Meet Dr. James Novak, Optimum Health Enterprises’ Holistic Medical Practitioner

Optimum Health Enterprises (OHE) is a third-party vendor who offers colon hydrotherapy services at OHI San Diego and OHI Austin. In Texas, prescriptions are required to receive a colonic, therefore OHE provides practice management for a licensed medical doctor to supervise colonic services at OHI Austin. California does not require a medical doctor for supervision; however, we recently identified a local holistic medical practitioner in San Diego, Dr. James Novak, to provide supervision of colon hydrotherapy services for OHI San Diego community members.

Get to know Dr. James Novak with our quick Q&A…

Q. Why did you join Optimum Health Enterprises (OHE)?

A. Many of OHI’s staff and guests have been my patients over the years, so I was well-acquainted with their program. I knew they had always offered guests colon hydrotherapy service via a certified colonics therapist (either a licensed vocational nurse or a registered nurse) using state-of-the-art hydrotherapy equipment.  During the pandemic, there were times when OHE had to put a pause on their colonic hydrotherapy services because it was not overseen by a medical practitioner, and therefore it was not considered an “essential” business.  To make sure guests are never inconvenienced by a pause in services in the future, I joined OHE as the medical specialist overseeing the colon hydrotherapy practice in San Diego.  I have been so impressed with OHI’s immersive body-mind-spirit detox program over the years that I was inspired to join their team.

Q. Give our guests a little background on yourself.

A. I earned my undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, and I received my medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago in 1980. I was an NHS Corp physician for three years, working predominantly on Native American reservations.  I started an Integrative Medicine private practice in 1985 in Pacific Beach, CA., and as of this month have been a licensed, practicing family physician for 40 years.

Q. Why did you start practicing holistic medicine in conjunction with Western medicine?

A. I had patients who felt they had reached a dead end in allopathic medicine. Those with chronic health conditions like auto-immune diseases or Lyme disease were seeing practitioners who were treating their symptoms as opposed to finding the root source of their problem.  I approach a new patient by trying to find the upstream causes of the current problem, and look to the foundations of good health to activate self-healing — a nutritionally dense diet, adequate sleep, challenging exercise, exposure to natural sunlight and clean oxygen, and a strong mind-body connection.  I want to improve the bio terrain of the body — strong gut health, clean blood, a solid detox of the liver, lymph, and kidneys, and a reservoir of healthy fats in the body.  That restores the physiologic processes that have been interrupted, and optimizes the innate healing power of the body.

Q. How will you interact with OHI guests?

A. Guests at the San Diego campus who are interested in receiving colon hydrotherapy will meet with me to take a medical history, and get a brief exam. I evaluate whether it is safe for a guest to do a colonic.  Those who have intestinal or rectal issues like anal fissures, active hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, colitis, or are taking blood thinners are really not appropriate candidates for colonics.  I refer guests who are good colon hydrotherapy candidates to our colon therapists.  It is my goal as an experienced holistic practitioner to always ensure colonics are given in a healthy and safe manner.

Q. What does colon hydrotherapy do for the body?

A. Colon hydrotherapy assists in detoxing the body by cleaning out the colon. When the intestinal tract is empty and clean, it sends a signal to the liver.  The liver cleans your blood and breaks down old or damaged blood cells, as well as plays a central role in all metabolic processes in the body by breaking down fats.  The cleansed intestinal tract lets the liver know it is ready to process more waste.  Colon hydrotherapy accelerates this detox process.

Q. Are there any other new healing modalities that you’ve had success within your practice that would dovetail with OHI’s detox program?

A. Yes! I have had great success with a variety of oxidative therapies over the last few decades that I hope to incorporate into the OHI detox program.  In particular, I feel ozone therapy would be a great addition to the program.  At its most basic level, ozone stimulates an adaptive response in the body that increases mitochondrial energy production, increases white blood cell immunoregulatory function, stimulates improved blood circulation, and improves hormone balance in the thyroid and adrenal glands.  It also down regulates inflammation throughout the body.  Through these processes, it helps to remove microbes and toxins that don’t belong in the body.  I think it would be a great addition to the current detoxification aspects of the OHI program.

Q. Any final thoughts as you join the OHI team?

A. Quite frankly, I think the body-mind-spirit teachings at OHI are the most important aspect of their overall program. The effects of psycho emotional healing are absolutely vital to good health.  I’m proud to be a part of this life-changing program.

Welcome Dr. Novak!  We are so happy to have you!

Although colon hydrotherapy services are not required or an essential part of our holistic healing program, they are readily available to you if you choose to add them and enhance your experience. These services are delivered by professionals on-site for your convenience and many of our patients find that they really heighten the benefits of the program. While colonic services are available daily, it is best to schedule appointments in advance, as sessions fill up quickly.

Call OHI at (800) 588-0809 or visit www.OptimumHealth.org today for more information.