Kamehameha Schools Kapālama 2004 alumnus Dr. Landon Opunui recently became the first naturopathic doctor to become part of the Hawaii Medical Service Association, the largest medical insurer in the state.
“Naturopathic medicine is the art, philosophy, and science of the treatment of disease and the promotion of health using natural therapies,” says Opunui. “This includes a lot of the foundational elements of health, which are sleep, hydration, stress management, decreasing environmental exposure, optimizing nutrition, and consistent movement.
“In addition to that, there’s nutrient therapy, botanical therapy, and mind-body medicine. Those are the tools that most naturopathic doctors use in their practice. They provide us, as a profession, the opportunity to provide therapeutic options for patients.”
According to Opunui, there has been a significant paradigm shift in the medical community – one that focuses on conventional health care practices while also integrating alternative and preventative measures. In his practice he advocates for diet, lifestyle and medicinal approaches which parallel those of his kūpuna.
Opunui maintains a highly active lifestyle, in part to inspire his patients to do likewise. He ran cross-country while at KSK, paddled outrigger canoes as a hobby, participated in NCAA Division I rowing in college, and competed in five Iron Man triathlons (three of which were World Championship races on Hawai‘i island).
“I really pride myself on modelling and practicing what I preach. When I was shadowing a lot of medical doctors, I saw that a lot of them have horrible diets and a lot of them carry excess body weight,” he says. “They looked as if they were definitely not very good models of health. I think it’s important as a physician not just to talk the talk, but walk the walk.”
After graduating from KSK, Opunui was accepted to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he received a bachelor of science degree in natural science. He went on to earn a doctorate degree in naturopathy at Bastyr University near Seattle, Washington.
Opunui attributes much of his academic and professional success to his KS education.
“Kamehameha definitely prepared me and influenced my career trajectory. I feel very blessed to have attended Kamehameha. From a very early age at KS, I really embraced this concept of being a ‘good and industrious’ man. I think going through Kamehameha and truly realizing the immense blessing to be able to attend that school really helped motivate me to find a career path where I not only continued to grow personally and professionally, but provided me with an opportunity to come back and contribute to my community.”
For more information about integrative healthcare, treatment options, and appointments, visit www.manakaiomalama.com or call 808- 535-5555. To learn more about Opunui and his work or to schedule an appointment, visit www.dropunui.com or call 808-535-5555.
I feel very blessed to have attended Kamehameha… I think going through Kamehameha and truly realizing the immense blessing to be able to attend that school really helped motivate me to find a career path where I not only continued to grow personally and professionally, but provided me with an opportunity to come back and contribute to my community.
Dr. Landon Opunui
Opunui encourages patients to maintain an active lifestyle. He does so by racing as a member of the Healani Canoe Club.
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