Meet Our Doctors
Valerie Miles, MD, FAAP, DABOIM
Dr. Miles, a Clemson grad, earned her M.D. degree at MUSC in Charleston, SC and completed her Pediatric training and Chief Residency at Primary Children’s Hospital at the University of Utah. She has been Board Certified in Pediatrics since 1995.
In her first practice in Durango, CO, Dr. Miles was introduced to the concept of “Holistic Medicine” – combining the best of modern medicine and traditional healing arts. After four years, she and her family moved to Jacksonville FL to be closer to family. In December 2000, she became one of the first physicians in the U.S. to be board-certified in Integrative Medicine.
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Since August 2000, Dr Miles has owned and operated her own pediatric practices, integrating modern and holistic medicine into primary care for children. She loves that she’s found much more success in helping families get well and stay well by practicing this way.
Dr. Miles is actively involved in educating audiences throughout North America on topics in Integrative Pediatrics and Nutrition. She has been married to her life’s love, Gregg, since 1987, and has one daughter, Rebecca, an amazing full-time artist @vraiix on IG.
Dhanu Sant, MD, FAAP
Dr. Sant attended medical school at The Ohio State University. She completed her pediatric internship and residency at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Dr. Sant established WholeKids Pediatrics, the first integrative primary care pediatric practice in central Ohio, in 2008. Her interest in establishing an integrative practice was spurred by concern about the increased use and side effects of many medications, as well as her deepening respect for the body’s natural healing capabilities.
Dr. Sant has finished yoga teacher training along with prenatal yoga training. She has also completed an infant massage training course and loves to teach families how to use massage for babies. Dr. Sant is most excited about having completed an 18-month herbalism course in 2019. She has a deepening interest in plant medicine. Receiving continued medical education in all these areas has allowed Dr. Sant to broaden her treatment approach for preventative and illness care.
Dr. Sant relocated to Florida from Columbus, Ohio. The move was precipitated by the desire to live in warm weather and near the beach. In addition, the opportunity to work alongside her long- time friend and colleague, Dr. Miles was one she couldn’t pass on!
Dr. Sant is married and has three adult daughters. She is a rabid college football fan especially when rooting for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Dr. Sant loves travel, cooking, good food, yoga and reading (especially about food!)
Maya Cantu, MD, FAAP
Dr. Cantu is a board-certified pediatrician who was born and raised in Gainesville, Florida. After undergraduate studies in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins in Spanish and Cognitive Science/Linguistics, she attended medical school in North Carolina at Duke.
She returned home to complete her pediatric residency at UF Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, where she sought extra training in medical Spanish, palliative and complex care, child psychiatry, and neonatology.
Since moving to Jacksonville in 2020, she has developed a growing interest in treating patients with a holistic mindset thanks to her mentors, educational lectures, and readings on integrative topics. In addition, she became a Certified Lactation Counselor to complement her practice.
In her free time, Dr. Cantu loves going hiking and traveling with her husband, trying new gluten free recipes, running on local trails, and cheering on the Gators and the Jags. We welcomed her to the ThriveWell team in August 2024!Â
