Diet. Hande Ucak Gunduz

As a 72-year-old retired chemistry professor with chronic kidney disease, I'd been told my dietary restrictions made nutrition impossible. Dr. Hande didn't see limitations, she saw chemical equations. She created a 'molecular gastronomy' approach using pH-balanced ingredients I could actually enjoy. My kidney function stabilized for the first time in five years, and I'm now teaching my grandchildren about food science through her recipes.

My 8-year-old daughter, diagnosed with severe eosinophilic esophagitis, could only tolerate seven foods. After six specialists gave up, Dr. Hande spent three months developing a 'food ladder' using Turkish regional ingredients we'd never considered. She turned each new food introduction into an adventure story. Now my daughter eats 27 foods without reaction and calls Dr. Hande her 'food fairy.'

As a professional marathon runner at 31, I was diagnosed with hereditary hemochromatosis right before the Olympic trials. Every nutritionist wanted to restrict everything. Dr. Hande analyzed my sweat composition and created an 'iron-shedding' diet synchronized with my training cycles. Not only did my iron levels normalize, but I also achieved a personal best and qualified, all while eating more than ever.

When my husband suffered a massive stroke at 58, his swallowing reflex was destroyed. The hospital said he'd need a feeding tube permanently. Dr. Hande developed a 'neuroplasticity through taste' program using temperature gradients and specific Turkish spices to retrain his brain. After four months, he ate his first full meal of mercimek çorbası. She gave us back our dinner table conversations.

When our 6-month-old twins were diagnosed with severe food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), we were feeding them only elemental formula. Dr. Hande pioneered a 'mother's milk bridge' by analyzing my breastmilk and gradually introducing cooked foods through flavor exposure. At 18 months, they now eat modified family meals. She saved our breastfeeding journey and their relationship with food.