Naples, FL Health and Fitness

Dr. Edwin James Dean went into emergency medicine to save lives, but the loss of one particular patient forever changed his perspective on healthcare, and the course of his career. Paramedics had rushed a businessman in his 40s into the emergency room where Dr. Dean was the supervising physician. The man had no significant prior medical history, but was in full cardiac arrest and was not responding to resuscitation efforts. Dr. Dean and his team exhausted all of their medical options to no avail. As the caring doctor informed the man's wife and children of his untimely passing, he asked if there had been any untreated symptoms, risk factors, or other health clues that would have caused concern, searching for something that could have prevented the man's tragic death. There was simply no explanation. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated event, but something that Dr. Dean witnessed time and time again. He began to wonder if there was a way to prevent health crises before the internal damage was done.

To help diminish this problem, the Cornell University–trained doctor developed a multifaceted heart-health screening to check for asymptomatic heart and vascular disease. The noninvasive Pharmanex BioPhotonic hand scanner and the comprehensive Spectra Cell system help him to ferret out vitamin deficiencies, which could contribute to chronic illness. Dr. Dean uses this technology and his extensive and varied experience—including time spent as a medical missionary in the Amazon, a cruise-ship physician, and a hyperbaric-chamber physician treating scuba-diving injuries—to guide patients toward longer, happier lives.

While their services are highly sought after by athletes in search of custom fitness programs, the trainers and therapists at this 2,400-square-foot center specialize in treating musculoskeletal and neurological impairments ranging from tendinitis to Parkinson’s disease. Staffers and patients work together to modify lifestyles according to recovery needs, creating a rehabilitation program that helps clients regain movement and live lives with less discomfort. The team monitors patients’ progress with help from computerized strength-training equipment, creating illustrative graphs that allow results to be easily shared and interpreted by primary-care physicians, case managers, and employers. Outside of physical therapy, the facility also offers up its strength- and health-building resources to help clients build muscle tone, create healthy diets, or knead away muscle pain sustained while working as an undercover coat rack.

Solex also works tirelessly to ensure that their patients’ health isn’t compromised by a lack of resources. Those who have trouble making it to appointments can take advantage of the facility’s free transport service, and the multilingual staff ensures that services are kept accessible to speakers of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.

Led by Natalie Lahnan—a full-time working mom who understands the challenges associated with molding bodies to their ideal size and shape—and her staff of certified trainers and nutritionists, Adventure Boot Camps guide women through workout plans designed to shrink waistlines and slim down silhouettes. During each camp, Natalie calls upon her undergraduate and graduate degrees in health education and certifications as a personal trainer and boot-camp coach to blast through exercises that fuse principles from disciplines such as martial arts, core conditioning, yoga, strength training, and short distance running. During the one-hour sessions, the exercises form a workout program that, like taking the SAT with no eraser, challenge participants to perform at their best. The team also augments workout results with nutritional counseling and fitness assessments.

"I chose plastic surgery because before this, I did an extensive amount of drawing and sculpting," says Dr. Manuel Peña. Because of these artistic talents, Dr. Peña sees the aesthetically pleasing potential of each of his patients, and because he's a board-certified plastic surgeon, he has the expertise to realize that potential. He does so in several ways—by lifting and defining drooping breasts, tummies, and buttocks, by rejuvenating tired eyelids and brows, and by doodling smiley faces on foreheads.

Dr. Peña gives back by volunteering for local and international organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Collier County, Careforce International in West Africa, and Operation Rainbow in Central and South America.

Named to the World Golf Teachers Federation’s list of the top 100 instructors, Earl Hines helps his students break bad golfing habits and build positive new ones. Along with fellow instructor Chris Jensen and a team of additional instructors, Hines aims to make golfers of all skill levels aware of their game issues, enabling them to diagnose and correct swing problems from evidence such as erratic ball flight, too-deep divots, or playing partners who wear motorcycle helmets. All instruction is provided by Academy Golf at Eagle Lakes Golf Club, with swing lessons on the driving range and playing lessons making use of the club’s 7,150-yard championship course.