North Country Health Services

An expert in nutritional therapies, Chief Medical Editor Alan R. Gaby is a former professor of Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, where he served as the Endowed Professor of Nutrition. He is past-president of the American Holistic Medical Association and served as a member of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Panel of the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine. He is author of Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis (Prima Lifestyles, 1995) and B6: The Natural Healer (Keats, 1987). He is co-author of The Patient's Book of Natural Healing (Prima Lifestyles, 1999), The Natural Pharmacy (Three Rivers Press, 1999), and the A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Three Rivers Press, 1999). Dr. Gaby has conducted nutritional seminars for physicians and has collected over 30,000 scientific papers related to the field of nutritional and natural medicine.

If you are having a life-threatening emergency and need help immediately, please call 911. Please be aware that we cannot dispense medical advice over the phone, you may have to come to the Emergency Department to be seen. Other options available in Bemidji include MeritCare Clinic-Bemidji with urgent care hours Monday through Friday until 4:30 p.m. and Northern Medical Clinic, open Monday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Dr. Ingels received his naturopathic medical degree from Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences. In addition to contributing to Healthnotes, Dr. Ingels has authored Everything You Need To Know About Garlic and Cholesterol (Prima, 1999) and Natural Treatments For High Cholesterol (Prima, 2000). He specializes in allergies and environmental medicine and has held a private practice in Westport, CT, as part of an integrated medical team.

Dr. Baird received her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences and completed a residency at National College of Naturopathic Medicine and a chief residency at Bastyr University. She specializes in counseling, natural childbirth, and women's health issues.

Dr. Brown is a naturopathic physician and one of the leading authorities in the United States on evidence-based herbal medicine. A graduate and former associate professor of the Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, Dr. Brown has served on the Advisory Board of the American Botanical Council and the President''s Advisory Board of Bastyr University. Dr. Brown has served as an advisor to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health. He is the author of Herbal Prescriptions for Health and Healing (Prima Lifestyles, 2000) and co-author of The Natural Pharmacy (Three Rivers Press, 2006) and the A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Three Rivers Press, 2006).

Ms. Gavalas is a nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and weight-management specialist. She authored the book Secrets of Fat-Free Greek Cooking (Penguin Putnam Avery, 1998) and a four-book series on yoga (Simon & Schuster).

Dr. Constantine, a Professor Emeritus at the College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, has extensive knowledge of natural products and herbal medicine. Dr. Constantine teaches continuing education programs to pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals throughout the United States and has lectured at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and Western States Chiropractic College. A past-president of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, Dr. Constantine has authored 52 professional and scientific articles and currently is a reviewer for the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. He is author of Tyler''s Tips-the Shopper''s Guide for Herbal Remedies (Haworth, 2000). Dr. Constantine is also the chair of the Naturopathic Formulary Council for the Board of Naturopathic Board of Examiners and co-founder of the Benton Hospice in Corvallis, Oregon.

Dr. Gerber is Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences at Western States Chiropractic College (WSCC) in Portland, Oregon, and also teaches postgraduate courses for several other colleges. He graduated from WSCC in 1981, received his master's degree in nutrition from the University of Bridgeport in 1986, and is board certified in nutrition and orthopedics. Dr. Gerber is the author of Handbook of Preventive and Therapeutic Nutrition (Aspen, 1993) and a contributor to Conservative Management of Sports Injuries (Williams & Wilkins, 1997). In addition to contributing to Healthnotes, he is the science advisor for the Healthnotes Newsletter.

Dr. Appleton is a licensed naturopathic physician, writer, and educator in the field of evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. He received his bachelor's degree from Reed College and his doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM). Dr. Appleton completed a residency at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, where he was also on faculty as an adjunct professor of orthopedics and clinical medicine. He has had private practices in Washington, Vermont, and Oregon, and has also worked in the nutritional supplement industry as a director of scientific and regulatory affairs. Dr. Appleton is currently Chair of the Nutrition department at NCNM. He has been a regular contributor to several Healthnotes publications, including Healthnotes Newswire, Healthnotes, Clinical Essentials, and Quick!Reference.

Dr. Simon is an internist with specialized training in gastroenterology at the Kingston General and Hotel Dieu Hospitals in Kingston, Ontario. He is a professor emeritus in the Department of Medicine at Queen's University. In 2000 Dr. Simon received the Aesculapian Society Education Award, as he had earlier in 1995 and 1999. In 2001 he received the Aesculapian Society Phase IIE Teaching Award. He has also received the Basmajian Award for his research. Dr. Simon serves as a manuscript referee for a number of peer-reviewed journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Hepatology, Gastroenterology, JAMA, the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology. He is an active researcher and lecturer and is widely published in Canada and the United States.

Dr. Beuchamp received her bachelor's degree from the University of Rhode Island and her doctorate of naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences. Cofounder of South County Naturopaths, Inc. in Wakefield, RI, Dr. Beauchamp has worked as a practicing physician, and taught holistic medicine classes.

Ms. Turner, a food and nutrition writer specializing in healthful gourmet cooking, has been a monthly columnist and regular contributor to Better Nutrition, Great Life, Let's Live, Veggie Life, Vegetarian Times, and other magazines. She authored Mostly Macro (Inner Traditions, 1995) and Meals That Heal (Inner Traditions, 1996) and has worked as a private chef and taught cooking classes.

Dr. Gabica is a full-time medical director for Healthwise, Incorporated, in Boise, Idaho. In 1980, he was one of the founders of the Idaho Wellness Center, an innovative family practice based on prevention, self-care, and self-responsibility. He has served as an associate medical director for Healthwise since August 2004.

Dr. Williams completed a bachelor of science in bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. She spent four years working with the urban poor, homeless, and mentally ill before returning to school and earning her naturopathic doctorate at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences. As a licensed naturopath, she has maintained a private practice in Vermont and also worked in free clinics locally and in Central America.

Ms. Andersen-Parrado has worked in the health-communications field for many years, including serving as senior associate editor at Better Nutrition magazine. She is a graduate of Montclair State University.

Ms. Robertson has worked with food for many years as a restaurant chef, cooking teacher, and food writer. She has authored eight vegetarian cookbooks, a weekly newspaper column, and has written articles for Vegetarian Times, Better Nutrition, Health Naturally, Restaurant Business Magazine, and The National Culinary Review

An innovative nutrition educator, Ms. Miller has coordinated the community nutrition programs for Providence Health System many years and has conducted numerous classes and workshops. She authored the book Smart CHOICES for Health , and coproduced the cooking video Lowfat & Fast! Real Food for Busy People .

Ms. Gailing is a writer and researcher specializing in natural health topics. She holds a master's degree in nutrition from Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, where she has served as adjunct faculty. She has been involved in the natural products industry for many years, with experiences ranging from operating her own natural products retail store to serving as a marketing consultant for dietary supplement companies.

Mr. Foster has worked as an author, photographer, and consultant specializing in medicinal and aromatic plants. He has written 13 books on herbs, including A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants (with Dr. James A. Duke) (Houghton Mifflin's Peterson Series, 2000), Herbs for Your Health (Interweave Press, 1996), and Echinacea-Nature's Immune Enhancer (Healing Arts Press, 1991). In addition to providing photographs to Healthnotes, he has contributed to The Herb Companion, Herbs for Health, and HerbalGram magazines.

Ms. Munson earned her master's in nutrition at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences. She has coauthored articles published in Natural Medicine Journal, Alternative Medicine Review, and Health Products Business; and has been an adjunct faculty member at Bastyr University and a member of the American Dietetics Association and the Nutrition in Complementary Care Practice Group.

Dr. Hudson is a nationally known expert on women's health. A popular speaker, she authored the Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (Keats, 1999) and has been in clinical practice in Portland, OR.

Dr. Seligman's clinical specialty is in the treatment of attention deficit disorder, depression, anxiety, and women's health concerns. A naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist, she has been in private practice at Evergreen Integrative Medicine in Kirkland, WA, and worked for the research department of Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, assisting in the design of research protocols and the administration of clinical trials.

Ms. Messina specializes in vegetarian nutrition and has served as a senior editor of a vegetarian nutrition newsletter published by Loma Linda University. She coauthored two popular books on nutrition: The Vegetarian Way (Crown Books, 1996) and The Simple Soybean and Your Health (Avery Publishers, 1994); the first textbook on vegetarian nutrition, The Dietitians' Guide to Vegetarian Diets (Aspen Publishers, 1996); and three cookbooks.

Dr. Duncan is a certified classical homeopath and chiropractic physician. She is the author of Your Healthy Child: A Guide to Natural Healthcare (Jeremy P Tarcher, 1990; Sanicula, 1995), a co-author of The Natural Pharmacy (Three Rivers Press, 1999), and former editor of the professional homeopathic journal, Simillimum.

Ms. Angell oversees the workflow for creating and updating Healthnotes content as well as the Healthnotes Newswire and Healthnotes Newsletter. She has been the managing editor at two Internet-based companies, a nonfiction book editor for Beyond Words Publishing, and an assistant editor at Simon & Schuster. She holds two master's degrees: a liberal studies degree from Reed College and a children's literature degree from Simmons College.

Regarded as one of the world's finest preventive medical doctors, Dr. Wright has practiced nutritional medicine at the Tahoma Clinic in Kent, WA, and has authored numerous books, including Natural Hormone Replacement for Women Over 45 (Smart, 1997), Dr. Wright's Guide to Healing with Nutrition (Keats, 1990), and Dr. Wright's Book of Nutritional Therapy (Rodale, 1979). He also coauthored The Patient's Book of Natural Healing (Prima Lifestyles, 1999) and The Natural Pharmacy (Three Rivers Press, 1999) (Three Rivers Press, 1999), and has authored the newsletter Nutrition and Healing.

Dr. Rick Chester is a naturopathic physician, homeopath, acupuncturist, and pharmacist. He received his Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine degree from National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1992 and his Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the International Institute of Oriental Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from Oregon State University and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon. Dr. Chester taught pharmacology, geriatric medicine, pulmonology, and practice management at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe Arizona. Dr. Chester is also a writer and Science Editor for Healthnotes, a consumer-oriented alternative medicine resource.

Mr. Crotty was elected to the North Country Health Services Board of Trustees in 1999. He is the president of an area office products company. Mr. Crotty serves on the following NCHS committees/boards:

Dr. Gillett was elected to the North Country Health Services Board of Trustees in 1995. He is a retired university president. Dr. Gillett also serves on the following NCHS committees/boards:

Nicole Pierce is a naturopathic physician in Portland, OR. Before completing a Bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Puget Sound, Dr. Pierce's time studying in the Basque Country gave her exposure to some of their rich herbal and cultural traditions, which began her journey toward becoming a natural medical practitioner. After completing the doctoral program at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2003, she has worked with a wide variety of patients from all walks of life. She is currently in private practice, a teacher with Australasian College of Health Sciences, and a private Pilates instructor.

Mr. Carpenter was elected to the North Country Health Services Board of Trustees in 2003. He practices law from his private firm in Bemidji. Mr. Carpenter serves on the following NCHS committees:

Mr. Rogness was elected to the North Country Health Services Board of Trustees in 2004. He is a retired President of Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA).

Chef Steven Petusevsky is a pioneer in the marriage of good taste and sound nutrition, successfully pairing healthy ingredients with creative cooking techniques. Chef Steve has been the National Director Of Creative Food Development for Whole Foods Market, the largest natural food retail chain in the country. Chef Petusevky is author of the WholeFoods Market Cookbook- The Ultimate Guide to Natural Foods, published by Random House, Fall 2002. As a widely published food journalist, Chef Steve s reading audience numbers in the millions. He was a contributing editor to Cooking Light for 4 years, writing a monthly column called Inspired Vegetarian. He currently writes special features for the magazine. His articles appear in Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Fine Cooking, The LA Times Syndicate, Food & Wine, Self and Restaurant Hospitality. Chef Steve is also a syndicated columnist for The Chicago Tribune news service, where his weekly column entitled Vegetarian Today appears in hundreds of newspapers nationally. He is the author of the Grains poster released by Ten Speed Press. Petusevsky worked for several International hotel corporations before joining WholeFoods such as Intercontinental Hotels, Meridien Hotels and Rockresorts. Steve has been a consultant to the natural foods retail industry for over a decade. Chef Petusevsky also works with several high profile companies in the area of menu research, product development and natural food marketing. Some of his clients include; Small Planet Foods, Muir Glen, Florida Crystals, Nestle International, Cross & Blackwell, Cascadian Farms and Rapunzel Pure Organic Chef Petusevsky is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute Of America in Hyde Park, New York where he was awarded a fellowship and served as Chef Instructor.

Ms. Wildgen was elected to the North Country Health Services Board of Trustees in 2002. She is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing Manager at a locally-owned bank. Ms. Wildgen also serves on the following NCHS committees/boards: