Mission & Purpose
Essence Health & Research (EH&R) is dedicated to evidence-based metabolic healthcare, providing root cause solutions for chronic diseases, mental health conditions, and optimal health for families at all stages of life. Our mission is to lead in legislative advocacy for the Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN) profession to ensure the best possible care for every patient. Being managed by a woman, this healthcare nonprofit inspires more women to be at the table of influence in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM), healthcare, medical research, and healthcare innovation. The model of direction promotes mentorship, collaboration, respect, stability, ability, security, thriving, purpose, positive health outcomes, and results.
History
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Essence Health & Research (EH&R) started out initially as a for-profit entity offering nutrition and yoga services. In 2019, a 501c3 nonprofit was created where EH&R generated fundraisers to help local entities (Seattle Coast Guard, Transportation Security Association/TSA, Refugees Northwest) with local needs during government shutdowns or crisis times. EH&R also created Thanksgiving Make A Meal donations to help those working during the holidays along with creating nutrient dense Emergency Nutrition Kits through a Project Thrive initiative for local families in need and emergency healthcare workers throughout the eastside cities in King County. Some of these initiatives were praised by the Sammamish city mayor at the time for helping to bring more light into the community during difficult times.
The nutrient dense model of the Project Thrive Emergency Nutrition Kits has often now been promoted in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiatives for bringing more nutrient dense foods into food banks, hospitals, food stamp food categories, and more. During the pandemic, EH&R created a COVID-19 Emergency Nutrition Care Guide for the community to help boost immune system self care while managing patient care.
EH&R has evolved into a metabolic healthcare clinic for families across the lifespan with acceptance of medical insurances to help create more access to root cause and evidence based medical nutrition therapy (MNT) care for chronic diseases, mental health conditions, and general health needs/goals. EH&R does regular outreach at community farmers markets, events, and classes as well to help bring critical metabolic health education to the general community. EH&R also has committed to a legislative and advocacy mission to help improve the scope of practice of Doctors of Clinical Nutrition (DCNs) at state and federal levels to help improve patient care and increased access to metabolic care by DCNs at the physician level for patients.
Essence Health & Research is officially registered as Essence Health and Research Foundation at the federal and state levels.
Chief Clinician
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Dr. Jennifer Coomes (DCN) is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition (DCN), Certified Dietitian & Nutritionist (CDN, WA State), Licensed Dietitian (LD, Indiana), and is board certified in clinical nutrition (CNS). She specializes in evidence-based and root cause metabolic healthcare for chronic diseases, mental health conditions, and optimal health for families across the lifespan. Dr. Coomes collaborates with the integrative medical system to help patients by providing medical nutrition therapy and lifestyle management programs for the short and long term management of disease and health goals. DCNs are not yet able to "diagnose and treat" in the United States in any state, so it is necessary to work directly with primary care providers (PCPs) and specialists doctors for correct diagnoses and important lab testing needs. Dr. Coomes helps patients be empowered with education to build bridges with their providers to ask for what is needed to lay the foundation for best health outcomes.
At EH&R, Dr. Coomes often takes very complex medical cases that need deeper assessment into the root causes (mechanisms of disease) for what is truly wrong with a patient and how to improve outcomes. She takes the time to truly research a case and inform the patient of new findings or needs for lab testing while creating a practical medical nutrition therapy program with practical steps and tools to make real progress. At a time when there are significant complaints about the standard medical system and its patient care, Dr. Coomes tries to bring in a positive foundation of evidence-based care that patients can count on so that patients can start to learn to trust their healthcare providers again and get better.
Dr. Coomes has been a healthcare provider for over 20 years starting out as a medical massage therapist and yoga instructor and evolving into a clinical researcher and DCN. She has a long history of teaching healthcare based classes to the general community and in undergraduate and graduate programs. She has a practical approach to both clinical care and teaching that helps patients and students be more informed, inquisitive, research minded, and involved in their own self and patient care. Dr. Coomes has also published research in
the medical field associated with root cause care, cardiovascular medicine, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and metabolic syndrome. With the increased need to increased scope of practice for DCNs within states to help address the chronic disease and mental health epidemics with important metabolic healthcare interventions, Dr. Coomes also devotes part of her time to improve credentialing and scope of practice to help DCNs practice to the highest level of their clinical, residency, and research training.
EDUCATION
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Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition (DCN), 2023, Maryland University of Integrative Health (now merged to become Notre Dame of Maryland University Integrative Health Department), clinical and research doctorate with clinical residency
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Professional Science Masters (MS) in Applied Nutrition, 2019, University of Arizona
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Masters of Science (MS) in Biotechnology with concentration in Bioinformatics/Genetics, 2017, Johns Hopkins University
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Masters of Science in Clinical Research Management (MSCRM), 2015, Arizona State University
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Certificate in Yoga Instruction, 2007 (200 hours, Anusara Yoga Style)
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Diploma in Therapeutic Massage, 2001 (815.5 hours)
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Bachelors of Arts (BA) in Psychology, 1999, Depauw University
CERTIFICATIONS
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Certified Dietitian & Nutritionist (CDN), WA State Department of Health
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Licensed Dietitian (LD), Indiana Medical Licensing Board
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Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS), Board of Certified Nutrition Specialists (BCNS)
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Culinary Nutrition Expert (CNE), Academy of Culinary Nutrition
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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member
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Washington State Telemedicine Training Certificate, WA State Telehealth Collaborative
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Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certifcation, American Academy of Pediatrics
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Birth Assistant Basics Course, NW Birth Assistants
PUBLICATIONS
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Coomes, J. (2023). Important biomarkers and nutrition considerations in the clinical management of PTSD: The role of trauma nutrition and integrative care. Maryland University of Integrative Health 2023 Research Symposium. Laurel, MD + Online, USA.
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Coomes, J., Aldrich, N. (2023). Important biomarkers and nutrition considerations in the clinical management of PTSD: The role of trauma nutrition and integrative care. Bastyr University 2023 Research Symposium. Kenmore, WA + Online, USA.
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Coomes, J., Roundtree, B., & Smith, M. (2022, November 27). Nutrition and Yoga in the Management of a Patient with Hyperlipidemia: A Case Report. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/AF9PR
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Coomes, J. (2021). Important biomarkers and nutrition considerations in the clinical management of PTSD: The role of trauma nutrition and integrative care. American Nutrition Association Conference, Personalized Nutrition 2021: Mapping the Future. Chicago, IL + Online, USA. https://theana.org/CoomesPoster.
The Executive Board
Dr. Jennifer Coomes (DCN): Executive Director, President of the Board, Founder
Julie Corbin, Paralegal: Board Secretary
Dr. Leandro Pucci (DCN): Board Member
In Loving Memory
Dr. Jeremy Carscallen was a father, healer, physical therapist, and a man who brought light into the world in the midst of difficulty. He left this earth far too early at 43 years old on 11/11/24 by suicide. His death was the antithesis to what this man was about on earth, but it was a painful struggle with depression that ultimately took his life even with so many people who loved him. His life mattered. His gift of healing through is his hands and through his physical therapy work was transforming, but his most prized gift was his ability to love, teach, and raise his son, whom he loved more than anything else. He was a strong, tall, beautiful, and elegant man with a soft voice and manner who set boundaries to preserve his peace, but it may have been those boundaries that made it difficult for those of us who wanted to help him most. He carried a burden to help so many people to heal, and it was his healing that was also needed as well.
Healthcare providers often suffer with depression and excess responsibilities coupled with the normal responsibilities of self care, family, and life. I know that Jeremy would want us to care and carry on in being a part of the healing solution as he so often tried to be. To all those who carry guilt and grief when something like this happens, it is extremely difficult to carry on, understand, and find peace again. Grief is a deep learning and self care journey, and we don't talk about the process of grief enough. We should. EH&R will be trying to carry on in the same healing spirit that Jeremy did to offer services to help in the process of becoming whole. We are not perfect beings, but if we can bring humanness to the difficulties of depression, no matter the cause, we can do more to prevent these tragedies in our lives and others.
If you or anyone you love is suffering from mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts, please do not hesitate to reach out to the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 or 1.866.427.4747 in King County.
If you need inspiration in difficult times or you are inspired to write letters to help those going difficult times, consider the following website that is specifically designed to help prevent suicide: www.reasonstostay.org
For those who are trying to heal from deep grief, here are some beautiful songs that inspired me as a reminder of Jeremy's life:
Donate!
EH&R accepts tax deductible gifts and donations to help support its nonprofit endeavors. Please consider a donation to EH&R through the following secure options: