I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada to a mother who grew her own vegetables, fed her family healthy food (much to her teenage daughters’ chagrin), and took her children to get acupuncture. In 1993 I moved to Seattle to complete my doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and then fell in love with Portland, Oregon. I moved here after graduation for a two-year residency at the National College of Natural Medicine.

With a strong family history of cancer, I am personally motivated to understand health, particularly as it relates to cancer prevention and healing. I believe strongly in the mind-body connection, and the healing power of herbs, diet, and lifestyle. I also specialize in genetics and the role of environmental toxins. I live in Portland in an old farmhouse with my husband, two sons, a cat, some fish, a cockatiel, many chickens and bees, and tend a big garden.

My Journey to Naturopathic Medicine

My journey began in 1984 when my mother was diagnosed with melanoma. Aside from an initial surgery, my mom did all of her treatments with alternative healers. She was guiding her own healthcare, seeking out different practitioners, and putting together a plan for herself. No single person was overseeing her care or helping guide her treatment decisions, and none of her health providers were aware of the others.

In 1987 her pain from spreading cancer forced her to return to the mainstream medical system where she was told she had four days left to live. She outlived this diagnosis by a month.

A young adult at the time, I still thought I was going into veterinary medicine. I decided on integrative veterinary medicine and so began my education for a naturopathic medical degree. Along the way I realized that I loved working with people more than with animals. At graduation, in 1997, my focus was on women’s health and family medicine.

My path circled back to cancer in 2003, after three close friends all were diagnosed with cancer in rapid succession. All healthy young women in their 30’s and early 40’s (who are all still healthy and thriving now more than 10 years later), they didn’t fit the descriptions of who should get cancer. It spurred my desire to try to understand all of the underlying factors that contribute to cancer.

It was the stories I heard from my cancer patients that sent me back to school for advanced certification in environmental medicine. They talked of obvious exposures such as spraying pesticides, of mixing amalgam fillings in their hands, of chasing the DDT truck as children, and of having been exposed to Agent Orange. They spoke of more subtle exposures, such as remodeling their homes, or eating tuna fish weekly. For me it felt like the missing link: exposure to toxins was the reason I was seeing so much more cancer in people who seemed unlikely to be at risk for cancer.

Genetic differences is yet another piece of the puzzle. We have inherited our ability to detoxify chemicals and other substances from our parents, often with various mutations. This is why some people get sick whereas others don’t, even with the same exposures to the same toxins.

Another powerful tool is neurotransmitter testing, which is the quickest way I’ve found to help people get back to their true essence: happy, content and able to sleep uninterrupted through the night.

I am passionate about living a full and happy life. I want to understand and reduce as many risk factors for cancer and other life threatening diseases as possible, in an empowering and practical way.

Education

Dr. Louise Tolzmann graduated from Bastyr University in 1997 with a doctorate in naturopathic medicine. She completed her two-year residency at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine.

Oncology

Dr. Tolzmann began specializing in cancer in 2005 while working at a non-profit clinic, Quest Center for Integrative Health, with a grant from the Susan Komen Foundation. Dr. Tolzmann has completed advanced clinical training in integrative oncology. She teaches “Eat to Beat Cancer” nutrition classes and integrated oncology classes for both the public and nursing schools. She is heavily involved in continued oncology education with monthly tumor boards, case reviews, and international conferences. Dr. Tolzmann co-manages patient care with oncologists locally and nationally.

Environmental Medicine

Dr. Tolzmann has advanced certification in environmental medicine. She has been working with fire departments to help firefighters reduce their risk of cancer through decreased exposure, as well as physical assessment of toxin load and reduction of body burden. She has given presentations in person, as well as recorded and televised.

Neurotransmitter Testing

Dr. Tolzmann has been performing urine-screen neurotransmitter testing since 2005. She studied closely with a pioneer in the field. She has seen dramatic healing of anxiety, insomnia, depression, in her patients through amino acid supplementation tailored to specific neurotransmitter imbalances.