Functional health looks to find the root cause for unwellness.
How it works
What I Do
In this age of information and technology connecting is easy! Instead of meeting in person I can work with anyone almost anywhere using the internet and phone. Labs test kits are delivered to your doorstep and results show up in my email inbox.
Also important in my approach is education - I don’t want clients to simply take supplements or eat a certain way without understanding why; I want people to grasp the complexity of how issues develop, why I’m making a particular recommendation and ultimately I want people to be empowered with new self-care skills.
I am a consultant, you are the CEO of your health.
Where To Start
Step 1
We start with a comprehensive intake appointment done in person, phone, or Zoom to evaluate your health-story, so I can understand who you are as a culmination of your experiences, exposures, medications and procedures, diet, lifestyles, challenges etc.
Step 2
We run clinical test(s) that look at various biomarkers for nutritional status of vitamins and minerals, markers for infections, toxicities, cellular health, hormones, immune function and other factors that impact our health. The more testing is done, the more information I have and ultimately that means I can provide the best and most specific recommendations for you.
Step 3
I put together customized diet, nutrition and lifestyle suggestions and provide reports that interpret your lab results with resources and links to educate you why things are a certain way or why things are being recommended. In an in person/phone/Zoom call we review the results of each lab and the accompanying recommendations.
During our time working together I am available for email and text support. Some clients like a weekly phone check in ( 1/2 hour) to help them navigate their issues or protocols, some people prefer less contact. I want people to feel supported so I work to accommodate people's needs.
What the heck is “functional” anyway?
Functional health looks to find the root cause for unwellness instead of masking symptoms with medications or other band-aid approaches. Have a rock in your shoe? Take off the shoe and remove the rock, not buy fancy orthotics to offset the presence of the rock. Functional Health also refers to customized wellness support. Typically people receive a one-size fits all approach, ie have an infection? Take this antibiotic. Instead, Functional Health looks at the totality of a person’s health history, emotional health, environment, etc, and makes diet, nutritional, and lifestyle recommendations tailored to the individual.
Testing I Provide
Orangic Acids Test
The Organic Acids Test (OAT) provides an accurate evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria. Abnormally high levels of these microorganisms can cause or worsen behaviour disorders, hyperactivity, movement disorders, fatigue and immune function. Many people with chronic illnesses and neurological disorders often excrete several abnormal organic acids. The cause of these high levels may include: oral antibiotic use, high sugar diets, immune deficiencies, and genetic factors. If abnormalities are detected using the OAT, treatments can include supplements, such as vitamins and antioxidants, or dietary modification.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a non-invasive, easy-to-do, affordable method to look at an accurate report of your tissue levels of 36 key minerals and heavy metals impacting your health.
Comprehensive Analysis Report: Includes detailed graphed results for 8 toxic metals, 15 nutritional minerals, 15 additional elements, 7 significant mineral ratios and 9 toxic metal ratios.
DUTCH Test
DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is the gold standard for reproductive and adrenal hormone testing and is superior to blood or serum tests as it includes metabolites which reflect hormone utilization and patterns. This is a great lab for both men and women, specifically for those wanting to understand their fertility, menstrual irregularities, peri and menopausal issues, low libido, fatigue, weight issues, insomnia and more.
GPL Environmental TOX Profile
(Toxic non-metal chemicals)
The Journal of Pediatrics recently stated that 250 lbs of toxic chemicals are dumped into the environment per person per day. These toxins are in our air, soil, water, and household products and are involved in nearly every single health condition imaginable: from infertility, weight gain, ADHD, Parkinsons’, diabetes, hormonal imbalance, cancer, autoimmunity, and much more.
Even people that are diligent or those that don't have any observable issues likely have a hefty amount of these harmful toxins in their bodies. Understanding one's status provides direction on how to properly support avoidance and detoxification as well as reduce or prevent illness associated with these poisons. Anyone would benefit from this test.
MycoTOX Profile
(Mold Exposure)
Mold Toxicity or Biotoxin exposure is increasingly the root cause of difficult-to-determine complex illness and is largely ignored by conventional care. Molds and their toxins are often invisible and scentless and are found in buildings, vehicles and many foods. Mycotoxins compromise the integrity of the blood-brain barrier which has a neurotoxic effect and creates an inflammatory environment making the body hospitable for infections, toxicities, and drains the body's adaptive reserves. An Organic Acids Test will indicate if mold may be a concern, the Mycotoxin Profile is a home test kit using urine and is the next step which looks at the specific mold toxins affecting health and how much the body is contending with. This information guides treatments as different mold toxins respond to different therapies.
GI-MAP Comprehensive Stool Analysis
The Gut is the seat of our health. Our microbial counterparts out number us 10:1 - meaning we are more microorganism DNA than we are human DNA. Increasingly science is confirming that gut microbiome is responsible for all aspects of our health influencing immune, cardiovascular, neuro-cognitive, skin, aging and essentially everything else. When our gut is not healthy the stage is set for cancer, autoimmunity, failure to thrive and more. The industry standard is the GI MAP which has revolutionized our understanding of the gut using PCR technology revealing communities of good and bad microorganisms that are causing our health concerns. But additionally it has markers not found on other stool analysis that examine immunoglobulins, liver detox, pancreatic function and more.
IgG Food MAP with XMAP® Technology
Food Sensitivities and allergies are often drivers of chronic illness. In the "test don't guess" line of thinking, correctly identifying offending foods which cause leaky gut, chronic inflammation, digestive disorders, skin issues, weight imbalances, sleep disorders and much more can be the missing puzzle piece needed to improve health. Surprisingly things that are often considered healthy can be the most common allergens. This home test uses blood from a quick prick to the finger.
Disclaimer
A few things to be clear about
I do not diagnose or treat disease; instead I find imbalances, deficiencies, infections, toxicities etc aka healing opportunities and provide diet, supplemental, and lifestyle support to address those opportunities.
This is not medical care and you should discuss with your physician nutritional support that you choose.
I don’t work with insurance.
I don’t create personal menu plans but will tell you foods to favor and those to avoid and will steer you towards a dietary plan that does have recipes and menus that’s most suitable for your needs.
I’m not licensed, I am certified as a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner.
I do not work with smokers, or substance abuse/addicts that are not in treatment or recovery.
I do not work with vegans unless they are willing to make changes in their diet to include small amounts of animal foods.