Ayurvedic Medicine
The Science of Life
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word which translates as “science of life.” Ayurvedic medicine is a comprehensive system of primary care medicine that has existed for 5,000 years. Ayurveda offers optimal methods to stay in balance with ourselves and our environment based on our individualized constitution/ imbalance profile. Ayurveda is a five-element, humoral system of medicine, with a qualitative understanding of nutrition, physical activity, lifestyle, daily routine and relationships with self, others and our environment. The five elements of Ayurveda are: air, space, fire, water and earth and they comprise the three doshas of vata, pitta and kapha. The doshas are bioenergetic systems that govern our physiological, psycho-emotional and spiritual health. My role as your Ayurvedic doctor is to pacify aggravated doshas and bring you back into harmony with your original constitution, which represents your baseline state of health
Meet Dr. Rioux
Ayurvedic Doctor, Yoga Therapist, Herbalist
Dr. Rioux loves to develop long-term healthcare relationships with her patients, including family members. It is easier for the whole family to be healthy when everyone is following a harmonious diet, lifestyle and daily routine focused on balance, wellness and joyous engagement with life. She is generous with her time and knowledge and focuses on individualized, wholeperson care that is hard to find in this standardized world of algorithms and technology. Ayurvedic medicine is nature-based and root-cause oriented. Working together, we will strive to regress conditions, rather than just suppressing symptoms. Ayurvedic healthcare typically has no side effects and with a focus on gradual resolution of symptoms, the changes are sustainable, long-lasting and grounded in well-established health-promoting behaviors that last a lifetime. We all go out of balance sometimes – with the right tools and approaches we can maximize how often we feel well and happy and we can connect with others in ways that promote the wellbeing of communities and the planet.
Primary Services
Personalized Nutrition Therapy
Personalized diet, strategies to enhance digestive fire and metabolism, reduce food cravings and avoidances, to increase self- efficacy around eating, and establish a qualitatively-oriented understanding of food that is judgement-free and focused on self-compassion and self-nurturing through nutrition.
Lifestyle Medicine
Daily routine modifications: to increase self-efficacy around diet and exercise, improve relationships to self and others and establish health-promoting habits under challenging circumstances.
Yoga Therapy
A Yoga Therapy protocol was developed by Dr. Rioux for the original research study promotes metabolic activity and tonifies organs, while increasing exercise tolerance, endurance and capacity. The yoga routine encompasses nervous system regulating techniques that make behavior change more accessible and increase self efficacy. Safe for yoga naive patients and tailored to the individual needs of participants.
Other Services
Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy
Yoga therapy is very different than a community yoga class. It is individualized to your healing needs and utilizes the full spectrum of yogice techniques and contextualize each according to their effect on the doshas. This adds an extra layer of sophistication, nuance and efficacy to the yoga therapy regimen, as it is not standardized for a condition but personalized to the patient Ayurvedic constitution/ imbalance profile, health history and presenting symptoms. Techniques include: asana, pranayama, mantra, mudra, pratyahara, and spiritual reframing via yogic philosophy to address the physiological, psycho-emotional and spiritual root causes of distress and imbalance. Trauma and grief are spiritual condition, well-addressed through Ayurvedic yoga therapy.
East/West Herbalism
As a registered herbalist (RH) through the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), Dr Rioux's training encompasses both Eastern and Western herbs. Dr Rioux uses both knowledge-bases to recommend the most powerful and appropriate herbal combinations to promote healing or prevent illness. Crafting individualized herbal formulas is something Dr Rioux has have done for several decades. This is meticulous work that requires a significant time commitment and these formulations have proven to be very effective over time. These are offered on a case-by-case basis and prices are provided on request.
Workplace Wellness Trainings
Dr. Rioux also offers Workplace Wellness trainings to businesses, companies and non-profits of all sizes. These trainings assist employees to optimize their health and well-being at an individual level, while providing a positive orientation and understanding of group dynamics from an Ayurvedic perspective and offering practical applied techniques and strategies to reduce stress in the workplace and to avoid unnecessary conflict and promote positive employee/ worker relationships that transcend a transactional mentality. All workers should feel respected and derive a sense of shared purpose and individual meaning from their efforts, whether they be in leadership, staff, faculty, part-time or volunteer positions.
Planetary Health Assessments
Dr. Rioux is also a Planetary Health professional who coaches patients on actions and behaviors that promote the health of the biosphere while simultaneously supporting their own health and well-being. Planetary Health Assessments are available as a separate service that will provide detailed instructions on how to be in symbiosis with one environment, lead a low-impact lifestyle, support communal wellness and environmental stewardship.
Medicine By the Minute™
Dr. Rioux offers a Medicine by the Minute Program™ that delivers care billed by the minute for brief or immediate concerns. Fees are $5 per minute for between 5-45 minutes where a full appointment is not needed.
Policies
Fees
Initial Visit (90 minutes) - $450
Follow Up Appointments (45 minutes) - $300
Planetary Health Assessments - Fees vary depending on group size
Workplace Wellness Training - Fees Vary depending on size and context
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After each appointment, Dr. Rioux will provide a comprehensive summary of therapeutic suggestions. These take some time to develop after the appointment is complete but are included in the visit fee and are typically emailed within 48 hours.​
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Payment and Cancellation
Dr. Rioux requires payment in advance to hold appointment times.
A refund will be provided if cancellations is two business days or more in advance of the appointment. Otherwise, the full fee will be retained.
Dr. Rioux accepts cash, Venmo, or checks (must have cleared more than two business days in advance of the appointment).
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Telehealth
A Full spectrum of Ayurvedic healthcare services are available worldwide via telehealth.
Botanical Medicine Remedies
Dr. Rioux creates personalized botanical medicine remedies at her discretion when indicated for the patient. These are billed separately with the patient’s consent