The Top 5 Answers to the Question “What Do You Do at Seasons?”
Seasons. You might have heard the name.
And we’ve heard the question many times. But answering the question “What is it that you do at Seasons?” in one sentence is nearly impossible. So we’ll give you the top five answers instead.
Answer #1: Seasons offers wellness from head-to-toe.
It all began with the idea that wellness is all-inclusive. Upon moving to the area and opening his clinic in 2006, Dr. Nathan Goodyear, Seasons’ founding physician, desired to offer his patients more than just a visit to the doctor and a prescription. Instead, real solutions to the nagging health problems that seemed unsolvable was his goal. That six-year journey resulted in a center for wellness from head-to-toe.
Comprised of both Seasons Wellness Clinic and Seasons – The Spa, Seasons offers a range of services that promote healthy living based on 5 Points of Wellness: nutrition, hormone balance, detoxification, inflammation reduction, and exercise. Seasons is conveniently located off Farmerville Highway at 1809 Northpointe Lane in Suites 103 and 202, in the 2-story building behind Portico Bar & Grill.
Dr. Jackie White
Answer #2: Seasons provides leading-edge medical care based on the latest in science combined with the most natural approach possible.
Healthcare professionals, Dr. Nathan Goodyear, Dr. Jackie White, and Anna Stephens, WHNP, seek to provide the highest level of care for every client. Rather than a disease-focused approach, the healthcare team at Seasons strives to uncover the root cause of symptoms and conditions such as: abdominal fat, diabetes, difficulty losing weight, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, joint pain, trouble sleeping, hot flashes, and many more.
The healthcare team begins with identifying your symptoms and, utilizing the most advanced diagnostic testing available, developing a wellness plan that will rid your body of toxins, recharge your energy, and reinvigorate your immune system. The result is elimination of the root cause of the myriad of symptoms and a return to a state of wellness. And when your body is functioning optimally, prevention and reversal of disease states is a by-product of that state of wellness.
The lobby of Seasons Wellness Clinic
Answer #3: Seasons offers specific health programs such as the Wellness Weight Loss Program and Athlete Wellness Program.
Each of these programs use advanced metabolic testing and a natural approach for optimal results in two specific client groups: those who want to lose weight and those who wish to increase their athletic performance in a healthy and natural way. Each program features an individualized approach and includes testing and treatment to achieve goals set at the beginning of the program.
Answer #4: Seasons serves as a beacon for healthy living in a state that ranks #2 in Unhealthiest States in America.
With a commitment to educate all of Louisiana about health and wellness, Seasons provides and shares the best, most scientifically accurate information available on a daily basis. Seasons has pioneered website and social media usage in the medical community. By developing a blog-based website before blogging was a household word, Seasons began building and gaining traction in the online world, and utilizes social media to share information that is dependable and has depth.
Join the online conversation about health and wellness. Read our blog, subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and catch the latest Wellness Lifestyle Report or Nibble On This recipe in your inbox. You can sign up for the e-newsletter and link to all Seasons’ social sites on our homepage.
The lounge at Seasons - The Spa
Answer #5: Seasons – The Spa offers renewal and rejuvenation without the traffic of the big city.
Do you ever just want to “get away” without going far away? Maybe you need a pick-me-up, a lift-me-up, or a fix-me-up. Seasons – The Spa provides a big-city spa experience in rural and scenic north central Louisiana with a highly-skilled and highly-trained staff.
- Bethany Cox, LMT, provides services including massage therapy, reflexology, and Smooth Shapes, a cellulite reduction treatment.
- Skin care experts Lisa Best and Joy Smith offer services ranging from European facials to microdermabrasions to hair reduction and removal to hydradermie lift, a non-surgical face-lift.
- Anna Stephens, WHNP, specializes in skin rejuvenation services such as Botox, Artefill, and Juvederm. Anna’s great disposition makes clients feel at ease, insuring a comfortable skin rejuvenation experience. Seasons also offers back-door service for those who want a more private consultation. Please call the Spa to arrange back-door service at 318-255-1155.
Yoga Instructor, Ashley Moody
Seasons also boasts the only infrared sauna in the area and offers individual sessions as well as packages for clients desiring the proven health benefits of infrared sauna. Fitness classes include Yoga, featuring certified Yoga instructor Ashley Moody, and Fit4Baby, with local fitness specialist Maryanne Smith. Classes are available in packages at convenient times for any schedule. Sauna and fitness classes are free for Spa Members. For more information about Spa Membership, visit the Spa Membership page on our website or give us a call at 318-255-1155. Keep up with the latest Spa specials by signing up for our e-mail list on our home page. Quarterly Beauty Bonuses come to your inbox and feature discounts and special offers on services and packages.
So did that answer the big question about what is Seasons?
Seasons is health, wellness, relaxation, rejuvenation, education and a whole lot more. For more information or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 318-255-3223 and speak with a customer relations specialist.
The Top 3 Answers to the Question “Why Should I Take Hormones?”
Dr. Nathan Goodyear, Overseeing Physician at Seasons Wellness Clinic
Recently during a patient’s visit, we were reviewing her most recent OB/GYN appointment. Her physician asked why she was taking hormones. Unable to offer a technical explanation, she simply stated that she felt much better than she did before she began her treatment program.
While the basic question of WHY is a good question by her physician, we actually need to answer three questions.
- What are my individual hormone levels?
- Are my hormones in appropriate balance?
- Is my body metabolizing those hormones in the right way?
The answers to these three questions will answer the one question: “Why should a patient take hormones?”
What are my individual hormone levels?
Contrary to what most think, hormones are not just about individual numbers. Instead, hormones work collectively as a means of communication within the body. I am amazed at the answers I get when I ask postmenopausal women, “Does your body still have or need hormones?”
The answer is a resounding YES, but most people seem to think otherwise. The body must have hormones to survive. For example, those who suffer from Addison’s Disease have a life-threatening deficiency of cortisol (one of the body’s many hormones).
Far too often I hear the comment, “I’ve had a hysterectomy, so I don’t need progesterone.” The truth is having a hysterectomy does not eliminate your body’s use or need for hormones. It just means you are missing your uterus. Hysterectomy or not, millions of cells throughout the body have progesterone receptors and those cells could care less if you’ve had a hysterectomy or what your OB/GYN thinks about progesterone. [Insert laugh here!] These organ systems throughout the body have receptors for progesterone because they need progesterone.
The aforementioned patient’s hormone therapy included progesterone cream and DHEA capsules. Testing results showed her to be deficient in both progesterone and DHEA (read about how we test hormones at Seasons), and thus replacement was needed. In addition to test results, the patient’s clinical symptom history warranted the replacement of these hormones.
So why was DHEA included in her treatment program? Two reasons. The first is that her DHEA levels were low in her testing results. The second reason? This patient had Type II Diabetes and, after some additional testing, was found to have chronic inflammation throughout her body. DHEA has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve insulin function, and reduce obesity, all of which are associated with diabetes. DHEA does this through a complex interaction with the hormones adiponectin and insulin. As insulin levels rise with insulin resistance, adiponectin falls. This hormone imbalance will result in Diabetes for many people.
Additionally, Type II Diabetes has been shown to be the result of chronic inflammation. What does that mean, you ask? Chronic, dysregulated inflammation causes insulin resistance. What is the source of this inflammation, you ask? Fat cells! The obesity epidemic is the root cause of our current healthcare crisis.
Let’s go back to the patient’s hormone therapy. Her test results showed her deficient in progesterone. Because progesterone is a natural anti-inflammatory, it is currently being used in traumatic brain injuries (TBI) to reduce inflammation and improve outcomes. In addition, women with low progesterone tend to have significantly more menstrual cramps, the result of inflammatory signals called prostaglandins. Progesterone therapy has been shown to reduce those prostaglandins and thus reduce menstrual cramps.
Are my hormones in appropriate balance?
Hormones don’t exist in a vacuum, as many seem to think. Hormones exist in a delicate balance. The most well publicized imbalance is that of the estrogens and progesterone. Imbalance of estrogen and progesterone have been linked to many health problems: fatigue, weight gain, headaches, and increased risk of breast cancer to name a few.
I often tell patients that with every cause there is an effect. You can’t give one hormone without affecting many others. The addition of progesterone to the body when it has been chronically low will not only restore progesterone to an appropriate physiologic level, but will also allow estrogen signals to work better. The balance of hormones allows each hormone to work as it was intended. Mind you, we are NOT talking about using synthetic hormones which are simply not what the body is looking for and contain harmful additives. We only treat with bioidentical hormones (bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, also known as BHRT).
Is my body metabolizing my hormones in the right way?
The final key point is looking at how the body processes hormones (metabolism). Hormone metabolism is just as important as the individual hormone levels and the hormone balance.
Let’s use estrogen metabolism, for example. Estrogens (there are actually three different types of estrogen) can be metabolized three ways: 2-hydroxy estrone, 4-hyroxy estrone, and 16-alpha-hydroxy estrone. Some of the risks associated with estrogen come from the body metabolizing estrogen utilizing the 4-hydoxy estrone pathway. This pathway results in many dangerous metabolites (break down products). Think of it as turning down the wrong road as you’re driving somewhere, and you end up in a briar patch!
Think about it. Many women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer don’t take bioidentical estrogen nor do they take synthetic estrogen. Their problem, as it relates to hormones, comes from endogenous hormone production (the body’s own hormone overproduction or underproduction), hormone metabolization, and the often undiscussed environmental xenoestrogens (from environmental toxin exposure). In lay terms, the body is metabolizing estrogen using the 4-hydoxy estrone pathway resulting in higher risk of cancer.
It has only been in the last 50 to 60 years that major hormonal imbalances in industrialized countries seem to have come to our attention. Before that, people and their hormones seemed to do just fine for thousands of years. We can attribute much of that to diminishing nutritional value in our foods and continually increasing exposure to toxins. Nutrition and toxins both have profound effects on the body, hormones included.
In conclusion, why should a patient take hormones (BHRT)?
The answer is a summary of the three points we’ve looked at here. By determining current hormone levels, restoring balance, and evaluating the body’s metabolic processes, the body can once again function as God intended it. Should a patient be on hormones? Well, only if you need them. But the truth is few of us have perfectly balanced hormones due to nutrition, toxin exposure, and prescription medication side effects.
At Seasons Wellness Clinic, we use state-of-the-art testing that reveals your body’s biochemistry. With our years of advanced training, we can carefully customize a treatment plan to restore your body, offsetting the damage of poor nutrition, toxins, and prescription drugs. Our goal is to eliminate any need for prescription medication! We want you to be HEALTHY!
WELLNESS IS POSSIBLE! You don’t have to settle for a body that is not working as it should. You can make a conscientious choice towards good health and a longer, happier life.
Other related posts:
Evidence and Crazy Talk, Part 1 of 3
Evidence and Crazy Talk, Part 2 of 3
Evidence and Crazy Talk, Part 3 of 3
Get Your Body Back On Track With These 5 Points of Wellness
Dr. Nathan Goodyear, Overseeing Physician at Seasons Wellness Clinic
“What is Seasons? And what do you do?”
These are questions I am often asked. In short, Seasons breaks free from the disease model of medicine. Our focus is wellness by optimizing your health. What does this mean? Just because you are free of disease does not mean you have great health. A wellness model of medicine is the only way to prevent disease and promote healthy living.
At Seasons, we work to achieve health and wellness with balance using our 5 Points of Wellness: Nutrition, Exercise, Hormones, Inflammation, and Detoxification.
NUTRITION
Are nutrition and health related? Absolutely. We are what we eat. Hippocrates said it best, “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” Your diet must be individualized to meet your metabolic needs, limit inflammatory responses, and meet your lifestyle demands.
We offer personalized nutritional counseling to develop a plan for disease management, disease prevention, and overall good health. At Seasons, your nutritional plan is individualized to meet your needs in a way that fits your lifestyle.
EXERCISE
Exercise is an important part of any weight-loss or weight-maintenance program. Maintaining healthy weight is an excellent benefit of exercise, but it does so much more for your body. Exercise builds muscle, relieves stress, and helps to detoxify, just to name a few. However, too much exercise can severely harm the body.
At Seasons, we work to maximize your calorie expenditure, while reducing the damage to your body from excessive exercise. We do this in a way to match your lifestyle and your physical abilities.
Valerie Costanza, RD will develop a nutritional plan that is created to meet your individual needs in a way that fits your lifestyle.
HORMONES
Regardless of your age, your body needs hormones to function. Hormones are a means of communication with your body. And balance of those hormones is the key. Sure, it would be great if men were just a Testosterone sponge; or women just an Estrogen factory. But, that is not the case and the key is to create a balance. When your hormones are balanced, so are you. When your hormones are not balanced, your body will let you know.
Your hormone balance is unique and will change based on factors such as weight loss, weight gain, stress, and even nutrition. The only way to determine your imbalance is to share any symptoms you may be having with your healthcare team at Seasons. This gives us information on where to look for hormone imbalance issues. Only then can we identify your particular imbalance and formulate a plan to balance your hormones. Balanced hormones = better health.
INFLAMMATION
Inflammation is the greatest obstacle to good health and is a part of the body’s immune system signaling department. Pain, redness, swelling, heat, and loss of function are common manifestations of inflammation. Inflammation is not new. The first four classical signs were described by Celsus (30 BC – 38 AD).
The source of inflammation is unique to each person. It may be due to deficiencies, such as vitamin D, poor dietary intake of antioxidants, such as resveratrol and curcumin, or even a deficiency of fish (low Omega-3 intake leads to inflammation). Your gut could also be the source of inflammation! Did you know that up to 75% of your immune system lines your gut? In many ways, your health starts with your gut.
The source of inflammation is as different as the individual. The only way to identify your unique source of inflammation is through symptom evaluation and state-of-the-art testing. At Seasons we can identify the causes of inflammation and implement specific therapy to eliminate inflammation, which can be as diverse as parasite treatment to dietary changes.
DETOXIFICATION
We live in a toxic world today. There is no way around that! According to a recent study, detectable levels of toxins were found in up to 99% of pregnant women even though many of these chemicals have been banned since the early 1970’s. This number will only rise with the approximately 1,800 new chemicals approved annually. This tidal wave of toxins are overwhelming our detoxifications systems proven by the exponential rise in rates of autism spectrum disorder and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis.
The ability to detoxify is critical to health. Every cell must detoxify. At Seasons, we evaluate your individual ability to detoxify with state-of-the-art testing and treat those areas that are dysfunctional. We focus on your major detox organs — liver, skin, kidneys, lymphatics, and GI tract — through which every cell in the body must detoxify. We provide a detoxification plan to meet your specific toxic load and to support your identified needs.
WHAT NEXT?
At Seasons, we offer individualized therapy to aggressively eliminate the obstacles to good health and maximize your body’s performance. We are not your disease doctor, we are your partners in health. We work to restore your health and then maintain that good health.
As Aristotle said, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” And at Seasons, our holistic approach encompasses all the body’s functions creating one plan giving you the tools you need to pursue wellness.
Questions? Spend some time on our website getting to know us and what we do. Then call 318.255.3223 and speak with one of our Patient Relations Specialists. Remember, good health is a choice. And at Seasons, we offer you that opportunity. Don’t miss your opportunity to choose a health and wellness lifestyle.
Managing Stress With Facial Reflexology
One word can sum up the root of most illnesses in America today. And the word is…stress!
Stress can cause a variety of problems from wrinkles, to ulcers, to more severe illnesses such as cancer. At Seasons, we offer services to help manage stress including Facial Reflexology. Not only is Facial Reflexology relaxing, but it is a natural way to improve the body’s function and appearance from the inside out. A soothing Facial Reflexology treatment is performed by the practitioner applying pressure on different points of the face and scalp, as well as massaging specific areas searching for deposits or “knots” under the skin. These deposits will reveal problematic areas that can act as the base of future treatments. Symptoms can be treated over time through working with these deposit areas. Each client is unique and some treatments are recommended through a series of 4 or more treatments.
Bethany Cox, LMT & Certified Facial Reflexologist
“Following a Facial Reflexology session, most clients feel deeply relaxed with a healthier complexion. Individuals should get plenty of rest and consume plenty of water to support the body in its transition.” – Bethany Cox, LMT & LFR
What is Facial Reflexology?
Facial Reflexology combines the modern science of neurology with ancient therapies of Traditional Chinese Medicine, South American Zone Therapy, Vietnamese face maps, and Acupuncture points. This technique of Facial Reflexology was developed by Lone Sorenson. Sorenson’s technique is based around the idea that by using finger tip pressure, you can stimulate a release of endorphins and serotonin, leaving the face feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. This stimulation sends impulses through the central nervous system and the meridians to the physical body and the major organs. Sorenson’s technique of Facial Reflexology stimulates blood circulation and lymphatic drainage in addition to balancing hormones and leveling emotions. The technique calms the body and allows it to heal naturally.
Want more information about the benefits of Facial Reflexology? Check out our other blog posts:
- 10 Natural Ways to Cure Your Bedtime Blues
- Top 10 Pregnancy Tips
- The Proof Is In The Practice – A Journey to Reflexology
- Treat The Inner and Outer You with Facial Reflexology
To schedule your Facial Reflexology session or a consultation with our Facial Reflexologist, call Seasons – The Spa at 318.255.1155.
Nibble On This | March
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 by Valerie Costanza, RD
March is National Nutrition Month! This year for National Nutrition Month the American Dietetic Association is promoting “Eat Right With Color”. Scientists have discovered major health benefits packed in the color of fruits and vegetables. The powerhouse chemicals responsible for this are called phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are what put the brightness in tomatoes and strawberries and the brilliant color in oranges, carrots and kiwi. Because of the amount of phytonutrients in colorful food, consumers can enjoy health benefits such as:
Avocado Tacos Ingredients :
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Preparation: Prepare salsa as listed below. Heat oil in skillet. Lightly sauté onion and green and red peppers. Cut avocado into 12 slices. Warm tortillas in oven and fill with peppers, onions, avocado slices and salsa. Fold tortillas and serve. Fresh Tomato Salsa: Mix together all ingredients and refrigerate in advance.
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Nibble On This: Superfoods!
Valerie Costanza, RD
Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month make February a month to celebrate sweethearts. What a perfect time to show your loved one how much you care by preparing a meal with heart-healthy superfoods such as omega-3 fatty acids and fresh vegetables. Adding superfoods to your daily diet has the ability to decrease the risk of cancer, improve heart function, and fight infection. Make heart healthy dishes for you and your sweetheart and you will be doing your part for a healthier heart!
Examples of superfoods:
Beans • Blueberries • Broccoli • Oats • Oranges • Pumpkin • Salmon • Soy • Spinach • Tea (green or black) • Tomatoes • Turkey • Walnuts • Yogurt
Baked Grouper with Chunky Tomato Sauce
Ingredients :
- 3 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomato (about 4 medium)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 (6-ounce) grouper fillets
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 10 ingredients in a medium bowl.
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Place fish, skin sides up, in pan; cook 2 minutes. Turn fish over; top with tomato mixture. Bring to a boil. Place pan in oven; bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
This Nutrition Update is brought to you by Seasons. For a personalized nutrition consultation with Valerie Costanza, call Seasons at 255-3223 and schedule an appointment.
From the Doctor’s Desk: I Nominate Vitamin D As “Vitamin of the Year”
Dr. Nathan Goodyear
With all the attention it’s been getting, I think it’s safe to proclaim Vitamin D the vitamin of the year! That attention is certainly deserved. I have been promoting the wellness effects of Vitamin D for several years. And here’s why.
Vitamin D Therapy Is Great For Bone Health.
Vitamin D has long been known for increasing bone health. It increases calcium and phosphorus absorption in the gut and makes bones stronger. It induces osteoclast maturation—that means it helps with bone restructuring and makes bones heal. It increases calcium deposition in bone and makes bones more dense. And it reduces the parathyroid hormone helping to maintain bone strength. But Vitamin D and bone health are just the beginning.
The Rest Of The Story.
Vitamin D’s benefits are not limited to bone health. Vitamin D receptors are located all over the body: in your bones, instestines, brain, breast, prostate, and lymphocytes. Additionally, many cells have active intracellular receptors such as the pancreas, immune cells, nerve cells, prostate, ovaries, and pituitary gland. Vitamin D benefits your whole body. It is very important for your overall wellness.
As Vitamin D is absorbed by the intracellular sites, additional benefits are implicated. Vitamin D provides benefits for all of these conditions:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Osteoarthritis
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Depression
- Epilepsy
- Migraines
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Autoimmune diseases
- Inflammatory Conditions
- Cancer
- Fibromyalgia
Now that you are more aware of how Vitamin D helps your body, let’s talk about how you can get adequate amounts of Vitamin D.
Good Sources of Vitamin D.
Twenty minutes of unblocked sun exposure daily is a natural source of Vitamin D. But pay close attention to your skin during sun exposure. If you have any sign of sunburn, it’s time to get out of the sun. Vitamin D is also readily available as a supplement in the form of drops, capsules and even injections. Injections are occasionally necessary in patients with extremely low levels of Vitamin D.
Is fortified milk a good source of Vitamin D? Unfortunately, no. Fortified milk does not adequately supply your body with the Vitamin D it needs.
In my next post, I’ll discuss Vitamin D insufficiency and its affects on the body.
More articles about Vitamin D:
My doctor said I have HPV, human papilloma virus.
So you’re probably wondering, “What is the human papilloma virus?”
The human papilloma virus, known as HPV, is the known causative agent in genital warts and abnormal pap smears.
There are many different types of the HPV. Types 6 and 8 cause genital warts. The other types of HPV, particularly 16 and 18, are known to cause abnormal pap smears and 70% of cervical cancers. HPV also has been linked to 35-50% of vulvar and vaginal cancers.
HPV is sexually transmitted. A new HPV vaccine is available for women 9-26 years of age for the prevention of diseases related to types 6, 11, 16, and 18.
Unfortunately, the vaccine is not effective for active disease.
