CEO Insights Magazine

The Asia region is undergoing an accelerated metamorphosis in recent times. While the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to business worldwide, Asian wellness corporations have remained resilient and persevered despite the crises. Thus, the number of business leaders and entrepreneurs is on the rise in the region. With profound business acumen and technological expertise, these leaders are standing tall as the pillars of strength for their respective corporations and leading their industries to greater heights. One such Asian business leader who is driving his corporation from the front and strongly influencing the complementary medical wellness landscape is Prof. Steve Yap, Medical Director, DSY Wellness & Longevity Group.

In an exclusive conversation with CEO Insights Asia, Prof. Steve explained regarding his medical wellness journey so far and various aspects of his organization.
 Below are excerpts of the conversation –

Tell us about your educational and professional background.
hold a Master’ degree in Metabolic & Nutritional Medicine from the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine, a Master’ in Evidence-based Healthcare from the University of Oxford’s Graduate School of Evidence Based Medicine & Research, and an MBA from the University of Durham. I also completed US medical fellowships in Integrative Cancer Therapies, Antiaging, Regenerative & Functional Medicine, as well as the French Certification Board on Nutritional and Antiaging Medicine. I am currently President of the National Federation of Complementary & Natural Medical Associations (Malaysia) and an Adjunct Professor at the School of Complementary & Traditional Medicine, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Agrotechnology, University of Yayasan Pahang, Malaysia.

How has been your journey so far as a complementary medical wellness industry leader? What motivates you to persevere in your day-to-day undertakings?
I 've served as the Complementary Medical Director within the DSY Wellness Group since 2002. Besides offering consultations and therapies to a large clientele, the past two decades have been spent seeking credible scientific evidence on dietary and/or lifestyle interventions with the use of evidence based nutraceuticals and phytonutrients for managing chronic health disorders. I believe a strong commitment to personal excellence through constant development on all relevant fronts has immensely helped me be recognized as a leader in the medical wellness industry. Our principal strength is in the evaluation and subsequent application of cutting-edge, non-invasive, and evidence based complementary (adjunct) treatment for chronic health/medical conditions which, according to W.H.O, inflicts well over 40 million premature death per year particularly from developing nations. Additionally, I’ve presented clinical evidence at national and international conferences and seminars. To keep myself updated, I regularly conduct systematic searches of major medical databases as well as unpublished papers presented at leading global medical or wellness conferences. These have also enhanced my position in developing clinically-relevant training programs on nutritional and functional medicine at the professional and postgraduate levels with local universities.
 

 
Tell us about the challenges you faced during your professional practice journey. Also, how did you overcome them, and what lessons did you learn from them?
In a rapidly evolving healthcare industry, developing cutting-edge clinical and research skills in evaluating published research papers linked to non drug or nonsurgical therapies from around the globe has been a major challenge. This has been the scenario for the past few decades, as non-mainstream Western medical therapies have been questioned by some quarters for their adequacy of documented research and clinical evidence. However, the situation seems to have improved slightly in the past decade or so with the exponential rise in publications on evidence-based natural therapies or outcomes of adjunct therapies being presented at major medical conferences around the world. Although only a fraction of research studies conducted have been published, many published outcomes might not be applicable to situations in Asia or are statistically incorrect or exaggerated. Educated or well-informed patients tend to seek more holistic healthcare offerings and demand greater personal control over the management of their chronic disorders. Targeted nutritional therapy along with suitable dietary & lifestyle modifications can boost their immunity and minimize damage at a cellular level. So, the biggest lesson that I have learned over the past decades is that besides a positive mindset, targeted nutraceutical therapy with dietary/lifestyle modifications can go a long way in extending one’s health span. Metabolic medicine views most major chronic health disorders as being ‘metabolic’ in nature and is therefore generally reversible through this naturopathic approach.

Tell us about the DSY Wellness & Longevity Group.
DSY is South-East Asia’s oldest medical wellness center offering evidence based, non invasive complementary therapies as an adjunct treatment for all major chronic disorders as listed by W.H.O. Through our extensive clinical experience, we have created a large clientele from around the Asian region. DSY Wellness is listed by the Asia Business Outlook magazine as belonging to Asia’s Top 10 Wellness Corporations for 2022. Additionally, we are also the partner of an international wellness corporation to be listed on NASDAQ shortly.

DSY also organizes seminars and workshops for corporate executives and managers to help them cope with elevated work stress, raise their workplace productivity, and reduce work absenteeism. We also publish articles in magazines and newspapers, giving readers in-depth information distilled from reputable research publications. Our qualified therapists are our main pillar of strength, and our senior practitioners are well-sought-after speakers in various workshops and seminars.

How do you see the wellness medicine industry evolving in the future?
Since 80 percent of the global population still depends on native and natural (complementary) medicines for their primary healthcare needs, there’s clearly vast potential for non-invasive natural medicine to have exponential growth in the coming decades. The widespread use of 5G and IA communications can further accelerate this growth by facilitating personalized medicine to meet individual patients’ needs from around the globe. However, there’s a pressing need to upgrade existing healthcare practitioners or train newcomers in the practice of evidence-based therapies. Aspiring service providers or entrepreneurs must aim to meet the internationally set healthcare regulations before commencing operation. When profits are generated, reinvestment in R&D can help promote continued growth in a niche market segment.

Prof. Steve Yap, Complementary Medicine Director, DSY Wellness and Longevity Group
 Prof. Steve Yap is the Complementary Medicine Director at DSY Wellness and Longevity Group. He received his education from Oxford University’s Graduate School of EB Medicine and South Florida University’s Morsani College  of Medicine. Prof. Yap holds fellowships in Integrative Cancer Ther apies and Antiaging, Regenerative, & Functional Medicine from the US, and is board certified in Nutritional Medicine and Anti-aging Medicine in France. He is also the President of the Federation of Complementary & Natural Medical Associations Malaysia and an Adjunct Professor at the School of Complementary Medicine at the University of Yayasan Pahang in Malaysia.

• Hobbies: Medical/health literature reviews, travelling, investigating ancestral records, martial arts, and charitable/community works.
• Favorite Cuisines: Curried or spicy dishes, steamed seafood, salad and herbal soups. 
• Favorite Travel Destinations: Guangzhou, Oxford, London and Amsterdam.
• Favorite Books: Nutritional Medicine by A Gaby; Textbook of Functional Medicine by IFM; The Cancer Industry by RW Moss; Food Politics by M Nestle; and The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill.
• Awards & Recognition: Nationally-recognized medal, Dato’ Sri and The Asia Business Outlook’s Top 10 Corporate Wellness Corporation 2022.