Inspiring Conversations with Adaeze Iroka, ND of One World Naturopathic Care

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adaeze Iroka, ND.

Hi Adaeze, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I have always been attracted to natural healing modalities, but my passion for naturopathic medicine came in 2010 when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. It was at this time I realized the seriousness of the condition. Though our family never discussed preventative health options, as my mom battled cancer, I began to have thoughts about the possibility of our diet and lifestyle affecting our health.

During the time of her second diagnosis, I was in my final year of high school, and after I graduated high school, I spent the whole summer in and out of the hospital with her. During our time in the hospital, I saw her treatment, the amount of care given to her, and how she was spoken to. Most of which I did not resonate with. Towards the end of her journey, I felt like they gave up on her completely, because of their increased absence. The feelings of abandonment and helplessness were something I felt I did not want others to go through, which started my journey.

After my mom passed, my thoughts regarding diet and lifestyle on health intensified. I attended San Francisco State University, and during my first semester, I discovered holistic health through my public health course. The school had a holistic health library and program, both of which I joined. The library provided me with many books to read regarding diet, lifestyle, and health, and I learned different perspectives on how diseases are viewed and many other things.

When I first started at San Francisco State, my goal was to work towards attending pharmacy school, but as I learned more about holistic health, I felt like I wanted to work with plants as medicine. In my junior year of college, I still intended on pursuing higher education in plant medicine, and while researching, naturopathic medicine came up. I became curious and went through the information. After reading about the naturopathic principles and learning more about naturopathic modalities, I realized I wanted to pursue this education instead. In 2015, I graduated with my B.S. in Biochemistry, obtained my holistic health certificate in the spring of 2016, and in the fall of 2016, I attended Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences (SCNM), now known as Sonoran University (SU) of Health Sciences. At SU, I learned the basic sciences of medicine plus many different naturopathic approaches to approach conditions and treat people. Even though my focus is on natural methods, I appreciate, understand, and know the necessity of conventional medicine in various conditions.

Before attending school, I knew I wanted to carry out my vision to help people by having a private practice. Today, I am the Founder, Owner, President, and naturopathic doctor at One World Naturopathic Care in Chandler. I provide adjunctive naturopathic care to support my patients, with a main focus on prevention through education.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road to having a private practice. I struggled because I am the type of person that likes to see results right away. When I first opened my practice, I was working as a server part-time to continue to pay bills and support other finances of my practice. I saw my practice was not moving as fast as I expected or liked, and I started to doubt myself and my goals.

I wanted to give up and find comfort in my serving job. At the time, I enjoyed my job because I got to help, interact, and connect with people. My decision towards comfort was to avoid feelings of disappointment from my practice not moving the way I wanted it to. The more I served, the more frustrated I became because serving was not what I truly enjoyed. My frustrations motivated me to put more effort into my career. I also had issues in my personal life focused on relationships that distracted me from my practice.

By working harder on myself and my self-confidence, working through external challenges in my personal life, receiving encouragement from friends and family, and watching shows like Grey’s Anatomy and the Resident, I realized my passion is health and medicine. I am where I am today because of my perseverance and my strong support team of friends and family.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
One World Naturopathic Care was founded on our stance that everyone deserves a chance to heal and have the necessary tools to support their health. We believe healing occurs in anyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or socioeconomic status.

The health and well-being of all people are vital to us. At One World Naturopathic Care, we take the time to listen to and investigate the ailments of all individuals who choose to establish care with us. Our goal is to prevent, educate, motivate, and support all of our patients to improve their quality of life.

What matters most to you?
My family matters the most to me. I always consider my family before making decisions. My family extends beyond blood relatives to include my friends since they are part of my support team, who also challenge, encourage, and make personal sacrifices for me. My family is also reliable and provides stability when I need grounding. I would not be where I am and who I am today if not for their influence. When helping others, I think about how I would want another person to treat one of my family members and act based on that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dradaezeirokand.wixsite.com/ownc
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-adaeze-iroka-nd-75a5414a
• Other: https://linktr.ee/dradaezeirokand