About
Mission
Lotus Integrative Health and Nursing providers want to give their clients experiences of healing that involve the whole person: mind, body and spirit. In a conventional system, clients often feel rushed and without choices, our providers feel that a combined approach of conventional and “alternative” modalities in a setting where clients choose the amount of time they desire with their provider, without the confines of the insurance system, is the key to providing clients with the best health care possible. Our multi-disciplinary team lead by nurse practitioners are educated to recognize the root cause of discomfort and illness, and provide solutions toward long lasting healing and achievement of long-term life goals. We provide support, education, coaching, medical and nursing care tailored for each individual. We listen to the needs of our clients and treat them with respect and humanity regardless of background. Our team approach is collaborative and recognizes the value and importance of each discipline in contributing to the vitality and wellness of our clients. We truly feel integrative health care is the key to solving the health care crisis by emphasizing prevention through natural medicine, lifestyle, and wellness principles. We look forward to serving our clients with compassion and care.
Team
Dr. Milan Chavarkar,
DNP, RN, FNP-BC
Founder / Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Chavarkar remembers her first exposure to natural medicine as a child when her mother created a hot dough infused with turmeric to put on a sore ankle. To her surprise, spices from her mom’s kitchen, used to cook Indian food on a daily basis, were known to have healing properties for common ailments. This realization started a lifelong fascination with healing and medicine. Feeling a deep connection to women’s health and female empowerment based on her domestic violence work and exposure to the Women’s Clinic at U.C. Berkeley, Dr. Chavarkar started her career as a nurse-midwife. Working with pregnant women in Los Angeles, she realized that providing holistic primary and OBGYN care was essential to a healthy pregnancy and post-partum period. After completing a Post-Master’s in Family Practice, Dr. Chavarkar quickly fell in love with family practice with the goal of helping individuals, families, and communities. After working in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, she moved back to her native Bay Area in 2004 to be closer to family and friends. In the last 22 years, she has worked in a variety of settings with diverse populations, always dedicated to promoting integrative techniques including the use of wholesome diet, movement, herbal medicines, and supplements to enhance health. On a personal note, she has suffered through PCOS, infertility, and weight issues with little help from conventional medicine, which influenced her dedication to integrative and functional medicine. A life-long learner, she recently graduated from a doctoral program to refine her skills as a leader and educator, and has entered training programs to become a certified herbalist and functional medicine provider. Dr. Chavarkar is thrilled to create Lotus Integrative Health & Nursing to continue her work in integrative health services to communities. In her spare time, Dr. Chavarkar loves nature walks, yoga, dancing to 80’s music, multi-cultural cooking, and travel. She enjoys watching Bay Area sports with her family. A Cal graduate, she loves to talk about anything Berkeley. Go Bears!
Education
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University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor’s Molecular and Cell Biology, 1993
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Columbia University in the City of New York
Bachelor’s Nursing, 1997
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Columbia University in the City of New York
Master’s Nursing, Nurse Midwifery, 1998
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Harbor-UCLA Research Education Institute
Post-Master’s, Family Nurse Practitioner, 2002
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University of California, San Francisco
Doctor of Nursing Practice, 2019
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Professional Organization Memberships
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Institute for Functional Medicine
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American Holistic Nurses Association
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American Association of Nurse Practitioners
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California Association for Nurse Practitioners
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American College of Nurse-Midwives
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Integrative Medicine for the Underserved
Office
