Press
"Milford doctor prescribes lifestyle changes instead of pills" - New Haven Register
MILFORD — A retired doctor and his wife have opened a “functional medicine” practice unique in this area that finds the underlying causes of chronic illnesses and prescribes a lifestyle change, rather than a pill, to heal the body.
“People are allowed to become chronically ill,” and the only option a physician has is to give them medicine and send them home or recommend surgery, said Dr. Charles Guglin. “We can reverse these chronic diseases” with preventive measures.
Guglin, a longtime surgeon at Milford Hospital who recently retired, and his wife, Francesca , have opened a functional medicine practice, HyperFit MD, at 88 Noble Ave.
Francesca Guglin, who has years of experience in the preventive medicine industry, manages the office. Her husband, who was a general surgeon at the hospital for 29 years, was president of the medical staff and chief of surgery, and treated everything from trauma to cancer.
After going through his own health challenges, stepping back and realizing the way to a better quality of life was a lifestyle change, Charles Guglin became a work in progress himself, changing his diet, losing weight, exercising and kicking bad habits.
Still admittedly a work in progress, Guglin said he wanted to share all he’s learned and since he’s not ready to retire, they decided to start a business to make others’ lives better.
“I was slowly killing myself,” he said “I’ve changed the way I eat, no alcohol,” he said, noting that lifestyle change is a journey. “With this regimen , accountability is everything.”
It’s been an evolution of sorts for the doctor who realized in his own career that what doctors do in traditional medicine and surgery is to treat people who are acutely ill and send them home just as unhealthy as when they arrived, he said.
He said most doctors don’t have time to get to the bottom of chronic illness, weren’t trained with that goal, and, in addition, the complex health care system is tied in with the pharmaceutical industry and its strong lobbyists who want there to be a need for medication.
Patients are prescribed a pill, then need another pill to counteract its negative effects, and so starts the cycle, he said.
Guglin said he’s in no way recommending people leave their traditional doctor — he still has one along with his own functional medicine doctor in Florida where the trend he’s brought to Milford already is popular.
“We all need a doctor,” Guglin said. “I don’t want to be your regular doctor. I just wanted to do this.”
A visit to the office — which also specializes in hormone replacement and hair replacement — begins with a detailed assessment of the patient’s cardio fitness, genome testing, a detailed blood analysis beyond what is normally prescribed.
Based on the results, Guglin comes up with lifestyle changes that include diet, exercise, stress reduction and detoxification.
To go the next step, the practice assists patients in executing the plans — they provide nutrition education that includes how to shop, cook, read labels. And they connect the patient with an exercise expert that best suits them. In other words, they create a “life plan,” Guglin said.
He said the public has received a lot of incorrect and misleading information about hormone replacement, which Guglin often recommends.
He said everyone reaches a point — no matter hard they fight it — where hormones lessen, causing a cut in sex drive, loss of muscle and increase in fat.
The practice also offers hair replacement services of all kinds, including transplant. He said the functional medicine approach has already caught on in other areas of the country, including Florida and Southern California, where he says “older people are paying to get healthy.”
The price for services at HyperFit MD are extremely variable and typically the blood work is all that’s covered by insurance, Francesca Guglin said.
“We are all put on this planet for a purpose,” Charles Guglin said. “I want to be alive and healthy. Health is the most important thing.”
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REVIEWS
- I learned so much about my body and my health by completing 3 of the test that Dr Guglin recommended. I'm very impressed by the technology available here in Milford CT. The staff is knowledgeable, professional and most of all caring. If you spend time at the Gym, you definitely want to know more about your body. I highly recommend HyperFit MD.- Clem Yazdani. 7/17/2019
- My experience at Hyper Fit MD Age Management Center has been and continues to be positive with excellent results. Dr. Guglin and Francesca are professional and caring individuals who provide detailed personal service. In my opinion, this is the wave of the future. If you adhere to your personalized plan, as I have, the results are excellent. I would highly recommend Dr. Guglin to improve your health and life. V. Lazzaro- Vin Lazz. 6/11/2019
- Dr.Guglin and Francesca are outstanding people. They're professional, personable, compassionate, and really cared about my experience and well-being throughout my NeoGraft procedure. Dr. Guglin is an esteemed medical doctor, having years of surgery experience. In addition to their team doing a remarkable job, they made sure I was comfortable the whole time, and even provided lunch. They made the whole process relatively stress free, despite it being an all-day procedure, and even finished ahead of schedule. They are always accessible and responsive. I strongly recommend Dr. Guglin and his team. Salt of the earth people.- Doug Rudolph. 5/14/2019
- HyperFit Age Management offers a unique approach to health care ... Preventative/Functional medicine. Dr. Guglin is passionate about educating his patients so that they can live their best lives. He uses advanced diagnostics and a variety of cutting edge treatments. While other doctors just treat symptoms by writing an RX, Dr. Guglin gets to the cause of the problem. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, make an appointment today!- Michele Kelly. 3/23/2019
- All of the attention to wellness that you expect from your doctor but don't get. I am very pleased with the focus on keeping well and maintaining an optimized body. I learned more about my body in 2 visits than I have in 45 years visiting various General Practitioners. I highly recommend them.- Brett Calkins. 0/16/2019
- Dr Guglin fixed my hormones very quickly. Bio-denticals are life changing when you have the right Doctor. He spends a lot of time going over test results. Your not rushed like at your primary physician. His wife Francesca is so kind and helpful . She greets you at the front desk. Overall a great experience.- Christine Ann. 0/15/2019
- Dr. G is a well versed clinician on several fronts. Being an surgeon by trade, his functional medicine approach is well received by patients to get past their health challenges to improve their function and address the underlying cause. Passionate about rescuing people’s health. David Arthur, DC, DACNB, BCIM- Dr. David Arthur. 0/26/2018
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