New Time's Naturally article "Profiles & Personalities: Dr. Janice Piro"

Profiles & Personalities: Dr. Janice Piro

Dynamic Individual

I knew before I even met Dr. Piro, that she would prove to be a lively and dynamic individual, as well as an interesting and informative person to interview. Her website (which you’ll find at the end of this article) is quite extensive, and contains insight into the professional, educated and compassionate individual that she is.

Dr. Piro received a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Connecticut in 1979, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Human Anatomy from the National College of Chiropractic in Chicago in 1986. At the time the National College of Chiropractic awarded Dr. Piro her second bachelor’s degree, she also received her Doctor of Chiropractic, graduating Cum Laude. In 1998, Dr. Piro received her Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists from the Texas College of Chiropractic Post-graduate Division in Pasadena, Texas. In addition to her degrees, Dr. Piro immersed herself in extensive specialized courses, gained certification in Clinical Kinesiology, as well as received licensure from the Florida Department of Professional regulation for Chiropractic Physicianship, Physiotherapy, and Phlebotomy. She also obtained training in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Shanghai School of Medicine, as well as training in the use of homeopathic medicines from sponsorship through Apex Energetics. One thing we always look for in a health care professional is knowledge, expertise, and training. Clearly, Dr. Piro gets an A+ in all of these categories, and our community is lucky to have someone so well educated and trained to serve as a partner in our health care.

The Body Can Heal Itself When Given the Proper Tools

The concept of health care partnership serves as the bedrock for Dr. Piro’s professional philosophy as a chiropractic internist. She emphasized to me that she is not a “healer.” Her specialty and expertise- knowing what the body needs for optimum health, and how its frame impacts the internal organs- requires a patient-doctor interplay of education, cooperation, and teamwork. According to Dr. Piro, her philosophy as a holistic physician is that, “the body can heal itself when given the proper tools and when any interference is taken away. Only when the body is inhibited in its healing efforts does disease pursue.” Dr. Piro helps people improve the quality of their lives by bringing their physical health to an optimum state using thorough diagnostic testing, natural, alternative medicines and all-natural therapies. The premise of chiropractics rests on the idea that if the structure of the body is healthy, then the organs can remain healthy as well. This is accomplished by keeping pressure off of nerves, which allows energy to flow freely throughout the body, and is summed up well by a quotation Dr. Piro shared with me from a plaque that hangs in her office: “The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease” (Thomas Edison).

Presence of Symptoms

When I asked Dr. Piro to identify the biggest challenge she faces in her industry, she paused for a brief moment. I braced myself, got my pen and paper perfectly arranged, and waited to jot down a complicated or intricate industry trend that I would surely not understand or be entirely familiar with. But interestingly enough, when Dr. Piro answered my question, and shared what tests her profession and industry the most, I understood perfectly well. Her sentiments were straightforward and down-to-earth but deeply profound: many people have a “lack of understanding of what true health really is.” As Dr. Piro explained, many people (me included before this interview at least) think that because they are not currently experiencing any symptoms, that they are in good health. Isn’t this true? How many of us equate the absence of a painful or irritating symptom- a headache, backache, stomachache, or other ailment- with the presence of perfect health? We think that because nothing feels wrong, everything is going right. But as Dr. Piro points out, the presence of symptoms usually indicates a problem that has been present for some time. A symptom today may link up to something unhealthy that my body has experienced for several years. A symptom may even be a sign that the body is healing! In addition to that, Dr. Piro advises that true health is not simply the dearth of unfortunate symptoms, but relates to feeling good, and having the energy to do what we really want.

Team-Oriented Program

Dr. Piro takes pride in the work that she does, and how she actively assists people in reaching optimum health. What can a patient seeking out her phenomenal expertise expect on a “first visit?” Dr. Piro likes to sit and talk when a patient first visits her office. She gets an idea of what the patient is seeking, then determines if she can help them or not. She orders any diagnostic tests that are needed, and then works with the patient through a team-oriented program to help them on their journey back to total health and wellness.

This philosophy allows Dr. Piro to help countless numbers of people who seek true health and vitality. She is always glad to help anyone, but spoke with particular emotion about the many people who visit her clinic as “the last stop” that she assists. Many of these people have been to several doctors, tried many different drugs, and just still aren’t better. In particular, Dr. Piro works with many women who suffer from female disorders whose only treatment prescribed by the mainstream medical industry was drugs. Yet these women knew something else was wrong, and acted on referrals from friends and associates to make Dr. Piro their partner in health care and help them achieve a better understanding of the cause of their ailments, as well as a way to successfully treat them naturally.

Dr. Piro knew early in her life that she wanted to help people in a natural and holistic way that didn’t just involve hospitals and medical prescription drugs. She volunteered in hospitals as a teenager, and decided that wasn’t for her; she instinctively knew there must be a better way to help people. We are all honored to have someone like her who stayed true to herself and intuition and followed her path, because that path led her to open her practice here in the Bay Area and help so many people in our community.

Dr. Piro’s path is still unfolding, and her personal life is just as awesome and inspiring as her professional! She has an advanced degree in skydiving with over four hundred jumps to date! She also met her husband at the skydiving drop zone; an absolutely beautiful photograph of them kissing in the air while free falling hangs in her office as well. It’s truly incredible, and you should definitely ask her to see it when you go for your first appointment with her! Dr. Piro also has a black belt in karate, with a test for her second degree coming up in a few weeks! Her sun Lucas, who started practicing marital arts at age four (wow!) also has a black belt, and she is also proud of her son Jason who has a high brown-belt. Oh, and did I mention that her husband fights in Muy Thai boxing? What an active family who clearly demonstrates how fun a natural and healthy life can be! Obviously, Dr. Piro practices what she preaches, which makes her even more outstanding to have in our community. Thanks to Dr. Piro for her time in sharing with all of us what she does, and how she might be able to help people willing to take responsibility for their health, and make the changes necessary to enjoy a happy and healthy life, naturally!