In 1999 after reading the book “Why Christians Get Sick” by George Malkmus I adopted an 80% raw plant based diet. Prior to that time I had been battling my weight since I was a teenager but was still in my opinion relatively healthy. Soon after making the dietary change I quickly began to see the weight melt away and soon I was able to exercise without pain and excess fatigue. I even noticed myself developing a deeper more meaningful spiritual life. It was the best I’d ever felt in my life! I then convinced my sister who was also overweight and had a whole host of chronic medical problems, to change her diet and we saw all her problems disappear.
At the time I had been a Physician Assistant working in Cardiology for about 10 years and I had never been able to achieve those kinds of results with any of my patients. I had never learned anything like this in my training and to my knowledge there were no doctors advising their patients in this way. Although the results seemed nothing less than miraculous, the basic concepts of proper nutrition, exercise, removal of toxins and development of spiritual connections just made sense.
Methods
In order to achieve our mission we incorporate assessment of your current condition, your environmental influences and your genetic predisposition to determine your individual needs. Those needs are then addressed using nutritional and lifestyle measures specific for you. Please see our services page for full descriptions of the different modalities we utilize.
Mission statement
To provide care to those with chronic health problems by helping them discover and utilize the tools and strategies needed to achieve optimal health through diet, lifestyle and other natural means.
Over the years I would continue my study of alternative and integrative medicine and would eventually obtain certification in Functional Medicine. Today by combining the personalized approach of Functional Medicine with the unmatched healing capabilities of plant rich diets that are high in phytonutrients our patients are able to enjoy a unique healthcare experience that produces results far surpassing any they've ever experienced in conventional healthcare.
For me it is so satisfying to see people become empowered with new knowledge and move from dependence on a health care system that simply maintains their sickness to a place of freedom and wellness where they take responsibility for their lives and achieve true health.
Our Team
Phyllis Young, the founder and president of Truth & Life Nutrition Consultants, graduated from CUNY Lehman College in Bronx, NY in 1982 with a dual B.S. degree in Anthropology and Biology. In 1988 she earned a second B.S. in Physician Assistant Studies from The City College of New York, CUNY School of Medicine, and subsequently completed a year long internship in General and Special Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY. In 2015 Phyllis completed three years of training with the Institute For Functional Medicine and in 2016 earned her designation as an IFM Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. For more than 30 years she has worked as a Physician Assistant in a variety of clinical settings including Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care, Occupational Health and Functional Medicine. She also spent a number of years organizing and participating in short term medical mission trips to several medically underserved countries in Africa, as well as to India, Cambodia and the Middle East.
Debbie Magney, joined our team in June 2019. Debbie has been passionate about health and nutrition for over 30 years. In 2014 Debbie received a diploma in Comprehensive Nutrition from Huntington College of Health Sciences. It was during this coursework that Debbie was introduced to Functional Medicine and fell in love with the concept of treating the cause of an illness as opposed to simply addressing the symptoms. Debbie eventually went on to train with the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy and in January of 2019 received the designation of Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach.
Prior to her coaching career Debbie and her husband of 36 years were long term christian missionaries who served in Venezuela, South America for 6 years and currently continue to volunteer locally doing bible and christian education.
Debbie provides a healthy dose of compassion as well as health and life coaching to our patients who are enrolled in our annual membership as well as to those who feel they can simply use a little extra support.