We believe in reverse medicine, meaning we work to reverse the causes of chronic disease. There are many factors that contribute to the development of chronic symptoms. We ask WHY medical problems or symptoms occur, help identify root causes and formulate a personalized treatment plan. Personalized and Functional Medicine can provide meaningful results in the health of the individual and the health of the community.
Health does take introspection and changing of behaviors. Whether we are asking you to take a medication or supplement everyday or change your diet, it is up to you to do the work. In functional medicine, we often unearth some basic truths about your biology and often those truths lead to changes in your lifestyle. Coming here means you are ready to make that commitment.
At Sparkle Health we use conventional treatment modalities as well as holistic integrative therapies. Dr. Mercuro will help you choose the treatment plan that best fits your needs. This is not one size fits all medicine. Every individual is unique and honoring that uniqueness is key to our mutual success!
Health is something to be treasured and looked after. It is even more important as the costs of “sick care” are rising. Our goal and the structure of this practice is to help you find health. We believe in aging with vitality, maintaining the span of your health for as long as possible. Our goal is to keep you well until the end of your days!
I am a board certified Family Physician that woke up one day, looked at my schedule and realized that I was dissatisfied with the care I was delivering. As a Primary Care Physician my schedule was filled with chronic disease patients that in reality I was not curing or promoting wellness. I was using all of the pharmaceutical tools I had been taught to try to mitigate and manage the downstream effects of chronic disease but I was not promoting health.
On the advice of a colleague and mentor I attended a functional medicine conference and I was brought to tears as I learned there was a whole other way of looking at disease. I attended a osteopathic medical school, and one of the pillars of osteopathic medicine is that the body has an ability to heal itself and the job of the physician is to facilitate that. Functional Medicine is the perfect pairing with osteopathy. Functional Medicine is a systems biology approach to identifying clinical imbalances and treating these upstream causes of dysfunction. Finding this congruency in my personal and medical belief system and the way I practiced medicine changed my career, my own health, the health of my family as well as many of my patients. My personal mission is to share what I have learned about the foundations of optimizing health to impact the health care delivery system.
I received an undergraduate degree in psychology from Sacred Heart University and acquired a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States in 2016. I am currently pursuing the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) credential, an advanced certification for personalized nutrition.
I first had a peek into the world of lifestyle interventions and natural therapies during my last year of university when I began working for a family who had two young children adopted from China. They ate things I had never heard of, drank from dark bottles of tinctures, and even fed their seven dogs home-cooked meals. This world broadened when I moved to Oregon after college and spent time learning about wild-crafted herbs, grew a large garden, raised chickens, and volunteered for an organization that taught children about the importance and benefits of growing their own food. I gained exposure to Ayurveda, acupuncture, and traditional Chinese medicine while teaching English in South Korea and traveling throughout Asia. The connection between food and the body became apparent – and impossible to ignore.
My true “aha” moment came while listening to Robert Rountree (the “father” of functional medicine) discuss why our current “silver bullet” approach is not effective for treating chronic disease. I have experienced this first-hand during my time in the natural health industry and practicing functional nutrition in a busy primary care office. My hope is to empower others through education, both individually and in a class setting, and support patients on their path towards healing and optimal wellness.
Sharing much the same passion for treating obesity as Dr. Mercuro, I am pleased to also be working with her on the Functionally Fit Program. This program utilizes many of the fundamentals of functional nutrition that are key for weight loss and overall good health.
Call 603-328-8101 to schedule an appointment or complimentary 15-minute phone consultation today.
A graduate of Regis College in Weston, MA, I received a B.A. in Business Management with a concentration in Communications. My career began in Retail, I found my way over to a more traditional 8-5 position in a Fortune 50 company. After 25 years in Sales Operations for that company, I now find myself with time to follow my passions full time.
My journey with Energy Therapy began in 2006 with experiencing Reiki as a client and watching my mother as a Reiki client during an illness. I became fascinated with energy and how it helps not only the mind, but the body. I received my Reiki Master certification in December 2017 and my Master Instructor certification in February 2018. Through my Reiki practice, I was also drawn to a second energy therapy, Integrated Energy Therapy (or I.E.T.), completing my Master Instructor certification in April of 2019.
In 2019, I left my Operations role and in September started schooling to become a Massage Therapist. I spent the next year learning all the basics of massage and I graduated in June 2020. Since graduation, I have continued my studies, adding additional modalities, and diving deeper into what I learned in school.
I have been asked what my favorite massage technique is, my answer is always the same, whatever is best for the person that is on my table! I tend to lean toward the Neuromuscular technique and cupping therapy. What? You have not heard of them? Well, come on in and give them a try. I promise you will love them as much as I do.
While earning my business degree at Bentley University, I interned at a prominent teaching hospital and developed a special interest in the health care field. My interests led me to a career in the biotechnology industry where I spent a decade creating, managing and growing patient service programs.
My personal focus eventually shifted from career to family and I had the privilege of transitioning to stay-at-home mom. I experienced a crash course in elimination diets when my nursing infant was “allergic” to the food my body was producing. I witnessed a direct correlation between the foods I consumed and changes in my baby’s digestion, behavior, and overall health. I experienced a sense of helplessness and frustration as I navigated the conventional medical system and my interest in functional medicine was born.
Today, I maintain a strong work-life balance. I love my role at Sparkle Health because I know that compassionate support is needed at the outset and I enjoy being that resource. I understand that when you are ready to take those first steps toward feeling better, it can be an overwhelming process. I look forward to supporting you on your journey to wellness!
I am a registered nurse that’s cared for patients across the lifespan in various specialties over the years. I went into nursing because I love people and caring for them. There’s something special about taking part in helping another person to feel better and take control of their health. What I came to realize over time is that our healthcare system does not allow the time for a holistic approach. I found myself frustrated that patients needed more than what was being provided. They may receive some symptom relief but they were a long way from being completely well. I knew that there had to be a better way to help people, to empower them to prevent disease, and regain and sustain their health. Then I found Lifestyle Medicine and eagerly became certified. Soon thereafter, I became a certified health and wellbeing coach so I could be the facilitator of healthy lifestyle changes in patients.
In 2023, I was pleased to be asked by Dr. Mercuro to also provide health and wellness coaching to participants in our Functionally Fit Program. As with our Sparkle members, I provide those involved with this program with the education, accountability, and partnership they need to succeed.
“Coaching is a vehicle for helping people to achieve a higher level of well-being and performance in life and work, particularly when change is hard.”-Wellcoaches®. During our coaching relationship, I’ll provide compassionate, empathetic, non-judgmental partnership and guidance, at your pace, in your time. It’s your journey and I’d be honored to come along for the ride.
Sparkle Health
254 North Broadway, Suite 208 Salem, NH 03079
9am – 5pm Monday – Friday
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