The Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors

02/23/2026

We are urging YOU--naturopathic doctors, and patients of naturopathic doctors, to help us by submitting testimony about the nature and professional standards that make up the naturopathic medicine education. A four-year post graduate doctoral degree is required for naturopathic doctors to practice in the U.S. We want the Dept of Education to rethink the definition of "professional degree" for the purpose of student loans. We need more NDs in the US so that we can influence and improve America's health by adopting prevention-focused medicine, as well as lifestyle, nutrition and counseling to influence and reduce the widespread problem of chronic illness.

02/19/2026

People will research supplements for hours and still skip a simple walk.

That mismatch matters. We look into gadgets, expensive interventions, and yes, the magic pill. But…

Medicine is not just pharmaceuticals. By its very definition, medicine includes the prevention and treatment of disease.

Food, movement, sleep, and the way we live each day either stabilize the body or slowly wear it down.

At some point, we have to stop outsourcing every answer and return to the basics that have always supported human health.

That, too, is medicine.

02/17/2026

Are you a naturopathic doctor, or have you been in the capable hands of a registered/licensed ND who made a difference in your life? We need you to submit comment on the Dept of Education's decision to not include the four-year post graduate ND degree in the list of professional degrees. Thank you for your consideration.

02/16/2026

Just in case you don't know: I am writing from a bias🤣. After all, I represent Colorado's registered Naturopathic Doctors.

It is unfortunately that “Is it covered?” has become the first filter for finding a provider. It's sad.

Before trust. Before personality, and being a "good fit". Before we know whether the clinician actually listens to us--whether they hold the same truths and priorities.

So, we go with who is willing to cover us; who is in our network.

Then I hear the same frustration:
“I don’t feel heard.”
“My visits are rushed.”
“They don’t really listen.”

We say healthcare is important, yet often treat it as something to minimize rather than invest in. I wrote about it this week and want to share my thoughts on why we should consider our health as something worth our investment.

New blog: www.coloradond.org/blog

02/13/2026

What's old is new again. LOL. I remember being a young girl and watching Jack do jumping jacks on the television in the early mornings. His advice was solid, and remains that way. If we would just treat these bodies right...they have a tendency to want to maintain balance, health and wellbeing.

02/08/2026

Dear Colorado NDs and patients:

02/08/2026

While scrolling one morning (irony noted), I saw this meme and laughed out loud.

Apparently My Body Thinks It’s 1320.

I saw this meme while scrolling one morning and laughed.

No, our bodies don’t literally think we’re running from invaders.

But they do constantly assess one thing:
Are we safe, or are we under threat?

That question is the stress response — a nervous system and hormone-regulated process. One of the main players is cortisol.
Cortisol isn’t bad. It’s how we wake up and get moving. We’re supposed to have a natural rise in the morning. Problems show up when the stress response stays dialed up too often, which can affect sleep, blood sugar regulation, appetite signaling, and fat storage patterns.

And mornings are one of the times this system is especially active.

Phone + email + caffeine + stimulation
= “Something’s happening. Be alert.”
Sunlight to the eyes, hydration, gentle movement
= “We’re okay. This is a normal day.”

It’s not about being perfect or turning into a sunrise mystic (Not that there's anything wrong with that.). But I did notice this: a slightly calmer start doesn’t make my morning longer — it makes it less chaotic. And that changes how my body feels by noon.

So no, I’m not fleeing medieval danger.
I’m just giving my nervous system fewer reasons to act like I am.

I wrote about the physiology (in normal-human language) on the CoAND blog.

www.coloradond.org/blog

02/03/2026

Hello friends of naturopathic medicine! I am honored to be highlighted this month and would love to share a bit about myself with you all.

My passion for oncology began before attending NUNM in Portland, OR when I was completing an undergraduate in Human Physiology at San Francisco State University. It was during this time that I undertook a minor in Holistic Health and started learning more about nutrition. I was disheartened by the lack of therapeutic approaches and options available to cancer patients and decided to dedicate my career to supporting this population.

While at NUNM I met my partner, a fellow classmate and ND-to-be. It was an incredible blessing to find someone who not only shared the same enthusiasm and philosophy for health and healing, but proved to be a supportive companion in our experience together during graduate school. After completing residencies we moved to Colorado and set in motion the shared vision of opening our own vitalistic naturopathic clinic. Five years later, Matrix Wellness in Boulder is continuing to grow and doing better than ever!

I have continued my specialization in Naturopathic Oncology, becoming a FABNO in 2022, and supporting cancer patients both in our beautiful state and around the world. I am also passionate about food relationships and lecture on Food Story Coaching to various health practitioners across the country. Just this year, after two years of sitting on the CoAND Board, I took over the position of CoAND Conference Coordinator and had an incredible time planning and hosting this year’s annual conference at the Dao House outside Estes Park. And just in case that wasn’t enough, I recently added the title of Mom to my resume as a proud parent to an incredible baby girl. Needless to say, my life is full! I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of this community and look forward to a bright future with you all!

- Dr Marisa Soski

Matrix Wellness

(303) 733-7455

01/29/2026

We think we’re just “staying informed.”

But constant exposure to distressing images is nervous system input — and it adds up.
Your brain stores what you see. Repeated threat signals raise stress hormones, affect sleep, mood, and focus. It's not weakness. It's...neuroscience.

Choosing limits around what you watch isn’t denial. It’s regulation. And a more regulated nervous system doesn’t just help you — it ripples into your family and your community.

Sometimes the most powerful health shift isn’t adding something. It’s consuming less.
We wrote about the science behind this and what to do instead.

🌱https://coloradond.org/blog/

01/27/2026

Big shout out to for sponsoring our very interesting webinar on peptide therapy. QuickSilver founder and CEO, Christopher Shade, PhD, has been working to uncover the curative power of nature through the practice of modern science for over a decade.

An industry thought-leader, his vast knowledge, intuitive understanding of chemistry and biology, and passion for wellness are reflected in our innovative supplement delivery systems, detoxification protocols, and patented mercury speciation and heavy metals tests. It's no wonder he's gained recognition as the Father of Detox. We are grateful to this Colorado-based company for their generous sponsorship of today's CoAND webinar. Webinars are free to CoAND members and if you are a Colorado ND, we would love to have you as a member of CoAND. https://coloradond.org/become-a-member-co-naturopathic-doctors/

01/13/2026

This was a great graphic! Loved the message!

So, why do we instantly jump to treating the human and overlook the environment they exist in? Ask better questions and your solutions become a lot more effective.

01/13/2026

We don’t believe “food is medicine” because we’ve been eating like food is a hobby.
And yes — I’m teasing chips here.

But I’m not picking on chips. I’m an equal opportunity critic when it comes to food as novelty + entertainment. LOL.

A 2025 systematic review/meta-analysis found healthier dietary patterns are associated with lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Don't hear me say bad food causes RA. Not saying that.

But, it's also not magic; not "woo" to prioritize food as fuel. As health. It's science. It's biology: food is immune input.

Read the report here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40913838/