The BIÂN Blog

December 9, 2024

BIÂN Medical FAQs

What exactly is BIÂN Medical, what services are offered, and how do I join?

1. What is BIÂN Medical?
BIÂN Medical is a comprehensive concierge medical practice that provides personalized care for both acute and preventive health needs. Our approach integrates primary care with access to specialized practitioners, ensuring our members receive holistic, tailored healthcare.

2. What services does BIÂN Medical offer?
We offer a wide range of services, including:
- Acute care for illnesses and injuries
- Preventive health screenings and wellness programs
- Chronic disease management
- Women’s and men’s health services
- Weight management and nutrition counseling
- Eastern medicine and integrative therapies
- Access to on-site lab work, referrals for diagnostic imaging and specialized treatments when needed.
- IV's and boosters

3. How is BIÂN Medical different from traditional medical practices?
Our concierge model ensures continuous access to a private physician, extended appointment times, and a team of experts dedicated to optimizing your health. We combine state-of-the-art medical care with a wellness-focused approach for a truly personalized healthcare experience.

4. What does BIÂN Medical membership include?
The $3,6000 Annual Membership includes:
- Personalized care from a dedicated primary physician
- Extensive annual physical
- Continuous and direct access to your primary care provider
- Expedited scheduling of in-office visits when needed
- Access to on-site lab work, referrals for diagnostic imaging and specialized treatments when needed.
- Coordination of all your healthcare needs within and outside of BIÂN
- Integrative wellness referrals with in-house providers for nutrition, eastern medicine, chiropractic, physical therapy, and mental health when appropriate.

Additional fees include any ancillary services with referral providers, IVs & booster shots, office visits ($30 per visit outside of the annual physical), and at-cost lab fees for labs ordered outside of our standard lab panel.

5. Can non-members use BIÂN Medical services?
BIÂN Medical services are exclusive to BIÂN Concierge Medical practice members to ensure the highest level of care and availability. You do not need to be a member of the BIÂN Wellness Club to enroll.

6. Is there an initiation fee for BIÂN Medical?
Membership fees include access to BIÂN Medical services; additional initiation fees may apply for joining BIÂN as a club member.

7. How do I schedule an appointment?
Members can schedule appointments through our medical concierge team by contacting medical@livebian.com or texting/calling 872.269.1009.

8. What if I need medical advice outside of regular business hours?
BIÂN Medical provides continuous remote access to your physician for urgent care needs. You can connect via phone or our secure messaging system.

9. Can BIÂN Medical coordinate with my existing specialists?
Yes, we work closely with external specialists and healthcare providers to ensure seamless care coordination and optimal outcomes.

10. Does BIÂN Medical accept insurance?
BIÂN Medical operates on a membership model and does not bill insurance for membership dues.

However, PPO-plan health insurance operates as it normally would for coverage of things like specialist referrals, diagnostic procedures, imaging studies, medications, and ER visits. Within BIÂN, certain ancillary services (PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, nutritional counseling) may be covered by insurance; our staff can provide a superbill or other information if needed for you to facilitate with your insurer.

11. Are additional services covered by the membership fee?
Some services, such as advanced diagnostics or external specialist consultations, may incur additional costs. Our team will provide full transparency regarding any fees.

12. What specialized services are available at BIÂN Medical?
Our team includes experts in nutrition and naturopathy, mental health, physical therapy, chiropractic, and Ayurveda by referral of your provider at BIÂN Medical.

13. Can BIÂN Medical help with weight management?
Yes, we provide customized weight management programs, combining medical expertise, FDA-approved medication therapy when appropriate, nutritional guidance, and fitness guidance planning tailored to your goals. For those who are members of the wellness club, there is a close collaboration between all of your providers.

14. How does BIÂN integrate Eastern and Western medicine?
We blend evidence-based Western medicine with integrative therapies if applicable to your treatment plan like acupuncture, herbal medicine, physical therapy, nutrition, and mental health referrals, offering an integrative approach to health and well-being.

15. How do I join BIÂN Medical?
To become a member of the BIÂN Medical practice, you can simply email medical@livebian.com, call 872.269.1009 or following our inquiry link here.

16. Can I tour the facilities before committing?
Yes, we encourage prospective members to schedule a tour and a meet and greet with our providers for that personal touch! You may schedule a meet & greet and a tour through our medical concierge team by contacting medical@livebian.com or texting/calling 872.269.1009.

June 26, 2023

Beyond the Corporate Office

How co-working spaces like BIÂN revolutionize productivity and sustainability.

BIÂN

In a world where the traditional corporate office is increasingly seen as a relic, it's time we reevaluate our work environments. The old model, designed for stagnant 40+ hour weeks, often fails to cater to individual needs, leaving professionals feeling drained and uninspired. Enter the co-working space, a revolutionary concept that is transforming the way we think about productivity.

Co-working spaces are not just a trend; they're a response to a deep-seated need for a more sustainable, balanced work life. They foster a community of like-minded individuals, enhancing focus, motivation, and creativity. The positive impacts on mental health, work-life balance, and overall job satisfaction are undeniable.

The Advantages of Co-Working Spaces

Co-working spaces offer a plethora of benefits that can transform the way you approach your work life:

Enhanced Focus & Motivation: A community of driven professionals can significantly improve focus and motivation, inspiring you to achieve your goals and maintain a high level of productivity.
Increased Creativity: Being surrounded by a diverse group of professionals from various industries can stimulate creative thinking, leading to innovative ideas and fresh perspectives.
Improved Work-Life Balance: Co-working spaces provide flexible working hours and environments, allowing you to strike a healthy balance between work and personal life.
Better Mental Health: The social aspect of co-working spaces can help combat feelings of isolation, promoting positive mental health and overall well-being.
Higher Job Satisfaction: With access to state-of-the-art amenities and a supportive community, co-working spaces can significantly enhance your overall job satisfaction.

Experience BIÂN: A Unique Co-Working Space That Redefines the Work Day

Now imagine a co-working space that takes this concept to a whole new level. A place that doesn't just provide a desk and a chair, but an entire ecosystem designed to nourish your mind, body, and spirit. Welcome to BIÂN, the ultimate wellness destination for professionals.

At BIÂN, productivity and wellbeing go hand in hand. Our members enjoy access to private rooms for video calls, conference rooms for team meetings, and an inclusive, sustainable environment that fosters collaboration and innovation. But we don't stop there. We believe that a thriving professional life requires a balanced personal life. That's why we offer on-site workout facilities, massage services, revitalizing cold plunge, and countless other amenities.

We've taken the co-working experience a step further with our comprehensive food and beverage program, featuring healthy, delicious options that fuel your day. Compared to other co-working establishments, BIÂN offers a superior all-encompassing experience at an even more competitive price.

Join us at BIÂN and discover a new way of working. Enjoy the benefits of a co-working space that truly understands your needs and makes your wellbeing a priority. Explore membership or book a tour and start your journey towards a more balanced, fulfilling work life.

The days of enduring long hours in a stale office environment are over. It's time to experience the power of co-working spaces and the unique advantages they offer. It's time to redefine what a productive workday looks like.

Embrace the future of work. Experience BIÂN.

May 15, 2023

What is an Executive Physical?

And why do I need one?

BIÂN

An executive physical is a full body health assessment that goes beyond the standard checkup. It is designed to provide a comprehensive look at your current level of health, so you can make informed decisions about how to stay healthy and active. In addition to detailed tests and screenings, executive physicals also include lifestyle assessments such as diet, stress management, and exercise. Let’s take a closer look at what makes an executive physical unique and why it’s important.

Who Needs an Executive Physical?

Executive physicals are ideal for anyone who wants to learn more about their current level of health or who wants help getting started on their journey towards improved wellbeing. They are especially beneficial for business executives who need detailed information about their health in order to stay productive at work or for busy professionals who don’t have enough time for regular doctor visits but still want to monitor their progress over time.

What Makes the BIÂN Executive Physical Unique?

At BIÂN, our Corporate Integrative Executive Physicals are designed to be exceptionally thorough, yet efficient. Each patient receives personalized attention from our internal medicine physician (MD), as well as from a multidisciplinary team of experts in nutrition & naturopathic wellness, fitness, functional mobility, and dermatology. In addition to the comprehensive examination, historical review, and ancillary services offered (including lab panel, EKG, and In-Body 770 body composition analysis), we also provide exposure to other proven medical modalities such as acupuncture and Eastern Medicine with trusted, vetted experts in the field. This allows us to provide detailed assessments tailored specifically for you and your lifestyle needs.

After your appointment with us, you will receive a completely customized treatment plan that includes wellness recommendations based on your individual results. BIÂN’s Corporate Integrative Executive Physical merges world-class medical, wellness, and preventative offerings with meaningful and effective lifestyle action plans in a luxurious and enjoyable one-day experience.

At BIÂN, we understand how important it is to stay on top of your health in today's fast-paced world. Our Corporate Integrative Executive Physical provides you with the knowledge and tools you need to make informed decisions about your wellbeing while offering personalized assessments tailored specifically towards meeting your individual lifestyle needs. Contact us today if you would like more information about our comprehensive services or if you're ready to schedule your own executive physical!

May 1, 2023

The Benefits of Cold Plunge Therapy

From reducing inflammation to improving circulation, this practice offers many potential benefits.

BIÂN

If you’re looking for a natural way to boost your wellness, cold plunge therapy could be just the thing for you. Cold plunge therapy, also known as cold water immersion, has been used for centuries to improve overall health and wellbeing. From reducing inflammation to improving circulation, this practice offers many potential benefits.

What Is Cold Plunge Therapy?
Cold plunge therapy is a form of cryotherapy that involves immersing the body in cold water. It can be done in a hot tub or pool, with temperatures ranging from 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius). The effects of the plunge are immediate and can last several hours after leaving the water.

Benefits Of Cold Plunge Therapy
Cold plunge therapy has numerous benefits for physical and mental health. Here are some of the most common ones:

Reduces inflammation – Immersing your body in cold water can reduce inflammation, which can help treat chronic pain conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. It also helps reduce swelling in injured areas and speeds up recovery from sports injuries.
Boosts immune system – Cold plunge therapy stimulates the immune system by activating white blood cells responsible for fighting infection and disease. This helps protect your body from illness or injury.
Improves circulation – A cold bath increases circulation throughout the body, which helps oxygenate muscles, organs, and tissues more efficiently. This improved circulation also helps flush out toxins from the body while promoting healthy cell growth.
Promotes relaxation – Taking a cold bath releases endorphins that create feelings of relaxation and well-being while reducing stress levels significantly. This makes it an ideal treatment for those with anxiety or depression symptoms.
Enhances performance – Cold plunge therapy causes vasoconstriction (narrowing) of blood vessels near your skin’s surface while increasing blood flow to deeper muscles and organs. This allows athletes to perform better during workouts because their bodies are better able to handle strenuous activity without fatigue or pain.

Cold plunge therapy is an effective way to boost overall health and wellbeing by reducing inflammation, boosting immunity, improving circulation, promoting relaxation, and enhancing performance during workouts or activities. If you’re looking for an easy way to improve your physical and mental health without taking additional medications or supplements, then consider giving cold plunge therapy a try!

Experience the power of cold plunge therapy at BIÂN. Learn more about BIÂN's cold plunge and steam room here and schedule a tour to experience it yourself!

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June 25, 2022

How to Reduce Inflammation

Q&A with Ben Schuff ND, LDN, Director of Naturopathy & Nutrition

Ben Schuff

How do certain foods reduce inflammation, while others feed it, leading to more health complications? Food is information. Our bodies do best with real food because it what our physiology and digestion recognize and metabolize most easily to nourish us. This could be why ultra-processed foods and ingredients that make up a large portion of the food supply are said to favor inflammation, because they are more difficult for our bodies to work with. The information contained in processed food is confusing to the body when receive too often. Real food contains information like nutrients, fiber, hydration that are normally removed with processing. These components to real food are used to replenish anti-inflammatory pathways and allow cellular physiology to operate appropriately. When cellular physiology is operating appropriately, inflammation will be kept at appropriate levels.

Inflammation is not something that we can ever reduce to zero because it is essential for health. But food can certainly contribute to pushing inflammation beyond what is normal and cause damage.

Inflammatory damage from food is not just what the food is but the environment and how we consume it. Our environment and behavior of eating effects how our gut and resident microbes’ function. The root of many inflammatory states begins in our guts. Eating foods that we are allergic to will certainly create an inflammatory cascade. Overeating or eating meals with too much complexity relative to our digestive capacity is a route to inflammation at the level of the gut, no matter what the actual meal contains. Another example is eating too quickly, eating while stressed or fatigued. And of course, excessive alcohol damages the gut and favors an inflammatory tendency.

How does someone figure out the right anti-inflammation diet for them? Meet with professionals to determine potential sources of inflammation in your food, environment and lifestyle. Sometimes inflammation can be coming from counterintuitive sources that seem unrelated to the area most affected.

What are some ways to reduce inflammation in the body? / Are there any things you can do to reduce inflammation in the body fast? Food is always the place to start. Food is an opportunity each of us have, usually multiple times a day, to favor pro or anti-inflammatory states in our physical bodies.

What causes inflammation in the body and how do you know it is inflamed? Inflammation is a local or systemic response from our immune system to begin a healing process. Inflammation is not an inherently bad phenomenon. In healthy expression it begins a cascade of processes that repair damage, protect from disease causing microbes and bring your awareness to an area of your body that needs attention. Inflammation becomes a problem when it is chronic in nature, neglected or unrecognized and the effected tissues do not have a chance to recover. The classic signs of inflammation are redness, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function. This is more easily observed in injuries and inflammation at the skin level. However, these processes can occur internally, out of sight, in any area of the body. Clinical signs, symptoms and laboratory testing confirms this.

June 15, 2022

Mindset: “Determine Your Own Meanings”

Q&A with Co-Founder, Chief Wellness Officer Mar Soraparu

“When you hyper-focus on an individual and their well-being, you are supporting many others that are in their circles — friendships, family and businesses. It begins with one and radiates much further. This is how I see the work that I and we do at BIÂN — it is a passionate focus on the individual in an effort to transform the world.”- Mar Soraparu

Can you share your top “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. Determine your own meanings. Decide what “enough” and “balance” means to you. Especially when you have children, your day to day ability changes in terms of productivity and energy. Deciding what is “enough” vs the constant feeling of “not doing enough” that is so common, is something I work through daily as a high performer. Sometimes a little “releasing of the grip” is all it really takes if you want to continue doing both work & family.

2. Move your body in ways that leave you feeling energized vs depleted. Physical exercise is key to a healthy existence however if you are tired after a workout, you pushed it too hard. When you feel exerted but strong, sweaty but energized, you are doing it right!

3. Eat for energy — food is fuel. After eating, you should be energized and not sluggish. This is the simple indication of if your diet is working for you or against you. I also believe in doing a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) which we do at BIÂN with our Director of Naturopathy and Nutrition which will provide you with real time feedback as to how your choices are impacting your glucose levels. For example, I can eat a banana with almond butter after 2pm but in the morning, it leaves me feeling awful due to my spiking levels! Fascinating.

4. Sleep. This is essential. Figure out a way to get adequate sleep! The proof is in the pudding here.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

BIÂN is that movement — so I guess we must expand~ Another movement would be MINDSET MASTERY. Own your mindset (how you think, what responsibility you hand over to others that is yours to take, or taking on other peoples responsibilities that is theirs to take, what actions you take and what you define things to be) and you can live the life you have dreamed of.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. There will be more hurdles than open doors. This was something I expected but it is always something to remember. Every roadblock, can be looked at as an opportunity otherwise it can be quite disappointing

2. Ensure you don’t lose your own wellness in the pursuit of helping others. I have never had a tough time taking great care of myself until the birth of my child + my business. There must be a recalibration and redefining of standards in order to truly make things work

3. Quickly figure out your threshold. Only when you are well and whole can you truly give back to others in an impactful way. Figure out how many clients/projects/meetings you can handle in 1 day that doesn’t leave you unavailable for your family and your self later.

4. Motherhood + Entrepreneurship — and all that comes with this. The struggle seems to be never-ending for what is enough in both areas. Reminder that it is up to you to decide and that’s okay if it changes or shifts with the seasons.

5. The small reminders must be savored. There may come a time when you question it all — and this is when you remind yourself of how far you have come, what you have done to get here and how impactful it all has been. Building an arsenal of these reminders is so important and helpful.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

All of these topics are ones that are critically important. I would say that my work and the work of BIÂN is in the mental health arena. Mental health is being mindful — about your physical, emotional, social, nutritional, environmental, and spiritual states and that is what BIÂN supports through all of our offerings, modalities and programming. From our Listening Room (music therapy) to our Nap Room (Sleep!), to our Eastern medicine, Concierge Medical, Coaching, Nutrition, Physical Therapy, Fitness & Studio and Spa, there are countless journeys one can take, everyday. When we are mentally well, we can make strong choices and become more impactful and available to serve our planet — for sustainability activism, environmental support and even make more intelligent choices around how we eat. It really does come down to being well — and owning your well-being. Living well is a choice that all of us must make over and over and over again.

The BIÂN Blog

BIÂN Medical FAQs

Beyond the Corporate Office

What is an Executive Physical?

The Benefits of Cold Plunge Therapy

We have moreto read

How to Reduce Inflammation

Mindset: “Determine Your Own Meanings”

We have more
to read