Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Dukes.
Taylor, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was originally a trauma ICU nurse and an adrenaline junkie until I got sick. I had a wonderful opportunity to go on a medical mission trip to Ecuador but after that trip, my health greatly declined. I was so sick and was going from doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist with no real answers. I was convicted that I was nurse that was supposed to advocate for my patients but I got lost in the medical system and wasn’t able to advocate for myself. It wasn’t until I went to a functional and integrative medical doctor that I was able to get to the root cause of my symptoms. They did a comprehensive work up, put me on a health plan full of supplements, I changed my diet, learned about my genetics, optimized my nutrients and hormones, fixed my gut issues and I was given my health back. Once I experienced the benefits as a patient, I knew my career had to switch gears. I was so thankful God allowed me to experience the pain and suffering and without that, I would never be where I am today. It motivated me so much so that I ended up getting a job for a functional medicine doctor and going back to school to pursue further education so that I could become a provider. I have been practicing functional and integrative medicine for six years and it is such a joy, honor and privilege to truly get to the root cause of patient’s symptoms rather than operating off of the “pill for an ill” model. I do prescribe, but when medically necessary and I am always considering lifestyle interventions first.
Has it been a smooth road?
HECK NO! haha. It has been quite the opposite. First, I had to overcome all of my own personal health struggles so that I was able to use my gifts to serve others. I took a major financial risk going to grad school. I was almost done with school and met my husband who was an Air Force pilot. I became a military wife and that was such an incredible experience but that was difficult for me to get my clinical experience and complete all of my rotation hours. In the midst of finishing school, I was pregnant with our first child. I then took the state boards 36 weeks pregnant because I was so determined to become a family nurse practitioner before I gave birth. At this time, I was starting my private practice and my other business (a comprehensive wellness center). In a three month time span, I had a baby, sold a house, moved cities, bought a house, launched a private practice and launched a wellness center. My advice would be find your passion and know your gifts and utilize them. It isn’t always easy, it takes commitment, grit and dedication but it’s worth it and never stop dreaming! I am living my dream and where I am at is truly an answered prayer but it took me years to get to where I am and I am so thankful I knew my end goal and never gave up, despite curveballs and unforeseen circumstances.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Taylor Dukes is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She grew up in Austin, Texas, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Texas Christian University. After college, Taylor worked in a Level I Intensive Care Unit and although she enjoyed her experience there, she was exposed to a variety of devastating complications associated with chronic conditions. The combination of her experience in the ICU and walking through her own personal health journey motivated Taylor to take an alternative approach in the healthcare field.
Taylor was first exposed to functional medicine as a patient in 2013. She had a myriad of symptoms and doctors and specialists were wanting to perform procedures and prescribed multiple medications that only lead to more complications and more side effects. Taylor was convicted that she was a nurse and was supposed to advocate for her patients but got lost in the medical system and could not advocate for herself until she found functional medicine. With the help of a functional medicine provider, changing her lifestyle and diet and getting on the right individualized protocols, she was able to get to the root cause of her medical problems. Taylor was forever changed by this experience as a patient and she knew that God had a purpose through her suffering. This is when she began to pursue a career in functional medicine.
Since 2014, Taylor has worked in Functional Medicine. She had the opportunity to be the nurse for Dr. Amy Myers, a two time, New York Times best-selling author and MD from 2014-2017. Since then, she has helped other practitioners start and run their own functional medicine practices. Her education and experience have equipped her with extensive knowledge in health, nutrition, genetics, and lifestyle and it is her joy and privilege to partner with patients and encourage them in their health journey.
She is married to her husband Ryan and they welcome their first born son in September. If Taylor is not working you can find her spending time with friends and family, watching football, traveling, enjoying the outdoors, or catching up on research and listening to functional medicine podcasts.
What is functional medicine —
The Functional Medicine model is an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. It requires a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalized treatment plans that lead to improved patient outcomes.
By addressing root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners become oriented to identifying the complexity of disease. They may find one condition has many different causes and, likewise, one cause may result in many different conditions. As a result, Functional Medicine treatment targets the specific manifestations of disease in each individual.
Who can benefit —
Do you struggle with stubborn weight gain, digestive issues or persistent allergies? Maybe you are struggling with multiple symptoms that are unexplained or have several autoimmune conditions and you don’t feel heard by other providers. Or perhaps you feel decent but want to optimize your health, peak your performance, and prevent conditions in the future. No matter where you are in life, functional medicine is for you and I would love to work with you. I will commit to getting to the root cause of your symptoms by doing a thorough health history, listening to your story and ordering appropriate labs. Based off all of those findings, I will develop an individualized treatment protocol for your lifestyle, nutritional needs, genetics and underlying conditions.
Conditions I treat — Acne, ADHD, Adrenal Fatigue, Aging, Allergies, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Autoimmune Diseases, Cancer Prevention, Cardiovascular Disease (hypertension, high cholesterol), Chronic Sinusitis, Depression, Diabetes and Pre-diabetes, Digestive Disorders (IBS, Reflux, SIBO, candida, parasites, leaky gut), Eczema, Fatigue, GERD/Acid Reflux, Healthy Aging, Headaches and Migraines, Heavy Metal Toxicity, Hormone Imbalances (PCOS, PMS, Menopause), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis), Insomnia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Metabolism or weight issues, Motherhood (preconception, pregnancy, postpartum care), Nutrient, eficiencies, Skin Disorders and Thyroid Problems.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
For me personally and a lot of my colleagues, it is not just the female barrier but the work/mom life balance. I absolutely love my job and it is THE BEST and so much fun and it brings me joy everyday meeting with patients and impacting people’s lives and truly changing their health… but with that being said, being a mother is the greatest joy and honor of my life. I would say for me personally it is a challenge to take time for myself and care for myself.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5001 Byers Ave
Fort Worth, TX 76107 - Website: www.taylordukeswellness.com
- Phone: 817-330-9848
- Email: info@taylordukeswellness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylordukeswellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Taylor-Dukes-MSN-FNP-C-113161773372598/
Image Credit:
Hannah mayson photography http://hannahmayson.com/
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
