A Naturopathic Clinic
Bellingham Natural Family Medicine is a multidisciplinary natural health clinic offering naturopathic care for all chronic and acute conditions and specialized care for cancer patients. Services include primary care for the whole family, clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, exercise therapy, counseling, hydrotherapy, and childhood immunizations. Bellingham Natural Family Medicine provides a home for the practices of Drs. Whitney Knickrehm, ND, Jum Funk, ND, MPH, Elan Keehn, ND, ARNP, Kim Sandstrom, ND, LMP and Laura James, ND, FABNO.
The Naturopathic Physician
Naturopathic physicians are the only primary care physicians clinically trained in the use of a wide variety of natural therapeutics. Naturopathic physicians are educated in conventional medical sciences and required to fulfill clinical training prior to licensing. Naturopathic medicine concentrates on whole-patient wellness. The medicine is tailored to the patient and emphasizes prevention and self care. Naturopathic medicine attempts to find the underlying cause of the patient's condition rather than focus solely on symptomatic treatment. It is effective in treating both acute and chronic conditions. Naturopathic physicians cooperate with all other branches of medical science referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.
In practice, naturopathic physicians perform physical examinations, laboratory testing, gynecological exams, nutritional and dietary assessments, metabolic analysis, allergy testing, X-ray examinations and other diagnostic tests. Comprehensive, detailed histories are taken with every patient to help seek the cause of underlying health problems and move toward greater wellness.
Whitney Knickrehm, ND
Dr. Knickrehm has been in private practice providing naturopathic family medicine in Bellingham since 2001. Her special areas of interest include the treatment of chronic and infectious diseases, women's health care and pediatrics. Her practice focuses on strengthening overall health through nutritional therapy, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy and lifestyle counseling.
Dr. Knickrehm is the founder and clinic director of Bellingham Natural Family Medicine. She obtained her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington, in 2001. She is a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Locally, she is involved in organizations that work to promote integrated medicine and sustainable living economies.
Prior to entering the field of medicine, Dr. Knickrehm practiced massage therapy and led extended wilderness courses for Outward Bound. The mother of three sons, Dr. Knickrehm and her husband enjoy taking their family bike touring, traveling, skiing, hiking slot canyons in Utah, exploring art galleries and relaxing together around a healthy, home-cooked meal with family and friends.
Laura James, ND, FABNO
Dr. James is a naturopathic physician specializing in oncology. She provides integrated complementary health care for cancer patients in Bellevue and Bellingham. She earned her undergraduate degree from Tufts University and her doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle.
Dr. James is trained to safely manage complementary therapies while patients are undergoing conventional cancer treatment. She uses whole foods nutrition, botanical medicine, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle modifications to help patients optimize cancer treatment, decrease side effects caused by conventional treatments, prevent the recurrence of cancer and attain optimal health. She works closely with patients to help inspire them to return to a state of wellness after cancer treatment is completed.
Dr. James trained with medical and radiation oncologists and completed post-doctoral training in the field of naturopathic oncology. She works closely with oncologists in the Bellingham area to provide complementary and alternative health care for her patients. She is a member of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
To download paperwork for Dr. James, please go to her Red Cedar Wellness website at www.redcedarwellness.com.
Jum Funk, ND, MPH
Dr. Funk earned her doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University and her Master’s in Public Health from Drexel University. In addition to providing primary care naturopathic therapies, Dr. Funk has additional training in tropical medicine, biotherapeutic drainage, breastfeeding/lactation management, Mayan abdominal massage, whole foods cooking, and the Defeat Autism Now biomedical approach to treating autism. She provides naturopathic primary care medicine fulltime at the Bellingham Natural Family Medicine Clinic in Bellingham and is fluent in Spanish and Vietnamese.
In 2008/2009, Dr. Funk’s passion for health education, international medical volunteer work, and environmental stewardship became the impetus for spending 13 months on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua where she was one of 16 primary care doctors providing medical care to residents in that area. A participant of Natural Doctors International, she developed and implemented a women’s health program that provided top-notch gynecological care for the local women.
Prior to studying naturopathic medicine, Dr. Funk worked extensively with the HIV/AIDS community as an Americorps volunteer in the public and private sector. Shortly after, she earned her Masters in Public Health with a focus on community health intervention and prevention, collaborating with non-profit organizations specializing in diabetes care in low-income populations and STD policy and counseling.
Dr. Funk’s main goal as a physician is to facilitate the path of healing by empowering patients with the education, knowledge, and tools necessary to make healthy choices. She provides customized naturopathic care and considers treatment options that are best fitted for your budget, lifestyle, and health beliefs. Dr. Funk enjoys working with patients of all ages and genders and is especially passionate about women’s health and pediatric care, particularly autism and developmental disorders, clinical nutrition and whole foods cooking. In her free time, Dr. Funk can be found concocting delicious gourmet meals, planning her next travel adventure, or indulging in Mother Nature’s playground.
Elan Keehn, ND, ARNP
Dr. Keehn is a naturopathic doctor and certified nurse practitioner from Seattle, WA. She earned her doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University and her nurse practitioner degree from Seattle University.
After completing her training, Dr. Keehn was awarded an integrative residency position working with the University of California San Francisco Women's Health Center, an integrative pediatric clinic, and a naturopathic clinic in the San Francisco area.
Dr. Keehn currently splits her time between Bellingham Natural Family Medicine and the University of Washington Women's Health Care Center in Seattle. Her professional interests lie in pediatric, adolescent and women's health with a focus on nutrition, lifestyle, homeopathy and botanical medicine. She strives to support her patients in exploring all aspects of their health-physical, emotional and spiritual. Her goal in medicine is to provide compassionate, integrative care for her patients in hopes of acting as a bridge linking naturopathic and conventional medicine.
While away from the doctor's office, Dr. Keehn spends her time volunteering with local non-profits, climbing mountains, doing yoga, running, and cooking. She has a passion for travel and has provided volunteer medical work in Africa, India, and Central America.
Kim Sandstrom, ND, LMP
Dr. Sandstrom is a naturopathic physician, massage practitioner, and yoga teacher. She studied naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University where she also cultivated organic vegetables and medicinal herbs in the garden. During her two-year residency at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, she provided health care to diverse patient populations while teaching medical students. She has also worked at many community health clinics around Seattle, serving low-income and minority patients.
Dr. Sandstrom’s clinical interests are women’s health and pediatrics. Depending upon the individual, her treatment recommendations may include nutrition, lifestyle counseling, botanical medicine, physical medicine, yoga, and conventional medications. She enjoys educating her patients about their health and health care options. In addition to advocating prevention and treating the whole person, she also aims to enhance vitality and quality of life. In her opinion, health is living fully in every moment and having the freedom to move, express, create, breathe, do, and be. It is being in connection and at peace with nature, yourself, and your community.
Prior to becoming a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Sandstrom was a sustainable agriculture Peace Corps volunteer in rural Honduras. It was there that she was introduced to medicinal plants while helping women start community and home gardens. She loves to travel, climb, hike, bike, run, kayak, practice yoga, play frisbee, make tea, garden, and read novels in the sunshine.
Ariah Friley, RN
Ariah is the glue that holds our clinic together. She is a registered nurse who provides administrative, groundskeeping and clinical support for the clinic. No matter what the task—Ariah is the one we go to. On the clinical side, she helps manage the clinic’s childhood immunization program, administers vitamin injections and assists with physical exams and laboratory testing.
Ariah earned her registered nurse degree at Northwestern Michigan College in 2004. Since that time, she has provided medical/surgical support at several hospitals including Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, Michigan, Virginia Mason in Seattle, and Scripps Mercy in San Diego. She also worked as a boarding school nurse and volunteered at a community health clinic while living in Traverse City.
(360) 738-7654