Coping Through COVID-19

Blending a variety of medical approaches, Dr. Chong Kim adds a personal touch to primary care.

About the only thing we can count on for sure during these uncertain times is change. And that’s particularly true in the field of medicine. Health care is growing and adapting almost daily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges of constantly evolving medical knowledge can be stressful for even the most experienced doctor.

Welcome to the world of Chong Kim, MD, an internal medicine specialist and owner of Coastal Anti-Aging Medical Group in Torrance. Dr. Kim, who is double-board- certified in both internal and functional medicine, also maintains an independent hospital practice at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center and Torrance Memorial Medical Center. His hospital work inspires his proactive approach to preventive medicine.

“Working in the hospital helps keep me current with ongoing medical trends around the world, including COVID-19,” he says. “This experience is a benefit to the patients I see in my practice.”

An Innovative Style

Dr. Kim and wife Luella

While he is well-versed in traditional Western medicine, early on Dr. Kim recognized its limitations and developed an alternative style of health care using a holistic, integrative approach. At his practice, he embraces highly personalized, concierge-style primary care, based on his expertise in both traditional and functional medicine.

“I feel fortunate to have the relationship I have with my patients,” he says. “They love what we have to offer, including our concierge care. I look forward to seeing them and getting to know them better. It makes doing what I do enjoyable.”

Coastal Anti-Aging Medical Group offers tests for lung function, bone density, allergies, and genetic and diagnostic testing for cancer —all designed to provide care preventively and avoid treating disorders retroactively. Dr. Kim offers a nutritional evaluation to determine the need for support for adrenal dysfunction, hormone optimization and weight loss assistance.

“A strong immune system is key to preventing as well as controlling the COVID-19 infection.”

With more than a decade of experience under his belt, his keen instinct and medical knowledge inform his ability to formulate remedies to treat specific health issues—often with IV nutritional therapy rather than medications that can have negative side effects. He also provides patients with pharmaceutical-grade supplementation formulated to promote longevity and boost the immune response.

Dr. Kim emphasizes strengthening the immune system—a good idea for all of us when we’re not only facing the risk of COVID-19, but we’re also entering flu season. “A strong immune system is key to preventing as well as controlling the COVID-19 infection,” says Dr. Kim.

Following are his recommendations to stay healthy and prevent serious infections, based on medical references published by the National Institutes of Health. (Of course, check first with your primary care physician.)

Vitamin D: “In several studies, vitamin D was shown to block viruses from binding to cell receptors as well as reduce the IL-6 factor that promotes severe infection,” Dr. Kim says. “I recommend 5,000 IU once a day for most patients, and if you’re sick, take it twice a day.”
Zinc: “This supports immunity, is antibacterial, has antiviral properties, helps with healing and hormone response. Take 10 to 30 mg.”
Selenium: “I suggest 100 mcg once a day. This is also available in foods.”
Green tea and extract of licorice: “In a patented antiviral medication I offer patients.”
Glutathione: “This is a detox administered through IV therapy, for antiviral and antioxidant treatments.”
Vitamin C: “Boosts immunity, promotes healing, supports strong bones, builds collagen, fights cardiovascular disease, safeguards mental health, helps with stress and fatigue.

Dr. Kim, who has practiced medicine for more than 20 years and opened Coastal Anti-Aging Medical Group in 2007, also recommends maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and using hormone management as tools for longevity.

Peace of Mind

Dr. Kim’s wife, Luella, works with him at Coastal Anti-Aging Medical Group and recognizes the strain health care workers are feeling while caring for COVID-19 patients and others during this time. The families of these frontline workers are also dealing with a high level of stress.

“He loves what he does—helping people,” Luella says of her husband. “We respect and, with great admiration, honor his endeavors. However, while many family units safely quarantine together, my daughters and I, like fellow families of COVID-19 health care workers, do the best we can to thrive while being prayerfully supportive in distant ways—our new normal.”

Adjusting to all the changes is not easy, and Dr. Kim recommends mindful and healthy interactions with family, friends or coworkers by creating safe units, or “pods” and having the members of those pods get tested periodically. His office now offers rapid COVID-19 testing using nucleic acid amplification. Results take 15 minutes and have high sensitivity and specificity rating.

“I have businesses that want this type of comfort and peace of mind, so they are testing weekly to keep the workplace safe and productive,” he says.

Dr. Kim recognizes that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all medical solution. As health care keeps rapidly changing, he continues adapting while offering patients a customized medical plan that focuses on both physical well-being and peace of mind.