Since Osteopathic medical school, I have always been interested in the body’s innate ability to heal itself using holistic and natural principles. As I entered medical school, my grandmother was diagnosed with a type of macular degeneration and arthritis not responsive to current therapies. She was slated to become blind and immobile in less than a year. Back then, using natural therapies in the US was not as standard as it is now. Common herbals such as probiotics, chondroitin, and anti-oxidants/anti-glycation supplements were virtually taboo.
These products today are almost mainstream, but resources were not common at that time. I had to use such resources as the German pharmacopeia to create my own treatment protocols. I was astonished how effectively these concepts were implemented in other countries.
Seeing the difference in my own grandmother’s life fueled my interest in functional and integrative medicine. While my grandmother has now passed, I truly believe her quality of life was extended well beyond due to these treatments.
It was a natural next step for me to bring this to my patients in Knoxville. At Knox Wellness Experience, we believe in combining traditional therapies with a cutting edge approach to wellness. We use a combination of functional and integrative medicine providing a complete wellness concept by addressing the whole person rather than just symptoms of disease. We integrate all of these concepts together using Osteopathic, Natural, and Traditional medical principles providing true personalized care. We also use adjunctive therapies such as IV vitamin infusions, ozone therapy, aesthetics and more creating a complete health and wellness resource right here in our hometown!
My interest in functional medicine arose from both clinical and personal experiences. In my personal life, I struggled with anemia, insomnia, hormonal issues, weight management, food sensitivities and digestive difficulties which greatly affected my quality of life.
I practiced traditional medicine in a family practice for several decades, and yet traditional medicine failed to provide real solutions or improve my personal health. As a result, I began to study functional integrative medicine. I applied the knowledge and lifestyle strategies to myself and found the results were truly life-changing. In addition to my health issues, my mother’s battle with metastatic cancer motivated me to seek answers and alternatives for her.
My positive health changes motivated me, and I craved to teach and empower others to improve their health. This became a mission for me. In 2018 I started a functional medicine YouTube channel called Beyond Healthy Sunny. Now I am taking my mission to a greater level. I’m thrilled to join Knox Wellness Experience, where I can fulfill my dream to practice as a functional medicine provider expanding my ability to offer hope, health, and happiness to my patients.
Julie McDaniel has a passion for helping people feel good about themselves and highlighting the beauty they already possess. A licensed aesthetician for Knox Wellness Experience, Julie holds over 15 years of experience in the field. Throughout her career, achieving patient satisfaction has remained her number one goal.
Julie’s interest in skin care began when she was 12 years old. As a child she enjoyed experimenting with facial cleansers, masks, scrubs and makeup, and then at 16, she began working in skin care at a natural health and wellness shop.
After high school, she attended the Tennessee School of Beauty and immediately began working at a spa following her education. She then transitioned to medical aesthetics for a plastic surgery office, expanding her knowledge in medical-grade skin care, chemical peels, lasers and injectable treatments.
Over the years Julie has achieved numerous certifications and designations. She is certified to administer InMode laser treatments and has trained under the best injectors in the country, attaining level IV+ injector status. She holds certificates and training in multiple skin care lines, Collagen P.I.N. Micro-Needling, chemical peels and injectable treatments.
Her training shows in her work and she has passed her expertise along to others, training Tennessee School of Beauty aesthetics instructors on Candela lasers and being voted a RealSelf top injector by her patients in 2017.