Ever walked into a doctor’s office and felt like you were just a collection of symptoms on a clipboard? It’s a common frustration. You get ten minutes, a prescription for a pill you aren't sure about, and a "see you in six months." Leslie Mendoza Temple MD has basically spent her entire career trying to kill that vibe.
Honestly, if you live in the Chicago area—specifically the North Shore—you’ve probably heard her name. She isn’t just another family physician; she’s the Medical Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at Endeavor Health (formerly NorthShore University HealthSystem). She's also the inaugural holder of the Owen L. Coon Chair of Integrative Medicine. That’s a fancy way of saying she’s the one leading the charge in blending "old school" Western medicine with things like acupuncture, nutrition, and even medical cannabis.
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Who is Leslie Mendoza Temple MD?
Dr. Temple didn't just wake up one day and decide to start talking about "whole-person" health. She’s got the credentials to back it up. She graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines back in 1999 and then finished her family medicine residency at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
She felt there was something missing in the standard "diagnose and treat" model. So, she headed to the University of Arizona to study under Dr. Andrew Weil—basically the godfather of integrative medicine. Since 2006, she’s been building a program in Glenview, Illinois, that actually treats the patient, not just the labs.
She’s a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, too. She isn't just practicing this stuff; she’s teaching the next generation of doctors that you can’t ignore a patient’s stress levels or their diet and expect them to get truly well.
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The "Didgeridoo" Doctor and Other Unconventional Tools
There’s this great story about one of her patients with sleep apnea and chronic pain. Standard treatments weren't cutting it. Dr. Temple didn't just throw more meds at the problem. She suggested the patient learn to play the didgeridoo.
Yes, the Australian wind instrument.
Why? Because playing it strengthens the muscles in the throat and upper airway. It’s a real thing. It’s that kind of outside-the-box thinking that makes Leslie Mendoza Temple MD stand out. She uses acupuncture. She talks about "food as medicine." She even co-founded a juice bar called Mingle in Glenview because she saw how much juicing improved her own energy and skin.
What She Actually Does for Patients
If you see her as a patient, don't expect a quick in-and-out. People often mention that the wait to see her can be months. That’s because she actually listens. She looks at your lifestyle—how you move, how you rest, and who you love.
The Integrative Medicine department she runs offers a wild variety of services:
- Acupuncture and TCM: To get to the root of chronic pain or gut issues.
- Functional Medicine: Using deep-dive testing to see why your hormones or digestion are out of whack.
- Medical Cannabis: She’s actually a major researcher in this field. She helped develop the Medical Cannabis Competency Framework to teach other doctors how to use it safely.
- Mind-Body Practices: Everything from Reiki to Qi Gong classes.
She’s particularly big on "walking the talk." She’s admitted in interviews that she struggles with the same "busy-ness" as the rest of us. She has to remind herself to find balance so she doesn't burn out while trying to help everyone else avoid it.
The Controversy and the Reality
Not everyone is a fan of the integrative approach. Some traditionalists think it’s "woo-woo." You’ll even find a few patient reviews online where people were frustrated because her approach to something like hypothyroidism didn't match the standard endocrinology playbook.
But Leslie Mendoza Temple MD is clear about one thing: she isn't replacing Western medicine. She’s integrating it. If you have cancer, she wants you to have your chemo, but she might also suggest acupuncture to help with the nausea and massage to help with the soul-crushing fatigue. It’s about having a bigger "tool kit."
She’s been named a "Top Doctor" by Chicago Magazine and Castle Connolly for years. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because she’s filling a gap that most of the medical system ignores.
Why This Matters for You
The healthcare world in 2026 is still pretty fragmented. You see a specialist for your heart, another for your skin, and another for your mental health. Dr. Temple is like the conductor of the orchestra. She tries to make sure all those parts are playing the same song.
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If you're dealing with a chronic illness that "regular" medicine hasn't fixed, or if you're just tired of feeling "okay" instead of "great," her approach is a roadmap. She focuses on the "eight elements" of wellness: nutrition, environment, breath, spirituality, movement, rest, love, and consciousness.
It sounds like a lot. It is a lot. But health isn't just the absence of disease; it's the presence of vitality.
Actionable Steps Based on Dr. Temple's Philosophy
You don't necessarily have to fly to Illinois to benefit from this way of thinking. You can start applying these "Temple-isms" today:
- Audit Your Breath: Dr. Temple often mentions how we forget to breathe properly. Try diaphragmatic breathing for five minutes when you're stressed. It’s free and it actually resets your nervous system.
- Look Beyond the Labs: If your doctor says your bloodwork is "normal" but you still feel like garbage, don't stop there. Ask about functional medicine or look into how your diet might be causing inflammation.
- Check Your Support System: Integrative medicine acknowledges that "love and relationships" affect your physical health. If you’re lonely or in a toxic environment, no amount of kale is going to fix that.
- Research Medical Cannabis Safely: If you're considering it for chronic pain, don't just "guess" at a dispensary. Look for practitioners who understand the endocannabinoid system and can give you evidence-based dosing.
Dr. Temple’s work reminds us that we have more agency over our health than we think. It’s not just about the luck of the draw or the genes we were born with; it’s about the choices we make in our kitchens, our bedrooms, and our minds every single day.