Michelle Sexton ND

Naturopathic Doctor

Enhancing the Landscape of the Body/Mind

    • Naturopathic Doctor

      Integrative and Functional Medicine

      (Licensed in CA)

      San Diego, CA

      In the Pacific Beach neighborhood of SanDiego

       

      Phone: 619-940-5686

       

      Address: 1001 Garnet Avenue

      Suite #220

      San Diego, CA 92109

       

      Located in the Healing Arts Massage and Wellness Center

      Entrance faces Cass Street

      (next to the alley on the South side of Garnet Ave.)

      Parking available behind the building

       

      Dr Sexton offers a 10-minute phone consult at no cost

      for you to assess whether this approach is a good fit

      for your healthcare needs. Have your questions ready!

       

      You can find Dr Sexton on Facebook

       

      Doctor Sexton also schedules consultations by Telehealth for those at a distance or unable to travel.

    • Areas of Practice

      SYSTEMS, NOT SYMPTOMS!

      Anyone can initiate patient care with Dr. Sexton for a patient-centered, integrative, systems biology or "functional" approach to wellness.

       

      Dr. Sexton provides a novel model of systems assessment based on endocannabinoid system function. The endocannabinoid system has been described as one that produces "messages" modulating activities such as pain, hunger and metabolism, sleep, adapting to stress, the ability to store and recall memories or to abolish negative ones, and to protect the body from chronic infection or inflammation. There are many strategies for addressing what could be considered "endocannabinoid deficiency" or excess.

       

      Through a "functional" approach, multiple systems are addressed

      as a means of treating the root causes of disease.

       

      The intention of Naturopathic medicine is to shift the focus to body, mind and spirit wellness, instead of just treating symptoms. This shift is achieved by using natural substances to balance the biochemistry and stimulate the body's ability to heal. Further, Dr. Sexton uses this approach to help minimize or eliminate pharmaceutical medications. Dr. Sexton may also order laboratory analysis to enhance diagnosis and treatment of your medical condition.

       

      Who can benefit from Naturopathic Medicine?

      • Those who want to improve quality of life
      • Anyone wanting to be free from reliance on pharmaceutical drugs
      • Active players in creating their own healing process
      • Those who want to address underlying causes, and not just treat symptoms
      • Patients who want to be an egalitarian partner, willing to make the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes to create wellness.

      Eat

      Help for digestive and gastrointestinal problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Crohn's Disease, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, indigestion, metabolic syndrome. These conditions can been addressed by assessing endocannabinoid system function in conjuction with other appropriate diagnostic information.

      Sleep

      Sleep disorders are the most common clinical problems encountered in medicine, with quality of life significantly impaired. Sleep disturbances disrupt out body's internal clock, leading to a host of health problems. Balancing biochemistry and hormones for restful nights and peaceful days are Dr. Sexton's approach for difficulty falling, or staying, asleep, REM sleep behavior disorder, restless leg syndrome and general insomnia.

      Relax

      Guidance on restoring stress resiliency that is disrupted by daily or acute stress. Anxiety and depression are often symptoms of chronic stress, and endocannabinoid function is associated with the ability to adapt to stress. Using a comprehensive approach to stress reduction and promotion of stress resilience, we will seek to balance your neuroendocrine function. This may include testing for neurotransmitters.

      Forget

      Strategies for protecting the brain and improving cognitive function. Treating neuro-Inflammation is a key component for optimal brain function. The endocannabinoid system is a gate-keeper of the immune system. Being able to extinguish traumatic memories is also an endocannabinoid function.

      Protect

      Integrative approaches for addressing autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Multiple Sclerosis, arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus are examples of the immune system being out of homeostatic control. Botanical medicines are a safe approach for treating these conditions.

      A Different Type of Perfect

      Perspectives for treating the whole family for bringing wellness, quality of life and joy to those living with autism spectrum, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, PANS and PANDAS and genetic disorders.

      Women's Health

      Dr. Sexton has been serving women, first as a midwife, since 1993. Having navigated the range of womens' experiences herself, and having treating many women, she is uniquely poised to address health across the lifespan for women. The endocannabinoid system functions in reproductive tissues plays roles in hormonal balance as well as mental health. Natural approaches for specific women's needs are central to Dr. Sexton's care.

    • Dr. Michelle Sexton

      Meet the Doctor

      Dr. Sexton is a Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anesthesia at the University of California, San Diego. Her role at UCSD is to engage in research and bring cannabinoid medicine into the clinical medical curriculum.

       

      Michelle Sexton ND specializes in body/mind healing. This healing process is facilitated by balancing the "evidence base" of research with unearthing the root cause of "dis-ease".

       

      Dr. Sexton has been helping her patients fine-tune their endocannabinoid systems since 2008 . Her approach is backed by six years of formal study of cannabinoid pharmacology at the University of Washington, in addition to her Naturopathic Doctoral degree awarded from a 4-year accredited institution, Bastyr University. Dr. Sexton sees patients for education on utilizing medical cannabis for chronic conditions. Guidance is based on the latest peer-reviewed science-based research on the topic of medical cannabis. This education is woven into a complete naturopathic approach, recognizing that each system in the body is interconnected.​

       

      Her overall approach to treatment may include:

      • Herbs
      • Nutrition
      • Lifestyle changes
      • Self-discovery 
      • Care and feeding of the Soul

      Her philosophy is that personal empowerment, renewing connection to nature, and teamwork with her patients are all central to enhancing quality of life .

      Dr. Sexton graduated from Bastyr University in 2008. She completed NIH-funded pre-doctoral (T32) and post doctoral fellowships (F32) at The University of Washington in​ the Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. There she examined the effects of Cannabis on immune parameters in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. She is an internationally recognized scientist with research published in peer-reviewed journals. Recent projects include documenting the natural history of administration of Cannabis to pediatric patients and a Cannabis Use survey.

    • PROJECTS

       

      Cannabis As A substitute for Prescription Drugs

      The use of medical cannabis is increasing, most commonly for pain, anxiety and

      depression. Emerging data suggest that use and abuse of prescription drugs may be decreasing

      in states where medical cannabis is legal.

      In this survey, 46% of respondents reported using cannabis as a substitute for prescription

      drugs. The most common classes of drugs substituted were narcotics/opioids (35.8%),

      anxiolytics/benzodiazepines (13.6%) and antidepressants (12.7%).

      American Herbal Pharmacopoeia

      Dr. Sexton has a peer-reviewed publication on the topic of cannabis use as substitution for prescription drugs.

       

      Not only "patients", but also adult users, substitute cannabis for pain medications, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drugs, among others. Women are substituting 4x more often than men. There are also gender differences in the response to cannabis.

       

      Schedule with Dr. Sexton

      to learn more about a personalized approach to your health

      and for professional help

      with withdrawing from prescription medications.

       

      "Cannabis as a Substitute for Prescribed Pain Medications: Theory and Clinical Practice" is a talk Dr. Sexton gave in June 2017 in Melbourne Australia at the United in Compassion Conference.

       

       

      Vape-pens may not be the best choice for patients, when accessing medical cannabis. One reason is that pesticides may be concentrated along with cannabinoids and terpenoids. Another reason is that "excipients", added ingredients to make the concentrates pourable, could be harmful to health. Third, the "name" of the chemotype may not really describe what is in a vape pen cartridge. Processing can significantly change the chemical components, as described in this report by Dr. Sexton and her team: "Evaluation of Cannabinoid and Terpenoid Content: Cannabis Flower Compared to Supercritical CO2 Concentrate"

      Dr. Sexton is a technical advisor and editor on the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia Cannabis Monograph and Therapeutic Compendium.

      Cannabis Use Survey - Michelle Sexton ND

      Dr. Sexton's published research on her ongoing

      "Cannabis Use Survey"

      can be found by clicking on the links.

       

      This paper on Medical Use of Cannabis is one of the top-cited articles in the Journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research!

       

      "A Cross-Sectional Survey of Medical Cannabis Users: Patterns of Use and Perceived Efficacy"

       

      "Sex Differences in Cannabis Use and Effects: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Cannabis Users"

       

      You can purchase Dr. Sexton's Book "Cannabis Use Survey" through Amazon. This book contains the raw survey data: uncensored and unedited responses of cannabis users. Readers can experience the full impact of the frustration or appreciation of users, while also getting a feel for the education and life experience of cannabis users at large.

    • "Happiness depends on ourselves"

      Aristotle

    • EDUCATION

      Bastyr University

      Bastyr University

      2003-2008

      Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

      Texas Tech University

      Texas Tech University

      2000-2003

      Bachelor of Science in Horticulture

      North American Registry of Midwives Logo

      North American Registry of Midwives

      1990-2003

      Certified Professional Midwife

    Integrative Medicine Appointments

    In San Diego, CA and by Telehealth

     

    Click here to schedule your appointment, or call:

    Phone: 619-940-5686

    Address: 1001 Garnet Avenue #220, San Diego, CA 92109

    Email: relate@msextonnd.com

     

    © 2017