Meet Dr. Natalie
Dr. Natalie Kunsman
Board certified Family Medicine
Board certified Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine
Fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine
Fellowship in Integrative Cancer
Fellow of American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
Fellow of American Academy of Family Physicians
In The Beginning
Unbeknownst to me, my first exposure to the functional and integrative approach to health started growing up in rural Pennsylvania. I took for granted the large vegetable gardens, chickens (and butchering them), fresh eggs, a few head of cattle and pigs for fresh meat. No one described that as “organic living,” because it was the way my parents could afford to feed us kids. The work of it was hard, and I surely didn’t like the chores assigned to me and my siblings. Now I pride myself on being an “old farm chick.” We went to the pediatrician and had routine checkups and traditional medical input, but most times we patched ourselves up when we were injured, went outside for fresh air when we were sick, had purposeful movement and activities, and slept well.
My career in medicine began after graduating from Medical College of Pennsylvania with an MD. My path was winding, since I have an undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders and a master’s degree in Audiology. I had interests in the human voice, hearing, and head and neck pathology which is why I spent a year doing a Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellowship. Since many specialties interested me in medical school, and I had my research year completed, I decided that family medicine would allow me to merge all my interests into one career. I took over for the local retiring “Doc” and another practice then hung my shingle in my hometown.
My Training Wasn’t Enough
Very early on in my practice I realized that my patients were taking supplements, seeing chiropractors, and searching for answers “alternatively” yet asking for my advice on this. I felt so ill-equipped to address their issues without my tests and prescriptions, that I did the only thing I knew how to do–educate myself all over again. In 2005 I finished my first fellowship and board certification in functional medicine (through the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine—A4M). In 2007 I got my second one in Integrative Cancer Therapies. I brought all that I could to the traditional family medicine table. Functional medicine pulls many pillars of health in one healing wheel so that one facet is no more important than the other. Diet, movement, purpose, mental health, sleep, supplementation, herbalism, and energetic techniques round out our human existence and keep the body harmonious, as it was designed to be.
My Own Health Journey
You probably could hear this coming, but those of us who are good at functional medicine are those who needed it. It took me so many years to step aside and evaluate myself as a patient, and my autoimmune condition of psoriasis evaded me. Looking back, I rejected the organic upbringing, even though I always loved cooked food, salads, and veggies, but “treated” myself continuously with sugary coffee and donuts to reward myself for studying all night in med school, OR to help stay awake all night. I craved Diet Pepsi and food on the run. My skin started flaring, and I would always be in the bathroom with my “sugar belly” (as I called it). I was constantly anxious and developed infertility problems. I still made no connections and took the creams and injections dermatology gave me. Flash forward to running a busy practice with three satellites, having my son, continuing my sugary rewards with all kinds of chocolate and desserts, my skin marched on, and I was forced to inject myself with immune modulators. I dealt with divorce, business changes, and a new marriage with a blended family. Even the most positive transitions are transitions nonetheless and may stress the body and the mind. Having to see myself as a functional patient led to the deepest quests I have ever gone on to find my purpose and my healing.
I had a classic “dark night of the soul” where despite my holistic efforts, I was missing some key factors in my autoimmunity. For anyone who deals with psoriasis, especially the wildfires that I would get, you could understand how it can outsmart you every step of the way. The curse of my skin talking to me was the life lesson and “blessing” for me to clean up the act and keep digging. The kids left the nest, and my journey led me to find my tribe in Colorado Springs. Environment, clean air, clean water, and integrative providers were my initial draws to this area. Equally important was to find the energetic treatments and practitioners that can heal the energetic centers in our bodies and biofield. Did I forget to tell you that I have sound healing certifications as well? I have woven together my interests in the science of sound into my traditional medical and integrative training.
I Hear You & See You
I continue to walk the journey of autoimmunity. As I have learned, every small piece may have an impact on your health, and I will be your super-sleuth to investigate it until we figure it out. The body heals if given the correct component parts or avoiding those things that are harming it. We Americans have a lot to fight off in our food, environment, stressful lives, infectious history, sleep, and daily habits. I will individualize your unique issues because I have had to do it for myself. I will use up-to-date tools. I will walk with you. There is much innovation woven together with ancient principles. I am now online and share time in Colorado and Coastal Delaware, while staying connected to my Pennsylvania roots. I also have a Georgia license. I will meet you where you are and from there, we take your journey head on together.
