When Dr. Kristina Roberts, ND, founded Kona Integrative Health a decade ago, the integrative health options available in Kona were sparse.
“We started out as a staff of three offering a medically-grounded source of comprehensive, truly integrative care,” says Dr. Roberts, whose own experience helped her better empathize and relate to her patients. “I personally sailed through life in great health until I experienced a life-changing accident while hiking in 2016 that required extensive physical therapy. I’m not really sure how I survived. It was humbling, but I was so grateful to know what it was like to be a patient.”
Dr. Roberts recognized the necessity and value of conventional care, but began working to bridge the gap between treating symptoms with medication and identifying and treating the root cause. What started as a small practice has grown into a team of 16 experienced medical professionals. At the heart of the practice is a commitment to integrative care, a method that harmonizes the principles of conventional and alternative medicine. Through this blended approach, the team provides temporary symptom relief and long-term solutions for overall health and well-being. The solutions range from primary medical needs and intravenous (IV) therapy to peptide therapy and EBOO.
“A lot of the patients I see are at the end of their rope. They’re desperate for answers, which are seldom straightforward. I spend a lot of time listening to them and asking detailed questions not just about medical history, but about stress, relationships, diet, environmental/work exposures and more,” says Dr. Roberts. “The main deterrents of health aren’t always found in blood tests, so there’s a lot of out-of-the-box thinking and specialty tests, such as a gut microbiome analysis and toxic burden assessment, which can help to reveal the root cause. And when you get on the other side of chronic illness, it’s the best feeling ever, knowing that that person has their quality of life back.”
Recently renamed, Kona Health & Aesthetics tailors treatments to meet each patient’s unique history, needs, culture and health goals.
“Peptide packs are one example of how we design therapies specific to the patient. About five years ago, we were the first medical practice to offer this therapy,” says Dr. Roberts. Short chains of amino acids, peptides, are crucial in regulating the body's various physiological functions. Enhanced muscle recovery, weight loss support, improved skin health and a strengthened immune system are just a few of the benefits of peptide therapy. The medical center is also home to an IV therapy clinic. An effective, safe treatment for numerous conditions, IV vitamin therapy allows for 100% absorption of essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
“These days, you can get a vitamin IV almost anywhere, but what sets us apart is that we offer advanced IV therapies such as EBOO, curcumin, quercetin, methylene blue, cerebrolysin and more,” says Dr. Roberts, adding that formulas are custom-made for each individual. “And more recently, we brought extracorporeal blood oxygenation and ozonation (EBOO) to the Big Island.”
Jenefer Greg, an RN specializing in EBOO, explains that EBOO is a cutting-edge therapy that filters and re-oxygenates blood with medical ozone to remove pathogens, toxins, and inflammatory molecules, while promoting systemic healing and optimal vitality. Although Greg began her career in the operating room, gaining experience across a broad spectrum of surgical specialties and patient care, her focus shifted to regenerative and integrative medicine in 2020.
“I had a friend who had Lyme disease, and EBOO made such a difference for them. So I realigned my clinical expertise with my passion for longevity and whole-body wellness through EBOO. I moved back to the Big Island, where my husband is from, and approached Dr. Roberts about bringing EBOO to Hawai’i. We were the first medical provider to offer it, and now people from other islands come over for EBOO therapy,” says Greg.
“Some of my patients are focused on longevity. Others are very sick with chronic illnesses or autoimmune diseases. Many are trying to get off painkillers or cholesterol meds. I give them hope and help them heal their body from within with nutrition, EBOO and other therapies,” says Greg, who has witnessed people reclaim their health and rebuild their immune system. “EBOO is like an oil change for your blood. It filters out physical debris from your blood and brings your viral load down. Ozone gives you wings!”
On any given day at Kona Health & Aesthetics, one patient may be receiving EBOO therapy, while another may be with board-certified Physician Associate Kellie Acosta for hormone therapy. With a patient-first approach, Acosta brings years of experience in emergency medicine, urgent care and pediatrics to the team.
If we want our community to be healthier, we have to stop throwing medication on top of problems. We need to empower people to change their lifestyle,” says Acosta, who helps patients identify and manage long-term risk factors for cardiovascular, metabolic and neurodegenerative disease in addition to providing acute care for infections, injuries and other conditions. “I also provide hormone replacement therapy. I start by conducting in-depth evaluations. One thing could trigger a patient's hormones to go awry. I go through these pieces to formulate a personalized strategy to help them.”
“Hearing a patient and having more time to get to know all those contributors is the beauty of integrative care,” says Acosta, who helps her patients go beyond healing to define and work toward their long-term health goals. For Acosta, the most rewarding part of her role is seeing a patient take back agency over their health.
For Nala Foti-Cowan, who helped the medical center branch into the aesthetics space when she came on board in 2024, the best part of her role as a Licensed Aesthetician is seeing patients feel good in their own skin. After years of experience in an esteemed Honolulu medical aesthetics clinic, Foti-Cowan and her family returned to Kona to serve her hometown.
“I love the more holistic approach to skincare, working with the body’s natural functions to improve skin health from the inside out. Very often, gut issues lead to skin problems like acne. When patients come here, they can have their lab work done and learn what they’re deficient in, and what dietary changes to consider. I help treat the outside, and Dr. Roberts focuses on what’s going on internally. That complementary aspect? That’s holistic health care,” says Foti-Cowan.
From minimally invasive HydraFacial to treatments that require downtime, Foti-Cowan guides her patients every step of the way. She also teaches them to maintain a healthy skin barrier.
“When you look good, you feel good. And that makes me feel really good, especially when I can help teens feel more confident about their skin. It’s not just a vanity thing, either. Our skin is our biggest organ,” Foti-Cowan says. “I know what it’s like to grow up here and want to surf, paddle and have fun in the sun. I give my patients tools to stay healthy and protect their skin without compromising their time outdoors. In the long term, they’re better off healthwise.”
Today, Foti-Cowan, Dr. Roberts and the Kona Health & Aesthetics team offer solutions that work with patients’ lifestyles, not against them. “We recognize that change is hard, so when proposing changes to diet, exercise, or other habits, we ask what is feasible for the patient based on their schedule, stress and budget,” says Dr. Roberts, who specializes in treating autoimmune diseases, neurologic conditions, hormone or endocrine system imbalances and gastrointestinal issues. “Through integrative care, we look at what they can actually commit to and enjoy doing, and we make a plan from there. It’s about meeting people where they’re at and empowering them to find meaning in wellness and in life.”
"When you get on the other side of chronic illness, it’s the best feeling ever, knowing that that person has their quality of life back."
“Hearing a patient and having more time to get to know all those contributors is the beauty of integrative care.”