Naturopathic medicine, aka naturopathy, is a unique system of medicine that takes the whole person into account, discovers the root cause of illness, and preferentially uses natural therapies to encourage the body to heal. At Aspen Integrative Medical Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, Paul Despres, NMD, and Alexandra Mele, ND, are both licensed naturopathic doctors in the state of AZ. They use their naturopathic medicine training to diagnose, prevent and treat acute and chronic illness, restore and establish optimal health by supporting the person’s inherent self-healing process.

Rather than just suppressing symptoms, naturopathic medicine works to identify underlying causes of illness, and develop personalized treatment plans to address them. Naturopathic medicine believes the least amount of force can be used in order to promote gentle, safe and long-lasting health and well-being. 

Despite their best efforts the current conventional medical model, aka “standard of care,” is failing to meet the needs of the individual and community on many levels. Chronic disease has become an endemic in the United States which is fueled by over prescribing of medications and suppression of symptoms instead of addressing the root cause of illness. Pharmaceutical and insurance companies, driven by profit first mentality, control what is being taught in medical schools, which clinical research trials are done, and what treatment options are offered to you. This means your conventional doctors are trained to think one way and offer limited treatment options for you.

Did you know a primary care physician (PCP) spends an average of 18 minutes with each patient? How can your PCP get to know you, understand the complexity of your symptoms, perform a full physical exam, and make you an individualized treatment plan within that time? The answer is they can’t and your health is suffering. To be clear we know PCPs are doing their best and are often overworked. It is the medical system that needs to be changed and the naturopathic approach is part of the solution. You deserve better.

Our naturopathic physicians are highly trained to treat a wide variety of conditions, including:

• • Primary care concerns and chronic disease 
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Women’s health concerns
  • Men’s health concerns
  • Skin conditions
  • Mental health concerns
  • Cardiovascular disease including hyperlipidemia and hypertension
  • Allergies
  • Thyroid disorders
  • Hypermobile spectrum disorders
  • Acute and chronic pain
  • Joint Pain – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis 
  • Headaches
  • Migraines
  • Asthma
  • Arthritis – rheumatoid, osteoarthritis
  • Lyme disease
  • Acute and long Covid-19
  • Mold and/or mycotoxin illness
  • Mast cell activation syndrome
  • Traumatic brain injuries and concussion
  • Cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders
  • Environmental toxicity
  • And much more! 

Naturopathic medicine uses a wide variety of therapies for healing, including:

• • Dietary and lifestyle changes
  • Pharmaceuticals when necessary 
  • Botanical medicine
  • IV or injectable nutrients
  • Ozone therapy
  • Peptide therapy
  • Hormone replacement therapy
  • Visceral manipulation and/or craniosacral therapy 
  • Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
  • Vitamins and supplements
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Regenerative injections such as prolozone
  • Massage therapy
  • Spinal adjustments
  • Low level laser therapy
  • Sauna therapy
  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
  • Neurofeedback

Our naturopathic physicians specialize in standard and specialty lab testing including:

• • Labcorp/Sonora Quest testing such as CBC, CMP, lipids, thyroid testing, and so forth
  • Allergy testing
  • Food sensitivity testing
  • Stool analysis – looking at abnormal microbiome, inflammation, infection
  • SIBO breath testing
  • Hormone testing – blood, urine, saliva
  • Heavy metal testing – typically urine
  • Lyme disease and co-infection testing including Bartonella, Babesia, Mycoplasma
  • Other infectious disease testing – EBV, CMV, HPV, HSV, etc. 
  • Organic acid testing
  • Environmental toxicity – glyphosate, environmental toxins
  • Mold and mycotoxin testing
  • And much more!

Our naturopathic physicians will typically spend between 60-90 minutes with a patient on their first visit taking a thorough history, deciding on diagnostic testing, performing a relevant physical exam, and creating a customized, comprehensive treatment plan. Follow-up visits will range from 15-60 minutes depending on the patient’s needs.