In our first edition of A Handful of Healers, we share a Q&A (originally published in Muse Magazine) with Integrative & Aesthetic practitioner, Dr. Allison van der Riet.
What do health and wellness mean to you?
Health is not simply created with pharmaceutical medication. While it certainly has its place, health, to me, is harmony within all the systems of our being. This includes the intangibles such as our emotional health, our relationships with friends, family relationships and dynamics, our work space and fulfilment and our space within society. It takes so much more to create health than simply eating a salad and going for a run – I still want my patients to do that though!
Any personal experiences that led to the creation of your business?
The first 10 years of my medical career were spent in emergency units working shifts and dealing with trauma. While I absolutely loved my job, the job didn’t love me. Addressing trauma everyday took it’s toll on me over the years. I didn’t have the tools to look after my health outside of work and subsequently I suffered with my own health issues. The professionals who I dealt with during my own journey just didn’t seem to “get it” and I became the poster child for burnout and despondent with the system. After a brief sabbatical from medicine altogether, I returned to practicing and focused on things which I enjoyed which initially was just aesthetic medicine (antiwrinkle injections, skincare etc) and the integrative medicine came with that. I found a whole different side to healthcare which was not even touched on in medical school. By learning to heal myself by finding the cause, I can now help others in doing that.
What wellness practices do you personally practice at home?
The basics have played such a pivotal role in my own health and as easy as they may seem on paper, making these a priority has made such a difference to me. These would be correct food choices and importantly, enough of it, moving everyday, cutting back on alcohol, prioritising sleep and identifying my signs of overworking and stress. My achilles heel is stress so I try to make sure I’m always on top of managing that and stepping away from work when I am overwhelmed – which is difficult at times as I love my work. Being an introvert is challenging with my work being patient-centric, so scheduling “alone time” is imperative to restore me to “factory settings”.
How does your offering stand out?
Having been a patient myself in a system which is failing has definitely changed the way I manage patients. I try to address the patient’s main complaint while trying to optimise everything else. In terms of cosmetic treatments, there are so many doctors who are creating the same idea of beauty where I find beauty in our imperfections. Improving a patient’s confidence is the ultimate goal while keeping natural results in mind always.
What is your current favourite aesthetic treatment?
I’ve been in love with biostimulators for a while now as I love a natural looking outcome.
What quick steps would you advise for people to keep healthy everyday in mind, body, and soul?
The quick steps would be the basics – food is medicine, move everyday, improve quality and length of sleep. Better health comes in managing and addressing the intangibles which I mention above. Schedule something “fun” to do every week!
We know you love to run. What are you currently training for?
Sanity. Joking! One of my goals for 2024 was to do 10x 21km races. Once I accomplished more than half of that goal, I signed up for my first marathon in a moment of weakness (and peer pressure and FOMO). So I guess I have been training for that – Cape Town Marathon. After that, Soweto Half Marathon and another trail run half marathon in November and December.
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
Find balance. Have more fun.
What is your favourite skincare product?
Cosmelan maintenance cream to keep my pigmentation at bay.
What are you reading?
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Everyday make-up?
Just mascara and brow-gel.
What supplements are you taking at the moment and why?
My supplements target my main health concerns at any given time and that changes month to month. At the moment I am focusing on training and recovery for my higher exercise load as well as perimenopause. My favourites at the moment: Creatine, protein supplement, collagen, magnesium glycinate, vitamin D3, chasteberry, Q10, NAC, Omega 3 combo.
What do you use on your hair?
Kerastase shampoo, conditioner with a masque once a week and then absolutely no heat styling. I’m lazy.
Favourite South African clothing brand?
BENA Loungewear.
Best restaurant?
I’m going back to my favourite restaurant this month – Chef’s Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic.
I cannot start my day without…
a decent cup of coffee and cuddles with my fur children.
I sleep really well if I…
take magnesium.
My secret weapon is…
trusting my intuition.
My secret indulgence is…
champagne.
Any parting words?
Aging is inevitable. Suffering is not.
Dr Allison van der Riet is a general practitioner with a special interest in aesthetic and integrative medicine. What makes Dr. Ali’s approach different is that treatments are focussed foremost on accentuating your best features, achieving natural results and softening the negative signs of aging. Dr. Ali is absolutely passionate about happy, healthy skin! She offers all cosmetic treatments including antiwrinkle injections, dermal fillers, biostimulators, medical micro-needling, platelet rich plasma, chemical peeling and skin boosters to name a few. To contact Dr. Ali: hello@drallison.co.za or 076 161 6690.
