Body of proof: Vitiello Primary Care a fountain of youth for the city

In his twilight years, William Shakespeare noted “from hour to hour we ripe and ripe, and then from hour to hour we rot and rot.” Similarly, Mark Twain wrote “it is sad to go to pieces like this, but we all have to do it.” 

The authors’ quips are among the endless grievances about aging that have been documented for as long as humans have stomached the discomforts of a long life. That’s why so many since Alexander the Great have sought a fountain of youth to halt the relentless march of time. 

“When you’re aging, it freaking sucks,” says JoAnn Vitiello, a certified family nurse practitioner who might have just found that shimmering pool in Maricopa. 

The city’s leading whole-body health practitioner exudes vitality. She’s getting ready to celebrate her 57th birthday, but she doesn’t look anywhere close to it. There’s no magic involved — it’s new science, and Vitiello is fronting the movement. 

Who would have thought she used to spend her weekends exhausted, immobilized on the couch as the minutes ticked down to a looming work week? Or that she failed to find joy in her many accomplishments? In her early 40s, Vitiello began looking for a solution to get off the medicine and cure her chronic fatigue. 

And she found it. 

For more than a decade, Vitiello has helped so many women and men from all over metro Phoenix do the same.  

“I have a passion for wellness,” she says. 

In today’s fast-paced world, anxiety and burnout have never been so prevalent, while energy and self-confidence have never been so difficult to come by. Holistic healthcare emphasizes the interconnected well-being of the mind, body and soul, emphasizing their cyclical influence on energy, happiness and beauty. 

“We’re all exhausted with the demands of life,” Vitiello says. “Depression, anxiety, obesity — it’s all a cycle.” 

Vitiello started to feel the ill effects of aging around age 40. In Maricopa, nearly half of residents are over 40, according to the most recent U.S. Census Data. 

The stresses of life and aging can cause high blood pressure, obesity and cholesterol issues, Vitiello says. 

Nearly 40% of people in Pinal County are obese, according to the Center for the Future of Arizona. That’s compared to less than 25% statewide. 

“You don’t need hypertension medicine. You don’t need to spend $500 every month for a shot to lose 150 pounds,” Vitiello contends. “They’re oversaturating these people with medicine. But it’s a money– maker.” 

Vitiello stands up to big pharma. Emphasizing dietary coaching, mental health and new, proven treatments like Semaglutide and hormone therapy, Vitiello aims to end her patients’ reliance on endless prescriptions that treat but do not cure. 

“Anxiety and obesity are connected,” she explains. “We eat as a coping mechanism. Diabetes isn’t hereditary, so when we ask about a family history of obesity, we’re really asking, ‘Who taught you how to eat?’” 

Vitiello, a certified nurse practitioner and aesthetician, was recently certified in hormone therapy. It’s a “game changer,” she says. She works with endocrinologists and internal medicine, and she employs a psychiatric nurse practitioner. 

In Pinal County, fewer than 60% of residents have adequate access to locations for physical activity, down from more than 76% in 2018, according to data scientists at MIT and Deloitte. 

A recent Lending Tree study ranked Arizona the worst state for mental healthcare access. Two-thirds of people with mental illness are not receiving care. At least one-fourth of people with mental illness can’t afford treatment. 

That’s why Vitiello’s practice blazes trails in Maricopa and beyond. With her focus on affordability, she has attracted patients from Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert and elsewhere. 

“I really care about the individual,” she says. “That’s why I have five stars. People trust me because I genuinely care.” 

Vitiello Primary Clinic houses a ritual wellness medispa whose offerings include microneedling, Botox, chemical peels, facials, IV therapy, vitamin injections a. 

Heading up a primary care clinic and a medispa sounds like a lot of work — but for Vitiello, it’s easier than sticking to just one or the other. 

“The medispa complements the primary care,” she offers. “I know my patients better than anyone else from a health perspective.” 

That’s why she’s been able to help her patients lose hundreds of pounds, rebound from crippling fatigue and conquer low testosterone. When you look better, you make healthier decisions — and vice versa — she explains. 

Some of her patients’ testimonials sound like miracle work. But there’s cutting-edge science behind it. 

“When cardiologists and endocrinologists can’t figure it out, they send the patients to me,” Vitiello says. 

She stays at the forefront of new science with a monthly commitment to continuing education, giving her an edge over the competition. “I’m always learning,” she says. 

After several years as a practitioner in Gilbert, Vitiello knew it was time to move her business closer to her Maricopa home. 

Now, she’s planted her roots in the city. 

“Maricopa followed me out of town, so I followed them back to town,” Vitiello reflects. “It was scary, it’s still scary, but Maricopa is very, very kind to me.” 

Vitiello Primary Care is at 21300 N. John Wayne Pkwy., Suite 108 in the medical plaza. The clinic and medispa are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and always welcome new patients. Same-day appointments may be available. Call 520-568-5943 and mention InMaricopa for a free facial consult, 20% off microneedling and 15% off SkinMedica products with purchase of a Diamond Glow Facial.