Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Doctor in Pleasant Hill, CA

Salus Natural Medicine

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Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ page answers common questions about naturopathic and functional medicine at Salus Natural Medicine. It includes helpful information for both new and established patients, covering appointments, lab testing, supplements, insurance, and ongoing care. Our goal is to help patients in Walnut Creek and nearby areas feel informed, prepared, and confident at every stage of their care.

Table of Contents

New Patients FAQ

What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic Medicine emphasizes prevention, treatment, and optimal health by utilizing the body’s natural self-healing processes. Naturopathic treatments may include:
  • Clinical and laboratory testing.
  • Nutritional and botanical medicine.
  • Dietary recommendations.
  • Homeopathy.
  • Intravenous and injection therapies.
  • Lifestyle modifications and counseling.
Naturopathic doctors seek to address the underlying causes of disease while promoting wellness using safe, effective, and minimally invasive therapies. While they primarily use natural approaches, NDs can also prescribe pharmaceuticals when appropriate, aiming to restore the whole body to optimal health.
Functional medicine is a holistic approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic diseases. Unlike traditional medicine, which often treats symptoms, functional medicine seeks to understand why a person is ill by considering their entire health history, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
Key Principles
  • Patient-Centered Care
  • Functional medicine emphasizes personalized treatment plans tailored to individual needs.
  • Providers take a comprehensive medical history, including lifestyle and nutrition assessments.
  • Holistic Approach
  • It considers physical, mental, and emotional health.
  • The model integrates various aspects of health, including diet, exercise, and stress management.
Focus on Prevention
  • Functional medicine aims to prevent diseases by promoting healthy lifestyle changes.
  • It emphasizes nutrition and lifestyle modifications as primary interventions.
Conditions Treated
Functional medicine can be beneficial for a wide range of chronic conditions, including:
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Diabetes
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Digestive disorders
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Mental health issues
Functional medicine is increasingly recognized as a valuable complement to conventional medical practices, focusing on long-term health and wellness.
Your first visits at Salus are designed to provide a comprehensive and personalized understanding of your health. Here’s what you can expect:
  • A thorough review of your medical concerns and lifestyle history.
  • Discussion of your current medications and supplements.
  • Analysis of past lab work and recommendations for new labs if necessary.
  • Physical exams, as needed.
  • Collaboration on your health goals.
  • A detailed explanation of treatment recommendations and a customized action plan.
  • Guidance on selecting the best-quality supplements and personalized dosage recommendations.
These initial visits take a collaborative approach to uncover the root causes of your health concerns. Together, we’ll discuss your symptoms, medical history, and lab data, enabling us to see the full picture of your health. With so much conflicting information online, we aim to remove the guesswork and provide clear, effective solutions tailored specifically to you.
Complete all questionnaires and consents emailed, these will be in the Optimantra Portal (including the general consent and intake forms), at least 24 hours before your appointment.
Upload any recent labs or imaging (completed within the past year outside of Salus to the Documents section in the Optimantra Patient Portal. Please note that while it may seem intuitive to upload them to the “Labs” section, the Documents section is the correct location. Once uploaded, click the button to share the documents with the doctor.
This document provides the patient with the tools needed to start treatment. The Health Plan is given to the patient at the end or after the visit. The Health Plan outlines, conditions we’re addressing, a plan for recovery, supplements to take, dosing, medications and pharmacies we’re using as well as dietary, lifestyle, changes suggested to increase the effectiveness of our treatment. Next labs, follow ups and steps are also outlined in this document. Please refer to this document.
We provide comprehensive health services and medical care for individuals of all ages—men, women, and families alike. Many of our patients come to us after seeking answers from other practitioners, hoping to find a more holistic approach to their health.
We specialize in working with individuals who are open to natural treatments and value a healthcare partner who listens, understands, and takes a whole-body approach to wellness, recognizing the connection between mind, body, and soul.
Some of our patients face ongoing health challenges, while others are proactive about preventing illness and optimizing their overall well-being. We address a wide range of concerns, including chronic diseases, Chronic Fatigue, CIRS, Mold toxicity, PCOS, perimenopause, menopause, andropause, weight management, and more.
Ultimately, we care for people who want to nurture their bodies and embrace a more compassionate approach to their health.
Yes.
Online: Optimantra
Call us: 925-722-7334
Salus Natural Medicine offers free 15-minute consultations to help you determine if we’re the right partner for your healthcare journey. These no-obligation sessions give you the chance to share your health concerns and goals while getting to know your potential doctor.
Consultations are available in person, or via video call, whichever option suits you best.

Established Patients FAQ

How Do I Schedule a Follow-Up Appointment?
Online Request: Optimantra
Call Us: 925-722-7334
Follow-up visits are essential for monitoring progress and refining your treatment plan. At Salus, we don’t use one-size-fits-all protocols; instead, we tailor care to your unique needs.
Frequency:
  • During the initial phase of treatment, visits typically occur every 3-7 weeks.
  • Once your symptoms improve and health goals are met, visits may be spaced out to every 3-6-12 months.
Purpose:
  • Assess progress and make adjustments to your plan.
  • Ensure you’re on track with health goals, screenings, and new tests or treatments.
  • Provide support for health as a lifestyle, helping you navigate challenges and opportunities over time.
  • If you plan to review lab work or imaging, ensure that tests are completed well in advance of your appointment.
  • For tests done at Salus, results will be received directly from the lab. Standard lab tests Fullscript and Quest usually return results within a week, while specialty test kits may take 3+ weeks.
  • If you have documents or results from outside of Salus, upload them to the Documents section in your Opimantra patient Portal and click to share them with your provider.
  • When you support a small business like Salus Natural Medicine, you’re supporting a dream!
  • Support Our Mission: Your reviews help others find personalized, holistic care, and support the growth of a small business passionate about transforming healthcare.
  • Community Impact: By sharing your experience, you help spread awareness of naturopathic medicine and its benefits.
  • Your Voice Matters: Every review showcases the unique care we provide and helps others discover an alternative to standard medical practices.
  • Please Leave Us a Review: Share Your Experience on Google or Yelp.
In case of a medical emergency, always call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room or urgent care facility.
At Salus, Dr. Jenny treats non-emergent acute conditions that require timely care but don’t warrant emergency services. These include respiratory issues (e.g., allergies, sinus infections, bronchitis), gastrointestinal concerns (e.g., nausea, diarrhea, acid reflux), musculoskeletal complaints (e.g., minor injuries or pain), and skin conditions (e.g., fungal infections). Other common concerns we address include urinary tract infections, mild reproductive health issues, vaginitis, earaches, sore throats, and pink eye.
Medication Refills: Please contact your preferred pharmacy or compounding pharmacy and request they send a refill request to your doctor. Once received, we will electronically process the request and send it back to the pharmacy. To ensure a smooth process, please plan ahead and allow adequate time for completion.
Supplement Refills: For supplements, log into Fullscript to place your order.
Best Practice: To streamline your care, we recommend placing new supplement orders or refills at the end of your office visit. This ensures your updated treatment plan includes everything you need.
Expertise & Commitment: Our naturopathic doctors have devoted their education and careers to delivering exceptional care for patients and their families.
Ongoing Education: Our providers continually engage in research, clinical trials, and continuing education to stay updated on evidence-based naturopathic therapies. They also collaborate with other healthcare professionals to offer comprehensive care.
Proven Results: Salus is committed to helping patients achieve their health goals. Their success is our success.
Patient Feedback: We actively use patient feedback to measure the effectiveness of our treatments, which allows us to refine and enhance our care for even better outcomes.
At Salus, we strive to deliver care that blends science, nature, and personalized attention to help you achieve your best health.

General FAQ

What is the Online Patient Portal?
Optimantra is a secure online patient portal where you can access essential information related to your care, including:
  • Health records, treatment plans, payments and lab results.
  • Personalized plans health in the “Documents” section.
Note: If your doctor prescribes a supplement, always check the latest “Health Plan” for specific dosing instructions.
The video calls part of Optimantra is not used for visits as we’ve had some technical issues. To avoid those we use zoom for video calls instead. A link will be sent to your email prior to your appointment.
Supplements
  • Access to Fullscript, our preferred online supplement store, offering high-quality supplements that support small businesses. Fullscript is a better alternative to Amazon as it ensures quality and alternatives when items are out of stock.
Favorites (Coming Soon)
  • A curated list of items we love that are not available on Fullscript but can be purchased on Amazon.
Online Programs (Coming Soon)
  • Helpful tools for you and your family to complement your treatment plan, particularly between visits.

Services FAQ

What Services Does Salus Offer?
Medical Visits for Adults and Children
  • Comprehensive care for your whole family, addressing chronic health concerns in a holistic and personalized way.
Supplements both In-House and through Fullscript
  • We use top of the line, third party tested supplements to support our patient needs.
Labs and Blood Draws at your nearest Quest through Fullscript
  • Direct pay, convenient, and on your own terms, Lab services to check health markers and get quick results.
  • Functional Labs for GI, Hormones, Toxins, Neurotransmitters and In-dept testing, through companies like Vibrant Labs, Dutch, Doctors’ Data, US Biotek, ZRT labs. Some are direct through the companies others are facilitated through RUPA.
Coming Soon: Coaching
  • One-on-one sessions to provide tools and mindset strategies for achieving health and wellness goals.
Coming Soon: Nutrient IVs and Shots
Our visit lengths are based on your needs and the complexity of care. This includes the visit, treatment plan and time to create prescription or lab orders.
New Patient Visits:
  • Detailed: 60 minutes
Follow-Up Visits:
  • Expanded: 60 minutes
  • Detailed: 30 minutes
Brief Appointments (limited for quick questions):
  • In-person, video, or phone consultations lasting 5-15 minutes. These allow your doctor to review your chart and provide answers between follow-ups.
No, insurance does not cover naturopathic medical visits in California. We offer superbills for all of our visits so that patients can submit to insurance for deductible reduction.
While this can be frustrating, it allows us to stay true to our mission of providing high-quality, personalized care without the constraints of insurance-driven healthcare. At Salus, we focus on addressing root causes and offering the time and attention you deserve.
We empower patients to take charge of their health and not let insurance or pharmaceutical companies dictate their outcomes. Your wellness journey should be guided by what’s best for YOU.
A $50 fee is charged for cancellations or rescheduling within 48 hours of your appointment.
If the office is closed, please leave a voicemail or send an email, and we’ll process your request on the next business day.
Please remember that we dedicate this time solely to you. We don’t double-book appointments, so your time with your provider is one-on-one and highly personalized.
Yes! We offer video consultations for new patients, follow-up visits, lifestyle consultations, and wellness checks. These allow you to continue receiving medical care from the comfort of your home or office. All video consults are pre-paid through Optimantra, our secure portal. After the appointment we will provide you with a health plan , schedule labs and follow ups.
Video calls are set up through Zoom. We will send a link prior to the appointment. Allow a 5-10 minute window for your doctor to finish with their previous patient. If you haven’t contacted within this time, call our front desk for assistance.
Emergencies
For any medical emergency, always dial 911 or visit the nearest emergency room or urgent care.
Non-Urgent Questions
If your question pertains to your previous visit or treatment plan, you can call us during business hours or send a short message through your Patient Portal. We typically respond within two business days.
Brief Appointments
For quick questions between follow-ups, we offer 5-15 minute appointments (in-person, video, or phone). This allows your doctor time to review your chart and provide thorough answers. Thank you for understanding that long message responses take time away from scheduled patients.
Acute Health Concerns
If you have an acute condition, call our office to schedule the next available time with Dr. Jenny.
Yes, we outsource our imaging needs to cash-based imaging services. Pricing varies by zip code. Depending on patient needs we may have the patient go through their insurance and PCP.
At Salus Natural Medicine, we help patients achieve a wide range of health improvements, including:
  • Resolving fatigue and boosting energy levels
  • Reducing mold toxicity, improving CIRS and improving health
  • Optimizing hormone balance
  • Improving post-operative recovery
  • Improving digestion and gut health
  • Improving cardiovascular markers
  • Improving mitochondrial health
  • Improving mental health through the improvement of anxiety and depression conditions.
  • Stabilizing thyroid function
  • Addressing food sensitivities and outdoor allergies
  • Balancing blood sugar levels
  • Strengthening the immune system
  • Enhancing mood and emotional well-being
  • Improving mental clarity, focus and memory
  • Enhancing dietary quality and understanding
And much more! Our goal is to empower you to achieve your best health and feel your best from the inside out.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule ensures the protection of your personal health information. It requires medical practices to explain your rights regarding this information and outline their privacy practices, including those of any independent contractors. For a detailed explanation, you can review our full Notice of Privacy Practices.
California’s Proposition 65 mandates a warning on products containing specific substances, including heavy metals, pesticides, and even natural nutrients like Vitamin A, if they exceed certain levels. Some supplements include this warning because they may contain lead above 0.5 mcg per daily serving, a threshold significantly lower than the FDA’s recommended safe daily intake of 75 mcg.
While lead is harmful, the levels in quality plant-based products are extremely low—less than what’s commonly found in everyday foods like spinach, sweet potatoes, and lettuce, due to the presence of lead in the soil. The State of California clarifies that Proposition 65 warning doesn’t indicate a safety violation, and our reputable brands and products meet strict purity standards. Rest assured; we prioritize your health with the purest ingredients available.
1. Advocate for Naturopathic Medicine: Share your positive experiences with naturopathic care to raise awareness among friends, family, and your broader community. Personal stories help others understand its value and potential.
2. Support Legislative Efforts: Get involved in advocating for laws that increase access to naturopathic medicine, such as licensure for naturopathic doctors in all states. By actively participating in these efforts, you can help foster wider recognition and acceptance of naturopathic medicine, paving the way for a more inclusive, integrative and patient-centered healthcare system that values integrative and natural approaches.
3. Join or Donate to Naturopathic Organizations: Support professional organizations that promote naturopathic medicine through advocacy, education, and research. Examples include the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) or local state organizations like the California Naturopathic Doctors Association (CNDA).
4. Participate in Research: Volunteer for studies on naturopathic treatments or therapies to contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting integrative and natural healthcare.

Lab Testing FAQ

Where can I get my labs drawn?
We’ve partnered with Fullscript and Quest to offer lab services at your nearest Quest Location. Labs will be ordered by your doctor and the pricing is clear. After payment, you can make an appointment at your nearest location. Or for an extra fee you can have someone come to your home and do the blood draw there. The blood draws have an additional fee, you pay Quest or the mobile phlebotomist. Additionally, many of our functional test kits can be shipped to you for completion at home.
Think of your Salus doctor as your personal health detective. Labs and functional tests provide insights into your health, uncovering imbalances and identifying root causes of symptoms. They also allow us to prioritize concerns and work proactively to optimize your well-being.
We offer a wide range of testing, including:
  • Diagnostic testing
  • Hormone testing
  • Neurotransmitter testing
  • Mitochondria, Energy and nutrient assessments
  • Toxin and liver function panels
  • Inflammation and pain marker
  • Digestion, microbiome, and autoimmune testing
  • Intestinal permeability testing
  • Intestinal permeability testing
  • Thyroid, adrenal, and hormone evaluations
  • Weight loss, blood sugar, and metabolism testing
  • Allergy and food sensitivity testing
  • Genetic testing
  • Brain, mood, and sleep assessments
No, but we offer lower priced cash-based labs from Quest through Fullscript. Lab testing, paired with a personalized review by your doctor, is a powerful tool for addressing and resolving health concerns.
Functional labs are not covered by insurance, and these can be the most important for finding and addressing and repairing health issues.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • If fasting labs are required, avoid food for 8-12 hours before your appointment (water is fine)
  • If you take thyroid medication, postpone taking it until after your blood draw, as it may elevate fT3 level
  • Avoid Biotin, using recreational drugs, or certain foods as per specific lab instructions
Bring your requisition form (Fullscript provides it), and bring a valid ID.
Inform the phlebotomist if you have any history of difficulty with blood draws, dizziness, or fainting.
Quest’s experienced phlebotomist will confirm your requested labs and guide you through the process.
At Salus, we ensure you’re actively involved in your health journey. Rather than offering a simple “everything looks fine” response, we:
  • Let you know as soon as labs come in, so that you can schedule a follow-up appointment to review the labs.
  • Explain each test and share results with reference and optimal ranges.
  • Analyze results beyond identifying disease to promote optimal health and function.
  • Your labs can be viewed in your Optimantra portal during or after your follow-up consult. For in-office consults, we often provide printed results for note-taking.
  • We strongly encourage reviewing your results with your doctor during your follow-up visit for the most comprehensive care.
Lab tests serve as a vital tool for uncovering imbalances and understanding root causes of symptoms. They offer objective insights into your health, providing a clear baseline of your biochemistry. This information helps us address deficiencies, prioritize concerns, and develop personalized treatment plans to improve both current symptoms and long-term health.
You may experience minimal pain or bruising at the draw site, which typically resolves within 24 hours. Your lab results will be reviewed with your doctor at your next follow-up appointment. Make sure your follow-up is scheduled before leaving your lab appointment.
Any dose adjustments should be discussed with your provider during your next scheduled appointment. Your provider will help you determine what’s best based on your progress and how you’re feeling.