Integrated Medicine at Any Age Helps
At Naturopathic Specialists, LLC, our goal is to make sure that no matter what your age that you perform at and feel your best. Many people talk about aging gracefully and accept changes in their health as they age. One goal of naturopathic geriatrics is to empower patients to advocate for themselves. This allows patients choices in their care so they can focus more on prevention and eliminating the causes before certain ailments lead to chronic disease. This can be done by combining healthcare team members within an integrated effort: herein natural therapies may be employed to enhance current medications or even allow for discontinuance of some. Naturopathic medicine attempts to distinguish the underlying cause of medical conditions rather than focusing solely on symptomatic treatment, which, by focusing on a whole body perspective, will help create a more complete care system.

Settling with the idea that chronic disease is just a part of aging is sometimes unacceptable. The goal of naturopathic geriatrics is to eliminate the idea that one cannot become truly well again. Many issues that plague older adults can be removed by making lifestyle changes and rebuilding nutrient levels.

Older adults ages 55+ deserve to be at optimal health as they look forward to many more happy and healthy years. To this end the main goals of naturopathic geriatrics are:

whole person-centered wellness vs. system-specific care
improved memory and cognition
improvement of mobility, balance and circulation
elimination of long-standing chronic conditions
addressing nutrient deficiencies secondary to the multiple prescriptions that many older adults patients take
pre- and post-surgical care to improve healing time and reduce infection risk
immune system support
patient empowerment and advocacy
Naturopathic medicine can open you to a whole new system of healing by utilizing tools such as:

botanical medicine: the therapeutic use of herbs and plant medicines
intravenous or injectable nutrients: which bypasses the need for more pills or capsules (which is especially helpful when someone has digestive problems)acupuncture: to help reduce pain and
inflammation, restore vitality and treat many common ailments including digestive problems
homeopathic medicine: to support mind, body and spirit; a simple way to treat the whole person
nutrition and supplementation education: to maximize the gain from the investment you make in your health
Naturopathic medicine is particularly effective for the following conditions:

cholesterol management
hypertension
cognitive support
chronic fatigue
fibromyalgia
hormonal imbalances
thyroid conditions
allergies
arthritis
diabetes
neuropathy
digestive health
irritable bowel
circulation improvement
insomnia
weight loss
adrenal fatigue
depression/anxiety
libido
pain management
physical conditions
balance and stability issues
chronic infections
memory and cognition
peri-surgical care (once the patient has left the hospital or pre-surgical support)

Melissa Coats, ND, is a licensed naturopathic physician. Dr. Coats graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a Bachelor’s degree in biology; she then went on to get her Masters in bioethics from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Subsequently, Dr. Coats earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in Tempe, Arizona. Additionally, Dr. Coats trained at Banner Health/Sun Health Geriatrics Fellowship Program in Sun City and at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Her past and current positions include: Public Relations Chairperson for the Naturopathic Public Awareness Campaign (NPAC) and a seat on the Executive Council of SCNM’s Alumni Association. Dr. Coats received SCNM’s 2008 Outstanding Leadership Award. She is a member of the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians, as well as the Arizona Geriatrics Society.

Dr. Coats offers general naturopathic medicine for all ages with a focus on the special needs of the geriatric community. Her general approach is that no matter what stage in life a person is in they have an opportunity to optimize health. Offering acupuncture, IV therapy, nutrient injections, homeopathy, physical manipulation, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine along with general wellness, Dr. Coats practices with a broad scope of treatment options. Dr. Coats has often stated that it is her goal to do whatever is necessary with patients to obtain their optimum level of health at any stage of life.

Board Certification in Naturopathic Oncology. Both Drs. Rubin and Alschuler are Fellows of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO).

PHONE: 480.990.1111 • FAX: 480.990.1110
7331 E. Osborn Dr., Suite 330, Scottsdale, AZ 85251