Meet Dr. Maria Mione, ND

Welcome to Hope & Health Collective, my name is Dr. Maria Mione! But obviously it wasn't always that way. Rewind to elementary school, when I was just Maria.

Around the age of 10, I started struggling with anxiety and stomach pains. I was that kid that would ask to go to the nurse before presenting a book report because I was scared. The symptoms evolved into acid reflux, heartburn, nausea, constipation, belching, and eczema. They were made worse by my anxiety but at this point, I couldn't link them to anything. I lived like this for years, just constantly uncomfortable.

I was diagnosed with GERD and IBS and given medications to try, which never worked. When I was 16 years old, I went through a period of a few days with intense sharp stomach pain. My mom brought me to the hospital thinking it was appendicitis, but it wasn't. I was told again that I had IBS and sent home. A few weeks later, I was referred to a naturopathic doctor. She ran a stool test on me and found out that I had an H. pylori infection. I treated it allopathically, because I believe in a time and a place for both medicines, but followed this ND's treatments for adjunctive care. I had never felt so validated and seen by a doctor in my life.

Though this was just the beginning of healing my digestive tract, this ND set the stage for me to do so. As the years went on and I began studying the biomedical sciences, I saw how much the reproductive and digestive tracts were connected, as well as with our nervous system. I became invested in my health, putting my knowledge to the test in my own life.

By my last year of medical school, I was interning in a clinic. I realized that my own health journey made me able to make recommendations with more compassion and understanding for my patients and the lifestyle changes I was asking them to make. So for all the hardship I experienced with my chronic stomach issues, I am grateful that it allows me to connect with my patients with more genuinity.

I hope that whoever reads this finds comfort in knowing they are not alone when dealing with these issues. I'm passionate about meeting my patients where they are at. This is your health journey, I'm just guiding you on the ride. 

If I seem like someone whom you could see yourself working with, please book at free 15min phone call with me!