Photo By: Kambria Fischer

Ever Tried Naturopathic Medicine? Test it Out at KOI Wellbeing in San Diego

Treat Yourself This Weekend at La Jolla’s KOI Wellbeing

Written By: Melissa Colombo
Photographed By: Kambria Fischer

The koi fish holds tremendous value across cultures as it represents health, strength, individuality, beauty, success and longevity. These are the perfect adjectives to describe KOI Wellbeing, a naturopathic wellness clinic located in La Jolla. KOI offers a variety of services, including a range of IV therapies, nutrient injections, hormone balancing, consultations with naturopathic doctors, specialty lab testing and more.

CEO Jeffrey Sternberg, Co-Owner Leah Freeland and Medical Director Dr. Brooke Leverone created KOI Wellbeing with a mission to provide easily accessible healthcare solutions, based on natural elements and grounded in science, that allow people to function at their full capacity.

Sternberg says that the idea for developing KOI came after his own visit to a naturopathic doctor who introduced him to IV therapy.

“I’d never had that experience, where he sat down and took a great deal of time with me and explained that this (being infused with vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants and amino acids) is what it would feel like if I was where I was supposed to be. And I walked out feeling fantastic,” said Sternberg.

Sternberg got his start in the health field in traditional Western medicine. However, he began to see the value in personalized, science-based naturopathic treatment following his experience. He liked that naturopathic medicine and techniques, rather than just treating and suppressing symptoms with medications, are a quantifiable way not only to see what people are lacking, but also target the issue with little to no side effects.

Freeland started her career in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Working in the healthcare field with businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies, she is excited to be able to merge her professional skills with her passion for naturopathic medicine.

She believes that a major part of naturopathic medicine is understanding the impact it has on people and being mindful of the trust that clients put in naturopathic healthcare. That’s where Freeland sees KOI’s use of quantifiable lab testing as being important in proving whether a treatment or recommendation works.

“When people come in, they’re entrusting you with their health, and that’s an important responsibility we don’t take lightly. We provide an environment in which the client optimizes their health and receives the care they deserve,” said Freeland.

Making their clients feel relaxed and well-cared for is an important part of KOI Wellbeing. The center even designed their office with the intention to resemble a spa, rather than a doctor’s office. While appointments are offered, they are not required for most services.

“That helps to lessen the barrier when taking care of yourself,” said Sternberg. “You’re more likely to go get seen if you don’t have to wait and make the appointment. I think medicine needs to be that way—it shouldn’t be difficult.”

Dr. Leverone’s background is slightly different than that of her colleagues, as she grew up with a strong focus on eating healthy and opting for natural remedies instead of medicinal. Naturally, after graduating from the UCSD pre-med program, she found a home in practicing naturopathic medicine and was invited by Freeland to be a part of opening KOI in its early stages.

“I’ve done IV therapy for years,” said Dr. Leverone, who teaches the IV Infusion course at Bastyr University. “I was really excited to be able to be in a setting like this, where it was so accessible and to have people answer screening questions, receive the appropriate treatment and walk out the door feeling so much better,” said Leverone.

IV therapies have seen a major spike in popularity over the last few years among everyone from celebrities and well-known bloggers to everyday people. KOI is no exception as their IV therapies are consistently one of their most popular forms of treatment.

“You’re optimizing performance on every level when you’re getting all your required nutrients and the IV therapy is a quality, immediate treatment,” said Dr. Leverone. “This is especially true for clients with chronic conditions—those clients are having huge benefits as a result. However, they are really for everyone looking to optimize their wellness and athletic performance.”

Many clients opt for consultations with KOI’s naturopathic doctors in order to understand the root cause of their illness or condition, and where their deficiencies lie. KOI’s doctors typically order lab and/or genetic testing, create a detailed treatment plan and spend an hour going over test results and recommendations.  

For those still skeptical of naturopathic techniques, it’s important to remember that natural doctors are trained, primary care physicians in the state of California and are required to continue their education and maintain a license to practice medicine.

“We want to avoid skepticism as much as possible,” adds Sternberg. “Everything we do here has to be quantifiable and backed by science.”

And for those who are still unsure, Freeland’s advice is simple. “Just come in! We have clients that come in with a ton of questions. And once they realize how calming and beneficial everything is and how great and welcoming the staff is, they leave their reservations at the door.”

Services Offered at KOI Wellbeing

  • IV Therapy
  • Nutrient Injections
  • Naturopathic Doctor
  • Hormone Balancing
  • Bioidentical Hormones
  • Detoxification Programs
  • Specialty Lab + Genetic Testing
  • PRP Facials

Living a Healthy Life: KOI Wellbeing was opened with the idea that people have a right to address their health concerns, overall wellness and to ultimately reach optimum health. “And that shouldn’t be restricted or limited or otherwise kept from them by insurance companies or medical systems,” said Sternberg.

Changing Perspective: CEO Jeffrey Sternberg says his goal for KOI is to open as many centers as possible in an effort to create a shift in the way we look at and treat illness and our expectations as patients. In fact, at KOI people are referred to as “clients” rather than “patients” because, as Sternberg says, “The idea that we spend thousands of dollars on healthcare and are not treated as we would be spending the same amount of money anywhere else is unacceptable.”

KOI Wellbeing
5632 La Jolla Blvd
La Jolla, CA 92037
858.257.2808

Learn How You Can Be Your Best Self With KOI Wellbeing

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​Currently based in San Diego, ​Kambria Fischer is a lifestyle photo​grapher known for her impactful​, authentic​ ​imagery​ of lifestyle brands, food, ​people and travel.​​ ​​She holds a ​BA in Journalism​ and Public Relations​​ from CSULB and has an accomplished professional background in the hospitality and tourism industries. You can find Kambria hiking or playing beach volleyball on the weekends and eating tacos almost any night of the week.
Visit her at www.kambriafischer.com.

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