FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE, WOMEN’S HEALTH, PRIMARY CARE – Works at BOTH 6035 SE MILWAUKIE AVE & 5736 NE Glisan Clinics
Primary Care Provider located in Portland, OR
Claudia Dogan-Coles works at both the MHW 6035 SE Milwaukie location (Tues and Wed) AND the 5736 NE Glisan St location (Thurs and Fri).
Claudia Dogan-Coles is a board certified Physician Assistant. Ms Dogan-Coles received both her Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies and Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences. Claudia graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Claudia Dogan-Coles’ first position after graduating was in Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgery. She became proficient in orthopedic examination as well as joint injection which is helpful is primary care.
Claudia Dogan-Coles believes that the key to providing excellent patient care is through communication and education. Claudia Dogan-Coles strives to develop long-term relationships with her patients. Claudia encourages them to be an active part of their healthcare decision making. Feeling trusting of, and comfortable with, your healthcare provider makes for the best patient-provider relationship. Claudia Dogan-Coles strives to maintain the relaxed and approachable demeanor.
Claudia Dogan-Coles recently moved to Oregon at the end of 2014 and enjoys the countless outdoor activities Oregon has to offer. Outside of work, Claudia enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, yoga, horseback riding, pottery and salsa/Latin dancing. And staying true to her Wisconsin roots, she also loves the Green Bay Packers–go Pack go!
WHAT IS FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE?
Functional Medicine is a more holistic approach to treating patients; it does not just concentrate on treating a disease but employs a system-oriented approach working on identifying and understanding the underlying or root causes of a disease. Functional Medicine is basically the personalization of healthcare as it focuses on the individual. It uses the DIG IN style interrogation to gather the health history of a person.
The team of practitioners listens to your story and attempts are made to find the true cause of your illness. State of the art lab tests and theory may be used to help achieve optimum health.
Functional Medicine works around a nutrition plan, supplements and providing health coaching to heal the root of your health issue. It assesses Food, Deter, Hormones, Energy, Cardio, Metabolic, and above all Gut Health.
To learn more click here. Many find natural treatments hard to follow due to so many options. We match and adjust the treatment and make it more personalised. We maintain a relationship with the patient and meet him where he feels at home and comfortable. This helps the patient step to success rather than feel overwhelmed with the treatment plan.
WESTERN MED
Western medicine is based on science and diagnostic line of treatment. The physicians use prescriptions to treat, and this treatment is prescribed on the basis of the visible symptoms. Symptoms are like the tip of the iceberg; when it comes to the underlying chronic disease. However, these medicines don’t fix the problem completely and forever.
In fact, they often create other further problems. In functional medicine the approach is different; it does not rely solely on symptoms but looks for causes of inflammation and disease. We use the most up to date research. After identifying your triggers the things that are causing strife in your body are removed.
We add on the things that your body is missing and focus on removing hidden infections, allergens, toxic chemicals, and foods that you are sensitive to; adding digestive enzymes, vitamins and nutrients, and healthy bacteria intake through your food. We also balance hormones that promote brain health. In functional medicine we help find the real cause of disease, so that you can truly heal.
WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
The women’s health care patient coming to we are not sure if they have been making the right women’s health care choices. When patients get women’s health care from us as they have a sense of wellbeing and feel this must be a better way. We feel as alternative therapy practitioners we can help find a better way to perform women’s health care.
WHY ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE?
Many have disdain and are unsatisfied with normal women’s health care, but at the same time, they are leery of alternative medicine. Some are seeking alternative health care but do not trust it enough to tell their doctor about it. Hence, a lot of women are confused as far as normal health care is concerned. But the truth is that the health care system is going through change moving away from being completely symptom oriented. This is called functional medicine or integrative medicine; non-mainstream practice. By adopting this, you can be an agent of change.
TIPS FOR PERSONAL SUCCESS
Practice silence and being still. As little as ten minutes a day is good enough. Spend quiet time. It will give you physical, mental, and emotional health. Concentrate on your breath and practice deep breathing, which allows oxygen to reach the tissues and quietens the mind. Also it allows space for your inner voice to emerge and guide you in your life.
WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVE, COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE?
Let’s look at these terms to help understand them better.
CONVENTIONAL OR TRADITIONAL WESTERN MEDICINE
The system of treatment which we have been following all along; it is what most of us grew up with is the Conventional method of treatment. When you get sick, feel uneasiness on any kind or have an accident, you go to the doctor.
The doctor treats that particular problem using prescription drugs or through surgery — and you go home after getting some relief. This has been a remarkably successful system that has rid the world of diseases and infections. Preventative medicine is now the in-thing.
The need to eat less, eat healthy, exercise more and take “safe” drugs to prevent disease. Scientific advances like DNA mapping may change this approach in the future. Traditional doctors are trained rigorously to address trauma or disease but not the complexities of how the patient acquired one.
ALTERNATIVE, NATURAL AND HOLISTIC MEDICINE
Alternative therapy practitioners work on all three aspects, the mind, body and spirit of a person — to identify underlying imbalances that cause disease. Such treatment in the least invasive, and uses the most natural ways. It fosters a well-balanced, well-nourished body that can resist disease.
Also it enables one to fight infection, heal naturally and much faster, age gracefully and rarely if ever needed go in for more radical intervention. Many leading hospitals now offer complementary and alternative medicine.
INTEGRATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
Integrative medicine encompasses a wide range of alternative therapies and complements the Western medicine. We can say with complete conviction that integrative medicine is the future of healthcare. Integrative medicine is now a part of the syllabus at 28 major medical schools around the United States. A branch of integrative medicine, known as functional medicine, is the guiding principle of our practice at Merritt Health and Wellness.
WHY ISINTEGRATIVE MEDICINE IMPORTANT TO YOUR HEALTH
The main reason to bring integrative medicine into your life is simple – you’ll be healthier as it is patient-centred. Both traditional and alternative practices when brought together provide a synergy that transforms your health. This type of treatment process can fill you with vitality, naturally, blessing you with good health for the rest of your life.
A recent eight-year study on U.S. adult health-related quality of life concluded that though we now live longer we feel worse. This is more often than not because Drugs we consume to keep ourselves moving have side effects that often diminish the quality of life, and shorten it too.
IN OTHER, WORDS MEDICINE MAYBE KEEPING US ALIVE LONGER, BUT WE AREN’T LOVING IT
At our practice we see this every day. Women coming to us have all their tests “normal” by current standards but they know and feel that something is wrong. Often they have already acquired or are on the verge of a serious health issue. But they just haven’t reached threshold of the disease yet to develop symptoms and show up in tests. Simply adding daily food supplements and making changes in diet and lifestyle of such patients have helped them feel better. Conventional treatment methods are very good at disease screening and diagnosis, and often effective in treatment of disease during acute conditions. But if you stay with the conventional approach exclusively, in our view, you make it more likely for yourself to get sick.
HOW DO I INTEGRATE MY HEALTHCARE
Complementary and alternative practitioners are getting more visits by patients for the last couple of years. At Merritt Health and Wellness we integrate these methods seamlessly. Try alternative health care, the way to get results from integrative medicine are through the use of natural products and mind and body practices.
FIND A PRACTIONER YOU CAN TALK TO
Maybe you already have identified a alternative therapist, if not, ask your friends for references. Our information on talking about bio identical hormones with your doctor provides advice about talking to a practitioner. Some physicians may feel threatened and offended on professional front when patients suggest the need to bring another practitioner onto their team. Proceed with the notion that knowledge is power and what matters most is your health, more than your doctor’s feelings.
IF YOU CANT FIND A PRACTIONER WHO WILL WORK WITH YOU ON AN INTEGRATIVE BASIS,GO ANYWAY
Till the time you do not find a therapist of choice, do not ignore the value of health check-ups for disease screening; you are advised not to depend on self-diagnose.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
You are the best judge when it comes to your body and health. If you have a health issue but the plan of treatment doesn’t sound satisfying to you, discuss options. If you realise something doesn’t feel right even though your tests are normal, go out for a second option but don’t ignore your body’s wisdom. Now is the perfect time to begin looking into alternative medicine. Each one is unique. You have to find what works for you. Sometimes what’s best for me may not be suitable to you. Adopting the normal approach is good but sometimes it is not. Hence give time to natural methods of healing. Make minor changes (food changes and food supplement) take time to get traction.