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 Natural Awakenings Lancaster-Berks

Helping Others to Live Healthfully

Feb 01, 2015 06:49AM ● By Julianne Hale

The staff at Tree of Life Health Ministries is dedicated to teaching clients how to build their health naturally. Contrary to what the company’s name calls to mind, the clinic is not affiliated with any sort of religion. Founder Bob Miller, a certified naturopath, explains, “The reason we chose the name is to make sure it is very clear that we are not medical. We do not treat disease here. We teach people how to have a healthy lifestyle and help them improve their eating habits, detoxify the body and improve their overall lifestyle.”

Tree of Life Ministries’ extensive staff addresses many aspects of health and wellness under one roof. Natural health professionals include a naturopath, a traditional herbalist, a personal trainer to create customized exercise programs, and massage therapists specializing in numerous techniques. Specialized services encompass water and air purification, detoxification therapies, vibrational therapy, craniosacral therapy, reflexology, ionic footbaths, far infrared sauna sessions and nutrition protocols designed to address individual needs.

Prior to developing a passion for natural health, Miller was a successful telecommunications executive. A health scare compelled him to learn all he could about natural medicine. He reveals, “In 1992, I had a serious case of ulcerative colitis and was in the hospital, close to death. The experience and my desire to never let it happen again led to an interest in natural health, which became a fascination. I became a board-certified naturopath and did part-time consulting work until 2002, when I had the opportunity to go full time.” As Miller’s business grew steadily, he added more health practitioners until Tree of Life became a full complementary healthcare teaching facility, promoting healthy living and wellness education.

Miller discovered another passion in genetic counseling, and it has become his specialty at Tree of Life Ministries. During a client’s first consultation, Miller runs a 23andMe genetic test to look for any genetic weakness that might contribute to the body’s inability to absorb certain nutrients. “We aren’t looking at genes for disease,” he notes. “We just look at those factors that impact your nutritional status and can impact your overall health and risk of getting certain diseases.”

One genetic weakness that Miller can identify is the body’s inability to make antioxidants, which are critical for removing heavy metals and supporting the immune system. Certain genes make it difficult for some individuals to make antioxidants, negatively impacting their health. Miller helps discover these weaknesses and addresses them with supplementation and education. He has created a line of supplements designed to provide the body with what it is not making due to genetic variants. Miller also teaches classes on genetic nutrition to healthcare professionals.

Tree of Life Ministries has recently added urine organic acid testing to their extensive bank of genetic tests, and Miller is excited about how this screening can help their clients. “This test allows us to look at markers in the urine that can confirm what we might suspect from the genetic testing. We can see if there are deficiencies and tweak the nutritional recommendations if needed,” asserts Miller. With this testing, the 23andMe test and the array of therapies, counseling and supplementation available, the client experience at Tree of Life Ministries is truly customizable.

“From a scientific standpoint we are probably pretty far ahead of any other comparable clinics in the area because we are doing real biochemistry here—nutritional biochemistry,” says Miller. “We’re really on the cutting edge of nutrition from a genetic standpoint. We are trying to take what really is a naturopathic philosophy of supporting the environment of the body and incorporating healthy eating, structural alignment, detoxification and more into the client’s experience.”

Tree of Life Health Ministries is located at 15 Pleasure Rd., Ephrata. For more information, call 717-733-2003, email [email protected] or visit TOLHealth.com.

Julianne Hale is a contributing editor for Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.