Best of Chico 2021: Health & Wellness

Acupuncture Clinic

FIRST Place: Chico Community Acupuncture
1815 Mangrove Ave., 345-5300
Open since 2010, Chico Community Acupuncture has been a Best of Chico fixture. It’s a nonprofit and part of a national cooperative, People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture, dedicated to increasing access, availability and affordability of treatment. Chico Community Acupuncture does so in a group setting without sacrificing individual attention.
SECOND Place: Amy Dawson
572 Rio Lindo Ave., 891-1823
THIRD Place (tie): Acupuncture Center of Chico
1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 7, 345-7735
THIRD Place (tie): American Chi Center for Health
1209 Esplanade, Ste. 1, 342-2895

Alternative Health Care Provider

FIRST Place: Creating a Sustainable You
811 E. Fifth Ave., 521-7328
Candi Williamson and her massage therapy team take a holistic approach to healing. “What I provide is the ability to assess and put the pieces together in order to see the bigger picture and provide a comprehensive solution,” Williamson says on the center’s website. From reiki to myofascial to aromatherapy and more, Creating a Sustainable You offers a wide range of treatment options.
SECOND Place: Chico Community Acupuncture
1815 Mangrove Ave., 345-5300
THIRD Place: Vital Functional Medicine
4 Governors Lane, Ste. B, 715-2115

Boutique Gym

FIRST Place: Sweet Fitness Kickboxing
1390 E. Ninth St., Ste. 170, 521-8495
“This is NOT a professional fighters gym!” Sweet Fitness Kickboxing makes crystal clear that it’s a place to get fit, not get hit. The gym has 36 pro-grade punching bags that aren’t shared, which makes the workouts COVID-safe as well as face-saving. But make no mistake, participants feel the burn!
SECOND Place: Basis Health & Performance
177 E. 20th St., 636-0850
THIRD Place: Orangetheory Fitness
874 East Ave., 722-4000

Chiropractor

FIRST Place: Preference Chiropractic Clinic
1635 Magnolia Ave., 895-0224
Situated in a converted house, Preference Chiropractic is a family-oriented clinic run by a family of practioners. They offer treatment to people from early to late stages of life, including expectant mothers.
SECOND Place: Chico Chiropractic Center
1140 Mangrove Ave., Ste. C, 345-3043
THIRD Place: Joyce Family Chiropractic
9 Frontier Circle, 899-8500

Dental Care

FIRST Place: Nelsen Family Dentistry
1307 Esplanade, Ste. 4, 898-8511
A perennial Best of Chico winner, Nelsen Family Dentistry is truly a family affair. Dr. John Nelsen and Dr. Missy Nelsen met the first day of dental school and moved to Chico to start their practice, which has been going strong for 21 years. They’re so busy that they just brought in a new dentist.
SECOND Place: Kremer Dental Care
Two locations: 140 Independence Circle & 3 Glenbrook Court, 892-1234
THIRD Place: Willow Creek Dentistry
2765 Esplanade, 891-6611

Dermatologist

FIRST Place: Dr. Kafele T. Hodari
Hodari MD Dermatology, 80 Declaration Dr., 894-6832
CN&R readers consistently vote Dr. Hodari as Best of Chico. He specializes in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology—meaning on any given day he may see a patient with an unusual rash, remove potentially cancerous moles from another and apply a wrinkle-removing treatment to yet another.
SECOND Place: O. Jay On
Chico Dermatology, 774 East Ave., 280-7529
THIRD Place: Argyll Skincare Center
110 Independence Circle, 899-9393

Eye Care Specialist

FIRST Place: Chico Eye Center
605 W. East Ave., 895-1727
From kids to adults, check-ups to surgeries, Chico Eye Center provides a full spectrum of vision care. Clinic surgeons have been performing LASIK laser procedures for over 15 years. The practice’s scope also includes cosmetic treatments such as botox and fillers.
SECOND Place: North Valley Eye Care
114 Mission Ranch Blvd., Ste. 50, 891-1900
THIRD Place: Family Eye Care
2565 Ceanothus Ave., Ste. 155,
899-3939

General Practitioner

★FIRST Place and Living Legend (five-year winning streak): Dr. Julie Archer
Chico Primary Care, 1645 Esplanade, Ste. 1, 896-0386
In an online review, a patient gives Dr. Archer “high marks for the skilled, attentive and dependable care she has provided” both for him and his wife for more than two decades—and he’s not alone. The internal medicine physician has repeatedly topped Best of Chico voting.
SECOND Place: Stuart Mishelof, PA-C
Argyle Medical Group, 100 Independence Circle, 899-0295
THIRD Place: Dr. Randall Williams
Mangrove Medical Group, 1040 Mangrove Ave., 345-0064

Gym

FIRST Place: In Motion Fitness
1293 E. First Ave., 343-5678
Spanning five acres, In Motion Fitness encompasses eight pools; seven areas for weight training and cardio exercises; and six spaces dedicated to yoga and other mind-body activities. Members use those facilities on their own or in classes, which include programs for kids and youth. During pandemic downtime, the club has done extensive renovations to its sprawling campus.
SECOND Place: Chico Sports Club
260 Cohasset Road, Ste. 190, 345-9427
THIRD Place: Sweet Fitness Kickboxing
1390 E. Ninth St., Ste. 170, 521-8495

Hearing Aid Specialist

FIRST Place: Costco Wholesale
2100 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy, 332-1742
Costco may be known for its $1.50 hot dog combo and $5 roasted chicken, but apparently it’s growing popular for audiology, too. The warehouse store’s Hearing Aid Center offers—all for free—hearing tests, product demonstrations, follow-up appointments, cleanings, equipment check-ups and no-deductible coverage against loss or damage.
SECOND Place: Chico Hearing Aid Center
1600 Mangrove Ave., Ste. 160, 342-8132
THIRD Place: Bartlett’s Hearing Aid Center
2201 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 194, 418-6478

Local CBD Source

FIRST Place: Serenity CBD
serenitycbd.com
Chico-based Serenity CBD, founded in 2015, has developed a product line sold in stores around town and across the West, from Alaska to Arizona. All the topicals and tinctures are organic and hand-crafted, in packaging that’s locally made with 100 percent biodegradable, compostable, recyclable materials.
SECOND Place: S&S Organic Produce and Natural Foods
1924 Mangrove Ave., 343-4930
THIRD Place: Fresh Twisted Café
156 Eaton Road, Ste. E, 809-2489

Local Zoom Workout (COVID)

FIRST Place: Basis Health & Performance
177 E. 20th St., 636-0850
When pandemic restrictions kept gym-goers in their homes, Basis shifted classes to the virtual space to help clients stay in shape. Strength, conditioning and Kinstretch webcasts filled a void. Trainers first used Zoom, then pivoted to a more stable internet platform that they still use—albeit to a lesser extent, now that in-person workouts have resumed.
SECOND Place: Kaia Fit Chico
2700 Hegan Lane, Ste. 108, 200-1856
THIRD Place: Yoga Center of Chico
250 Vallombrosa Ave., Ste. 150, 342-0100

Massage Therapist

FIRST Place: Bodywork by Nikki
341 Broadway St., Ste. 309, 570-6311
On the Bodywork by Nikki website, owner/CMT Nikki Vargas explains the approach that has garnered the community’s vote of confidence: “Massage is a perfect therapy that combines conscience kindness and technical understand[ing] to provide lasting results. Every massage is customized to each individual client, every single session.”

SECOND Place: Babette Maiss
13 Williamsburg Lane, 321- 5668
THIRD Place: Candi Williamson
811 E. Fifth Ave., 521-7328

Pediatrician

FIRST Place: Dr. Ejaz Ahmed
Chico Pediatrics, 670 Rio Lindo Ave., Ste. 300, 343-8522
Over the course of three decades in Chico, Dr. Ahmed has established himself as a generational pediatrician—a physician who sees newborns grow into adults, some who have become parents who have entrusted their children to his care. His thriving practice continues to grow, as well.
SECOND Place: Dr. Patrick Tedford
643 W. East Ave., 342-0502
THIRD Place: Dr. James Logan
Paradise Medical Group, 254 Cohasset Road, Ste. 10, 877-5437

Personal Trainer

FIRST Place: Nate Carlascio, Basis Health & Performance
177 E. 20th St., 636-0850
Now sole owner of Basis, Nate Carlascio has a lot on his plate: managing the facility, educating staff, conducting classes. But he hasn’t strayed from his roots—training clients, one on one or in groups, at the gym or in private sessions. Carlascio’s dedication has earned him loyal devotees.
SECOND Place: Joey Lopez, OrangeTheory Fitness
874 East Ave., 722-4000
THIRD Place: Elaina Zinko, Orangetheory Fitness
874 East Ave., 722-4000

Physical Therapy Office

FIRST Place: Coast Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine
1044 Mangrove Ave., 892-2966
With appointments in-person, by phone or on videoconference, Coast Physical Therapy has adapted to COVID times. Yet the clinic has a firm foundation with owners Chad Layland and Kevin Vaughn, the physical therapists who opened the office in 1998 and remain its owner-operators.
SECOND Place: Avail Physical Therapy
2555 Ceanothus, Ste. 150, 892-2810
THIRD Place: Enloe Rehabilitation Center
350 East Ave., 332-6138

Veterinarian

FIRST Place: Chico Creek Animal Hospital
3449 Highway 32, 343-3516
Dr. Matthew Bettencourt, raised on a Chico dairy farm, opened his practice seven years ago and in that span developed a dedicated base of pet parents. Whether for a quick vaccination or life-threatening emergency, the vets and staff care for—and about—everyone who comes through their doors.
SECOND Place: Evers Veterinary Clinic
1150 El Monte Ave., 343-0713
THIRD Place: Erickson Veterinary Hospital
11181 Midway, 343-5896

More Best of Chico 2021:
Best of Chico 2021: The Comeback
Best of Chico 2021: Readers’ Choice winners: Goods & Services
Best of Chico 2021: Readers’ Choice winners: Food & Drinks
Best of Chico 2021: Readers’ Choice winners: Nightlife & The Arts
Best of Chico 2021: Readers’ Choice winners: Community
Best of Chico 2021: Critics’ Choice winners