Dr Michelle VDW

Dr Michelle VDW I’m Dr. Michelle—an MD who found a more connected way to heal through rhythm, nature, and regeneration.

I help health-aware individuals return to simplicity, trust, and true wellness—after stepping beyond the system to follow what actually worked.

08/24/2026

This morning I climbed a mountain.

Part of why I do hard things is for me. But part of it is because I want my kids to grow up watching their mom do things that feel difficult and believing they can too.

Because belief matters.

In our health.
In business.
In the things we ask of our bodies.
In the goals we set.
In the kind of person we believe we can become.

I’ve watched two people try the exact same intervention and have completely different experiences. I’ve seen people pursue similar opportunities with completely different outcomes. There are obviously many variables involved but I don’t think we should underestimate what happens when someone genuinely believes change is possible.

Then, after climbing the mountain this morning, I jumped onto a meeting with some of my business leaders Beth Blackmore

The topic?

Mindset and belief.

How’s that for validation.

One thing shared on the call really stayed with me: do today what the future version of you would consider successful.

Don’t wait for some future milestone to decide you’re successful.

Every time you do something you said you were going to do, you create evidence that you can trust yourself.

And that builds belief.

The mountain this morning was one tiny piece of evidence for me.

I can do hard things.
I can follow through.
I can become more capable than I was yesterday.

And I want my kids to learn that too.

What do you want to achieve that you don’t quite believe is possible yet?

What could you do today to start changing that belief?

I’m not sure I believe in “the root cause” anymore.At least not in the way we often talk about it.For years, I thought g...
08/22/2026

I’m not sure I believe in “the root cause” anymore.

At least not in the way we often talk about it.

For years, I thought getting to the root cause was the goal. Find the deficiency. Fix the gut. Treat the infection. Balance the hormones. Support the mitochondria.

And those things can matter enormously.

But the longer I’ve studied human biology, the less convinced I am that most chronic symptoms have one neat root cause.

The body isn’t a collection of separate systems, and it certainly isn’t static. It is constantly adapting to what is happening inside us and around us: our food, light, sleep, stress, relationships, environment, history and season of life.

Fatigue is a perfect example.

Two people can both say, “I’m exhausted,” while arriving there through completely different biology.

That changes the question.

Instead of only asking, “What is causing this symptom?”

I’m increasingly interested in asking:

What is asking too much of this system?
What is it missing?
And how do we build its capacity again?

This is where functional medicine, quantum biology and the rest of what I’ve learned over nearly two decades in medicine increasingly come together for me.

Not one root cause.

A connected, dynamic human being.

I’m going to explore more common health problems through this lens here.

What would you like me to connect the dots on next?

Everything you need to know about FOUNDATIONS, all in one place.On September 20, we’re taking over the beautiful gardens...
08/16/2026

Everything you need to know about FOUNDATIONS, all in one place.

On September 20, we’re taking over the beautiful gardens at Privato Winery for a day built around a simple idea:

What if learning about health was something the whole family could experience together?

Expert talks for adults. A thoughtfully designed, nature-based Children’s Experience running alongside them. Eight hands-on Discoveries that turn ideas about the human body and our environment into things families can actually see, touch and explore.

Add local farmers, makers, educators and community partners, good food, beautiful surroundings and time to actually connect with one another.

This isn’t a day where you need to leave the kids at home in order to learn.

They’re part of the experience.

FOUNDATIONS | A Family Gathering
September 20 | 10 AM–4 PM
Privato Winery | Kamloops, BC

$169 adults
$39 children ages 3–13
Ages 0–2 free
Lunch included

If you know a family who would love this, please share this post or send it directly to them.

Tickets + details:
drmichellevdw.com/foundationsgathering

Come curious. Bring the kids.

Next week, I’m joining Edith Regier Skelton for a conversation that brings two very different worlds together: science a...
08/14/2026

Next week, I’m joining Edith Regier Skelton for a conversation that brings two very different worlds together: science and spirit.

We’ll be exploring the power of light from what we understand about light, energy and human biology to the deeper ways we experience our relationship with it.

I’ll also be sharing more about wearable phototherapy technology and why this area has captured my attention as a medical doctor with a background in functional medicine and quantum biology.

If you’re curious about light, energy, wellness, or simply interested in hearing two different perspectives come together, join us live.

August 20 | 1 PM EST | Live on Zoom

DM me LIGHT and I’ll send you the link.

08/14/2026

Eighteen months ago, I had gum recession that I assumed was permanent.

Today, it has improved by about 50%.

What changed?

Two things: I started using phototherapy patches, and I switched to a red-light toothbrush.

Which one did it? I genuinely don’t know.

Maybe one. Maybe both. Maybe there are other pieces I’m not accounting for.

But that’s actually not the most interesting part to me.

The interesting part is that I had accepted the idea that once gum tissue recedes, that’s simply the direction things go.

And then it didn’t.

One of the biggest shifts in how I think about health has been becoming much more careful about the word irreversible.

Our bodies are dynamic. They respond to their environment. They repair. They adapt. And while that certainly doesn’t mean everything can be reversed, I think we sometimes close the door on possibility far too early.

Knowledge gives us options.

We can learn. We can experiment thoughtfully. We can pay attention to what changes. And sometimes our bodies surprise us.

So today I want to turn the comments into a bit of a dental-health knowledge exchange.

Have you had a dental win you didn’t expect?

And especially for the dental-health nerds here: what have you learned about remineralising teeth, preventing cavities or toothpaste ingredients that actually make a difference?

Drop what you know below. I’d love for us all to learn from each other.

08/03/2026

This morning’s climb was exactly that.

A mountain bike.
A steep trail.
A lot of pushing.
And, at one point, I think I was only just beating the sloth on my socks.

But I kept going.

What I love most isn’t actually reaching the top. It’s knowing that once the hardest part is behind me, the rest of the ride changes. The downhill is where the fun begins.

I’ve realised I approach work the same way.

If there’s one conversation I’ve been avoiding, one email that feels uncomfortable, one project that requires the most focus… I try to do that first.

Not because I believe we should always be hustling, but because carrying the hardest thing around all day quietly drains your energy. When it’s done, everything else feels lighter.

You also start the day with a small win.

And those small wins have a way of changing how the rest of the day unfolds.

So here’s my question:

What’s your mountain today?

Or, if you prefer the old saying… what’s your frog?

Address

Kamloops, BC

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dr Michelle VDW posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category