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OLENA CENTER
FOR HEALTH
AND WELLNESS

OLENA CENTER
FOR HEALTH
AND WELLNESS

Malama Ola Keauhou – meeting life’s health needs with new pathways

Olena Center for Health and Wellness is a Functional Medicine Clinic with a comprehensive health approach. Our focus is to identify and understand the root cause of disease. We explore a patient’s medical history in depth and use advanced testing to uncover other underlying factors such as gut health, metabolism, hormones, environmental influences, and genetics. We seek to partner with our patients to create a personalized health plan and encourage positive health outcomes with the potential to reverse chronic diseases.

|Prospective patients|

Thank you for considering our clinic for your healthcare needs. At this time, we regret to inform you that we are not accepting new patients. We understand that this may be disappointing, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

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Conditions We Treat

Do you have any of these underlying conditions?
Chances are you are not alone. Thankfully, Olena Center for Health and Wellness offers treatment.

Depression & Anxiety

Depression affects 21 million Americans, and nearly one-third of the US population will suffer from an anxiety disorder in their lifetime.   NIMH » Statistics (nih.gov). Depression and anxiety are one of the most common and misunderstood conditions we face. These are often inflammatory conditions and a manifestation of irregularities in the body that usually start far away from the brain. By finding and treating these irregularities, often depression and anxiety improve.

Female Hormonal Imbalances

For many women, female hormone imbalance starts with stress and adrenal/HPA axis dysfunction. Under conditions of chronic stress, your body produces higher cortisol levels. In this process, your body decreases the production of your sex hormones, which can cause dysregulation of the delicate female hormone balance, causing heavy periods, mood swings, and worse menopausal symptoms. We address these underlying causes to restore balance.

Weight Gain

Weight gain is often the result of disrupted hormones, usually caused by stress and the disruption of the adrenal/HPA axis. Chronic stress results in high cortisol levels, increased fat storage, elevated insulin levels, and poor gut health. Poor gut health causes digestive issues, inflammation in the body, and changes to the microbiome, all of which can further make weight loss even harder.

Fatigue

Depression affects 21 million Americans, and nearly one-third of the US population will suffer from an anxiety disorder in their lifetime.   NIMH » Statistics (nih.gov). Depression and anxiety are one of the most common and misunderstood conditions we face. These are often inflammatory conditions and a manifestation of irregularities in the body that usually start far away from the brain. By finding and treating these irregularities, often depression and anxiety improve.

Gastrointestinal Problems

The trillion microbes that live in our gut play a critical role in many ways:

  • Digest and release nutrients from our food
  • Detoxify harmful chemicals we may ingest
  • Maintain a healthy gut lining
  • Produce chemicals that can affect our mood

Things like stress, illness, injury, unhealthy foods, and medications, such as antibiotics, can all disrupt the “good” bacteria that help us thrive. The good news is that we can identify these problems and help restore balance to our gut.

Insomnia

Sleep is not just a luxury – sleep is a critical component for body restoration. Sleep is essential to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, the immune system, the nervous system, muscle repair, moods, hormones, and detoxification systems. Factors such as chronic stress, insulin resistance, sleep apnea, and hormone imbalances can all affect the quality and quantity of sleep obtained. Addressing these underlying causes is critical to getting high-quality sleep, which will further enhance our overall health.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Functional Medicine?2023-06-26T04:25:10+00:00

Functional medicine is a science-based, individualized approach to health that goes beyond traditional medicine. It finds the root cause of illness by focusing on gut health, metabolism, hormones, environment, and genetics. A personalized diet, nutritional supplementation, and lifestyle plan is designed for your unique profile to achieve health. The Institute for Functional Medicine’s website (ifm.org) has detailed information regarding our practice model.

How is functional medicine different from holistic medicine?2023-06-26T04:25:41+00:00

Both functional and holistic medicine focus on the total body. Functional medicine focuses on interactions between genetics, environment, and lifestyle that impact health. Holistic medicine has a spiritual approach to the body, mind, and soul.

Can you help me with my health problem?2023-06-26T04:26:23+00:00

Functional medicine can help with many health problems, such as fatigue, sleep problems, indigestion, weight gain, and hormonal imbalances. If you’re on multiple medications, want to get to the root of your symptoms, or want more natural ways to optimize your health, functional medicine can help you.

What diseases do you treat?2023-06-26T04:26:39+00:00

As a board-certified internist, I am experienced with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac, inflammatory, gastrointestinal, and autoimmune diseases. I also treat fatigue, weight gain, hormone imbalances, and gut dysfunction, such as bloating and gas.

Can I benefit from functional medicine if I don’t have a chronic illness?2023-06-26T04:26:56+00:00

Absolutely! In addition to treating illness, functional medicine also emphasizes prevention for health maintenance.

Is Dr. Shimizu a primary care provider?2023-06-26T04:27:17+00:00

No, I am not a primary care provider. I will work with you as a functional medicine consultant to address the cause of your chronic health problems and discuss them with your primary care provider if necessary.

Who can Dr. Shimizu See?2023-06-26T04:28:15+00:00

Dr. Shimizu is licensed to practice Internal Medicine (adult medicine) in the state of Hawaii.

Do you prescribe medications?2023-06-26T04:28:31+00:00

Yes, when necessary.

Do you recommend supplements and herbs?2023-06-26T04:28:48+00:00

Yes, when necessary.

What about laboratory testing?2023-07-03T17:40:38+00:00

I review the traditional labs obtained by your primary provider, such as cholesterol levels and blood counts. Depending on your health goals, I recommend further testing. Some examples are specialized metabolic tests, gut health, environmental toxins, or food sensitivity tests. Some of these specialized testing are not covered by insurance and are out-of-pocket.

What is the cost of these services? Does insurance cover it?2023-07-03T18:17:03+00:00

Functional medicine is considered complementary alternative medicine; not all insurance plans cover this service. You will pay at the time of your visit, and I will provide a superbill for you if you wish to submit the claim to your insurance or apply to your flexible spending accounts (FSA). We currently accept traditional Medicare.

Rates:Initial visit (60 minutes): $300 – Second visit (45 minutes): $225 – Follow-up visits (20 minutes): $100 – Initial Visit Package (first three visits included): $700

How do I get started?2023-06-26T04:29:56+00:00

Go to Olena Center’s online scheduler to schedule an initial appointment. (make this a click here) You will complete health questionnaires and upload available medical records before your appointment. During the first visit, you and I will discuss your health history, family history, diet, and lifestyle habits. I will review different approaches to your health and make some suggestions for change at this time. I may also recommend laboratory testing. The second visit is generally 1-2 months later. At this time, I will evaluate your progress and further personalize your care plan. I may recommend additional dietary changes, supplements, lifestyle changes, and possibly medications. The timing for additional follow-up visits will depend on your customized plan.

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