Living Wellness Medical Center

Empowering Wellness Naturally

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  • CONDITIONS TREATED
    • Women's wellness options, such as annual well woman exams, help you take charge of your health.WOMEN’S WELLNESS
      • Women’s Health Care
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    • Live well naturally with services such as a naturopathic evaluation to help you age gracefully.INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
      • Thyroid Conditions
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    • Men's wellness treatment options, such as prostate exams, can help you keep on top of your health care needs.MEN’S WELLNESS
      • Men’s Health Care
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    • Preventative medicine for wellness can help you prevent conditions with naturopathic methods.GENERAL MEDICINE
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    • Naturopathic therapies allow you to feel healthy and revitalized with herbal medicine, homeopathy, and more.NATUROPATHIC THERAPIES
      • Naturopathic Evaluation
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    • Specialty therapies can help with specific conditions, and include: bio-identical hormones, custom compounding, and more.SPECIALTY THERAPIES
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    • Nutrient therapies such as IV therapy and dietary counseling programs keep you feeling good, naturally.DIET & NUTRITIVE THERAPIES
      • Nutrient IV Therapies
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Immune Support: Colds, Flus and Chronic Infections

The immune system defends the body against infections. It is made up of white blood cells, antibodies, and other chemicals that help us fight infections. There are two main parts of the immune system. The ‘specific’ part that consists of lymphocytes (T cells and B cells) that produce antibodies that target specific viruses and bacteria for destruction. This part of our immune system builds immunity after we have been exposed to a particular virus. It continues to develop as we get older and are exposed to different microorganisms. Many different strains of viruses cause colds and flus, and that is why we don’t develop life-long immunity and can be vulnerable to getting these infections again each year. The ‘non-specific’ part of our immune system is our body’s first-line defense. It is made up of immune cells that are readily available in our blood and cells to immediately kill bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. This is the part of our immune system that we are innately born with and is ready for action from the beginning. The specific and non-specific parts of the immune system work closely together to protect and rid the body of infections.

Our goal as naturopathic doctors is to support your body’s innate defense mechanisms by encouraging immune function instead of suppressing your symptoms with over the counter medications.

The most important aspect of health is prevention. Our primary focus at Living Wellness Medical Center is to prevent illness and disease. We support the body’s immunity by focusing on lifestyle factors such as dietary modifications, stress management, sleep, and exercise.

Naturopathic medicine also has many tools to help boost the immune system and treat infections with natural means rather than taking medications that can have harmful side effects.

Acute vs. Chronic Infections:

Acute infections: symptoms typically come on suddenly and resolve within a week or a month. The symptoms can be mild or severe, and treatments focus on boosting the immune system and killing the bacteria or virus, causing the symptoms. Patients usually make a full recovery without any long-term issues.

Chronic infections: symptoms can come on suddenly but more typically develop slowly over time. Symptoms last longer than a month and even for years in some cases. Treatments focus on boosting the immune system and, if possible, killing the virus, bacteria, parasite, or fungi that are causing symptoms. EBV (Epstein-Barr virus is an example of a virus that can become more chronic. Acutely EBV causes Mononucleosis (Mono), which typically causes fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and fatigue. These symptoms will usually resolve within a week or two, but in some cases, they don’t. Some people can also have a reactivation of the EBV virus years after their initial exposure, which can cause symptoms like fatigue.

At Living Wellness Medical Center, we are skilled in treating both acute and chronic infections. Treatments are always individualized according to our patient’s needs.

Immune Support

  • Vitamins & Minerals
  • Herbs – there are numerous herbs used to upregulate and downregulate the immune system. Your Living Wellness physician will customize your immune protocol using herbs based on your specific situation.
  • Probiotics – The immune system is largely mediated by the gut microbiome. Beneficial bacteria in the gut help to support the immune system by reducing harmful bacteria in the gut. We encourage our patients to increase their probiotic dosage if they are prescribed antibiotics. Talk to your doctor about which strains and how much of them your probiotic supplement should contain.
  • Mushrooms – Cordyceps, Shitake, Maitake, Coriolus, and Reishi are rich in beta-glucan, a phytochemical known for its immune-supporting properties.
  • High dose Vitamin C (IV) – A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is a staple for immune support. Higher doses of vitamin C can cause loose stool. If you experience looser stools with vitamin C, decrease your dose by 1 gram or until loose stools subside. We also offer high dose Vitamin C IV’s for immune and anti-viral support.

Nutritional IV Therapy

When nutrients are delivered intravenously, the digestion is bypassed, and 100% absorption of those nutrients is achieved. Many illnesses and conditions are associated with digestive problems, food sensitivities, and intestinal inflammation. IVs bypass the digestive system, which sometimes blocks the absorption of nutrients. The intravenous method targets nutrients directly to where they are needed: the cells. Introducing nutrients in this way immediately opens the circulation to all parts of your body so all the cells can be flooded with life-giving nutrients and antioxidants in a way you can’t get with oral supplements or even exercise. Read more about IV Therapy and its benefits here: IV Therapy and Injection Treatments.

B Vitamin Injections

B vitamin injections are effective treatment tools to enhance energy, metabolism, focus, and immunity. Vitamins administered intramuscularly, bypass liver metabolism. Bypassing the liver allows the vitamins to be absorbed by the blood and have an instant, active effect. Similar to nutrient IVs, vitamin injections don’t contain binders, fillers, or additives commonly used in vitamin supplements. With IVs and injections, you get pure, therapeutic dosages of the good stuff!

Engystol Immune Shot

Engystol is an all-natural homeopathic remedy given as an injection once a month as a preventative for flu season. It has scientifically proven anti-viral activity and is effective in treating and preventing viruses such as influenza, herpes simplex 1, rhinovirus, and RSV (Human respiratory syncytial virus). Learn more about Engystol here: Get Your Homeopathic Flu Shot.

  • Relieves cold and flu symptoms including runny nose, sore throat, muscle aches, and mild fever
  • Reduces the duration of viral infections
  • Scientifically and clinically proven effective
  • No known side effects, contraindications or interactions
  • Boosts your white cell blood count by as much as 41%

Ozone Therapy

The oxidative property of ozone makes it a powerful therapeutic agent in the body. Ozone promotes increased production of one of our antioxidants, glutathione. We call glutathione the “master antioxidant” of the body. Glutathione is not only our strongest antioxidant, but it also serves to recycle and restore other antioxidants in our bodies, like vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and alpha-lipoic acid. We administer ozone either through an IV or an intramuscular injection. Read more about ozone and its many health benefits here: Subcutaneous Ozone Injections.

Call 480-588-6856 to schedule a FREE
brief meet and greet with a naturopathic doctor.

Jill Mapstead
Jill Mapstead
2022-03-22
Can’t say enough about Dr. Marianne Marchese! Her commitment to women’s wellness, calm, knowledgeable, non-judgemental guidance and insightful diagnoses / treatment has me turn to her for all my wellness needs. She takes the time to really listen. I feel heard and valued in her care.
Marc Cohn
Marc Cohn
2022-01-08
We had a great first visit with Dr. Turner and we look forward to continuing to work with her. She provides true support and guidance to better health. Alexandra Cohn
Ivana Kalika
Ivana Kalika
2021-12-24
I'm writing my review for Dr. Sarv Varta Khalsa. I met with her a few months ago to receive treatment for a condition I'd been dealing with for an extensive amount of time. She was incredibly kind and took the time to listen to all the details of the symptoms I was experiencing. The office had the prescriptions I needed on-hand so I didn't need to go off-site to find them. All natural remedies, and at comparatively good prices (I don't remember how much exactly, but if they were up-charging, which I doubt, I didn't notice nor would I have minded for the convenience). I'm still symptom-free now after following her recommendations, so I wanted to write a review to express my gratitude. Even though the appointment was pricey, it was worth every single penny to finally be able to live my life feeling normal again. Thank you so much!!
Irene Nicholas
Irene Nicholas
2021-12-15
What's better than a Naturopathic Dr.... Dr. Olivia Watkins!!! I have been working with her for over a year and have learned so much about myself, she is truly a team partner in my journey. She is experienced in ANYTHING you may be experiencing. I consider her my primary physician... you should too!!!
Stephanie Llamas
Stephanie Llamas
2021-11-29
Dr. Watkins is nothing short of incredible. She is kind and personable, while extremely smart and results driven. I have suffered from digestive and hormonal issues my whole life and it wasn't until I met Dr. Watkins that I finally felt heard by a Dr and saw a difference in my health. I can confidently say that my body has never felt this good and we are still working to be even better. If you are ready to feel better and feel heard from your doctor, then run, don't walk to Living Wellness.
D Bach
D Bach
2021-11-10
Dr Olivia Watkins offers a beautiful aura of sincere loving support that I will forever cherish, as she exudes and radiates a beautiful light towards her patients' health care needs. Also, her staff, Joslyn and Ariana are as sweet as they come and have been as helpful as can be to me. One issue I had (and have had a few) was a lack of nutrient absorption and it was Dr Olivia who helped me change that status (thank God!) which I'm already seeing immediate results from and I've had this issue for years which my nails and hair loss were severely revealing! I've also experienced so much stress in the last year and a half, that having Dr Olivia as part of my healing process has made all the difference in my recovery to a more whole being! At this point, I seriously don't know what I'd do without her, as she is now my go-to health advocate and will be to my end days. Dr Olivia is a GodSend! Don't hesitate to call her office. High fives for the brightest healing light you could ever pray for in life! After eight long years, Dr Olivia just recently finished her GM residency and once again, I must congratulate her on such discipline and hard work as it has obviously paid off in spades! Long live Dr Olivia!
Kristin A
Kristin A
2021-09-19
I love Dr. Marchese and so glad I found her last year. She has helped me so much with my health. I have recommended her to several people and they love her too.
Kelly leibrandt
Kelly leibrandt
2021-07-28
Dr. Watkins is life changing! I am so grateful that I was referred to Living Wellness and her specifically. I’ve been dealing with severe stomach issues for 10 years and have gone through the ringer with the test, labs, and over-the-counter medicine suggested by other doctors. Dr. Watkins is so smart, thoughtful, and attentive to every detail so that she can really get down to the bottom of your problems. She feels like a teammate and a very strong coach and a friend all in one. I’m finally on my way to feeling better and I couldn’t have done this without her. If you’re struggling don’t even hesitate to see her or any of the staff at living wellness. I promise you won’t regret it!
Erica Brunkow
Erica Brunkow
2021-03-19
I saw Dr. Warkins several times and was overly impressed her. I was going through cancer treatments and she was compassionate and resourceful. We connected and I felt at such ease with her. She followed up with me multiple times to see how I was doing and feeling. I will continue to see her for any future Gyn needs.
Carey Miller
Carey Miller
2021-03-18
I began to see Dr. Watkins for some general Women's Health issues and she was incredible to work with. She helped my body become more balanced, pain was relieved naturally, and my body was prepared for a healthy pregnancy. She is kind, knowledgable, and very supportive!
Google rating score: 5 of 5, based on 27 reviews

Medical Disclaimer

All material on this website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice provided by your healthcare professional or physician.

Living Wellness Medical Center

The American Association of Naturopathic Pysicians Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association

Living Wellness Medical Center
4440 North 36th St. #110
Phoenix, AZ 85018
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