Defying all odds, doctor transforms adopted daughter's health using functional medicine

When a doctor was told there was no cure for his daughter's condition, he was motivated to transform not only her health, but the lives of thousands of others.

Dr. Aaron Hartman is the author of the new book "UnCurable: From Hopeless Diagnosis to Defying All Odds." His adopted daughter, Anna, was born to a meth-addicted mother. He said doctors told him Anna would never walk, talk, or live independently.

"Made me realize, I had to figure it out for my daughter on my own. It was up to me to do it," Hartman said, "and that's what put me on this whole different path of integrative and functional medicine."

Hartman took that mission to the point where he moved his entire family to a farm.

"The idea was, how can we have this maximal environment where our kids have outdoor play, exposure, inquisitiveness, learning, real food? And so farm, homesteading seemed like the natural thing. Raised our own cows and chickens," said Hartman. "But it was very, very instrumental in me learning how important the environment is, and what you eat is, with your health."

Anna is now a thriving 19-year-old who walks with forearm crutches. Hartman said nutrition, therapies, and grit made for a turnaround for Anna.

"Just persistence, just keeping on doing new things," Hartman said. "We did suit therapy, which is this way of making her walk and move, physically activating her three to four hours a day. Real food. Finding out I could use food like a drug. Healthy fats, real protein and finally just interaction. She's had so many adults, so many people pulling for her, helping her, like the community around her, it's amazing how powerful those three basic things were in her healing journey."

Hartman had some advice for parents or caregivers who have been told there is nothing else to be done for their children.

"The message is never give up. Never give up hope. There are answers out there," he said. "When someone says you're uncurable, there's nothing that can be done for you, all that means is what they can do for you. You've run to the end of what they can do. There are other options, other things that can be done."

Hartman said "UnCurable" is not about rejecting medicine. It is about expanding it and looking at all aspects, including the root cause of a medical problem.

Dr. Hartman can be found on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn, and hosts the Made for Health podcast.