Meet Dr. Afrouz

Dr. Afrouz Demeri knows firsthand the impact of putting her life on ‘automatic’.

Years ago, poor nutrition, stress, and sleepless nights took their toll. Doctors tried everything to address the cause of weight gain, mental fogginess, pain, anxiety, yeast infections, PMS, and muscle twitching. They sent her to a host of medical specialists, and prescribed endless painkillers and antibiotics. Ironically, this was all while studying for her medical boards.

That’s when Dr. Demeri met her first naturopathic doctor. “We spent an hour and a half looking at the whole ‘me’: my beliefs, attitude, stress, culture, relationships, lifestyle, exercise, breathing, diet, fears, medical/family history, symptoms, blood work and imaging,” she says.

By the time Dr. Demeri got her diagnosis, she had a deep understanding of her health—and some of the underlying physical, mental, and spiritual root causes. As Dr. Demeri grew strong and healthy, she changed her plans—passing over conventional medical school to become a naturopathic doctor.

In retrospect, this made total sense. The granddaughter of food and herb specialists in Iran, Dr. Demeri grew up within nature, eating whole foods, growing plants, and being strong and vibrant. Then, she moved to Australia and into the reigning Western medical culture—one of fear, prescription drugs, detrimental diets, and symptomatic Band-Aids.

Since 2007, Dr. Demeri has been helping patients with their health problems. Practicing as a licensed board-certified Naturopathic Medical Doctor specializing in integrative, functional medicine for women, she finds the root cause for hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, stress, weight or digestive issues, fatigue, depression and anxiety. As faculty and Director of functional medicine at the University of California Irvine, she sees patients at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute and in her private practice Newport Beach office in California.

Above all, Dr. Demeri lives to nurture. “Because I was sick and my children have experienced sickness, I have come to learn the importance of the role women play in health—for themselves, for their families, and for the world. Also, I’ve learned how our foundation of health starts in utero—or even prior to conception,” she says. “The healthier people are, the more they can live a meaningful, soulful life.”

Featured in publications such as Women’s Health, Now Magazine, Weight Wise Expo, and Vitality, her patients praise her as “a rare doctor who is extremely smart and is willing to give you her arm if you ask for it”, and “a rare combination of compassion and intelligence who listens deeply and has solutions.” When she’s not helping patients find their own lifelong wellness, you can find Dr. Demeri studying yoga, cooking for her family, or teaching—and dancing—at the local gym or Zumba studio.

Post-Graduate Studies

Video Testimonial