Founder and Medical Director
In private practice since 1994, Dr Rollins is Board Certified with the American Board of Family Practice and has been certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support. With these credentials and years of experience in a rural practice he is well qualified in managing complex medical issues as well as handling serious medical emergencies and injuries.
As the first physician in Western Colorado to be Board Certified with the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Dr Rollins also has extensive training and experience with bioidentical hormone replacement for men and women, thyroid and adrenal disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, weight loss and healthy aging.
In 2006 Dr. Rollins opened AdvantAge Integrative Medicine in Grand Junction in order to bring these specialty services to Western Colorado. In 2008 he founded the Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado.
Dr Rollins is an active educator with a passion for learning and teaching. He can be found doing weekly educational seminars, newspaper columns and television news commentary on local network affiliates. He is a clinical faculty member at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, hosting medical students for their one month long family medicine training.
In 2004 Dr. Rollins was chosen for “Colorado Family Physician of the Year.” This prestigious award is given annually to only one of over 1,800 family physicians. The recipient is chosen by the Board of the Colorado Chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians and is based on their expertise and commitment to family medicine.
He is a member of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM). Having passed the “gold standard” examination from ACAM, he is “Certified in Chelation Therapy“. Dr. Rollins has extensive background in Occupational Medicine, caring for work related injuries, and is certified as “preferred provider” with Pinnacol Assurance, Colorado’s largest workers’ compensation insurance company. He serves as a medical director for HopeWest Hospice in Plateau Valley and Debeque.
After graduating from the University of Kansas School Of Medicine, he then finished his residency training in Family Practice at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction. He opened his private practice in Collbran, Colo. in 1994 where he and his partner provide full service family practice care while providing 24 hr / day emergency coverage.
An avid health enthusiast himself Scott “walks the talk” spending his personal life enjoying time with his wife and two boys, cooking and eating healthy foods, working in his family’s organic garden, taking his ritual morning walk, hiking, skiing or just relaxing playing guitar and piano.
Latest Articles From Dr. Rollins
How To Choose a Supplement: Part 3, Picking the Right Product
Picking the Right Product Now we are down to picking a specific product. In this series we reviewed how to check labels for reputable products, what mineral forms to avoid, and a few general points about the type of vitamin ingredients. We also focused on the role of oxidation and inflammation causing or contributing to multiple diseases and aspects of aging, as well as the importance of glutathione and methylation. Let’s start by choosing a broad spectrum multi-vitamin that includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants, and plant nutrients, with a specific list of ingredients. This should include nutrients that support the health of heart, bone, brain, liver, and eyes. It should also provide support for methylation and defense against oxidation and inflammation. There are many variations
How to Choose a Supplement: Part 2, Control of Oxidation and Inflammation
Control of Oxidation Because we live on planet earth we oxidize. Much like a piece of rusting metal the process of oxidation slowly damages our DNA and cellular functions. Oxidation is arguably the driving force behind the degenerative diseases of aging including heart disease, cancer and dementia, as well as being implicit in autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Even depression, autism and schizophrenia are known to have links to oxidation. Essentially we age due to oxidation. Mostly, the body generates oxidation in the process of producing energy. Cellular respiration is the process by which we convert nutrients into water and carbon dioxide, in the presence of oxygen, releasing energy. This energy production occurs deep in our cells in the mitochondria, the “generators” of cellular energy. Along the
How to Choose a Supplement: Part 1, Do We Need Supplements?
Do we need Supplements? On June 19, 2002, the Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA) contained a scientific review article titled “Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults“, which addressed the debate regarding the use of vitamin supplements and the prevention of chronic disease in adults. After reviewing the body of evidence on this controversial subject, the researchers advised their medical colleagues that “the use of vitamin supplements is a prudent intervention in the fight against many chronic degenerative diseases.” The researchers stated that vitamin deficiency syndromes such as scurvy and beriberi are uncommon in Western societies. However, suboptimal intake of some vitamins, even above levels causing classic vitamin deficiency, is a risk factor for chronic diseases. This scenario is common in the general population, especially the
The Miracle of Medicinal Mushrooms
The humble fungi, with its visible fruit called the mushroom, holds some of nature’s most potent weapons. Used by the plant to protect it from invaders these natural compounds have been used for thousands of years to help fight cancer, boost the immune system, support kidney and liver function, and lower blood pressure. Recent research is uncovering the specific properties that make the mushroom such a medical miracle. In the 1980s scientists at Harvard University made the discovery that compounds within mushrooms were able to stimulate cells in the immune system. Since then there have been many studies uncovering more details of how mushroom supplements work and how effective they are in treating various illnesses. Different mushrooms from around the world seem to have slightly different benefits and
Benefits of Massage Therapy
A massage is something you might think of as a special occasion when you get to relax and unwind for an hour. But the benefits of massage therapy go much deeper than just body and mind relaxation. Massage therapy is a holistic option for many people living with chronic health conditions, such as pain, or simple everyday stress. It promotes wellness in your body, improves blood flow, and removes harmful toxins. What is massage therapy? Massage therapy is a type of treatment a licensed massage therapist performs to promote relaxation and wellness in the body. The therapist utilizes various techniques to manipulate tissues and muscles during a massage. Massage therapy aims to provide the patient with a quiet environment where they can relax, relieve stress, and promote physical
Go Organic by Avoiding the Dirty Dozen
The “USDA Organic” label is familiar to most shoppers, yet there is confusion about the definition of organic. And while many people purchase organic foods, others feel they can’t afford it. Still others think it doesn’t matter and is not worth the extra cost. While I do recommend organic foods, there are pitfalls in the buying process. It helps to better understand what organic really means and for which foods it really matters. What Does Organic Mean? Organic usually means free of most synthetic chemical inputs (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, hormones, and food additives), genetically modified organisms, and irradiation. The producer must keep detailed, written production and sales records, maintain strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products, and undergo periodic on-site inspections. The definition varies
Keys to Great Health
“Before you heal someone, ask him if he’s willing to give up the things that made him sick.” —Hippocrates Health, like so many things, does not rely on a secret key that suddenly unlocks the pathway to success. We can’t have instant success, instant loyalty or trust, instant weight loss, or instant health. Success starts with a desire, a vision, and a plan. Success happens due to effort and perseverance. Great health is achieved with everyday decisions that will compound over time to produce results. Attitude Attitude means being determined to make the everyday decisions that add up to great health. It is just as easy to do the right things, as it is to not do the right things. Eating that greasy cheeseburger and fries with a super-size soda is a choice – one that
The Hidden Epidemic of Celiac Disease
What disease can destroy the lining of the gut without you even knowing? What disease is present in about 1 in 133 people, yet only diagnosed in about 3% of those who have it? Celiac disease… What is Celiac Disease? Wheat and other grains are made up mostly of starch. About 10-15% of wheat is made of gluten (gliadin), which is the protein portion. Other grains have similar proteins, such as barley (hordeins) and rye (secalins). These proteins are not entirely broken down by our stomach acid and can cause an intense immune reaction, an allergic reaction of sorts, with resulting inflammation in the small intestine. A person can react to the wheat (wheat intolerance), the gluten portion (gluten intolerance) or to gluten after it is modified to
Control Your Genetic Destiny with Epigenetics
Blame it on our genes — the blueprint for life that we inherit without having any say in the matter. We have been led to believe that you can’t change your genes, and thus we are destined to inherit certain traits. It turns out this is not entirely true. We can’t change the blueprint, but we do have enormous control over which parts of the plan get implemented. It’s In Our Genes The genome is the sum total of all our genes, which layout the plans for building and maintaining every aspect of life. There are over 20,000 genes within the human genome and those genes are made up of strings of information encoded in the DNA double helix. Individual genes code for the production of various proteins,
Staying in Balance & Avoiding Burnout
Burnout is a special kind of stress, best defined as being exhausted and just losing interest in what you do. The physical and mental effects may lead to cynicism, depression, and fatigue that can affect one’s health and happiness, as well as relationships and job performance. Avoiding burnout is more than not working long hours or having a difficult job. Staying in “balance” is the key. What is balance anyhow? Balance is when different elements are present in relative proportions. Balance is what keeps us upright when we slip. Balance is also a state of physical, emotional and mental stability. Finding ways to achieve and maintain balance in our lives is the key to avoiding burnout and having a healthy happy life in general. Patients, and friends, ask
Oooh that Sun Burns….
With a little bit of sun, I turn pink right away, while my wife goes right to a golden brown. My Scottish skin type apparently doesn’t react the same way that her Italian skin does. Why the different reactions, and how does the sun brown, burn, and age the skin? Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun cause direct damage to the DNA in the skin cells, leading to cell death and inflammation. This can occur in the superficial layer of skin, or epidermis, as a first-degree burn. If the damage goes deeper, into the dermis, it becomes a second-degree burn. Sun damage triggers the body to go into repair and prevention mode, cleaning up the inflammation and oxidative damage, repairing breaks in the DNA, and turning on the
Floxed by Fluoroquinolone Toxicity
Floxed refers to the devastating effects of a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones (FQs) and may include symptoms of extreme fatigue, tendon rupture, joint and muscle pains, nerve pains, and nervous system disturbances. The symptoms may resolve after stopping the FQs, persist for years, or wax and wane as time goes by. I’ve witnessed the symptoms appear immediately when starting the FQs, or worse yet the symptoms can also appear long after the FQs are taken or only after multiple rounds of FQs, thus making the diagnoses of FQ side effects tricky. The offending FQ medicines include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gemifoxacin (Factive), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), norfloxacin (Noroxin), and ofloxacin (Floxin). There are subtle differences in the side effect profiles, but for sake of this article we’ll lump them together as
Brain Training with NeurOptimal® Dynamical Neurofeedback
Our Electrical Brain Our brain produces electrical activity, which can be measured in the form of brainwaves. These brainwaves occur at different frequencies and are associated with various states of consciousness, cognition, and emotional regulation. Specific brain waves are associated with negative, unpleasant emotions such as anxiety or worry. Others may be associated with impaired function leading to insomnia or trouble focusing. Yet some are considered healthy and may be associated with deep sleep, calmness, a good mood or focused attention. Furthermore, different areas of the brain have different functions and thus certain brainwaves may be strongest in these areas. For example, the left side of the brain handles logical, analytical, sequential processing, while the right side is more in charge of holistic, intuitive, emotional, parallel processing of
Food for Your Mood
The foods you eat have a lot to do with how you feel, in a myriad of ways you might not imagine. Certain foods help the brain function better and eating more of them might even help prevent dementia. Other foods, or food ingredients, can directly or indirectly wreak havoc in the brain, leading to symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, depressed mood, fatigue, or “brain fog”. With some simple dietary changes you might find that food has a powerful impact on how you feel. Chemistry of Mood Neurotransmitters (NTs) are chemicals in the brain and nervous system that connect the brain cells and nerves to one another. You need a healthy supply and balance of NTs in order for the brain to function well and they work in
Sunscreen Tips for Youthful Skin
The number one thing that ages skin is sunshine. Not just the sunburn, but the relentless day-to-day exposure to the sun causes the skin damage that leads to discolored spots, wrinkles and sagging skin. And don’t be fooled as most sunscreens do not protect from all the skin-damaging rays. If you want youthful skin then your best skin care strategy is to avoid excessive sun and use a true sun protective sunblock. Sunlight Basics Just below the spectrum of light that is visible to our eye lies the ultra-violet (UV) light spectrum. First is the longer wavelength UVA (315-400 nanometers, nm), then intermediate UVB (280-315 nm), and last the shortest wavelength UVC (100-280 nm). The shorter wavelengths are more irritating to the surface while the longer wavelengths penetrate
Breast Thermography
Breast thermography is a quick, painless, no contact imaging technique that can be part of an early detection program for breast cancer. Using no radiation, thermography picks up heat using an infra-red imaging system. Physiologic changes such as infection, inflammation or increases in blood flow are often the source of abnormal heat patterns that may encourage cancer or be present during very early stages of cancer. The diagnostic quality when screening for breast cancer has improved to a level where it is comparable to mammography, particularly given the limited sensitivity of mammography in young women and those with dense breast tissue. Thermography may be performed years before standard mammograms are ordered thus allowing increased screening. Also, they pick up functional changes that may predate the development of cancer