After pre-clinical training at Cambridge University, Dr Steve James completed medical school at Barts & The London. During his specialist training in anaesthesia, he conducted research on VO2 Max testing and risk assessment for surgical patients. In 2013 he was appointed as a consultant in cardiac anaesthesia at King’s College Hospital. Shortly afterwards. He qualified in echocardiography and established the UK’s first Enhanced Recovery After Surgery scheme in the private sector. 

In 2015 Steve set up an Exercise Intolerance Clinic at King’s seeing out-patients with unexplained fatigue and breathlessness. With VO2 Max or cardiopulmonary exercise testing and lengthy history taking, a wide variety of problems could be diagnosed. His role evolved to provide education on sleep, nutrition, exercise and stress as these were all partly responsible for the patients’ concerns. He trained in functional medicine and nutrition and took many courses around the biology of health and longevity. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic Steve moved full-time into intensive care and began to focus on metabolic health and longevity. 

Metabolic Health is not a traditionally recognised speciality within medicine and is not covered by private insurance. It draws on the latest research on metabolic conditions, longevity, stress and mitochondrial biology. It involves blood work, scans, exercise tests and coaching. When you drive metabolic health, you move away from problems like high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. This improves quality of life and takes a significant step towards preventing cardiovascular disease, dementia and cancer. 

Our nervous system and stress also play a major role in health, yet few medics have any formal training in this field. Steve first studied its biology at university, went on to teach meditation for twenty years and more recently trained in psychotherapy, breathwork and the management of insomnia and sleep apnea. There are many tools for building resilience; sleep, saunas, supplements, nature, nurture and nutrition to name a few. This advice needs to be highly personalised and integrated into the delivery of healthcare.