About Us
Advancing Education and Leadership in Natural HealthThe Association of Natural Health (AONH) is a professional community dedicated to education, collaboration, and the responsible advancement of natural health practices.
Since 2008
Who We Are
The Association of Natural Health (AONH) is an educational organization committed to supporting professionals who are passionate about advancing knowledge in natural health.
Our mission is to foster a professional environment where practitioners, educators, researchers, and leaders can share knowledge, explore emerging ideas, and engage in meaningful collaboration. Through conferences, educational resources, and professional networking opportunities, AONH seeks to elevate the conversation around natural health education.
AONH brings together individuals who believe that thoughtful dialogue, professional development, and continuous learning are essential to the future of natural health.
What Drives Us
Our Mission
Dedicated to the public education and the professional development of natural health care around the world.
Our Vision
Supporting integrative practitioners with business development, health care education, increasing public awareness, and raising standards of professionalism within the complementary medical community.
WHAT WE DO
Supporting Education and Professional Collaboration
The Association of Natural Health provides opportunities for professionals to learn, connect, and stay informed about developments in natural health education.
Our work focuses on several key areas:
Professional Education
- Webinars and recorded educational sessions
- Conference presentations and professional discussions
- Educational materials and learning resources
Professional Community
- Opportunities for networking and collaboration
- Dialogue among practitioners, educators, and researchers
- Shared perspectives across disciplines
Conferences and Events
- Annual educational conferences
- Focused learning sessions and workshops
- Opportunities to engage with experienced speakers and educators
Team
Our Founders
Sam Abukittah
Founder
Dr. James J. Hawver, ND
Co-Founder
LEADERSHIP
Leadership & Advisory Community
The Association of Natural Health is supported by a growing network of experienced professionals who contribute their knowledge, insight, and leadership to the organization.
This leadership community includes practitioners, educators, researchers, and advisors who share a commitment to advancing thoughtful dialogue and education within the natural health field.
Through their guidance and participation, AONH continues to develop educational programs, conferences, and professional resources that support the broader natural health community.
Sam Abukittah, MBA, MPA
Sam Abukittah, MBA, MPA, is the Founder and President of the Association of Natural Health, and one of its most tireless champions. With a career spanning public relations, educational research, international trade, and health industry leadership across the Middle East and the United States, Sam brings a rare combination of global perspective and grassroots conviction to everything he does. As General Manager of Bremen Health Clinic and Standard Enzyme Company since 2003, he has helped grow one of the most respected professional-grade supplement lines in the industry — while simultaneously building EuroMed, his own enterprise bringing medical technology and products to his homeland and the broader region.
The founding of AONH in 2008 stands as Sam’s defining achievement — a vision he nurtured for years alongside the late Dr. Jim Hawver out of a deeply held belief that natural health care providers deserved both protection and a higher standard of care. Today, he leads the association with the same passion and purpose that created it, forging partnerships with foundations, corporations, and governments at the local, national, and international level to help people everywhere take control of their health through natural medicine.
Dr. Michele Millen, ND
Dr. Michele Andrea Millen, ND, is a natural health educator, practitioner, and consultant with over 30 years of experience across an extraordinarily broad spectrum of modalities — from herbology, homeopathy, and nutrition to iridology, craniosacral therapy, Electrodermal Screening, and beyond. As owner of Synergy Services Unlimited, she has played an instrumental role in the development of homeopathic, herbal, and nutritional products, and continues to serve as a product formulation consultant for Standard Enzyme and as a research and development consultant for Euromed Global in Automated Electrodermal Screening.
Dr. Millen’s latest endeavor, Dream Practice Partners, reflects the full depth of her three decades in the field — helping practitioners build clarity, systems, and practices they love while guiding their patients to wellness as efficiently as possible. A sought-after lecturer and board member for several nutritional companies, she brings that same breadth of expertise and commitment to excellence to her role on the AONH board.
Dr. Benjamin I. Arthur Phd/Dr. Rer. Nat.
Dr. Benjamin Arthur is a pioneering researcher and entrepreneur at the forefront of regenerative medicine, genetics, and stem cell science. Educated at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions — including Johns Hopkins, NYU, the University of Zurich, and the University of Pennsylvania — Dr. Arthur has built a career that bridges rigorous scientific research and real-world application. As Founder and Chairman of Informnity, LLC, and co-founder of PolyRegen Biosciences, Provitx, and Renover, he develops personalized, precision-based solutions designed to work in harmony with the body’s natural functionality — a philosophy squarely aligned with the emerging shift from reactive “diagnose and treat” medicine toward proactive “predict and prevent” care.
A member of the American Academy of Stem Cell Physicians and the American Society of Regenerative Medicine, and a council member of the American Association of Tissue Banks, Dr. Arthur brings both scientific depth and entrepreneurial vision to the AONH board. His commitment to making the benefits of regenerative medicine accessible and understandable to the public reflects the same values of education, empowerment, and natural health that define the association’s mission.
Dr. Tom O’Bryan DC, CCN, DACBN, CIFM
Dr. Tom O’Bryan is a world-renowned expert on gluten sensitivity and autoimmune disease, and one of the most sought-after voices in functional and integrative medicine today. As founder of theDr.com, creator of the landmark documentary series Betrayal: The Autoimmune Disease Solution They’re Not Telling You, and visionary behind The Gluten Summit — one of the first online health summits of its kind — Dr. Tom has brought cutting-edge science on gluten, autoimmunity, and chronic disease to a global audience of both practitioners and patients.
A faculty member at both the Institute for Functional Medicine and the National University of Health Sciences, Dr. Tom has trained and certified tens of thousands of health care professionals worldwide in understanding the far-reaching impact of wheat sensitivity and autoimmune disease development. His work continues to elevate the standard of care across the natural and integrative health professions, making him an invaluable voice on the AONH board.
Dr. James J. Hawver, ND (1946-2019)
Dr. James J. Hawver, ND, was a visionary pioneer in natural health care whose nearly four decades of dedication helped shape the profession as we know it today. As a Doctor of Natural Medicine, founder of Standard Enzyme Company of North America, and President of the Bremen Health Clinic, Jim’s commitment to advancing effective, high-quality health solutions touched thousands of practitioners and patients around the world.
Jim co-founded the Association of Natural Health in 2008 alongside his dear friend and collaborator Sam Abukittah, driven by a deep conviction that natural health care providers deserved both protection and a higher standard of care. He served as AONH Georgia Chapter President and remained a guiding voice for colleagues who sought his wisdom on even the most challenging cases. His legacy lives on in every practitioner he certified, every life he improved, and in the association he helped build.
Dr. Rashid A. Buttar, DO (1966-2023)
Dr. Rashid A. Buttar was a physician, author, and medical innovator whose career spanned military service, cutting-edge clinical research, and decades of frontline patient care. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr. Buttar served as a US Army surgeon — attaining the rank of Major at just 28, the youngest on the promotion list that year — before dedicating his career to the patients most underserved by conventional medicine. Board certified in Clinical Metal Toxicology and Preventive Medicine, and a Fellow of three distinguished medical organizations, he served as Medical Director of the Centers for Advanced Medicine, drawing patients from over 90 countries seeking solutions for autism, cancer, heart disease, and complex chronic conditions.
A bestselling author and Congressional testimony witness, Dr. Buttar was recognized by TIME Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, and was cited among the Top 50 Doctors in the United States. His deep expertise in environmental toxicity and immune system dysregulation, combined with a lifelong commitment to advancing the standard of care, made him a vital and distinguished member of the AONH board.
HISTORY OF AONH
The Growth of a Professional Community
The Association of Natural Health was established with the goal of creating a professional environment where individuals interested in natural health education could come together to share knowledge and collaborate.
As the organization has grown, AONH has continued to expand its educational initiatives, conferences, and resources while maintaining its core focus on professional dialogue and learning.
Today, the association serves as a platform for education, connection, and the exchange of ideas within the natural health community.
The Association of Natural Health, Inc. (AONH) was founded in 2008 by natural health care advocate Sam M. Abukittah. AONH Board members, coming from a wide variety of backgrounds in business, allopathic and natural medicines, bring unique knowledge and expertise to the association.
While Abukittah and AONH board member, James Hawver, worked together in a broad range of business ventures Abukittah experienced a serious health challenge. Hawver, who is a gifted licensed Naturopath, showed tremendous talent and care while helping Abukittah with his recovery utilizing natural health care. The results inspired Abukittah’s vision of an association that would advocate freedom of choice for the public and empower natural health practitioners by uniting modalities in a proactive organization. His education and background allowed him to quickly identify glaring needs within the natural health care industry-all of which required a united effort to effect change.
The Association of Natural Health was officially launched at the first ever health care conference (sponsored by Standard Enzyme Co. and Bremen Health Clinic) in November of 2011. Patient potential members, knowing what this organization would mean for them and their practices, erupted in enthusiastic applause. The vast majority of those in attendance applied for membership after the initial presentation and became the association’s honored Charter Members.
As we look into the future of the 21st Century we find that every family faces health challenges of their own. AONH believes there is much we can accomplish together to address these. We resolve to promote natural health care options and serve as a valued resource for natural health practitioners as well as the public.
The AONH firmly believes that there is much to be learned regarding medications and their side effects. These can be greatly reduced or offset by natural support of affected organs, glands, and systems. We recognize that, in order to restore homeostasis treatment options, modalities need to be available and be considered for the well being of every living creature.
Our commitment, at the Association of Natural Health, is to ensure natural health care professionals be given the right to practice as well as the credibility they deserve. We invite you to take a stand and protect your right to choose your preferred health care, and thereby guarantee yourself alternative options by joining us in promoting natural health care. Become a member of our association by downloading our membership application and mailing it in to us today! Our board will review your application and contact you via telephone or email to finalize your membership. The AONH would like to congratulate you on taking the first step initiating the membership application process. We look forward to working for you and with you as co-advocates in natural health care.