Naturopathic Medicine
The practice of Naturopathic Medicine is based on a set of principles, as follows:
1- First, Do No Harm (Primum non nocere)
Naturopathic physicians choose the most non-invasive and least toxic treatments necessary for each patient.
2- The Healing Power of Nature (Vis medicatrix naturae)
Naturopathic doctors recognize the body’s inherent ability to heal itself.
3- Identify and Treat the Causes (Tolle causam)
Naturopathic doctors identify, address and remove the underlying causes of disease.
4- Doctor as Teacher (Docere)
Educating and supporting patients on personal health management is an important role for naturopathic doctors. They empower patients to take responsibility for their own health. They also acknowledge the therapeutic value inherent in the doctor-patient relationship.
5- Treat the Whole Person (Tolle totum)
This is a holistic concept that recognizes the body as an integrated whole. Naturopathic doctors treat the patient, not the disease. A naturopathic assessment addresses the nutritional status, lifestyle, family history, physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and social factors in a person’s life.
6- Prevention (Praevenic)
Naturopathic doctors promote a focus on overall health, wellness and disease prevention.
As a patient at Fernwood Holistic Health you will be treated and evaluated as an individual, and your health plan will be specific not only to what diagnosis you have, but to you as a whole person. Rather than looking at each individual symptom or diagnosis as separate, the goal is to find the connections between your symptoms, to look at the bigger picture, and to treat the cause of your issues from the ground up. Your evaluation will include a thorough history, physical exam, labs and imaging, and collaboration with other health care provides when necessary. Naturopathic physicians order many of the same types of labs you may have at a conventional doctor’s office, but also often include a more thorough lab evaluation including nutritional factors, hormonal testing, food sensitivity testing, and more.
Naturopathic Physicians use methods such as botanical (herbal) medicine, therapeutic nutrition, therapeutic exercise, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, oriental medicine, acupuncture, counseling, and diet & lifestyle modification. These therapies are effective, but generally safer, less toxic, and have fewer side effects than conventional therapies. At Fernwood Holistic Health, we will use these techniques in individualized treatment programs to help you achieve your unique health goals.
Conditions Commonly Treated with Naturopathic Medicine:
- Allergies of all kinds, including mold sensitivity
- Asthma and respiratory conditions
- Autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sjogren’s, etc
- Cardiovascular issues such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, palpitations, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, etc
- Diabetes, prediabetes, hypoglycemia and other blood sugar issues
- Digestive diseases such as IBS, IBD, SIBO, acid reflux, gall stones, ulcers, constipation, yeast overgrowth and microbiome imbalances, etc
- Fatigue, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches and migraines
- Hormonal issues such as PMS, infertility, menopause, perimenopause, PCOS, etc
- Infections including acute infections and issues with recurrent infections, ear infections, chronic Lyme or tick born disease
- Musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, osteopenia, muscle spasms, tendonitis, low back and neck pain, gout, plantar fascitis, etc
- Psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, ADD
- Skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, hives, and other rashes
- Stress and associated conditions
- Thyroid conditions, especially hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s
- Urinary issues such as overactive bladder, recurrent bladder infections, Interstitial Cystitis, BPH, kidney stones, etc
- Weight management and health optimization
If you do not see your condition on the list, and you’re wondering if naturopathic medicine might be able to help you, please contact us at Fernwood Holistic Heatlh. We would be happy to speak with you and help you decide. We often see patients with a variety of symptoms that no one has been able to accurately diagnose. Naturopathic and Chinese medicine are often successful in helping these patients find the cause of their symptoms. Dr. Krete and Dr. Lieb offer free 15 minute consults by phone or in person via appointment if you feel you need additional information before scheduling an appointment.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine, which encompasses acupuncture, manual therapy, diet counseling, exercise, and breathing techniques, has been in use for thousands of years. Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles into specific points on the body at various depths. Acupuncture works by balancing vital energy in the body and promoting the body’s own innate healing ability. Acupuncture also has known, researched physiological effects, such as decreasing inflammation, increasing blood flow, increasing the body’s own natural pain killing chemicals, and improving immune response. Research has shown many of these effects are through acupuncture’s beneficial effects on the nervous system. Acupuncture tends to promote a deep sense of relaxation. It is best known for treating pain, however it can be used to treat many other conditions as well.
Conditions Commonly Treated with Acupuncture:
- Allergies, asthma, and immune system support
- Anxiety and insomnia
- Digestive issues such as IBS, IBD, acid reflux, abdominal pain
- Hormonal issues such as PMS, menopause, and infertility
- Headaches and migraines
- Musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, low back and neck pain, knee pain, plantar fascitis, carpal tunnel, and physical injuries of all types
- Nausea from pregnancy, chemotherapy treatments, and other causes
- Peripheral neuropathy from chemotherapy treatments and other causes
- Stress and tension
Red Light Therapy, also known as Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBM Therapy) or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), is the application of red and near infra-red light over injuries or lesions to:
- improve wound and soft tissue healing
- improve local blood circulation and reduce inflammation
- relieve both acute and chronic pain
These effects have been tested in over 700 randomized clinical trials and thousands of laboratory studies and published in many leading journals including The Lancet, BMJ, Nature, PNAS, Spine, Muscle and Nerve, Pain, and Stroke.
PBM Therapy can be used for a variety of conditions including arthritis and joint pain, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, acute and chronic pain and inflammation, anti-aging and collagen production, headaches, concussions, faster post-exercise recovery, improved fat metabolism, improved sleep, improved energy, joint replacements, before and after surgery, nerve pain, neuropathy, neurodegenerative disease, skin conditions, burns, scars, and stress reduction.
The red and near infrared light (600nm-1000nm) commonly used in PBM is produced by laser or high intensity LEDs. The intensity of PBM lasers and LED’s in not like a surgical laser–there is no direct heating effect which makes the treatment comfortable and painless. The effects of PBM are photochemical (like photosynthesis in plants). PBM works predominantly on a protein in the mitochondria of the body’s cells (cytochrome c oxidase). When the correct intensity and treatment times are used, red and near infrared light reduces oxidative stress and increases energy production in the cells, which encourages the body’s natural healing process. This improves cell metabolism and reduces inflammation.
Sara C.Jeffs is a Certified Light Therapy Specialist and Holistic Health Practitioner who has specialized in Photobiomodulation/Light Therapy for over 12 years. For more information on PBM Therapy, including links to the latest research, please visit www.thorlaser.com
Health and Wellness Coaching
Health and Wellness Coaching is a collaboration between the coach and the client to work towards achieving the client’s personalized vision for a healthier future. Professional health and wellness coaches have long been recognized for their skills in helping athletes and executives perform at their best. Now they are helping people from a variety of backgrounds reach their best self. Health and wellness coaches are practitioners who use coaching psychology, a field focused on the scientific study of happiness and well-being (Wellcoaches).
Many people want to live a healthier lifestyle, but struggle with putting this into practice. They may be facing challenges that can be caused by uncontrolled stress, feelings of isolation, excess weight, difficulty with life balance, low energy, poor fitness, negative emotional overload, or a medical condition. Further challenges include overwhelming amounts of information and advice, a one-size-fits-all approach to wellness, and the lack of personal, tailored goals based on the client’s individual needs. Working with a health and wellness coach, clients can improve their health, vitality, and well-being by engaging in behaviors that have been proven to improve health and prevent disease including coping with stress, improved sleep quality, fitness, nutrition, weight management, and mind-body and positive psychology interventions (Institute of Coaching).
Here at Fernwood Holistic Health, Health and Wellness Coaching with Sara C. Jeffs (CHWC) can be used to help with:
- Stress management
- Weight management
- Sleep health and improved quality
- Emotional balance and well-being
- Burnout prevention
- Holistic health and wellness
- Smoking cessation
- Improved energy levels
- Improved fitness levels
- Confidence and self-worth
- Body acceptance and positivity
- Life changes
- Personal and professional growth and development
- Healthy aging
Health and wellness coaching helps clients develop and implement personal wellness plans by:
- accepting and meeting you where you are today
- introducing mindful thinking and doing work that builds confidence
- defining a higher purpose for well-being
- uncovering your natural desire to be well
- tapping into your innate desires and drives
- collaborating to address emotional and physical health together
- drawing a personal wellness blueprint
- setting realistic and achievable goals
- harnessing the strengths needed to overcome obstacles
- seeing obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow
- building a supportive environment for success (Wellcoaches)
The coaching experience is collaborative, personal to your specific health and wellness needs and goals, non-judgmental, empathetic, and supportive. You do not have to go through your health and wellness journey alone, and we work together to achieve your wellness goals. Both individual and group sessions are available, as well as a free 15 minute coaching discovery phone call to discuss your coaching needs.
Massage therapy is used all over the world and has been practiced for thousands of years. Massage therapists use therapeutic touch and advanced hands on techniques to stimulate and soothe muscles, joints and soft tissue. Massage therapy has been well researched to provide significant benefits to physical, as well and mental and emotional health. Massage therapy is successful at providing pain relief from tense muscles, injuries, and other musculoskeletal issues, stress relief, reduction in anxiety and depression, enhanced immune system function, as well as lowered blood pressure. At Fernwood Holistic Health, we offer several different specific types of massage therapy, that provide distinct benefits. See below for info on CranioSacral Therapy and Reiki.
Types of Massages offered by Elizabeth Jezyk, LMT:
- Multi Modality Massage * Swedish 60min/ 90min: Specifically tailored to each client’s needs using Trigger Point, Reflexology, Acupressure, Swedish and Deep Tissue massage techniques.
- Specific Deep Tissue Massage 60min/90 min: A more intense and invigorating massage, concentrating on the deeper layers of muscle tissue. It’s primary purpose is to release chronic tension in the body, employing slow, shorter strokes and deep pressure on problem areas. Oftentimes Cupping or Gua Sha are incorporated and the entire session may focus primarily on the target area.
- Ayurvedic Abhyanga Massage 60min/ 90min: Abhyanga is a form of Ayurvedic Medicine that involves massage of the body with large amounts of oil. The oil is pre-medicated with herbs for specific conditions. This choreographed massage uses friction-based strokes and warm Dosha (metabolic type) specific oils. The oil penetrated deep into the tissues to loosen toxins at a cellular level. This style of massage promotes circulation, reduces pain and inflammation in arthritic individuals, boosts immune system function, and creates deep relaxation in the mind and body. Abhyanga is a wonderful treatment for those suffering from Lyme Disease.
- CranioSacral Therapy 60min/ 90min: Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle hands-on technique that works with the soft tissue structures of the body and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid between the head and the base of the spine. These structures and fluids protect, support, and nourish the brain and spinal cord. CSTuses a light touch to examine movement of the fluids in and around the central nervous system. Relieving tension in the central nervous system promotes a feeling of well-being by eliminating pain and boosting health and immunity.
- Prenatal Massage 60min/90min: Massage Therapy during pregnancy is a wonderful complementary choice for prenatal care. Massage relieves many of the normal discomforts experienced during pregnancy, such as backache, stiff neck, headaches and edema (or swelling). Prenatal massage also reduces stress on weight – bearing joints, encourages blood and lymph circulation, helps to relax nervous tension — which aids in better sleep and can help relieve depression or anxiety caused by hormonal changes.
- Cupping Massage 30 min: Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which your therapist puts special glass cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. There are many benefits to cupping that include pain reduction, improved blood flow, decreased inflammation, and relaxation.This session includes a light massage and then cupping for the remainder of the time.
Massage Add On Services
- CBD oil
- Dry Brush
- Gua Sha
- Cupping
If you need help to decide which massage therapy is right for you, give us a call!
Holistic Esthetic and Skincare Services
Discover your unique beauty and absolute self confidence with aesthetic services by Rebecca Terry, Pure Radiance, LLC at Fernwood Holistic Health. Becky offers premiere skin services for healthy radiant skin, from preventative care to corrective care to combat the first signs of aging, treat acne, and to achieve your healthiest glow. She offers a full menu of facials and collagen treatments for women, men, and teens, as we all as red and blue light therapy, manual dermabrasion, clinical peels, collagen eye and lip treatment, lash and brow tints, as well as waxing services. Becky uses Tammy Fender skin products exclusively, which are superior, natural and organic products, using innovative ingredients with peptides, vitamins, and organic nutrients to nourish and balance your skin. If you’re not sure which facial or treatment is right for you, Becky offers a free 15 minute discovery consultation.
Holistic facials and services offered by Becky Terry, Pure Radiance LLC at Fernwood Holistic Health:
- Spa Facial: A customized, European-style facial. Deep cleanse, exfoliation followed by steam, extraction and mask appropriate to your skin type. 60 minutes.
- Firm and Lift Facial: An anti-aging treatment specifically formulated to visibly lift and firm the face and neck. 60 minutes.
- C Spa Facial: A revitalizing anti-aging treatment that helps enhance skin elasticity. 75 min.
- Collagen Facial: a restorative anti-aging treatment infused with collagen to enhance and rejuvenate at the cellular level. 75 minutes.
- Purifying Facial: This rejuvenating treatment is formulated with peptides and vitamins to stimulate cellular energy, to give the skin back its natural radiant glow. 60 min.
- Radiant Facial: This cooling seaweed organic mask provides instant radiance by hydrating, smoothing, decongesting and minimizing redness. It’s a great treatment after a day in the sun or for those who have sensitive or reactive skin. Great for rosacea.
Additional Services Offered by Becky Terry:
- Red Light Therapy: increases production of collagen and elastin, increasing blood circulation and oxygen, reduced inflammation, minimizing appearance of pores. Improves tone and texture, accelerates healing, promotes glowing and radiant skin.
- Blue Light Therapy: targets the P.bacteria that causes acne. Helps reduce inflammation, diminishes redness, and increases blood circulation.
- Manual Dermabrasion: manual application of magnesium oxide crystals to improve tone, and reduce fine lines, sun damage, and acne scarring
- Clinical Peels: variety of professional peels designed to promote exfoliation, cell renewal, reduce signs of aging, diminish hyper-pigmentation, treat acne, and brighten complexion
- Collagen Eye and Lip Treatment: visibly anti-wrinkle treatment. Dramatically reduces appearance of dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines. Provides and instant radiant look.
- Lash/brow tint: specialized color made especially for the delicate eye and brow area.
- Waxing services (for brows, lip, chin, face, underarm, full arm, half arm, and bikini)
Sarah Rotella is a licensed massage therapist with advanced training and certifications, including Frequency Specific Microcurrent, Holistic Reflexology, and Advanced Lymphatic Drainage . She specializes in advanced manual lymphatic and glymphatic drainage, cranial sacral, and brain integration therapies, along with a multidisciplinary approach to therapeutic manual techniques.
Frequency-specific Microcurrent is a two-channel radio frequency application specific to the “issue in the tissue”, providing cellular ATP (cellular energy) to increase 500%. This provides the opportunity to reduce inflammation and increase tissue vitality and healing. Combined with correlative manual therapies, this provides increased calibration and balance of the entire being.
Her “Calibration Sessions” are solution-oriented and intuitively guided to optimize whole-body alignment and harmonize the mental, emotional, and spiritual planes. Artfully combining a variety of therapeutic applications provides efficiency in effect and a new pathway for the innate wisdom of the body to heal. Sarah also brings to each session the influence and the qualities of various energetic, shamanic, and Bio geometry principles.
Each Calibration Session is unique and solution-oriented based on your health project. Both 60 and 90-minute sessions are inclusive of a combination of therapeutic applications specific to your needs. The 90-minute sessions allow for lengthy Frequency Specific Microcurrent protocols. It is important to increase hydration for the session.
Both sessions, in addition to treatment, include:
Intake
Self-care and Self-empowerment suggestions
Email support post-session
If you are uncertain which session to choose, let us know and we can guide you.
In addition to Calibration Sessions, Sarah also offers sessions for Traditional Thai Massage, Holistic Reflexology, Advanced Lymphatic Drainage Therapy, and Brain-body Flow.
Thai massage 60/90min: Thai massage is an indigenous medicinal practice originating in Thailand, and drawing influences from India, Southeast Asia and China. Thai massage offers a holistic experience with a blend of compressions, deep tissue, assisted yoga, acupressure, energy, and meditation. TM offers a host of physical-mental-emotional benefits.
Thai massage at Fernwood is offered by Sarah Rotella, who also has deep knowledge of clinical conditions for those who are compromised or sensitive. Modifications and appropriate applications are considered.
How to receive Thai massage
Wear loose comfortable clothing, long sleeve and pants(no shorts), as if for practicing yoga. Bring an extra top layer for when the body cools down. Receiving TM on an empty stomach is advised.
Set your intentions and bring your breath and awareness.
Stay hydrated and enjoy!
Infrared Sauna
An infrared sauna is a type of sauna that uses light to create heat. Infrared saunas cause reactions similar to those elicited by moderate exercise, such as vigorous sweating and increased heart rate. An infrared sauna heats your body directly, so it produces these results at a lower temperatures than does a regular sauna, which makes it more effective, and more accessible to people who can’t tolerate the heat of a conventional sauna.
Scientists explain infrared is a safe, natural, gentle form of light that brings many health benefits to earth and human beings. The energy it delivers is just the right nudge cells need to stimulate warmth, growth, and release. Infrared’s healing rays are felt on our skin as warmth, and are absorbed by our bodies to help them detoxify, relax, improve circulation, recover faster, sleep better, age well and help us feel good. The proof of this activity in our body is evidenced in the increase in core body temperature that happens during a 30-minute infrared sauna session. Sunlighten’s saunas are clinically-proven to raise core body temperature 3 degrees, which unleashes the most benefits to our health.
Several studies have looked at using infrared saunas in the treatment of chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, headache, type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, and found evidence of benefit. No adverse effects have been reported with infrared saunas.
Benefits to using and infrared sauna regularly include:
- deep detoxification through sweating
- cardiovascular benefits
- improved immune function
- weight loss
- faster healing of musculoskeletal injuries, and decreased pain and inflammation of arthritic joints
- relaxation
- anti-aging
Fernwood’s sauna is the Sunlight Amplify 2 full spectrum infrared sauna. Sunlighten uses a patented SoloCarbon® technology, and is one of the lowest EMF producing saunas in the world.
A blend of bodywork modalities designed to address the roots of your pain. The body is a complex system. Abby looks at it as one functional unit and works to address compensation patterns you’ve held for a long time. Not only does she work with you to “re-wire” those old patterns, but also on regulating your nervous system so the problem doesn’t come back.
She specialize in chronic hip & back problems, sciatic pain, shoulder issues, abdominal issues/digestive or menstrual cramps, c-section recovery and overall “stuckness” in your body.
THIS IS NOT A TRADITIONAL MASSAGE so please wear comfortable clothes to your session- no jeans please!