Dr. Shayla Toombs-Withers grew up in Atlanta, GA.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN in 2003 where she earned a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Dr. Toombs-Withers earned a Doctorate Degree in Osteopathic Medicine from the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine located on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA in 2007.  After completing her formal medical education, Dr. Toombs-Withers continued her medical training at the University of Cincinnati, The Christ Hospital.  She is double board certified in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine.
Over the years, Dr. Toombs-Withers has served as Adjunct Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine with the University of Cincinnati Family Medicine Residency Program and she worked as a Family Physician for a federally qualified health center caring for underserved populations in the Cincinnati area. In 2013 Dr. Toombs-Withers was named as the Medical Director for the All Care Health Center in Council  Bluffs, IA where she continued to practice family medicine and supervised a staff of physicians and nurse practitioners.
Dr. Toombs-Withers moved to Chattanooga, TN in 2015 and became a Family Medicine Physician in the UT/Erlanger Primary Care Medical Group at the Pineville Road office.  She earned a certification in Plant Based Nutrition in 2016 and the was board certified in Obesity Medicine in 2018.
Dr. Toombs- Withers has practiced a plant based diet for over 15 years and over the past 5 years she has moved to a vegan diet.  She has trained as an endurance athlete and she has completed the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Ironman Chattanooga 70.3, Ironman Augusta 70.3, Ironman Texas and a host of other endurance races.
Dr. Toombs-Withers founded the Essence of Health Wellness Clinic in Chattanooga, TN in 2019 so that  she could combine her deep knowledge of medicine, plant based nutrition, and athletic training to provide comprehensive primary care to her patients using a Direct Primary Care Model. Outside of work, Dr. Toombs-Withers is a mom for her three sons, wife, and dog wrangler.  She loves Chattanooga and all of the outdoor experiences it has to offer.  She enjoys cycling, hiking, camping, swimming, triathlons and trail running.

I am a Board-Certified Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine Physician.
I listen to you and spend time with you to understand the barriers in your life that prevent you from optimum health.
Emphasis on healthy lifestyle changes and moving towards a whole food plant-based diet.
Learn how to prevent and even reverse chronic disease and reduce the need for medication.
I offer convenience, peace of mind, and flexibility.
 

I help clients make diet and lifestyles changes ultilizing mindfull eating techniques.  This helps people transition from an omnivorous diet to plant based eating without diet fads that can end up being problematic. My services are evidenced based and patient centered while focused on helping you get in touch with your hunger and fullness cues and learning about how thought processes influence your cravings. Unlike many practitioners, we will take a deep dive into your helath history and get to the root causes of your health issues using evidenced based nutrition.
I specialize in clients struggling with yo-yo dieting, mindless eating, or those with lifestyle diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes for example.