Boise Natural Health, Inc. bridges the worlds of conventional and natural medicine. We are in a unique position to help our patients uncover the cause of their illness, not just mask symptoms. – From the Boise Natural Health, Inc. website

A lot has changed in the Treasure Valley naturopathic health scene since Joan Haynes, ND first opened her practice in Boise fourteen years ago.  Not only have more practitioners entered the market — creating a larger referral network for Joan to take advantage of in helping her patients — but it has also gained in credibility among both health care consumers and more conventional health professionals.  While this gives Haynes a lot of satisfaction…and a lot of business…it hardly surprises her.  After all, she points out, there is plenty of science to proof that our most powerful ally when it comes to health and healing is our body’s own wisdom.

Joan Haynes

“There are 100,000 chemical reactions per cell per second in our bodies, and we have a phenomonal immune system that can become very complicated if it gets out of balance,” says Haynes.  ”Maintaining that balance is what we refer to as homeostasis. While it is impossible to understand all the biochemistry going on in our bodies, it is our job to figure out how to create wellness in a person in the midst of a constant give and take inside the body.  Unfortunately, our immune systems are constantly being bombarded by chemicals in our environment — in the air, water and food supply. We see people today with chronic illness and chemical sensitivites that I didn’t see when I first started my practice.”

Haynes grew up in Arizona.  After earning her BA at University of Arizona, she attended the  National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, where she graduated in 1997 with an ND degree.

“The college is accredited by the same body that accredits BSU,” says Haynes.  ”I had to learn the same science as a conventional doctor, but with a different slant: we want to help people get away from medication and build their health from the ground up.”

Boise Natural Health, located at 4219 W. Emerald in Boise, is staffed by two other licensed naturopathic physicians in addition to Haynes, as well as by a certified holistic nutritionist.  Collectively, they offer a variety of healthcare services to clients of all ages.  “Our focus is to move away from disease and toward vibrant health using the body’s innate healing wisdom,” Haynes explains.  ”To do that we emphasize herbs, food, homeopathy, hormone balancing, allergy desensitization, movement and exercise, and mind/body influences to help people create long term health.  We want to address the root causes of illness rather than on just offering medications to patch things up.”

While Boise Natural Health typically sees individuals with chronic conditions that aren’t responding to conventional care, their patients also come to them to discover options to medications they are currently taking.  Haynes and her fellow naturopathic physicians (Nicole Pierce and Emily Penney) work with their clients as primary care providers, and usually start with a 90-minute intake, that can include lab work, aimed at identifying on going health issues and creating an individualized health program to address them.

“We work a lot with chronic fatigue, chronic generalized pain, skin and digestive problems, allergies, hormone issues, mood and sleep issues, ADD/ADHD, and integrative cancer care,” says Haynes.  ”I see a lot of breast cancer patients and I’ve  been very successful with stage one and two cancers.”

For issues outside of her clinic’s competencies, Haynes relies on a growing network of other naturopathic practitioners and conventional physicians.  ”What resonates with the patient is what we need to support, ” she notes.  Boise Natural Health holds an open house on the first Thursday of every month as a way of providing a no-obligation introduction to its staff and services.  Prospective clients are also offered a 10-minute “pre-counsel” with any of the physicians to see if there is a fit.

Boise Natural Health's official greeter, Samson

Boise Co-op is proud to have Boise Natural Health as a part of its Business Partner Program.  Co-op Members recieve 20% off their first office visit just by presenting their Member Card.