Brian Lewis, MD MPH

Brian was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he was active as a youth with a mix of soccer and service organizations. He studied biology and chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill where he received a science scholarship his sophomore year to study abroad in England.  After his science curriculum was complete, Brian focused the last two years of undergraduate on psychology, anthropology, and religious studies. During that time, he also volunteered as a teacher and coordinator of various non-profit organizations.

He deferred his acceptance at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine to serve as a volunteer teacher for at-risk youth through Americorps. He continued his deferral for another year during which he apprenticed in two residential programs studying meditation, yoga, and Integrative Medicine.

In medical school, Brian co-founded the UNC-CH Integrative Medicine student group which organized educational seminars, retreats, and weekly classes. He facilitated regional events for students interested in Integrative Medicine, holistic living, and restoring humanism to medicine.

Between his third and fourth years of medical school, Brian received a grant for the comparative study of healing methodologies from the Himalayas. He then returned to complete medical school and continued his studies with a Masters in Public Health focusing on health care leadership, health education, and community-based clinics.

In the following years, he completed his Family Practice residency in Asheville, NC. After completing residency, Brian modeled a faculty development fellowship centered on Integrative Medicine and worked with other residents across the country to provide affordable fellowships in Integrative Medicine. He continues to work with integrative practitioners to foster collaboration and innovative practice models for making Integrative Medicine accessible and sustainable. He has spoken regionally on topics ranging from systems biology to understanding the health care system, and has served as the medical director for regional Integrative Medicine conferences.

He is board certified in Family Practice as well as Integrative & Holistic Medicine. Brian has completed further studies in therapeutic nutrition, thyroid health, yoga, and Chinese Medicine. He views comprehensive lifestyle approaches as the foundation of sustainable health care.

Brian has a deep love for the Appalachian Mountains and enjoys time in nature through hiking, gardening, biking, land restoration, and camping. He currently lives in West Asheville on a small urban homestead.

He is inspired to continue developing Integrative Family Medicine with Dr. Krisel and the clinic team. He enjoys partnering with individuals and communities to create sustainable approaches for preventing disease and cultivating health. He is passionate about translating the research from Lifestyle Medicine into clinical practice in ways that are accessible and personalized to the needs of his patients.