When Helene Leonetti left corporate medicine after 50 years, she had some doubts that she, a long-time employee of a medical center, could make it on her own without the cocoon of protective chairmen of the many disciplines that surrounded her: obstetrics, gynecology, general surgery, oncology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurology and psychiatry, to name but a few. Three years later, and her practice—focused on joining the best of conventional medicine and holistic treatment—is thriving.

Five months ago, a woman came to visit Leonetti who had developed severe pain in her neck, shoulders, arms and fingers—so severe that she needed to take Vicodin. A visit to her family doctor and endocrinologist gave her the diagnosis of polyarthritis rheumatic, and she was given prednisone, a potent anti-inflammatory medicine that affects our bones, our glucose metabolism, our emotions, our weight and our adrenal glands, which keep our immune state vibrant. Leonetti says it makes the pain better and is a wonderful bandage for one of the hundreds of diagnoses that we have with “no known cause and no known treatment,” other than cortisone and pain medicines.

“Not only did her patient receive no information on the many side effects of this potent medicine (she had to explore them online), but more importantly, she was given no guidance and help on what may have started the pain in the first place,” explains Leonetti. “However, this wellness warrior has had the courage to look at all aspects of her life and has made notable changes: she is back to regular exercise; she has begun purchasing her animal protein hormone/antibiotic free-range; and whenever possible, she buys and grows her vegetables organically, without harmful pesticides.” Plus, after a lifetime of soda, she is finally off it entirely and makes water her drink of choice. She also stopped taking Crestor (a statin drug) to lower cholesterol, which has been implicated in causing pain, weakness in joints and muscles, and inducing diabetes in women, in addition to causing aggressive behavior, depression, suicide and cancer.

Leonetti states that, “Courage and fearlessness are the qualities of a wellness warrior.” That means choosing doctors that listen; those that incorporate complementary modalities and natural healing rather than always choosing drugs for chronic life issues.” The last piece of the patient’s journey was the most difficult: learning to understand that every thought and every word, as well as every behavior, creates a molecule in the body and has identical effects on cell tissue as if we had an accident, a heart attack or a stroke. 

“Harboring, often unconsciously, stinkin’ thinkin’—envy, anger, resentment, hurt, jealousy, non-forgiveness—of self and others is responsible for dis-ease that no doctor can touch; only the doctor within—the one whose pharmacy produces healing hormones, such as oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine,” she adds. “On the other hand, negative emotions produce inflammatory cytokines and pain-causing prostaglandins.”

In fact, the last thing Leonetti told the patient before she left was get back to lovemaking with her beloved. This generates happy hormones, as well as morphine-like painkillers, and bathes the immune state in healing.

Leonetti encourages patients and physicians to develop a partnership toward wellness. That includes teaching patients how to prevent the chronic diseases for which they fall victim.

Dr. Helene Leonetti is located at 3330 Hamilton Blvd, Allentown. For more information, all 484-707-8927 or visit HelenebLeonettimd.com.