At Southern Integrative and Environmental Medical, we offer a comprehensive metabolic and integrative oncology approach designed to support patients through every stage of their cancer journey. Our methodology combines an evidence-based Metabolic Approach to Cancer Support, Integrative Oncology, and Naturopathic Oncology, guided by the clinical expertise of a holistic cancer specialist. This allows us to develop the most effective, personalized strategy for your unique physiology, diagnosis, and goals.
Integrative Oncology is designed to improve quality of life, reduce the side effects of conventional cancer treatments, and support better clinical outcomes. Our care model is patient-centered, meaning we build an individualized plan based on your needs—clinically, physically, and emotionally.
We support patients through the full continuum of care:
Prevention & Risk Reduction
Direct Treatment Support
Maintenance, Recovery & Long-Term Wellness
In this context, integrative means combining the best of conventional oncology with naturopathic medicine, functional medicine, nutritional therapy, and complementary modalities. Our goal is to provide balanced, coordinated care that includes both allopathic treatment strategies and natural, evidence-informed therapies commonly used in modern integrative medical practice.
Our approach places a strong emphasis on understanding the body’s internal terrain, metabolic function, and systemic resilience. We focus on the connection between the mind, body, immune system, and environmental influences, recognizing that cancer support must address the whole person—not just the diagnosis.
Because each patient is biologically unique, we evaluate key factors such as:
Metabolic health and cellular function
Inflammation and immune regulation
Environmental toxicity and detoxification pathways
Nutrient status and digestive function
Stress physiology and mind-body balance
Understanding these factors helps us identify the most appropriate and targeted interventions to support your body during treatment and beyond.
Our methodology is founded on detailed assessment and comprehensive testing, with the goal of identifying underlying root-cause factors that may contribute to chronic imbalance and disease progression. We follow evidence-based and integrative clinical frameworks to support health restoration and long-term wellbeing.
We consider advanced terrain-based and systems-based factors such as:
Genetics & Epigenetics
Nutritional epigenomics
Mitochondrial function & energy metabolism
Oxidative stress and inflammatory markers
Hormonal and immune regulation
Gut health and microbiome balance
Detoxification capacity and toxin exposure
Integrative Diagnostics and Supportive Modalities
Every patient receives a highly individualized and comprehensive Plan of Health designed to support treatment resilience, recovery, and long-term wellness. This plan may incorporate:
Conventional cancer therapies (in coordination with your oncology team)
Integrative treatment support protocols
Metabolic nutrition and dietary strategies
Targeted supplementation and botanical medicine
Lifestyle medicine and therapeutic detoxification
Mind-body support and stress regulation strategies
Our goal is to support your body’s capacity to heal, strengthen resilience, and optimize the conditions for recovery—while respecting the complexities of modern cancer care.
Common systems, processes and topics we review and understand concerning your metabolism and environment:
Some factors we consider for Integrative Oncology for Cancer support. Many interact with each other, and everyone’s health, core drivers, strengths, weaknesses and metabolic terrain are different. Each require different approaches to help the body respond and heal.
What it is
Blood sugar balance refers to how your body regulates glucose for energy, metabolism, and cellular function.
Why it matters
Imbalances can affect energy levels, hormone signaling, inflammation, and long-term metabolic health.
Common signs
Energy crashes, especially after meals
Cravings for sugar or carbohydrates
Difficulty losing or maintaining weight
Brain fog or irritability
What influences it
Diet and meal timing
Stress levels
Sleep quality
Hormonal balance
What it is
This pillar reflects your body’s exposure to environmental toxins and its ability to process and eliminate them.
Why it matters
Accumulated toxic burden can disrupt hormones, immune function, metabolism, and cellular health.
Common signs
Chemical sensitivities
Persistent fatigue
Brain fog
Skin issues or inflammation
What influences it
Air, water, and food quality
Household and occupational exposures
Detoxification capacity (liver, gut, lymphatic system)
What it is
The microbiome is the ecosystem of bacteria in your digestive system that supports digestion, immunity, and overall health.
Why it matters
Gut health influences inflammation, immune response, metabolism, and even brain function.
Common signs
Bloating or digestive discomfort
Food sensitivities
Irregular bowel habits
Skin or immune issues
What influences it
Diet and nutrition
Antibiotic or medication use
Stress
Environmental exposures
What it is
Inflammation and oxidative stress reflect how your body responds to internal and external stressors at a cellular level.
Why it matters
Chronic inflammation is a common driver of many health conditions, including fatigue, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic disease.
Common signs
Joint or muscle discomfort
Fatigue
Brain fog
Slow recovery or healing
What influences it
Diet and lifestyle
Gut health
Stress
Environmental toxins
What it is
This pillar focuses on how effectively blood, oxygen, and nutrients are delivered throughout the body.
Why it matters
Proper circulation supports energy production, cellular repair, and overall vitality.
Common signs
Low energy or endurance
Cold hands and feet
Slow recovery
Cognitive fatigue
What influences it
Cardiovascular health
Physical activity
Inflammation
Oxygen utilization
What it is
Immune function reflects how well your body defends against illness while maintaining balance and regulation.
Why it matters
An imbalanced immune system can lead to frequent illness, chronic inflammation, or autoimmune conditions.
Common signs
Frequent infections
Slow recovery
Allergies or sensitivities
Autoimmune symptoms
What influences it
Gut health
Nutrition
Stress
Environmental exposure
What it is
This pillar reflects your body’s ability to regulate stress and maintain healthy daily rhythms, including sleep and energy cycles.
Why it matters
Disruptions in stress response and circadian rhythms can impact hormones, metabolism, sleep, and recovery.
Common signs
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Fatigue despite rest
Feeling “wired but tired”
Mood fluctuations
What influences it
Lifestyle and daily routines
Stress levels
Light exposure
Hormonal signaling
What it is
Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate metabolism, mood, energy, sleep, and many other functions.
Why it matters
Imbalances can affect nearly every system in the body, often contributing to fatigue, weight changes, and mood shifts.
Common signs
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Mood changes or irritability
Sleep disruption
Low energy or libido
What influences it
Stress and cortisol levels
Nutrition and metabolism
Environmental toxins
Sleep quality
What it is
This pillar reflects cognitive function, emotional resilience, and overall mental well-being.
Why it matters
Mental and emotional health are deeply connected to physical health, influencing stress, hormones, and immune function.
Common signs
Brain fog or poor focus
Anxiety or mood changes
Low motivation
Emotional fatigue
What influences it
Stress and lifestyle
Sleep quality
Nutrition
Hormonal balance
What it is
Epigenetics refers to how lifestyle, nutrition, and environment influence gene expression and long-term health outcomes.
Why it matters
While genetics provide a blueprint, epigenetics determines how those genes are expressed over time.
Common signs
Family patterns of disease
Chronic or complex conditions
Variable responses to treatment
What influences it
Nutrition and micronutrients
Environmental exposures
Lifestyle habits
Stress and resilience
Our practice and team is available to support patients at any stage of their cancer journey. Some patients may be undergoing standard treatments such as Chemotherapy, Radiation, or Surgery, while others prefer a purely holistic and natural approach to cancer support. Our medical team will discuss various options with you, ensuring you have a clear understanding of the details to make informed decisions about your care. We offer a wide range of naturopathic, integrative and holistic options that can assist your body throughout your cancer journey.
Understanding cancer support from an integrative and metabolic perspective often involves looking beyond a single treatment or symptom. The articles below are organized to help you explore how different systems in the body—energy, metabolism, gut health, and environment—can influence resilience, recovery, and overall health.
If you are new to integrative oncology, these articles explain the foundational concepts behind a metabolic and whole-person approach to cancer support.
Many patients experience fatigue, reduced resilience, and difficulty recovering during or after treatment. These articles explore how energy production, inflammation, and metabolic health can play a role.
An integrative oncology approach often looks at metabolism, cellular health, and how the body regulates growth, repair, and inflammation.
Internal and external factors—such as gut health, hormones, and environmental exposures—can influence inflammation, immune balance, and overall metabolic terrain.
Cancer care provides an important and substantial role in the support of people diagnosed with cancer through survivorship. They provide evidence-informed guidance on safe and effective use of natural and supportive therapies, when combined with conventional treatment.
We take the time to understand your body’s Metabolic Terrain, health history and environment through anecdotal and empirical facts.
We create an individualized and through plan of health that takes into account the Whole You as well as Naturopathic and potentially Allopathic care options. Your Internal Terrain and bio-individuality significantly impact your Plan of Health.
We prescribe the right health plan that can include Nutraceuticals, Nutritional IVs, Diet, Hormones, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Frequency Therapy as well as other modalities to potentially return you to health and a normal lifestyle as well as create a healthy body that can reduce the risk of recurrence.
With our Metabolic Terrain, Environmental, Integrative, Holistic and Individualized approach, you will work with a Naturopathic Medical Doctor to provide a more comprehensive experience now and in the future.
Kimberly Williford, MS,RD,LD,NMD is a native Texan, Licensed Naturopathic Doctor and Registered Dietitian. She has dedicated her entire career to studying and helping patients to heal and balance metabolic dysfunction to help chronically ill patients while optimizing vitality and performance.
She earned her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin. She earned her Master’s degree in Nutritional Science, Magna Cum Laude, from Texas Tech University and completed internship at Texas Tech Health Science Center in Lubbock, Texas. After graduate school her focus was on children born with metabolic disorders later becoming an intensive care dietitian. She also worked extensively with the geriatric population both in the hospital and extended care facilities.
As a desire to treat the cause of disease rather than symptoms she furthered her education by attending medical school at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, one of only four accredited, four-year naturopathic medical schools in the United States where she earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree (NMD). She completed a two year general and functional medicine residence, which focused on metabolic testing in Atlanta, Georgia. She served as a consultant in functional test interpretation for Metametrix/Genova laboratories reviewing test results with doctors from all over the country.
She has completed Board Certification fellowship training in anti-aging and restorative medicine with the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Rejuvenation Medicine. She studied environmental medicine with Dr. Bill Rea, founder of Environmental Health Center Dallas, and Dr. Walter Crinnion, an expert in environmental medicine for over thirty years. An unexpected cancer diagnosis and surgical menopause led to an increased passion in understanding hormones and optimizing the immune function. This was a natural fit for completing Master Class training in the Metabolic Approach to Cancer with Dr. Nasha Winters ND, FABNO and author of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer.
Dr. Williford’s practice focuses on integrative functional wellness to help environmental toxicity, cancer support, metabolic dysfunction, hormone imbalance, longevity/optimal aging, cognitive decline and chronic disease. Treatment is individual as each person is unique rather than being a protocol. Focus is on the person as a whole rather than a diagnosis. She has been working with patients, both in and out of the hospital for over 20 years to help them achieve optimal health.
“The Team at SIE Medical gave me a chance to support my body while having Chemotherapy and Radiation to lessen side effects and add other modalities to the equation to help my body win against Cancer. Dr. Williford has a thorough understanding of how your body works. She helped me heal and change my life. Thank You!”
– S.I.E.Medical Patient
References:
Daniel Rubin, ND; Naturopathic oncology: An emerging discipline
Nasha Winters, ND, FABNO; Why Organic Food May Reduce the Risk of Cancer
OncANP: Principles of Care Guidelines
Kimberly Williford, NMD, Naturopathic Oncology Approach to Breast Cancers and Hormonal Cancers
