Dr. Joanne Aponte, ND
As a licensed Naturopathic Doctor with over 15 years of experience, I provide comprehensive natural health and wellness consultations for adults and children. My practice is centered on identifying and addressing the root causes of health concerns rather than simply managing symptoms.
My integrative, whole-person approach combines clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, vitamin therapy, mind-body medicine, and diet and lifestyle counseling to help patients build resilience and achieve long-term vitality. I believe in thoughtfully integrating evidence-based natural treatments with conventional medical care, always guided by each patient’s individual needs and best interests.
I take the time to truly listen and understand your health story—because you’re the expert on your own body. Through detailed health histories and functional laboratory evaluation, we’ll dig deeper and investigate to uncover what’s going on beneath the surface and create a personalized wellness plan that meets your unique needs.
I am passionate about empowering patients to utilize food as medicine, implement sustainable lifestyle practices, and develop effective stress management techniques that can fit into your real life. I believe in partnership—we’re in this together, and I’ll collaborate with your other healthcare providers whenever that team approach serves you best.
Dr. Aponte’s practice focus and specialties:
- Digestive disorders – IBS, SIBO, Constipation, Bloating, Acid Reflux, IBD
- Women’s health and hormones – menstrual cycle irregularities, menstrual pain, PMS, PMDD, PCOS
- Perimenopause & Menopause
- Preconception, Fertility & Pregnancy Preparation
- Postpartum Recovery
- Children’s health – Eczema, Digestive issues, Frequent acute illnesses, Asthma and Overall wellness
- Fatigue
- Difficult Focus & Foggy Thinking
- Stress & Overwhelm
- Low mood and motivation
- Healthy Aging & Prevention – Cognitive and Brain Health, Metabolic Wellness, Diabetes Prevention
I graduated with honors from Southwest University of Naturopathic Medicine (now Sonoran University) and maintain my license in Wisconsin. I am committed to bringing the best care possible and advancing my clinical expertise by regularly participating in continuing education in women’s hormones, digestive disorders, and children’s health. I have completed specialized training in digestive disorders with gastroenterology specialist Megan Taylor, ND, and continue to participate in her mentorship group where we collaborate on patient cases.
I am a mother of two daughters (and one dog). In my personal time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, being outdoors in nature, and working in my garden.
Read more from Dr. Aponte on the Lakeside Natural Medicine – Resources Blog
Testimonials
I had been dealing w/ respiratory issues for almost 8 months. Working with traditional doctors, they just kept trying to treat the symptoms I was having vs trying to identify why I was dealing w/ these issues. After working w/ Dr. Aponte for the first 3 months I saw significant changes in my symptoms and quality of life. I have now been a patient for 8 months and the care & amazing push to continue to find the root cause of any health issue is refreshing. Following my wellness plans Dr. Aponte has provided, my symptoms have improved & I feel 90% better. I will continue to see Dr. Aponte for any related or new issues that arise. Also, the option of being able to have appointments in person, virtual, or over the phone is helpful for any schedule.
—AC,37 year oldfemale
Dr. Aponte has helped me this past year solve my hormonal problems and look into what was causing my hormonal symptoms all together. Within seeing Dr. Aponte for the first 3 months, I had received my period (first time in 3 years) and started to clear my skin up and also many other smaller things. She is very knowledgeable and I feel really listens to any of my concerns and questions. I highly recommend going to Lakeside Natural Medicine, their staff is always very friendly and the atmosphere is on point. Thank you Lakeside!
—ER ,17 year oldfemale
We're so thankful to have found Dr. Aponte and Lakeside Natural Medicine! Our daughter has a complicated GI condition and Dr. Aponte has helped us make real progress in healing. She took the time to listen to our unique situation and gave us a personalized plan, along with periodic check-ins to see if what we're trying is working.
—RB,4 year oldF
I visited Dr. Joanne Aponte after I discovered I had h. pylori bacteria in my system. My medical doctor put me on antibiotics that I had to stop taking after 24 hours due to intense side effects that included severe diarrhea and an extremely upset stomach. Dr. Aponte had me take some supplements for 30 days and at the end a medical test proved that the bacteria was no longer an issue. lt was a painless, side-effect minus protocol. Additionally, the recommendations from Dr. Aponte not only solved my immediate problem it also put me on a path to intestinal healing that has been an issue for me for years and years. I was unprepared for how wonderful it felt to once again not have an upset stomach after every meal I ate. I continue taking some supplements and have not had any of my past discomfort reappear. I cannot express how incredibly grateful I am to Dr. Aponte and the staff at Lakeside who have been unfailingly kind and professional at every visit. I will most definitely include Lakeside going forward with any health-related issues I have.
—AA,74 year oldFemale
Dr. Joanne Aponte's bedside manner is both calm and patient. She listens intently and then explains her recommendations in great detail and then provides my wellness plan printed for my convenience. She is very knowledgeable in naturopathic medicine. With her help I am symptom free, feel great and know I am leading a healthier life than before knowing her. I strongly recommend Dr. Aponte.
—CS,61 year oldFemale
I wanted to write and thank Dr. Aponte for working with me this Spring. I feel like a new person- rested, calm and without pain. The guidance and care Dr. Aponte provided was the perfect solution to my health issues and I'm so grateful.
—CB,53 year oldFemale
Talking to Dr. Aponte during appointments and the natural supplements that she recommended helped me calm down, focus and control my stress. The supplements helped my mind stop thinking about things to worry about. They calmed me down without me noticing! I know there will always be set backs or difficult times, but I have the tools now to not let those times control me and I know how to regain a sense of calm. I can now focus more on just living life every day.
—BS,28 year oldMale
I’ve seen Dr. Aponte for help with sore throats and dry skin. I saw her for my recurring sore throat over a year ago and thanks to her recommendations, I have not been bothered by sore throats since. Recently, I saw her for dry skin. I had dry flaky skin all over my face which made it embarrassing to be in front of people. She instructed me to take a few different supplements and a lotion and within a day my skin is already clearing up. I had been trying to treat it myself with no luck. Dr. Aponte continues to surprise me with the amount of things she can address.
—JB,32 year oldMale
I came to Dr. Aponte looking for help clearing up my acne. I am 29 yrs old and started getting mild acne when I was about 25 years old. My first instinct was to see a dermatologist who put me on antibiotics and two topical creams. After one year on the treatment my skin looked great but I was concerned about the negative health affects these treatments may have been placing on my body. I decided to come off of the medicine and my face reacted horribly. I had worse acne than I’d ever had previously. Rather than run back to the dermatologist I came to Dr. Aponte. She spent time getting to know my health history, lifestyle choices and dietary habits. After a complete consultation she started me on a supplement regimen that has dramatically improved my skin and overall health. My acne is GONE and my face feels healthy again! I would highly recommend Dr. Aponte to anyone seeking help with a wellness issue.
—DF,29 year oldFemale
In my first meeting with Dr. Aponte, I felt an instant rapport with her and felt comforted by her compassion. She took me seriously and listened intently to every symptom that I reported. She truly treated me as a whole person and not as just a condition. Not only did Dr. Aponte provide me with supplements and dietary advice that improved my condition but her advice and natural remedies also helped me to improve my overall wellbeing. I credit Dr. Aponte’s advice with the fact that my condition improved so quickly. I want to thank Dr. Aponte for her impeccable expertise, compassion, intuition and skill. I would recommend her to anyone.
—KL,28 year oldFemale
Joanne Aponte, ND is wonderful to work with, her style is warm and caring. I had some issues with my intestinal tract due to antibiotics after a bout with diverticulosis. My GI Doctor wanted to put me on Prilosec, which I resisted. Joanne came up with an alternative plan to heal my esophagus. After 6 months of following her recommendations, my next endoscopy showed no inflammation. She also reviewed my diet and made many helpful suggestions to clean up my diet. I have recommended her not only to my daughter, but many friends. I am grateful to have a Naturopathic Doctor as dedicated and knowledgeable as Joanne is to work with.
—SJ,64 year oldFemale