Dr. Shelly Smekens
ND · LDN · FABNO
A naturopathic doctor and board-certified naturopathic oncologist with extensive experience in both hospital and busy private practice settings — now seeing patients on her own schedule, with the depth of attention real healing requires.
A patient population in great need — and a deeply personal calling.
Three of Dr. Shelly's four grandparents were affected by cancer. She never met her maternal grandmother, who died young and left seven children motherless. That loss shaped a conviction that has driven sixteen years of clinical practice: that patients facing cancer deserve more than an appointment slot.
They deserve a doctor who reads their full chart before the visit, who keeps current with the literature, who understands drug-nutrient interactions in detail, who knows when to suggest a supplement and — just as importantly — when to advise against one. They deserve someone whose care is informed by both rigor and reverence.
Dr. Shelly's patients consistently live longer than median expected survival. They generally feel better than counterparts without nutritional or integrative support. Beyond protocols, much of what she offers is counseling and patient advocacy — the work of making sense of a diagnosis and reclaiming agency within it.
I believe my profession is a spiritual calling, not just an occupation. Often the healing process is a reconnecting — with the creator, the universe, mother nature — that allows the vital force to restore health.
Sixteen years of focused expertise.
Service to the profession.
Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Shelly has dedicated time to advancing the profession through board service, teaching, and committee work — investments in the broader field of naturopathic oncology and the patients it serves.
- Board Member, Illinois Association of Naturopathic Physicians (ILANP) — current
- Past Vice President, Illinois Association of Naturopathic Physicians (ILANP)
- Member, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)
- Past Committee Member, Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP) — Education Committee
- Past Integrative Oncology Residency Supervisor — mentoring incoming naturopathic oncology residents
- Member, Certified Nutrition Specialists
Contributions to the literature.
Dr. Shelly has co-authored peer-reviewed research and continues to engage with current literature reviews — keeping her clinical practice anchored in evidence as well as experience.
The body's vital force.
In naturopathic medicine, the vital force refers to the body's inherent, organizing intelligence — the dynamic coordination behind every system. The word "vital" comes from the Latin vita (life), emphasizing what animates and sustains living systems.
This concept is closely tied to Vis Medicatrix Naturae — the healing power of nature. When the vital force is strong and unobstructed, the body naturally moves toward balance and repair. Symptoms are often expressions of the vital force attempting to restore equilibrium, rather than problems to simply suppress.
Clinically, naturopathic care focuses on identifying and removing obstacles to the vital force — inflammation, toxicity, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress — while supporting foundational physiology: sleep, nutrition, and nervous-system regulation.
In modern terms, the vital force can be understood as the integrated function of the neuroendocrine, immune, and metabolic systems — the body's built-in capacity for self-regulation and healing. This is the framework behind every protocol designed at Juniper Vitality: not the suppression of symptoms, but the restoration of intelligent self-regulation.
What makes the practice different.
Hours of preparation per visit
Records, labs, imaging, current treatment plans — all reviewed before you arrive. Your appointment time is for conversation, not catch-up.
60-minute initial visits
No 15-minute slots. Time to understand who you are, what you've been through, and what you're hoping for — before any plan is built.
Drug-nutrient expertise
Every recommendation is checked for interactions with your specific regimen — chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and any current medications.
Continuing education, always
Constant CME completion and literature review. The protocols you receive reflect the current evidence — not what was state-of-the-art five years ago.
Ready to work together?
Now accepting new patients via telemedicine across Wisconsin and Illinois. In-person care opens fall 2026 in Pleasant Prairie.