As a board-certified internist and holistic concierge doctor in McLean, VA, Dr. Mandana Shafai strives to connect personally with her patients so she can deliver customized care to help manage, resolve, and improve health.
"I want my patients to know they have someone who listens to them," she says. "I want them to know that I am their ally on their path to lifelong health."
"I look at medicine as not all just black and white, or being about health or illness," Dr. Shafai says. "It’s more like a journey to me. Along this journey, I really like to get to know my patients and see what their lifestyle is like, their environment, their diet, exercise, stressors in their lives, and even financial barriers. I think all of that translates into how well a patient takes care of themselves."
With more than 20 years of experience practicing holistic medicine, Dr. Shafai has helped patients with a wide range of issues, including weight loss, diet, stress/anxiety, and sleep.
"As a physician, I know the importance of considering the whole person," she says. "What goes on outside the body can often be just as important as what's happening inside the body and understanding that can often help lead to the correct diagnosis for a patient."
She frequently helps women navigate perimenopause and post-menopause, and her functional medicine expertise includes things like hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, leaky gut, toxin exposure, bioidentical hormones, thyroid disorders, and chronic fatigue.
"Getting to the root cause is so important, and it takes time," she says. "I don’t want to just treat your symptoms. I want to find the root cause and help you fix it so you can live a healthier life."
In many ways, Dr. Shafai sees her role as a gatekeeper of her patients’ health, giving them the tools and guidance necessary to resolve any health concerns in a practical manner.
"The most important thing is communication," she says. "This is a partnership. And communication is the foundation of the success that comes after."
"One of my patients was struggling with infertility, a stressful job, and an uncontrolled underlying auto-immune disease that defied traditional medicine and medication she was taking. She came to me frustrated. We explored more about her day-to-day habits, diet, nutritional status, stress level, and mental well-being.
"We did hormonal testing and nutritional evaluation. We addressed underlying inflammation, which was a huge issue. And with the use of some supplements and coaching, we were able to really help her.
"Not only was she able to control her auto-immune disease, but she got pregnant also. I remember the day she brought her baby to me and introduced me to him …It was one of the most rewarding days of my career.”
Outside the office, Dr. Shafai enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, watching movies, reading, and listening to music.
An Iranian native who is fluent in Persian, she is even known to sing a few Persian songs every now and then.
Dr. Shafai went to medical school in Ohio and moved to the Northern Virginia area for her residency at Georgetown and has come to love the multicultural aspects of the area, particularly the diverse cuisine available.
"People ask me how I deal with the traffic. I just tell them the food makes it worth it," she says.
Start your journey to a better healthcare experience today. Complete this form and a membership expert will contact you via phone and/or email within 2 business days.
*Dr. Shafai s accepting new patients.
Here are three things you can expect during your first call.
Start your journey to a better healthcare experience today. Complete this form and a membership expert will contact you via phone and/or email within 2 business days.
*Dr. Shafai s accepting new patients.
Here are three things you can expect during your first call.
