Meet Dr. Andy Swanson
Dr. Andy Swanson graduated in 2005 from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, where he completed requirements for licensure as a Naturopathic physician and Classical Chinese medicine practitioner. Following school, he completed a two year apprenticeship at Nature Cures Clinic. Throughout his studies and doctoring he has explored first hand how other cultures perceive medicine and the human body. With almost twenty years in practice, he weaves these global perspectives into a medical model grounded in a complete understanding of anatomy, physiology, and the diagnosis and treatment of disease. This includes the use of diagnostic labs and imaging when necessary.
He brings a deep understanding of the Chinese culture, enhanced through travel in China and seven years of study in the ancient Chinese tradition of Qi Gong. Similar to Tai Chi, the movements of Qi Gong are designed to balance the body, mind, and spirit to increase energy and compassion for life. While a typical visit with Dr. Swanson will often involve acupuncture and naturopathic medical techniques, it is not uncommon for a patient to leave a visit with a qi gong move to assist in the healing process.
In addition to energetic modalities, Dr. Swanson offers a unique specialty in intravenous vitamin and mineral infusions (IV therapy). IV therapy allows the practitioner to transport nutrients into the body that would otherwise be hindered by malabsorption, poor digestion and other maladies. Through this creative process, nutrient deficiencies are addressed and patients often experience relatively quick turnarounds with otherwise hard-to-treat conditions, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It is also a wonderful supportive therapy for those suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disease, hepatitis, anxiety and depression. Each IV is formulated using traditional recipes designed for specific conditions, modifying nutrients to meet the needs of the patient.
Dr. Swanson has devoted years refining his treatment and understanding of the brain and nervous system. Born out of his personal battle with a nervous system disorder at age 23, he has developed practical ways to heal conditions such as TBI, stroke, neurodegenerative conditions, parkinson’s, anxiety, insomnia, migraines, and other nervous system disorders. In his 2005 thesis, Recovery from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Restoring Relationships Between Body, Mind, Self and Environment, he explores Naturopathic and Chinese medical modalities such as nutrition, qi gong and meditation to help restore proper nerve connections and re- pattern the brain. In 2017, he coauthored The Concussion Repair Manual with Dr. Dan Engle. He has come to understand the importance of hormone balance and cognitive performance, in addition to the gut-brain axis.
Dr. Swanson’s multicultural approach includes the traditions of Yaqui herbal medicine, acquired during his apprenticeship with an indigenous elder in Mexico. He honors his relationship with medicinal plants and their important role in the healing process.
In August 2024, Dr. Swanson will join the medical team at Verde Valley Naturopathic Medicine, as he relocates his family from Portland, Oregon to Sedona. He looks forward to supporting the community through his medicine, which will include acupuncture, spinal alignment, shiatsu, IV therapy, prolozone therapy, chelation, ozone, hormone replacement, and many other offerings. He especially looks forward to establishing therapeutic relationships based on trust, cultivated through presence, openness, with the intention to address the needs of the individual.
AREAS OF INTEREST
Hormone Balancing, Brain Support, Pain, Autoimmune Conditions, Chronic Conditions, IV Therapy, Environmental Medicine
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
Guilford College
Greensboro, NC
Bachelor of Science Biology, Latin American Studies, Premed
MEDICAL SCHOOL
National College of Natural Medicine
Portland, Oregon
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Licensed Acupuncturist
