December 2-3, 2023

Heather Zwickey earned a Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center with a focus on infectious disease and vaccine development. Dr. Zwickey went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship and teach at Yale University School of Medicine where she worked on immunotherapy for cancer.

She was then recruited to the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR, where she launched the Helfgott Research Institute and served as its director for 17 years. In 2009, Dr. Zwickey established the School of Graduate Studies, developing programs in integrative medicine research, nutrition, and global health among others. As the founding dean of the graduate school, she continues to teach many courses.

Dr. Zwickey currently co-leads an NIH funded clinical research training program focused on training the next generation of integrative medicine researchers. She teaches at many universities and speaks at conferences world-wide. At Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Zwickey applies her immunology expertise to natural medicine, with specific interest in the gut-brain axis in neuroinflammation.

Christine Bowen is a Naturopathic doctor, author, mentor, and international keynote speaker. She focuses on helping people with autoimmune, digestive and complex conditions recover their health through creative, integrative treatment approaches. Dr. Bowen is now offering online group programs in addition to 1:1 patient care. She is passionate about teaching and is committed to continual learning and growing in her profession. Dr. Bowen is the Medical Director of Bothell Natural Health and the Founder of the nonprofit organization - Inside Health Institute. Dr. Bowen’s free time is dedicated to fun, love, family, friends, laughter, travel, music, and a deep love of nature. IG and FB are @drchristinebowen

Why is it that a woman's risk of heart disease catches up with men after menopause? In this presentation, we will review the unique cardiovascular disease risks encountered throughout a woman's lifetime from childhood to the reproductive years and beyond. We will explore how female reproductive hormones may have an impact on traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors such as lipids and blood pressure. This is a topic that has long been overlooked by the medical community - we will discuss why that is and how we can bring more attention and awareness to cardiovascular disease risk factors that are unique to women.

Dr. Lai Chim Chan is the Course Director and Attending Physician of Cardiology and Pulmonology of the College of Naturopathic Medicine at NUNM and NUNM’s Health Centers. An ND Alumni of NUNM, Dr. Chan completed two years of family medicine residency at NUNM, followed by a 3rd year of residency as the Heart and Lung resident shared by NUNM and Center for Natural Medicine. She did rotations in both allopathic and natural medicine clinics, then spent a year exclusively studying naturopathic cardiology and pulmonology under Martin Milner, ND. Additionally, she has also spent over two years rotating with a conventional cardiologist in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

The top ten most prevalent medical conditions come with a high cost, both for individuals and for society. Sleep disorders and insufficient sleep contribute to these common diseases, and are an essential part of the holistic treatment plan. For example, sleep conditions that contribute to hypertension include insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea and insufficient sleep syndrome. Poor sleep in mid-life increases risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Covid-19 severity is worse in people with obstructive sleep apnea, and is also influenced by melatonin, the circadian “hormone of darkness.” This course first discusses the mechanisms by which sleep disorders contribute to the pathophysiology of medical conditions. Then we will discuss the naturopathic and conventional treatment of the most common sleep disorders seen in the primary care setting.

Dr. Catherine Darley is the leader in natural sleep medicine. She founded The Institute of Naturopathic Sleep Medicine Inc in Seattle which is dedicated to patient care, public education about sleep health, and consultation with high-risk populations such as first responders. Dr. Darley regularly writes articles and trains healthcare providers in the treatment of sleep disorders. She has served as adjunct faculty at Bastyr University and National University of Natural Medicine. Dr. Darley now focuses on teaching people sleep skills so they can thrive at home, at work, and have a high quality of life. You can find her online courses at SkilledSleeper.com, on Instagram @skilledsleeper, and Substack.

Complex chronic disease is often characterized by inappropriate or overactive inflammation, which itself is often driven by microbes in the intestines or other regions of the body. Naturopathic doctors are trained to consider the terrain, and how to influence it for our patients' benefit. In this talk, we consider where the microbiome and the terrain begin and end, and how to influence the immune system, inflammation, and the microbiome using microbial medicines.

Mark Davis, ND is a 2011 graduate of NUNM, and a fellow of the American College of Naturopathic Gastroenterology. He's licensed and practices in Maryland, the District of Columbia, California, and Oregon. Dr. Davis is on the board of directors of the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and the editorial board of the Natural Medicine Journal. He's the Chief Scientific Officer for Anthera VMT in Portland Oregon, and for Biome Bridge FMT in Panama City, Panama. He teaches the naturopathic gastroenterology course at Sonoran University of Health Sciences, and he has focused on patients with IBD since 2016.

The art of using Echinacea has been skewed over the last decade by various claims, extractions and research that puts this medicinal plant in question. We will review clinical guidelines, extractions, research and the main species on the market E. purpurea, E. angustifolia and E. pallida for effective and meaningful outlines in the clinic for the treatment of infections.

Dr. Kevin Spelman is a molecular biologist, phytotherapist and nutrition consultant who has worked with medicinal plants in the field and clinic. As a researcher he has performed clinical trials and immunological investigations, studied plants for brain & ovarian cancer, cannabinoid signaling and chemical analysis. International research has included the analysis of nutrient levels in teenage women in West Africa, working with children with neurological disorders in Central America and investigating antimalarial plant activity in France. As a clinician, he has practiced Ayurvedic medicine, supported by the understanding of the molecular interface between phytonutrients and human cellular networks, for over 3 decades and has delivered over 100 CMEs/CEUs for healthcare providers. Dr. Spelman has been an adjunct assistant professor at Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, National University of Natural Medicine, Bastyr University & Maryland University of Integrative Health and directs Health, Education & Research, a consulting service for the Natural Products and Cannabis industry which offers services in research, formulations, product development and novel phytochemical applications. He currently holds 3 formulation patents.

Emma Neiworth Petshow, ND, CPT is an assistant professor of biomedical sciences, course director of Structure and Function, and course director of Cardiology and Pulmonology at NUNM in the College of Naturopathic Medicine. Dr. Petshow earned a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at NUNM in 2018 and then completed a two-year post-doctoral CNME accredited naturopathic medicine residency in integrative primary care and family medicine.

Dr. Petshow has a passion for biomedical sciences and brings extensive experience in both undergraduate and graduate education to NUNM. Prior to her current role, she was a faculty member in the Natural Sciences and Health Division at Warner Pacific University, where she taught a variety of courses including anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, and microbiology. Dr. Petshow completed her undergraduate studies at Portland State University earning a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies: Health Sciences, Pre-Naturopathic Medicine and General Science.

Outside of her educational pursuits, Dr. Petshow is a licensed, board-certified naturopathic physician in the state of Oregon. She is the founder and owner of EmPower U Health and Wellness LLC, where she practices naturopathic medicine, offers nutrition counseling, and personal training to patients locally and consults worldwide. Her clinical experience is diverse including roles as primary care provider, Chief Medical Officer at a community health clinic, clinical rotations in rural and global health, and a residency rotation in emergency medicine. Her clinical focus is family medicine, cardiopulmonary disease and prevention, and women’s health.

In this presentation Dr. Lundquist will share some of the evidence as well as theories associated with the multiple drivers thought to be involved with fibromyalgia (FM) including from the exposome (including toxins and infections), epigenetics, mitochondrial function, metal sensitivity and inflammation. Dr. Lundquist will review the evidence that supports a comprehensive treatment approach to FM including foundational dietary practices, micronutrient assessments, as well as targeted therapeutic interventions which include nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals that have been shown to reduce severity of fibromyalgia symptoms. This presentation will also include a deep dive on clinical data supporting metabolic detoxification and emerging data on the impact of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) as it relates to the management of FM patients.

Erik Lundquist is board certified in Family Medicine, Integrative Medicine and Functional Medicine. He loves to teach and share about his knowledge and experience in Integrative Medicine. He is passionate about helping patients obtain hope in their health journey and optimize their wellness. He is the founder of the Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine, a renowned facility for cutting edge treatments for complex chronic illnesses. He is also the Medical Director of Metabolize Health, an up and coming group of Integrative Medicine Clinics to improve cardiometabolic and hormonal imbalances. He is the proud father of 2 young men and 1 beautiful daughter and credits his wife with helping him realize all of his dreams.