The Woodlands Institute for Health & Wellness celebrates 10 years of total body health

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Dr. Mila McManus started her own family practice at age 30, at a time when she herself was riddled with various ailments that amounted to poor overall health. Her bloodwork indicated that she was healthy, but she took 12 medications—an antidepressant, sleeping pills, reflux medication, three allergy medicines, and more—and still felt horrible every day. In her family practice, she was allotted 10 to 15 minutes with each patient, and became a part of the same system that was failing to cure her own health problems. "In a managed-care setting with patients stacked up, I didn't have time to really help them," McManus says. "I felt stressed out and was always behind."

Feeling like she was peddling prescriptions, not curing patients, Dr. McManus decided to take a new path. Ten years ago, she founded The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness to address the common underlying causes of patients' health issues. "I have never looked back. It is so much more rewarding to address the underlying issues of symptoms and disease rather than band-aid with prescriptions drugs." McManus started on her own wellness program and within six months was off all her medications and full of energy. She took her classic medical background and added expertise in holistic medicine to help patients achieve optimal health. Patients come from all over the world to get well at her Institute.

Today, The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness has a beautiful 5,000 square foot facility with 16 employees and three healthcare providers, including Dr. McManus, Sandra Caldwell, PA-C, and Heather Smith, WHNP-BC. McManus anticipates adding another healthcare practitioner in the near future. The office treats men, women and children ages 2 and up and care begins with a 20-page questionnaire about a person's habits and health, combined with a three-hour appointment. McManus has gone from slapping down prescriptions in 10 minutes to spending three hours on a new patient, including face-to-face time as well as the time needed to coordinate care and create a specific treatment plan.

Most patients start off with a three-step approach to better health, starting with a yeast cleanse of the "gut," a diet plan and basic supplements. "Even people who eat healthfully don't always meet our definition of healthy eating," McManus says. McManus works to balance and optimize a patient's hormones as well. McManus says that most patients are feeling significantly better within 4 to 6 weeks.

"Getting to spend an hour or more with every patient, you talk about anything and everything," McManus says. "Some people really do want a quick fix, to take two prescription drugs and be done, but for most patients, they are here to feel better, improve overall health, and reduce or eliminate their medications."

The Institute is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with an open house on Wednesday, March 5, from 4 to 8 p.m. The event is open to the general public. Visitors can mingle with the Institute's staff and visit booths representing products that align with the Institute's health and wellness philosophy. Reservation information can be found at the link below.

For more information on The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness, visit the link below.