guides patients towards optimal wellness Dr.

Kate Kessler has a passion for helping people achieve optimal wellness. That’s why she’s begun an integrative medicine practice at the Essentia Health–Osgood Clinic in Fargo.

Integrative medicine, Kessler explains, is an approach that embraces the whole person — body, mind and spirit. Based in science, it uses conventional medicine and other healing therapies to reach the goal of optimal health and wellness.

Kessler works with each patient to create a customized plan. Many options are available, such as diet modification, exercise, nutritional supplements, acupuncture, aromatherapy, biofeedback, yoga and meditation. The plan can draw on the expertise of other practitioners, such as acupuncturists, massage therapists, mental health therapists and chiropractic physicians.

“My role is to be your partner in health and guide you to a choice,” Kessler explains. “The patient’s role is to be accountable and dedicated to making lifestyle and behavior changes. If you’re looking for a quick fix, this isn’t it. I like to dive in and spend time to help you change unhealthy behaviors one by one.”

The foundation of Kessler’s care is diet and nutrition. “With proper nutrition, we can prevent up to 80 percent of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity and high blood pres- sure,” she says. “You cannot out-train a bad diet, or just take a pill. Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.”

At a patient’s first appointment, Kessler asks questions about diet, exercise, stress, sleep, mental health, support networks and the environment in which a patient lives and works. “I spend the time to get to know patients better and tease out what I can do to help them,” she says. “I use motivational interviewing to meet patients where they are at and help them come to their own conclusions about things like diet, lifestyle, sleep and stresses. I want my patients to know that they have the ability to help and heal themselves.”

Kessler says she came to integrative health after training as both an internal medicine and pediatric physician. “I was always interested in natural health and our bodies’ own healing properties,” she says. “I want to get to the root cause of patients’ illness and prevent and treat chronic diseases. Integrative medicine was the kind of physician I aspired to be.”

After earning a medical degree from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kessler completed a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio. The next step was a two-year fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine in Tucson, Arizona, where Dr. Andrew Weil serves as director. Weil is one of the founders of the integrative health movement and also founded her fellowship.

Kessler has been offering integrative medicine appointments at the Essentia Health–Osgood Clinic for a little over a year. She also sees adults and children in the Family Medicine Department at the Essentia Health–West Fargo Clinic.

“It’s rewarding for me when I invest in patients who are making a change and then see the big difference that the change makes in their lives,” Kessler says. “It’s about how we can change behavior to help a person feel better.”

Kessler says one patient who came to her with a new diagnosis of diabetes has lost 50 pounds and no longer has to take diabetes medication. Another patient with a history of anxiety and depression struggled with traditional medications. She’s now able to better cope without medication, thanks to work with a therapist, better nutrition, more exercise and better stress management techniques.

“Integrative medicine is for anyone who wants to commit to a whole-person approach to health and wellness,” Kessler says. “You need to be willing to embrace change, even if you’re feeling apprehensive about big change. Just be willing to start.”

Make An Appointment

Dr. Kate Kessler sees patients interested in integrative medicine at the Essentia Health–Osgood Clinic at 4622 40th Ave. S. in Fargo. Call 701-364-8900 for an appointment.

She also sees adults and children in the Family Medicine Department at the Essentia Health–West Fargo Clinic at 1401 13th Ave. E. in West Fargo. Call 701-364-5751 for an appointment.