Carla Kuon, MD, is an integrative physician at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health. An integrative internist, Dr. Kuon is trained in functional immunology and the diagnosis and treatment of functional gut disorders. Her practice primarily focuses on treating people with chronic fatigue and “invisible” illnesses. “I started my practice working with functional gut disorders and quickly learned that when I treated the gut microbiome, other symptoms such as chronic fatigue and migraines disappeared,” said Dr. Kuon. 

Her expertise with treating chronic fatigue naturally evolved into seeing patients with Long COVID, which is often marked by lasting fatigue and brain fog. “There is a lot of overlap between chronic fatigue and Long COVID, and these symptoms are related to inflammation in the gut and neural pathways,” said Dr. Kuon. 

It is estimated that 14 million people in the U.S. suffer from Long COVID and there is a great demand for treatment, but because this condition is so new and pervasive, not many physicians are prepared to treat it holistically. To address the need for this type of care, Dr. Kuon began a series of Long COVID group medical visits to be able to see more patients at the same time. The three-visit series covers nutritional recommendations, including the anti-inflammatory diet, low histamine diet, and lectin-free diet; supplement recommendations; and mind-body exercises. Dr. Kuon analyzes the nutritional panel, or bloodwork, of each patient so she can provide personalized diet and supplement recommendations. “By the end of the series, patients have a holistic plan they can follow at home to manage and recover from this illness,” said Dr. Kuon.  

Dr. Kuon hopes that the Osher Collaborative can become a much-needed resource for people struggling with Long COVD. “I would love to collaborate with clinicians from other Osher Centers on Long COVID care,” said Dr. Kuon. “My group medical visit model is something that could be replicated at other sites, but I’d also like to learn what other Centers are doing. We have an incredible opportunity to exchange information to improve access to care all over the country.”