Joe Mercola

Dr Mercola, Holistic Pioneer

Dr. Mercola's passion is to transform the traditional medical paradigm in the United States. An active runner for over three decades, he completed the Chicago Marathon in just over three hours. Dr. Mercola has  also been a computer hobbyist since 1985, with an interest in the Internet that dates back to the early 1990s.

Dr. Mercola has made significant milestones in his mission to bring people practical solutions to their health problems. A New York Times Best Selling Author,  he has been featured in TIME magazine, the Dr. Oz Show, LATimes, CNN, Fox News, ABC News with Peter Jennings, Today Show, CBS's Washington Unplugged with Sharyl Attkisson, and other major media resources.

Dr. Mercola is an osteopathic physician, also known as a DO. DOs are licensed physicians who, similar to MDs, can prescribe medication and perform surgery in all 50 states. DOs and MDs have similar training requiring four years of study in the basic and clinical sciences, and the successful completion of licensing exams. But DOs bring something extra to the practice of medicine. Osteopathic physicians practice a "whole person" approach, treating the entire person rather than just symptoms. Focusing on preventive health care, DOs help patients develop attitudes and lifestyles that don't just fight illness, but help prevent it, too.

Dr. Mercola is also board-certified in family medicine and served as the chairman of the family medicine department at St. Alexius Medical Center for five years. He is trained in both traditional and natural medicine.

In November 2009, he was named the top Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by the Huffington Post, an honor that celebrates "100 innovators, visionaries, and leaders in 10 categories who are harnessing the power of new media to reshape their fields and change the world." HuffPost readers voted Dr. Mercola to the top to receive this special award.