COVER STORY | By M.G. Angulo –
A woman’s role in our society has transformed tremendously over the decades, allowing women to showcase their abilities in the home, in their careers and throughout their communities. Unfortunately, a woman’s health often takes a back seat to her demanding schedule and her desire to take care of those she loves.
“Women need to take their health into their own hands and find a physician who is a woman’s advocate, one who gets to know the patient as a person and not just a number,” said Dr. Shelena Lalji, who has more than 20 years of experience as a board certified OB/GYN, author, national speaker and educator.
Considered by many to be an expert in the fields of wellness, anti-aging and aesthetics, Dr. Shel, as she is known to her patients and colleagues, is devoted to empowering women by improving “both their inner and outer well-being.” At her practice, Dr. Shel offers women both wellness and aesthetic services so they can look and feel confident. “Feeling your absolute best is an integral part of our philosophy of care,” she said. “I strongly believe in the art of beauty and the science of wellness as key ingredients for a balanced and vital life.”
Compassionate, Customized Care
At the Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center in Sugar Land, patients are provided with relief from their ailments though customized, individualized care. “Understanding our patients, their symptoms, their inner and outer wellness goals and helping them achieve those goals is always our main priority,” said Dr. Shel.
KHOU’s Great Day Houston senior producer and host Deborah Duncan knows first-hand the quality of care that lies within Dr. Shel’s hands. After the birth of her son, Duncan noticed a substantial change in her body. She was fatigued but could not sleep. She also endured hair loss and depression, but when she reached out for help, the doctors she met with only wanted to treat her symptoms, not correct the underlying cause of her symptoms.
Then Duncan met with Dr. Shel and everything changed. To understand why Duncan was experiencing such a dramatic change in her quality of life, Dr. Shel performed lab work, which confirmed her suspicions that Duncan had hypothyroidism.
“Having a lab on the premises is so convenient,” Duncan said. “Dr. Shel rebalanced my hormones, nutrition and gut and literally saved my life. The hormones and detoxification helped to reduce inflammation in my body that made me look puffy and improve my weight and symptoms so I could feel great again!”
Because she strongly believes in using natural over synthetic hormones, Dr. Shel offers bio-identical hormones, which are biologically identical to what the body produces and are recognized by our body’s receptors. Duncan also took advantage of Dr. Shel’s Intravenous (IV) Vitamin Therapy – a method of feeding essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other natural substances directly into a patient’s bloodstream – and Vanquish ME, which can treat body fat around the abdomen arms, legs and hips without any surgery or downtime.
“These services are the sure way that my body can instantly receive vitamins and essential nutrients, so I can keep up with my fast-paced life,” Duncan said. “And Vanquish ME helped to reduce the fat in my mid-section.
“There are so many cool, innovative procedures available in Dr. Shel’s office that can help you feel great from the inside out, and it’s all done under one beautiful roof. Dr. Shel is constantly on the lookout for the latest techniques and technology that can yield the best results for a better you.”
Validating Her Patients
Dr. Shel’s success with her patients lies in her approach to their health. At her practice, general or broad treatments are never the go-to answer, and a patient’s concerns are never dismissed. When a woman complains of mood swings, fatigue, weight gain, low libido and depression, often the culprit is hormonal imbalance, primarily because of declining progesterone levels, especially for women in their 30s. This unfortunate trend can continue to worsen into their 40s and then, of course, during menopause.
“Women need to be validated and not made to feel that it is all in their head,” Dr. Shel said. “Once we diagnose and correct the imbalances, women once again feel vibrant, energized, sexy and full of life.”
Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center specializes in more than hormones. From a range of services such as weight
loss, sexual health and gut health to a plethora of aesthetic services such as laser skin tightening, rejuvenation, Botox, fillers, body sculpting, feminine rejuvenation, laser hair and vein removal, Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center can easily be considered the only stop a woman needs if her desire is to regain control of her health and confidence.
“We are very complicated beings, and at my practice, we treat those complicated issues comprehensively. We no longer have to accept low energy, weight gain, low libido, hair loss, depression, mood swings, insomnia and many such symptoms as part of aging,” Dr. Shel stressed. “We can truly work on getting our lives back.”
A Modern Approach to Medicine
Dr. Shel believes the traditional approach to medicine – prescribing scores of medications to ease symptoms while ignoring the root cause – is synonymous with placing a Band-Aid on health issues. The medical philosophy she practices at her office is drastically different, because it centers on diagnosing and treating the underlying cause of a problem. “My team and I focus on the root cause, diagnose why our patients are feeling as they are, really listen to them and get them feeling their best naturally and holistically,” she said.
Dr. Shel’s philosophy is the primary reason Rosenberg Mayor Cynthia A. McConathy sought her services. For the past five years, McConathy has been going to Dr. Shel’s practice for IV vitamin infusions to combat fatigue, allergies and exposure to the seasonal cold and flu, because Dr. Shel’s approach is in line with McConathy’s desire to take a “holistic approach to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”
“It saddens me to hear how the medical profession sometimes fails people at their time of greatest need,” McConathy said. “I have recommended Dr. Shel to people who have been on the insurance ‘roller-coaster’ of testing with no diagnosis and no results. When you give your body what its needs to be balanced and whole, the results are amazing and sometimes even miraculous.”
Her approach to medicine is not just popular with patients but other physicians around the world as well. Dr. Shel regularly speaks and trains at national and international medical and aesthetic conferences and has been featured for her expertise on many television shows including the NBC, CBS, KPRC and KHOU Morning News, Latina Voices and KHOU’s Great Day Houston to name a few. And as the author of I Am Woman: Our Journeys to Health, Happiness and Harmony, Dr. Shel guides readers through a journey of self-discovery and awareness of women’s health issues by focusing on preventive and integrative aspects of medicine.
“She is genuine in her desire to help patients achieve optimum health,” McConathy said. “Dr. Shel helps the patient to identify deficiencies in the body, hindrances to health and works with the patient to set goals for excellent overall health. Dr. Shel wants all of her patients to be healthy and feel their best inside and out.”
Men Need and Deserve the Same Attention
Dr. Shel feels very strongly about offering the same standard of excellent, comprehensive care to her male patients. She has treated hundreds of men over the years with nutrition, testosterone replacement, gut health, IV therapy and aesthetics to help them feel energized, revitalized, sleep better, gain muscle, lose weight and get their libido and motivation back. Men, too, partake in many aesthetic treatments, which give them the added confidence they are looking for.
For more information on Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center, call 281-313-7435 or visit www.drshel.com.
