Selvam has a point about how chronic diseases need to be treated instead of suppressing them with drugs. He explained quite a bit how the body heal itself if properly stimulated, nourished and rested. I believe I have captured the heart of his message.
Dr. Selvam’s perspective reflects a healing-centered philosophy, namely, the body is not a passive machine to be constantly “fixed” with external tools, but a living, adaptive system with powerful built-in mechanisms for repair. Modern biology strongly supports this idea in several ways.
However, I do agree with Dr Selvam in many aspects. Let me express my views further on this.
1. The body has an innate capacity to self-heal. After an injury, the body immediately initiates clotting, inflammation, immune cleanup, and tissue regeneration. There is neuroplasticity. This means, the brain can rewire itself after injury or stroke if given stimulation and rehabilitation.
There is also immune regulation. This means in low-grade infections or the presence of
precancerous cells, these are often eliminated quietly without us noticing. This shows that self-healing is not an abstract concept, it is an ongoing, measurable biological reality.
2. Conditions for healing. Dr. Selvam emphasizes nourishment, rest, stimulation, balance. Science backs this up.
Nutrition: Adequate macro/micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants) are required for mitochondrial enzymes, DNA repair, collagen synthesis, immune defense, etc.
Sleep: Deep sleep promotes immune regulation, hormonal balance, memory consolidation, and mitochondrial repair.
Exercise: Stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation.
Stress reduction: Chronic cortisol elevation weakens immunity, increases inflammation, and accelerates aging.
So when he says “if the body is properly stimulated, nourished, and rested, it can heal itself” and that aligns beautifully with what we now know from cellular and systems biology. That's where conventional medicine tends to differ.
Strength of focus:
Conventional medicine excels in acute, life-threatening conditions (heart attack, infections, trauma), where immediate suppression of disease mechanisms is necessary.
Weakness: For chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, neurodegenerative disorders), it often relies on drugs to control symptoms or biomarkers rather than addressing upstream drivers.
Integrative gap: This is where holistic / integrative approaches are valuable, not as a rejection of modern medicine, but as a complement, to create the right internal environment for healing.
Balance between cure and control. Some chronic conditions may not be fully reversible (e.g., advanced Parkinson’s, severe heart failure), but the body can still compensate, adapt, and slow progression when supported.
Others (e.g., type 2 diabetes in its early stages, fatty liver, some autoimmune conditions) can improve dramatically or even normalize with deep lifestyle and metabolic interventions.
My opinion about Dr. Selvam is, he is right in spirit, in that healing often requires more than suppressing symptoms. He reminds us to trust the body’s design and create conditions where its regenerative power can work. The scientific challenge is to separate where this principle is sufficient alone, where it must be combined with conventional care, and where it may not be enough.
Healing, Health, and Holistic Integration:
Treating the root cause as he correctly said, not just the symptoms. In recent decades, chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic disorders, have become the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Unlike acute illness, these diseases often evolve slowly, involve multiple interlinked organ systems, environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors, and are difficult to reverse once established.
In this context, Dr. Selvam Rengasamy’s integrative-holistic approach, treating root causes, supporting the body’s own healing capacity via nourishment, rest, stress reduction, hormonal balance, and mitochondrial health, offers a perfect model that aligns well with much of what current biomedical research is indicating.
Let me examine his approach by exploring how they map to scientific evidence, and consider both the promise and the caution.
Core Components of Dr. Selvam’s Philosophy:
I believe the major pillars of Dr. Selvam’s approach include:
Identifying and treating root causes rather than merely suppressing symptoms with drugs. Mitochondrial health (energy generation, oxidative stress, etc.) as foundational in many chronic illnesses.
Nutrition / diet (including what might be called “alkalizing” diet, sufficient micronutrients).Sleep, rest, recovery as essential for regeneration.
Stress management (psychological, emotional stress reduction).Exercise / physical activity to stimulate metabolism and overall wellbeing.
Hormonal balance and possibly supplementation
(nutritional, possibly bio-identical hormones).Preventive focus, not waiting for disease to manifest severely, but supporting health from upstream.
These are integrative medicine in the broad sense: combining lifestyle, nutrition, rest, mental / emotional wellbeing, physiology (hormones, mitochondria) to restore or maintain health.
There are scientific evidences supporting these components
Below are summaries of what scientific research shows regarding each of the main pillars, plus examples and evidences.
1. Mitochondrial Dysfunction as a Root Factor
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell: generating ATP, regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, signaling, etc. When mitochondrial function is impaired, by damage to electron transport chain, membrane potential loss, oxidative damage, it contributes to fatigue and multiple disease processes. ScienceDirect+3PubMed+3Nature+3Multiple reviews (e.g. Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Mechanisms and Advances 2024) show mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in metabolic syndrome, neurodegenerative diseases, aging, cardiovascular disease. Nature+2BioMed Central+2
There is emerging evidence that interventions (nutritional supplements, lifestyle) can improve mitochondrial function. For example, the paper Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Chronic Disease: Treatment With Natural Supplements (Garth Nicolson, 2014) summarizes trials using things like Coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, L-carnitine, NADH etc., which in some clinical settings reduced fatigue and other mitochondrial dysfunction symptoms. PubMed Thus, Dr. Selvam’s emphasis on mitochondrial health is well grounded in biology. Much of modern disease burden correlates with mitochondrial decline (due to aging, oxidative stress, nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins etc.).
2. Nutrition / Diet
Healthy diet is repeatedly shown to prevent/delay chronic disease. A recent MDPI review Effects of Healthy Lifestyles on Chronic Diseases: Diet, Exercise, Sleep (2023) demonstrates that diet, regular physical activity, and high-quality sleep form the base of healthy lifestyle, and their adoption dramatically reduces incidence of many chronic conditions. MDPINutrition supplies the building blocks for cellular maintenance, repair, antioxidant defenses, mitochondrial enzyme systems etc.
Deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, or essential micronutrients hinder these.
There is attention to more specific diet types: for example, plant-rich diets (vegetables, whole grains, legumes), Mediterranean diets, lower processed foods, these improve cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, improve metabolic parameters.
The Lifestyle Demonstration Project and Lifestyle Heart Trial are historic examples where comprehensive lifestyle changes (diet + exercise + stress management) produced measurable improvements in coronary artery disease.
Also, timing and circadian rhythm matter, namely, when you eat, how often, etc., sometimes affect metabolic health.
Dr. Selvam’s idea of nourishing the body via diet is strongly backed by science.
3. Physical Activity / Exercise
Exercise is among the best studied non-drug interventions for preventing and managing chronic disease. Regular physical activity lowers risk factors for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, certain cancers.
(PubMed Central+2ScienceDirect+2)
Exercise also helps mitochondrial biogenesis (making more mitochondria), improves mitochondrial efficiency, reduces ROS, improves insulin sensitivity, etc.
In addition, exercise improves sleep quality, mood, stress resilience. For example, there is recent work showing how moderate exercise improves sleep disorders and sleep architecture.
Thus, the inclusion of regular physical activity as essential is well supported.
Sleep, Rest, Recovery.
Sleep is not optional. It is essential for metabolic regulation, immune function, hormonal balance, repair processes. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. Disturbed sleep or insufficient sleep increases inflammation, oxidative stress, impairs glucose metabolism.
The MDPI review (Effects of Healthy Lifestyles …) mentions sleep as part of the triad (diet + exercise + sleep) foundational for healthy lifestyle and prevention of chronic illness.
Also, rest and recovery (not just sleep) include periods of low stress, mental rest, good downtime, which help regulate stress hormones (cortisol etc.), reduce wear and tear.
5. Stress, Emotional & Psychological Health
Chronic stress triggers physiological responses (e.g. chronic elevation of cortisol / HPA axis activation) that increase inflammation, impair immune function, accelerate aging, impair mitochondrial function.
Stress is linked with many chronic illnesses, namely, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmunity, mental health disorders.
Interventions such as mindfulness, meditation, psychotherapy, social support all show benefits in reducing stress biomarkers, improving health outcomes.
There is also interplay: stress often worsens sleep, disrupts diet, reduces physical activity, etc., so it is both a cause and a consequence.
Hormonal Balance, Supplementation.
Hormones (thyroid, adrenal, sex hormones, insulin, growth hormone, etc.) regulate metabolism, energy balance, mood, immune function, growth/repair. Imbalances (deficiency, excess) can disrupt many bodily systems.
Supplementation with nutrients, vitamins, coenzymes, may help when deficiencies exist. The natural supplement trials for mitochondrial dysfunction are an example. But use of hormones (especially bio-identical or off-label hormone therapy) carries risks; evidence varies; long-term safety and side effects must be carefully considered.
Preventive & Upstream Focus. The idea is that rather than waiting until disease is advanced and expensive/harmful, intervening earlier, improving lifestyle, reducing risk factors, can prevent, delay, or partially reverse disease.
Public health, epidemiology and many lifestyle medicine trials show that preventive measures (diet, exercise, sleep, stress) reduce incidence of disease, morbidity, mortality. Also, the concept of aging as modifiable: studies of mitochondrial dysfunction in aging, senescence, etc., show interventions (dietary restriction, exercise) can slow biological aging, reduce accumulation of damage.
Integration: How These Components Work Together
Dr. Selvam’s philosophy suggests these components do not act in isolation, but synergistically. For example, good nutrition supports mitochondrial health, which improves energy production; better energy means more capacity for physical activity; exercise improves sleep; good sleep helps hormonal regulation; low stress helps sleep and reduces metabolic disruption; hormonal balance supports metabolism, mood, healing etc.
Conversely, if one pillar is neglected (say, chronic stress or poor sleep), even good diet or exercise may not fully compensate.
The body is an adaptive system: it can compensate up to a limit. When cumulative “wear and tear” / “allostatic load” becomes too great (due to poor diet, chronic stress, environmental toxins, sleep deprivation, sedentary life etc.), disease manifests. So reducing that load is essential.
Evidence of Success & Case Examples
Lifestyle interventions (diet + exercise + stress reduction) have been shown to regress disease markers in cardiovascular disease (e.g. the Ornish program, Lifestyle Heart Trial). health.uconn.edu
In metabolic disease (type 2 diabetes, obesity), intensive lifestyle changes sometimes lead to remission or marked improvement, especially early disease.
Studies show people with healthy lifestyle habits (good diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, low stress) have much lower incidence of chronic conditions, longer lifespan, better health span.
Supplement interventions: for instance, natural compounds targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in hypertensive organ damage (reviewed 2023) reveal that certain herbs, antioxidants, etc., can reduce oxidative damage, improve mitochondrial functions and thereby reduce damage induced by hypertension.
Frontiers Limitations, Challenges, and Cautions
While much in Dr. Selvam’s philosophy is promising, there are caveats and areas where more evidence is needed or risk must be managed.
Individual variability: Genetic differences, epigenetic states, existing damage, differing capacities for repair, people respond differently to interventions. What works for one may not work for another.
Stage of disease: Early vs advanced disease matter greatly. Once structural damage is extensive (e.g. neuropathy, advanced heart failure, neurodegeneration), reversal is harder or only partial.
Evidence quality: Many studies are observational; fewer randomized controlled trials for some integrative methods. Some supplement studies are small, short-duration, sometimes funded by interested parties, risk of bias.
Safety: Hormone therapy, high-dose supplementation, or unregulated “natural” treatments can carry risks (drug interactions, side effects, toxicity). Feasibility / compliance: Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, rest, stress reduction) may be difficult to maintain long-term for many people because of environment, social, economic, cultural factors.
Cost / access: Not all people have access to high-quality food, sleep environment, or integrative care; insurance or medical systems may not cover these preventive or holistic services.
Overpromising: It is easy for holistic medicine to oversell “cures” or “reversals” without acknowledging limits or individual differences. Ethical practice requires honesty about what is known vs still speculative.
The View of Disease & Healing from an Integrated Lens Putting together Dr. Selvam’s views plus what the literature suggests, one can formulate a conceptual model:
Disease arises from imbalance: not just one pathogenic agent, but multiple insults (dietary imbalance, nutrient deficiencies, oxidative stress, environmental toxins, hormonal dysregulation, sleep disturbance, chronic stress, poor physical activity). Healing requires removal or mitigation of insults + provision of support: reduce inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, correct nutritional deficits, balance hormones, encourage regeneration, rest, optimize mitochondrial function.
Maintenance & prevention are recurrent, not one-off: health is dynamic; one must continuously nourish, rest, move, manage stress, adapt lifestyle.
Holistic alignment: mind, body, emotions, environment all matter. Social support, mental health, sense of purpose often under-emphasized in conventional care, but they influence physiological regulation (immune response, hormonal function, sleep etc.
Suggested Framework for “Root Cause Treatment”
Here is a possible structured plan (inspired by Dr. Selvam + supported by the literature) for treating or preventing chronic disease in a holistic manner:
1. Diet, nutrient levels, hormone levels, sleep quality, stress levels, toxin exposures, mitochondrial function etc.
Identify deficiencies (vitamins, minerals), hormonal imbalances, sleep disorders, stressors
2. Nutrition & supplementation
Whole food diet rich in unprocessed foods; adequate macro- and micronutrients; consider specific supplements (CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, L-carnitine etc.) if indicated.
Improvement in energy, reduced oxidative stress markers, better metabolic parameters (blood sugar, lipids)
3. Physical activity & movement
Regular moderate aerobic + resistance training; movement throughout day; avoid prolonged sedentary behavior.
Improved insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness; increased mitochondrial density/function
4. Sleep & recovery
Ensure sufficient quantity & quality of sleep; manage sleep disorders; build in rest periods, reduce overwork. Better hormonal regulation (cortisol, growth hormone), improved immune markers, reduced fatigue
5. Stress / psychological well-being
Mindfulness, meditation, therapy, social support, emotional wellbeing; reduce chronic stress exposures.
Lowered inflammatory markers, improved mood, improved physiological resilience
6. Hormonal / metabolic regulation. Test and correct hormonal imbalances (thyroid, sex hormones, adrenal); manage metabolic dysregulation; correct insulin resistance.
Normalization of hormone levels, improved metabolic profile, reduction in symptoms (e.g. fatigue, weight gain etc.)
7. Environmental & toxin reduction. Reduce exposure to pollutants, chemicals, heavy metals; ensure clean air/water; limit harmful radiation etc.
Less toxic burden, reduced oxidative stress. Long-term monitoring & adaptation. Continuous monitoring of biomarkers; adjust interventions; maintain supportive lifestyle; relapse prevention.
Sustainable health, better quality of life, slower progression of disease or prevention of disease onset
Where Dr. Selvam’s Views Add Particular Value
Based on what I described, and in light of literature, these seem particularly strong contributions:
Emphasis on mitochondrial health: many holistic minds mention diet or stress, but fewer integrate mitochondrial science as deeply as he seems to. This is increasingly seen as a key frontier.
The idea that healing is possible if the body is properly stimulated, nourished, rested is both hopeful and realistic when applied early. Many people are in low-grade disease long before diagnosis; early intervention can yield large dividends.
Treating hormones, nutrients, rest, stress together rather than piecemeal is more likely to succeed than fragmented approaches.
Magnifying the role of rest / sleep & recovery which are often undervalued in conventional medicine.
Areas Needing More Evidence or Careful Implementation are :
Long-term randomized controlled trials of holistic / integrative protocols (diet + rest + stress + supplementation + hormones) in varied populations (age, disease stages) are still relatively fewer.
Clear safety data for hormone therapies (bio-identical or otherwise) when used long-term, especially in subpopulations (elderly, people with comorbidities).
Standardization of what “optimal diet” or “optimal supplementation” means: what dosages, what combinations, what timing, etc.
Addressing socioeconomic, cultural, environmental constraints: for many people, eating high quality nutritious food, accessing clean rest environments, getting time for rest and stress management is difficult.
My concluding opinion is:
Dr. Selvam Rengasamy’s holistic integrative view is not only philosophically appealing but increasingly supported by modern scientific evidence. The pillars he raises, nourishment, rest, mitochondrial integrity, hormonal balance, stress and lifestyle management, map well onto what research is showing as root contributors to chronic disease. When such an approach is applied thoughtfully, early, and with attention to safety and individual variability, it has real potential to prevent disease, slow progression, improve quality of life, and in some cases partially reverse disease burden.
That said, while there is a strong scientific basis for many of these principles, medicine is still catching up: many interventions lack long-term large RCTs; risks (especially in hormone or supplement therapies) must be carefully managed; social and economic barriers are real. The most ethical and effective path is to combine the best of conventional medicine (when needed) with holistic, root-oriented care, ensuring patients are fully informed, treatments are monitored, and expectations are realistic.
(End of Part 1).
I shall continue on this aspect of medicine under the title:
“When Medicine Becomes Healing: Integrative Wisdom for Modern Illness”
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