Panka Natural Health

04/17/2026

I wore a CGM for two weeks. Here's what surprised me most as a naturopathic doctor:

A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) tracks your blood sugar minute-by-minute, around the clock, and wearing one myself was genuinely eye-opening.

I watched how stress spiked my glucose without a single bite of food. On nights I was putting my kiddo to bed or doing late-night chores, my levels climbed noticeably.

This happens when stress triggers cortisol, which signals your liver to release glucose, breaks down glycogen stores, and temporarily reduces insulin sensitivity. Your body thinks it needs emergency fuel, even when the "threat" is just a busy evening.

I also saw glucose elevations while sleeping, most notable on higher-stress days or when I'd eaten more carbs.

The minute-by-minute data is extremely informative. You can watch how your body actually responds to food, exercise, and stress in real time.

For me, mornings were great especially with a protein-rich breakfast. My afternoons and evenings is where I have room to improve with less mindless snacking, a slower wind-down, and treating stress management as a metabolic strategy.

CGMs aren't just for diabetics. They can be helpful if you're dealing with:
🔹 Prediabetes or blood sugar concerns
🔹 Difficulty losing weight
🔹 PCOS or hormonal imbalances
🔹 Fatigue, brain fog, or mood swings
🔹 Metabolic syndrome or cardiovascular risk
🔹 Plain curiosity about your own metabolism

At Panka Natural Health, we can help you interpret your CGM data, build a dietary strategy around your actual patterns, and support blood sugar balance with naturopathic therapies including targeted nutrition, dietary supplements, botanical medicines, and lifestyle protocols.

DM us if you're curious about trying a CGM or want a 10% discount off code.

04/15/2026

If you live in Minnesota, there's a reasonable chance you're low in Vitamin D if you haven't been supplementing, especially coming out of winter. 

Vitamin D isn't just a bone health nutrient. It plays a role in immune regulation, mood, cardiovascular health, inflammation, and more. Research consistently links vitamin D deficiency to increased risk of a range of chronic conditions. 

The optimal range is not the same as the "normal" lab range. Many labs flag deficiency only when levels drop very low. We look at a broader functional picture. 

Vitamin D dosing is not one-size-fits-all. 

Your lab values, genetics, and health goals all factor into what the right supplementation looks like for you. 

Before you grab a bottle off the shelf, it's worth knowing your actual number. We include vitamin D as part of our comprehensive lab testing.

03/27/2026

"Everything looks normal"

That's one of the most common things we hear, and here's why it happens:

Lab reference ranges are population averages. They're built from general testing populations and tell you whether you fall outside a wide statistical range, not whether your levels are optimal.

There's a meaningful difference between not disease and thriving.

At Panka Natural Health, we interpret labs through a functional lens, looking for subtle patterns and early shifts that signal the body is moving in the wrong direction before things become a diagnosable condition.

Take a ferritin value of 30 ng/dL. That may look "normal" on a standard report, but that's borderline iron deficiency. That's something we can be proactive about, preventing nutrient depletion and iron deficiency anemia before it takes hold.

If you've been told everything looks fine but you know something is off, that's worth exploring.

Book a consultation at pankanaturalhealth.com

03/20/2026

Let's clear this up.

Naturopathic doctors complete a 4-year doctoral program at an accredited naturopathic medical school. Our curriculum covered biomedical sciences, pharmacology, physical diagnosis, lab interpretation, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, physical medicine, naturopathic mobilization, minor surgery and office procedures, mind-body medicine, lifestyle counseling, and IV therapy, plus over 1,200 hours of supervised clinical practice.

We are proud graduates of National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Upon graduating in 2018, we founded Panka Natural Health and have been practicing medicine ever since. 

We are licensed, board-examined, and required to complete continuing education annually.

What makes us different isn't necessarily our credentials. It's how we use them. 

We treat the root cause, not just the symptom. We take time to understand your full health picture. We use evidence-based natural therapies before reaching for a prescription. And we work alongside your existing care team, not instead of them.

Naturopathic medicine isn't alternative. It's integrative and personalized. 

Questions about whether it's right for you? Our free intro call is a great place to start.

03/13/2026

We've been heads-down taking care of patients, which is exactly where we want to be. But we've missed showing up here, and have a lot to share this year!

We're Dr. Haley and Dr. Jacob Panka, naturopathic doctors based in Hopkins, MN.

We founded Panka Natural Health in 2018 with the goal to offer the kind of thorough, personalized care that the conventional system rarely has time for.

We take longer appointments. We ask more questions. We look at the full picture.

We're out of network providers, which means we work for you, not an insurance company's timeline.

We're back here to share what we know, what we do, and why it matters. Glad to be back! 💚

📍In-person in Hopkins + virtual appointments available
🔗 Free 10-min intro call at pankanaturalhealth.com

01/02/2026

Happy New Year from the Panka Natural Health family!

What a year 2025 has been. We saw more patients than ever, built amazing partnerships across the Twin Cities, and had the honor of speaking at several community wellness events throughout the year.

Dr. Haley deepened her focus on women's health, breast cancer support, and treating little ones, while expanding her expertise in methylation/MTHFR/COMT testing and hormone analysis.

Dr. Jacob has honed his focus on cardiovascular and neurologic health, curating his unique lab panel for dementia prevention and brain health.

Beyond the clinic, Dr. Jacob serves with Hopkins Business and Civic Association and the Minnesota Association of Naturopathic Physicians (MNANP) legislative committee, while Dr. Haley continues serving on the MNANP Board of Directors as Secretary, both supporting and advocating for our profession statewide.

Personally? Dr. Haley ran her first long-distance races, and our little one starts Kindergarten this year!

Like any year of real growth, 2025 had its challenges, but we've emerged with renewed energy and vision for what's possible at PNH. 

Speaking of vision, we have BIG news to share! 

We're expanding! ✨

We'll be doubling our clinic space by taking over the area next door. Don't worry, we're not moving—just making room for more!

This expansion means we can serve more patients, create a more comfortable healing environment, and continue building the integrative practice we've always envisioned. We're so excited about what this growth will allow us to offer you and our community.

We're also thrilled to welcome a student intern this January who will be shadowing and learning alongside us.

Thank you for being part of our community. Your trust and support make all of this possible.

Here's to new beginnings in 2026! 🥳

12/02/2025

🌿 Support Naturopathic Medicine in Minnesota this Giving Tuesday 🌿

When you give to .naturopathic you’re helping expand access to safe, natural, evidence-informed healthcare for all Minnesotans.

Right now, there’s a big gap between what licensed Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are trained to do and what Minnesota law currently allows—limiting patient access to the care they need.

🔍 Naturopathic Doctors complete accredited 4-year medical programs with extensive clinical training. In fact, they serve as primary care providers in many U.S. states, but not in MN.

🚫 Minnesota restricts Naturopaths from practicing to the full scope of their training or integrating within Minnesota’s broader healthcare system.

This means Minnesota patients lose access to timely, comprehensive, and affordable care that NDs are fully trained to provide.

✨ Your Giving Tuesday donation helps change that.

By supporting MNANP, you help us:

• Advance legislative advocacy so NDs can provide the full scope of care they’re trained for

• Expand access to naturopathic medicine, especially in underserved areas

• Improve continuing education, ensuring Minnesota NDs stay at the forefront of natural, evidence-informed care

• Increase community outreach, bringing wellness education and preventive care resources to more Minnesotans

💙 When you give, you're supporting better healthcare options, stronger patient choice, and a healthier Minnesota.

👉 Join us this Giving Tuesday and help move naturopathic medicine forward!

11/25/2025

Wellness Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List
Give the gift of health this holiday season!

Here are some thoughtful ideas that support your loved ones' wellness journeys:

Panka Natural Health Gift Cards – The perfect gift for anyone ready to invest in their health. Whether it's their first naturopathic visit or continuing care, you're giving the gift of feeling better.

Personal Care Products – Clean, high-quality personal care products available through our Fullscript dispensary, from skin care to daily essentials

Stocking Stuffers – Mushroom immune sprays, peppermint breath spray, elderberry syrups, lotions, and other wellness essentials make great health-conscious stocking stuffers

Dietary Supplements – Know someone's protocol? Gift them a refill of their favorite professional-grade supplements through Fullscript

Meal Plans & Recipe Books – Nourishing recipe books and meal planning resources curated by our naturopathic doctors

Nail Fungus Relief – Finally tackle stubborn nail fungus with natural, effective topical treatments, a surprisingly appreciated gift!

All Fullscript products ship free on orders over $50 and can be sent directly to the recipient. Visit our online dispensary to browse!

Visit pankanaturalhealth.com to shop!

11/18/2025

Check out Dr. Jacob's interview with Voyage Magazine!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Panka. Jacob, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?I became a naturopathic doctor because I couldn’t find the kind of care I was looking for. For years, I went through the standard medical syste...

11/02/2025

Stop guessing. Start knowing. 🧬

The DNA Methylation Pathway Profile reveals YOUR unique genetic blueprint so we can create a truly personalized wellness plan, not generic supplement recommendations.

This comprehensive DNA test goes way beyond MTHFR to show us:

→ How your body metabolizes B12 & folate
→ Your estrogen detox pathways (crucial for hormone health!)
→ Neurotransmitter processing (anxiety, depression, ADHD, focus)
→ Your vitamin D receptor function

One simple cheek swab at home. One investment. Answers for life.

Swipe to see if this test is right for you 👉

If you're interested, please reach out to us!

pankanaturalhealth.com

10/26/2025

Our little Spidey got to meet THE Spiderman 🕷️

Halloween in Hopkins was absolutely packed today as usual! So fun seeing everyone out and running into so many familiar faces.

Huge thanks to everyone who passed out treats this year for the kids! 🎃

10/14/2025

Such a wonderful gathering at today's HBCA meeting centered around health and wellness.

Big shoutout to Dr. Jacob for helping bring everyone together. We're so fortunate to have incredible resources right here in our community. And today was a great reminder of all the amazing people and programs working to keep Hopkins healthy and thriving!

We appreciate these moments when we come together and realize how much we can accomplish as a community. Looking forward to what's next! ✨