Nautilus Integrative Medicine - Dr. Sarah Z, ND, APRN, FNP-C

Everything in moderation, including moderation. I got these sweet treats from master cake-cookie-cupcake-cakepop magician Abundance by Ashlyn. I eat really healthy all week, but these are probably going to disappear fast around here...

“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” — Desmond Tutu

Happy Juneteenth! Let's all keep fighting for each other's fundamental right to exist with peace, equality, body autonomy, and prosperity.

As adults, sometimes we forget the value that play brings into our lives. I was able to take some time away to volunteer for K-2 field day, and took a minute out of the wildness to pause and absorb the moment. I saw the joy that radiated from each child, heard screams of laughter, and could feel the ecstatic energy of the whole event.

These kids also have stress, they are also busy and have mountains of expectation heaped on them as they navigate growing up in this wild and uncertain world. They have emotional upheaval, struggles, fears, and ALL of the same stuff we adults have - and they don't have the benefit of experience or tools to deal with all of it yet. Yet, they were able to drop it all for a few minutes to play and explore and laugh - and I guarantee that most of them went home in a better place mentally and emotionally than before the day started.

We can all find moments of joy in our lives through play ~ whether that's joking around with coworkers, joining our kids in a few minutes of games or imaginary play, finding a game or a craft we love and carving out time to do it, or finding a fun way to be physically active. (In our house, it's been learning new hula hooping tricks, and I am getting my a** KICKED by this little circus performer...)

So take some time out today to figure out a way to play. I guarantee you'll feel a little better. As I learned once from sometimes laughter really IS the best medicine.

A HUGE shout-out to the faculty & staff of Huntington Elementary for making Friday happen. You guys are amazing! To take some time out today to figure out a way to play. I guarantee you'll feel a little better.

We're official!! (Not that we weren't before, but now you can find us!) We're loving the new location ~ and we get to watch all of the local dogs cruising on their daily walks, so BONUS!!

Bodhi Naturopathic, Naturopathic Doctor | Nurse Practitioner | Integrative Medicine At Bodhi Naturopathic, Dr. Sarah Zambarano, Naturopathic Doctor and Family nurse practitioner, provides individualized, holistic & integrative medical care to help people achieve their best health. Providing the high-quality care that patients deserve.

We've got a lot of content on the IG if you'd like to check us out there! Watch as we fumble our Gen-X way through social media 🤣

Dr. Sarah Zambarano, Integrative Medicine Doc

We aren't here to sell you products. So on the few occasions when we do recommend something, it's because we've tried it, we LOVE it, and we know you'll love it, too! This company makes collagen powder that you can drop right into your water, making a delicious flavored drink that packs 9 grams of grass fed collagen into your day (even the 7 year old approves!). Their protein powders are out of this world, they have awesome hydration packets, and they even make gluten-free high protein pancake mixes! We're bringing in some samples to the office and will be carrying a small amount of inventory – for any of our patients, if you love their stuff, give us the heads up and we'll make sure we have what you want ready for you!

Wishing all of the Moms and folks-who-fill-the-Mom-space, who nurture and nourish and raise and love unconditionally, a beautiful day.

For our current patients, we've now opened up our appointment request option in your patient portal to allow same-day and next day visits. For patients having difficulty using the self-schedule request, drop us a quick message in the portal.

Both telehealth and in-person appointments are available. We do ask that if you are requesting an appointment less than 2 hours in advance, you message Angela & Dr. Z directly to be sure we can get you on the schedule.

Hoping to make your sick days and last-minute health concerns a little easier to navigate whenever we are able!

Had a little incident with the tub last night (maybe it had something to do with all of this wild hair around here). Since we've got a 230+ year old house with septic, it's a no-go with harsh chemicals. Denture tabs it is, then...

I keep a boatload of these little guys on hand (you can buy them in bulk for less than $10). They're awesome for a lot of cleaning uses, and after dropping a few into the drain, we've got an empty tub that's also squeaky clean.
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You can also follow on Instagram to see more of me in action (no cutesy filters, definitely 100% uncensored, and usually without makeup and a proper hair-brushing...). Buckle up.

Dr. Sarah Zambarano, Integrative Medicine Doc

Consider this your ticket for permission to “check out”. When the grind - even if you love it - makes you feel like you’re all in your head (can you feel that you’re in your body right now??), it’s time to find a space and time that reminds you why you’re doing it all. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, and it doesn’t have to be for long. But, whatever it is, it brings you back to your center. It’s ok to and it’s ok to - taking a moment and taking a breath isn’t indulgent or a luxury. It’s part of caring for part of nurturing who we are - in the same way as taking a vitamin or eating a healthy meal. Here’s hoping you can find a quiet spot in your day to

Nelly hopes you’re all getting the same quality sleep she’s famous for (in very weird positions, which we attribute to being hand-raised and not quite running on a full battery pack). If your sleep is less consistent or non-restorative, consider a sleep study, get your iron levels checked, and work on those bedtime routines. Nix that late-day caffeine, skip the alcohol, consider earplugs (or even your own space) if a partner or pet is keeping you up, and let’s chat about some treatments to get you sleeping the way Nelly shows us is possible.

Got a new blog post for you (in case you haven't heard about the name change yet...)
BTW, forgive the clunky website ~ another task for another day.

Now Introducing: NAUTILUS INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE! (and why we changed our name) Bodhi Naturopathic has been my "baby" for a very long time now. I knew from years in the medical field that there was a better way to offer medical care. I have been working hard for the past 13 years to provide that better care on my own terms, outside of the corporate, impersonal system that medic...

Hey, y'all. Just a quick note of help for all of our patients who are coming to see us in-person in the next few weeks. Here's the deal - apparently signs take a LONG time to make, so we're working with a small, temporary sign (with the new shell logo and Nautilus Integrative name). If you're coming to see us, we're in the Bayside Building at 377 Main Street in Niantic, and we're the second door from the right - right next to the photography studio. You can park on the street in front of the office, or in the lot just behind the building.

Apparently, new floors take longer than anticipated, too, and since I'm not a fan of moving furniture twice (again, THANK YOU my gorgeous peeps who helped me haul everything so quickly) we're at minimal furniture and decor. I PROMISE you'll be wowed when it's all done! In the meantime, if you feel like practicing your hula hooping or interpretive dancing skills, we've got a wide open space next to our waiting area you can hang out in while you wait :) See you there!

So this little announcement happened faster than anticipated...but....We've got a new location AND a NEW NAME!

In order to better represent the services that we are able to offer our patients, we've changed our name from Bodhi Naturopathic to Nautilus Integrative Medicine.

Why did we change our name? Because we are able to offer so much more in our care with the combination of both traditional and naturopathic medicine. We provide nutritional counseling, medication management, bio-identical hormone replacement, herbal medicine, and vitamin therapies. We also use the newest technology and testing to help us best deliver a personalized plan of care for each of our patients.

Why did we choose "Nautilus"? Well, for a couple of reasons. First, this incredible sea animal lives within its shell, moving forward within that shell as it grows. It seals off the old chambers of its shell, never moving backward, but always using those older chambers to help it float. It's shell grows larger, it continues to move forward, and it uses the parts of itself that no longer fit to keep it buoyant. Lastly, no matter what the outside of the animal's shell looks like, the inside is always the most radiant, glowing, and gorgeous part. We think that sounds like a perfect metaphor for our patients who are on their journey to feeling their best.

And, as a little side note, Dr. Z's Dad worked for decades at the sub base in Groton. He frequently sported a sweatshirt with a nautilus shell, which is what Dr. Z was wearing when she was staring in the mirror thinking "now WHAT do I name this gorgeous new place??"

Welcome to our newest chamber :)

It's official! We're in our new location! Our sign is in the works, so look for us next to the photography studio.

We've got a great new space in progress, excuse our appearance as we renovate our way to AMAZING!! We're still delivering great integrative medicine and we will be bringing you new treatment options in the coming months. Stay tuned for all the good stuff coming up - ALL TO HELP YOU FEEL LIKE THE ROCK STAR YOU ARE!

Stay tuned! Exciting changes coming up fast! We are hustling to give you the best space, vibe, and people to knock healthcare right out of the ballpark!

Title of work: Self-Portrait. Artist: Nelly the Cat. Medium: Sustainable bamboo paper towels.

Healthy teeth are clearly important – for your overall health, as well as when you feel the need to carve something with them. Sometimes we forget that what’s going on inside our mouth has a huge impact the rest of our system.

Did you know that dental health can also affect your cardiovascular health? Broken teeth or grinding can point us towards bone density issues, nutrient deficiencies, and even sleep apnea. Consider this a gentle reminder to be sure you’re up-to-date with your dental exams. Xylitol toothpaste can be super helpful for cavity prevention, and newer toothpaste, containing hydroxyapatite may help with mineralization and sensitivity.

Having a healthy set of chompers goes along way in helping us stay healthy, long-term.

If you saw the supplement cabinet in my own house that I just cleaned out, you'd know THAT should have been the picture for this post. HUNDREDS of dollars worth of vitamins and supplements - expired, unnecessary, or stuff I can't be consistent enough to take. All into the garbage 😩

I can't tell you the number of times that patients come in with either a huge bag of supplements, or a full page list of the medications and vitamins that they're taking. There's no shame in that. Everyone wants to feel good, and when we're trying to feel better, we'll take whatever offers us an inkling of hope. Those late night social media advertisements or recommendations from friends – they're worth a shot, right?

My usual response is "we're going to streamline these". A really good, targeted protocol does not mean a bunch of super expensive supplements for most people. Good quality supplements don't have to be expensive, and if we're actually working towards treating the underlying health issues, long term use of a boat-load of supplements shouldn't be necessary.

Come on in, let's chat, and save you some money on those 💊💊💊

Nearly every New Year's resolution can be made easier by optimizing your health. Want that job change? More quality time with your friends and family? Striving to become more physically fit? Trying to make a big life change? Or maybe there's no resolution at all – just trying to get through 2024 after a wild 2023. When you feel awesome, it makes everything else that much easier.

Wishing everyone a healthy and safe New Year's Eve! #2024

You would think at 40-something years old, I'd have this all figured out now. But, like a lot of people, I have days where anxiety feels overwhelming and stops me from functioning to even take care of myself.

This so happens to just be the day where I have to decide which is worse – my absolute loathing and anxiety around the grocery store pharmacy (the older I get, the worse it gets) - or the fun little hot flashes, night sweats and mood changes that are peri-menopause without my bio-identical HRT (hormone replacement therapy).

Moral of the story is that everybody struggles in one way or another, and sometimes it gets in the way of us taking care of ourselves. I eventually decided that I'd rather be anxious for 15 minutes going into the store than feel the mood changes that come with my untreated peri-menopausal symptoms. I'll call that a win for this month, at least.

Anyone else realize today that it's exactly 4 weeks before the New Year?

Starting something all at once, often referred to as in "all in" approach, can have several advantages. First, being prepared to hit the ground running ahead of time can give you momentum and energy once you start. Having a plan will give you a clearer vision of your path, and faster results than a more piecemeal approach.

So, if there's anything you've wanted to work on, now is the perfect lead-up time to get everything ready for your new year.

As much as I love technology, I am someone who needs a paper list for goals, plans, and ideas. I've been using the Dragon Tree Apothecary's DreamBook Planner for a while now. I love the way the book is structured to make bigger projects bite-size and doable, and the way they ask you to expand your goals to include your health, family, home, and personal growth.

We do carry these in the office – the version we have is white with a hard spine (not spiral bound, which means it's smaller and easier to throw into your bag). Our version in the office is undated, so you can fill in the dates and start wherever you'd like. No need to wait for January 1!

This planner has been a game changer for me, and I love to hand them off as gifts for other people. If you happen to be swinging by for a visit, check out the version we have in the lobby for people to take a peek at.

2023 is almost over! We've got only a couple of spots for a last minute check-in with your health before 2024 rolls around. Here's wishing everybody a healthy, happy, and peaceful beginning to this holiday sprint!

This little powerhouse right here is one of my absolute favorite winter skin products. I like it's ingredient profile, the fact that it's not tested on animals, and that it works like a charm. I have these little containers all over the place right now. They're amazing for keeping lips from getting chapped, but I throw a little extra on my face or hands whenever I need some extra moisturizer. The price point is excellent ~ and for our patients, we'll have an additional 5% off purchases from Fullscript for black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. I love a good facial product that works, is affordable, and has great ingredients!