Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Alavi.
Matt, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In my early twenties, while juggling work and school with plans to pursue a career in Sports Medicine, I began experiencing chronic shoulder pain and other health issues. Despite seeing several doctors, nothing seemed to improve. I quickly became disillusioned with the traditional medical model—one that often relied heavily on medications while offering little to no guidance on wellness or prevention. It felt like I was stuck in a cycle with no clear answers.
That frustration led me to explore natural medicine and acupuncture. The results were transformative—not only did I feel better, but I also discovered a completely different approach to healing. This experience inspired me to dive deeper into other holistic modalities that could help people in ways I felt the conventional system was missing.
After completing graduate school in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine and an externship in China, I joined a forward-thinking medical practice where we established an Integrative Medical Center. Our goal was to bridge internal medicine with acupuncture and nutrition-based wellness programs. It became clear to me that patients were falling through the cracks—bouncing from specialist to specialist without a cohesive care plan. We needed to bring more under one roof, making it easier for people to get better and stay healthy.
Eventually, I was recruited by a hospital to create an Integrative Medicine Center within their system. While it was a valuable experience, I realized that the constraints of a hospital setting limited our ability to truly practice functional and integrative care. What I needed—and what patients needed—was the freedom to build a collaborative model across disciplines.
That’s how ActiveMed Integrative Health Center was born.
We brought together a team of specialists: acupuncturists with diverse expertise, naturopathic doctors, physical therapists, internal medicine providers, and more—all working side by side. Our mission has remained simple: to offer whatever helps people heal, with a natural and functional mindset. It’s about listening, empowering, and providing comprehensive care that meets people where they are.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not—a lot of it was anything but smooth! Some parts felt natural and aligned with my passion, but the journey has been filled with obstacles, learning curves, tears, growth, and a whole lot of patience. Of course, there’s also been tremendous joy and fulfillment along the way.
One of the biggest early challenges was figuring out how to get properly reimbursed by insurance. We were underpaid, often unable to collect for services we had provided, and unfortunately, taken advantage of by third-party billing companies. We also had to work hard to earn the trust of other physicians and patients—proving that what we do is not only effective but evidence-based.
Thankfully, that’s changing. As Integrative and Functional Medicine gain more recognition in mainstream healthcare, there’s a growing openness among both providers and patients. Still, in the early days, having to justify and explain our treatments before even offering them was time-consuming and exhausting.
Another hurdle? Business education. The training we received in school was minimal when it came to entrepreneurship. We weren’t taught how to run a clinic, manage people, deal with insurance contracts, or navigate the real-world financial side of medicine.
Insurance companies continue to reduce reimbursement rates, and many patients still expect everything to be covered—unless it’s something elective like aesthetics. That disconnect can be frustrating.
And then there’s the operational side—managing staff, hiring and retaining doctors, dealing with HR, and making sure we’re creating an environment that supports both our patients and our team. It’s a lot. But despite the challenges, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Building something meaningful, where healing and innovation come together, has been one of the most rewarding parts of my life.
As you know, we’re big fans of ActiveMed Integrative Health Center. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a full-service Integrative and Functional Medical Center with locations in Encinitas, Poway, and San Diego, CA. At the core of our mission is a commitment to whole-person care—blending traditional and modern healing practices to help people feel better, function better, and stay well.
We’re best known for our expertise in Acupuncture, Dry Needling, Functional Medicine, and Physical Therapy. But what truly sets us apart is how individualized and collaborative our care is. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter solutions. Every treatment plan is custom-tailored to the patient, based on their goals, conditions, and lifestyle.
Our Acupuncture team is highly specialized, offering everything from orthopedic, pain relief, and movement-based acupuncture to treatments for digestive issues, migraines, stress, emotional health, and more. Many clinics offer acupuncture—but few integrate it the way we do, with true medical collaboration and evidence-based support.
Our Physical Therapy is one-on-one and focused on results. We also offer advanced modalities like blood flow restriction therapy, which can accelerate recovery and improve physical performance.
We also offer one of the most advanced treatments available for nerve-related conditions: Axon Therapy. We are currently the only clinic in California with this groundbreaking device. We helped spearhead its FDA clearance by leading preclinical research and performing thousands of successful treatments. Axon Therapy has shown remarkable results in treating neuropathy, nerve damage, chronic nerve pain, and improving motor dysfunction in conditions like drop foot. It’s a major advancement in our ability to help patients recover from complex nerve-related issues.
Our services also include:
Specialized IV nutrition (featuring ingredients like NAD+)
Hormone restoration and replacement
Prolo-therapy and PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)
Prescriptive care when necessary, always guided by a conservative, “do no harm” mindset
Our Massage Therapy team is exceptional—offering a wide range of techniques including deep tissue, neuromuscular massage, craniosacral therapy, Swedish massage, and Reiki.
We also offer a carefully curated selection of pharmaceutical-grade natural supplements, used strategically to support or replace traditional medications where appropriate.
What makes us different is our team-based, integrative approach. Our providers—acupuncturists, naturopathic doctors, internal medicine physicians, physical therapists, and massage therapists—work collaboratively under one roof. Patients no longer need to navigate fragmented care or seek out multiple specialists. We connect the dots to treat root causes—not just symptoms.
At ActiveMed Integrative Health Center, we are deeply committed to our results, our values, and our people. Our brand is rooted in action—we actively help individuals take charge of their health and stay active in their lives.
Whether someone comes to us for pain relief, stress reduction, hormone balance, chronic illness, or general wellness, we meet them where they are—and support them with compassion, clinical excellence, and a truly integrative team.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The Integrative and Functional Medicine industry is experiencing a major shift—and I believe the next 5–10 years will bring even greater momentum.
More patients are seeking personalized, root-cause-oriented care that goes beyond managing symptoms. As chronic health conditions, stress-related illness, and lifestyle-driven disease continue to rise, people are realizing that traditional medicine alone often falls short in providing lasting solutions. That’s where integrative care fills the gap—and I see it becoming a mainstream standard, not an alternative.
We’re already seeing large hospital systems and primary care networks begin to embrace Functional Medicine, Acupuncture, and holistic therapies. Insurance companies are slowly catching up, too, with more coverage being offered for treatments like acupuncture and IV therapy.
Another trend I see growing rapidly is technology-assisted healing—such as the integration of data-driven diagnostics, advanced devices like Axon Therapy, wearable health trackers, and telehealth. These tools will make it easier to monitor patient progress, adjust care in real time, and empower patients to take a more active role in their health.
On a broader level, I anticipate a growing collaborative care model, where providers from different specialties work together—whether in one clinic or across virtual networks. This is something we’ve already built into our practice, and I think it will become the expectation rather than the exception.
Lastly, I think there will be a deeper emphasis on prevention, longevity, and performance optimization—not just treating illness. People want to thrive, not just survive, and our industry is uniquely positioned to lead that charge.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.activemedhealth.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/activemed/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=activemed%20integrative%20health%20center
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/activemedhealth
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2LWpgSYNYlqnefbEzb-dXw
