Our Approach

Our mission at Lakeside Natural Medicine is to address the root cause of your health concerns, not just the symptoms. We offer the best of both conventional and holistic medicine, providing evidence-based and effective natural treatment options. We listen, educate, and collaborate with you to create a plan that supports long-term health and wellness.

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine goes beyond symptom management. Naturopathic doctors identify and address the root cause of disease using natural therapies, such as functional laboratory evaluation, nutrition, herbs, and supplements. Lifestyle counseling is also an integral part of the medicine. Here at Lakeside, we’re passionate about food as medicine.

Naturopathic doctors are highly trained experts in natural medicine, completing a comprehensive medical school program that includes basic medical sciences, clinical sciences, conventional diagnostic and treatment methods, and natural therapeutics. Clinical experience is also a fundamental aspect of naturopathic doctors’ education.

Naturopathic doctors collaborate with all branches of medical science. We believe an integrated approach to your health is the best one.

Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

First, Do No Harm.

This is a based upon three aspects to ensure patients’ safety. First, naturopathic doctors use safe and non-toxic therapies with few or no side effects. Second, when possible, do not suppress symptoms. Third, each treatment plan is individualized to meet patients’ varying needs.

Identify and Treat the Cause. 

Unless the root cause is addressed, symptoms will return and illness will persist. Naturopathic doctors help their patients find the cause and address it accordingly.

The Body Has the Inherent Wisdom to Heal. 

Our bodies are wise and we must honor the messages they are relaying to us. Symptoms are a way of the body communicating to us that something is off balance. By finding and removing barriers to self-healing, such as poor diet and and unhealthy lifestyle, naturopathic doctors facilitate the healing process.

Treat the Whole Person.

Naturopathic doctors consider patients’ unique physical, mental, emotional, environmental, social, and spiritual makeup when creating an individualized treatment plan. The comprehensive approach to care is vital to the healing process.

Doctor Means Teacher.

The word doctor is derived from the Latin word docere, which means "to teach." In addition to being doctors, NDs are also educators. Teaching patients how to eat, relax, exercise, and nurture themselves physically and emotionally is an integral part of naturopathic medicine.

Prevention is the Best Cure.

Naturopathic doctors evaluate risk factors, heredity, and susceptibility to disease with the ultimate goal of prevention. Naturopathic medicine is proactive in its approach, thus saving money, time, misery, and lives.

Common Conditions

What we treat

Our practitioners work with you to create health rather than treat disease. This is accomplished by restoring balance between all systems of the body, addressing you as a whole person. The ultimate goal is to get to the root cause of your condition and get you feeling well! Some of the conditions that naturopathic doctors frequently see are:
  • Acne
  • Allergies
  • Autoimmune Diseases
  • Bladder Infections
  • Celiac Disease
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Diabetes
  • Eczema
  • Endometriosis
  • Fibroids
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Headaches/Migraines
  • Heartburn
  • Heart Disease
  • High Cholesterol
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Hypertension
  • IBS
  • Insomnia
  • Infertility
  • Menopause
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Multiple chemical sensitivity
  • Obesity
  • Osteoporosis
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Parkinson’s
  • PMS
  • Psoriasis
  • Respiratory Infections
  • Sinus Infections
  • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Urinary tract infections (UTI)
Get in Touch

Why Patients Love Our Approach

I was diagnosed with IBS in July of 2022, and I struggled with my diet, always feeling bloated and sick to my stomach. My primary care physician prescribed a drug for my symptoms, and after taking this medication for six months I found no improvement in my condition. I found out about Lakeside Natural Medicine from a family member, and I saw my first Naturopathic Doctor- Katarina Meister, and it changed everything. Dr. Meister helped me with my diet and recommended certain supplements to regulate, and actually work at healing my intestines so that I could successfully stop the prescription

GWJ, 70, Female

I’m so, so grateful I started care at Lakeside Natural Medicine. From booking to my appointment, I had a phenomenal experience, and am excited and filled with hope as I move into a longer care plan with this team. Booking was super easy when I called and spoke to customer care – they were very helpful with scheduling, pricing, and answering all my questions. Dr. Prentice was kind, educational, inquisitive, and offered a listening ear. She gave helpful and practical information, and left me feeling confident to take back control of my health. Because I mentioned budgeting may be a

JE, 33, Female

I came to Dr. Meister after over a year of struggling through symptoms of PCOS, mood issues, losing my period and ovulation, hormonal acne, and inability to lose weight. I had been turned away by my PCP, endocrinologist, and failed at trying to navigate my own treatment via “hormonal specialists” on the internet. In one conversation, she made me feel heard and validated everything I was going through with no surprise. She quickly went to work helping me and I am now on the other side of this hormonal healing journey. There’s still work ahead, but I am a whole

LB, 28, Female

I was so frustrated with so many other medical professionals not taking the time to listen or care about me. Dr. Axtell takes the time to listen fully and understand. She also questions and gives me the room to ask my own questions and to think about what I can do differently to become healthier. Dr. Axtell helped me work through and heal so many life changing health issues. We worked together to get me through my first Ironman triathlon event, adrenal and thyroid support, depression and peri-menopause. Dr. Axtell allows me to be me, while also encouraging and challenging

CQ, 51, Female

Who knew healthy eating could be so easy and fun? Thanks to Dr. Axtell’s workshop, I learned how to eat more healthfully, make good choices and prepare delicious and healthy meals for my family. Without even being aware of it, I lost a few pounds and increased my energy. I’m literally bounding up the stairs at age 60! I feel terrific!

JS, 60, Female

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

AA, 74, Female

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, Female

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, Female

Dr. Axtell, I have to thank you…. I must have been somewhat low progesterone for a while. I haven’t slept this good in a YEAR. Starting the second day I used the cream, I cannot believe how well I slept. How rested I feel. I’m so calm and tolerating life so much better, so much less stressed. I feel amazing. So thank you for what you do…. Based on my symptoms it all makes sense! I also really appreciate your integrity in partnering with my OB and my decisions. I’m glad I chose naturopathy!

SN, 28, Female

Upon meeting Dr. Axtell, I found her to be respectful and professional, yet present and easygoing. In the short time that I have been seeing Dr. Axtell, my primary complaints of anxiety, low energy, insomnia and constipation, have diminished by 80-100%. She was very thorough with her questions and suggestions. Her suggestions ranged from incorporating more of an anti-inflammatory diet, seed cycling and some supplements, to creating new lifestyle habits. I began with adding deep relaxing breathing, especially before meals, and an earlier bedtime. I quickly noticed the positive effects upon my digestion, energy and sleep, as well as an

KF, 54, Female

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. We will work together with any other health care providers that you may be seeing so that you receive the best integrated care. We recommend that you maintain care with your primary care physician and specialists. Naturopathic doctors can be part of the team.

Symptoms are the body’s attempt at telling us there may be something deeper going on. While medications can take away the symptom, the cause of that symptom is still there. For example. taking acid-blockers for heartburn may help with the symptom of heartburn, but the underlying problem still exists. When medications mask symptoms over a long period of time, other symptoms begin to appear and deeper pathology can develop. Naturopathic medicine can help you discover why you developed your disease in the first place and how to prevent further progression. Most importantly, naturopathic medicine can help bring you back into a state of balance and freedom from daily medications or supplements.

The first visit will take approximately 60 minutes. This will give sufficient time for the doctors to get a comprehensive history from you so that they are able to best understand your condition and your goals for optimal health. If you have recently had lab work done, please bring a copy with you. You can plan on follow-up visits lasting approximately 30 minutes.

The education of a naturopathic doctor (ND) is very similar to that of medical doctor (MD). A licensed ND attends a four-year graduate level naturopathic medical school and is educated in all the basic and clinical sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, immunology and microbiology. In addition to the basic sciences, an ND takes four years of training in nutrition, homeopathy, botanical medicine, counseling, and natural manipulation therapy. Two to three years of seeing patients in the clinical setting is a critical component to ND’s professional training. An ND takes two sets of professional board exams to become licensed as a primary care physician.

Naturopathic doctors are trained as primary care doctors, which is not true of homeopaths or herbalists. Naturopathic doctors have been trained in homeopathy and herbal medicine, which can be used along with other modalities as mentioned above.

  • Herbs
  • Hydrotherapy- the use of water to restore health
  • Nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, etc)
  • Diet and lifestyle counseling for your individualized needs
  • Homeopathy- a very gentle, non-toxic way of stimulating the body’s innate ability to heal itself
  • Biotherapeutic drainage- a gentle way of detoxifying the body by opening the organs of elimination and discharging accumulated toxins
  • Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
  • Functional lab analysis

Let's Work Together For Your Health