Page 21 - Tracy Anderson Issue

Dr. Leilani Vidal

Wellness Center on Poway Road and has been there ever since. “The
original Chiropractic Office that I opened has now changed and grown
to a full scale wellness center with a staff of healthcare specialists
including, two acupuncturists, two functional diagnostic nutritionists,
two massage therapists and of course Chiropractic services. I am the
clinic director so I oversee the other professionals so they can all do
the best job possible.”
With this full service center, Dr. Vidal is able to not only treat
symptoms, but they are able to get to the bottom of a series of health
issues. “When I first started practicing I thought it was all about
chiropractic and then I realized in the real world there were so many
modalities that helped people; functional, massage, acupuncture,
weight loss, esthetics, beauty treatments. I learned that often hormonal
issues or gut issues could be the cause of skin issues. So the whole
person needed to be treated. People have become tired of being told
to just take a pill for what ails them. People want to be educated as to
what they are taking and why. Drugs are of course necessary in some
places, we just would like to see them not be the first choice.”
Dr. Vidal is always adding new programs to help her patients, her
latest one is a doctor supervised weight loss program. This program
is showing weight losses on average of 15 lbs. in 6 weeks for women
and 20lbs for men. “In addition, we do a lot of education workshops on
natural ways to lose weight and how weight loss is affected by sleep.
We represent the Foundation for Wellness Professionals. This
organization includes doctors and other wellness professionals that go
out and speak for free, educating the public about some simple things,
for instance, how bad soda is for you and other small bits of information
that can make a big change in people’s lives. Being part of a change
in someone’s life is so rewarding.”
There is another part of Dr. Vidal’s life, which is totally separate from
her medical side. “I often say that I have my day job to support my
musical habit.” Hardly a habit, she is part of a very successful quartet
of saxophone playing women, named the Saxations, who have been
headlining all over San Diego. A musician since childhood, Dr. Vidal,
played in her family band, the Vidal Family Band, along with her two
sisters Kim and Carmela. Three years ago she realized how much she
missed having music in her life. So she formed the Saxations, and to San Diego
sharpen her skills even more is taking music classes at Grossmont Woman
College. Dr. Vidal plays Saxophone, flute, piano and guitar. They are
currently working on a big Motown review. In addition to playing with
the Saxations, Dr. Vidal also plays in a duo, “Me and Mr. Jones” along
with La Don Jones a fabulous vocalist who when teamed with the sultry 21
sounds of her saxophone present a great show at local venues such as
Vintana’s and Capri Blue.
I asked Dr. Vidal if her sisters or parents ever join her on stage? “I’ve
asked my sisters, but they have busy lives and don’t share the passion
for playing music that I do. My dad will come to hear me perform, but I
get really nervous when he is in the audience, because he is the main
musician in the family, so I always wonder if he enjoys my
performance.”
Dr. Vidal’s love of music is shared with her children; they have a band
of their own called “Juvy Jazz” which consists of kids from Poway High
and Mount Carmel High School. “The kids are great musicians; they
play all over town and are really into jazz.”
Dr. Vidal has added teaching to the list of things that fill her days. She
currently is an Adjunct Professor at National University. She teaches
bachelor’s and master’s programs in health administration. “I have a
good time teaching the students. I try to make the learning interesting.
I don’t just teach out of a text book, I integrate experiences I have had
in my practice.”
I asked Dr. Vidal to share a tip for our readers:
“Always consider some other method for fixing medical problems that
There are two very unique sides to Dr. Leilani Vidal. Most of her you are experiencing, besides taking medication. There are natural
patients don’t know it, but she is leading a double life: She is currently cures for a lot of illnesses. Problems like depression or hyperactivity in
celebrating her 25th year as a Doctor of Chiropractic and Clinic children can often be treated once you find out what the real cause of
Director of The Better Health and Wellness Center by day, but at night the problem may be. If your child is diagnosed as being hyperactive he
she is a sought after Musician, which is a somewhat newer endeavor. or she could be suffering with a candida overgrowth in the gut, or an
Dr. Vidal is a local San Diegan, born and raised in Poway where she allergy for example. These issues can be resolved without administer-
attended Poway High School and then the Southern California School ing medication.”
of Chiropractic in Los Angeles. Dr. Vidal graduated with a Doctor of For all she does, Dr. Vidal manages to juggle them with excitement and
Chiropractic and a bachelor’s in human biology. After completing her true expertise. If you are looking for a Doctor and a fabulous musical
studies Dr. Vidal moved back to San Diego and opened her practice in experience, then schedule an appointment with Dr. Vidal today.
Rancho Penasquitos - where she stayed for three years. Then it was Contact Dr. Leilani Vidal at: Better Health & Wellness Center
time to come back home to Poway, so she opened her Better Health & (858) 679-5544 12455 Poway RdSte GPoway, CA 92064