Whole foods are the basis of any functional medical strategy.
Welcome Comrade,
Functional medicine is a much more comprehensive and clinically relevant way to approach disease and wellness. While I am NOT a functional medicine practitioner, I am a holistic health practitioner whom has learned a lot from the functional medicine approach to illness. The below page will help shed light on the functional medicine lab interpretation, philosophies, strategies and supplement approach that the Doctors in this arena recommend.
I hope this gives you further insight into taking your health to the next level and remember all disease can be improved, we must practice wellness and optimize those variables to stack more odds in our favor.
Functional medicine is a much more comprehensive and clinically relevant way to approach disease and wellness. While I am NOT a functional medicine practitioner, I am a holistic health practitioner whom has learned a lot from the functional medicine approach to illness. The below page will help shed light on the functional medicine lab interpretation, philosophies, strategies and supplement approach that the Doctors in this arena recommend.
I hope this gives you further insight into taking your health to the next level and remember all disease can be improved, we must practice wellness and optimize those variables to stack more odds in our favor.
Short Videos On Functional Medicine
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A couple of short videos to give some insight into functional medicine and testing by one of the finest in the industry by Dr. Michael Ruscio.
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Long Lectures On Functional Medicine
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Functional Medicine/Researcher/Bio-Hacker Resources
Here's a small list of practitioners, thinkers and researchers we extract beneficial findings from:
- Dr. Michael Ruscio D.C. (IBS, IBD, SIBO, SIFO, gut healing, he's more conservative with testing and has a balanced view)
- Dr. Justin Marchegiani D.C. (IBS, IBD, SIBO, SIFO, gut healing, etc. UPDATE: I recently saw Justin and was not impressed at all with him regarding his style of communication or how he treats clients in need. I do NOT recommend him to clients any longer.)
- Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (hands down her book on GAPS is a must-study for anyone with gut issues)
- Dr. Datis Kharrazian (one of the best researchers on thyroid health, hashimotos, vagal nerve toning, toxicity, etc.)
- Dr. Allison Siebecker (the premier source for SIBO info and all thing dysbiosis within the microbiome)
- Dr. Daniel Pompa (cellular detoxification expert who also has expertise in adrenal and thyroid health)
- Dr. Jill Carnahan (environmental toxins expert, she's battled breast cancer and crohn's and has successfully overcome them)
- Dr. Kara Fitzgerald (a great resource on methylation, SIBO, methylation adaptogens (roe, liver, etc.) which is super interesting)
- Dr. Nirala Jacobi (Australian Naturopath with an expertise in SIBO, SIFO, IBS, brain-fog and microbiome restoration)
- Dr. Jason Hawrelak (his website probiotic advisor is worthwhile for clinicians and biohackers wanting to know which exact probiotic strains are best backed by science for specific conditions)
- Dr. Margaret Beeson (Yellowstone Naturopathic practitioner who has some expertise in candida, fungal infections and recovery)
- Dr. Chris Masterjohn (great deconstruction of ancestral diets and biomarkers to track, etc. more sophisticated understanding)
- Dr. Andrew Rostenberg (this is one of my doctors here in Boise Idaho, he's very knowledgable on gut-related cases)
- Dr. David Perlmutter M.D. (some of the best info out there on low-inflammatory diets and brain-healing strategies)
- Dr. Jason Fung (great resource for all things metabolic-related, obesity, diabetes, fasting science, intermittent fasting, etc.)
- Dr. Amy Myers M.D. (great info on autoimmune, thyroid health, gut health and overall health)
- Dr. Rhonda Patrick (great resource for all the more detailed scientific discoveries in way of longevity and wellness)
- Dr. Ben Lynch (some of the best epigenetic/genetic info and Seeking Health has some of the best supplements out there)
- Dr. Evan Hirsch M.D. (great info regarding how to handle herx-heimer reactions, chronic fatigue, sequence of chronic infections)
- Kiran Krishnan Microbiologist (the finest I have seen to date regarding the microbiome interface and human health)
- George Clingan (this is one of the most beautiful resources of a website I have ever seen, a must visit)
- Andrew Whitfield-Cook (great podcast on all things functional medicine from Australia)
- Yasmina Ykelenstam (great info on histamine, oxalate and food sensitivity issues)
- Lisa Richards (great resource for candida infections and health restoration)
- Eileen Laird (great info on reversing autoimmune conditions with paleo template diets, strategies)
- Dr. Norm Robillard (some of the better functional info for gut-related symptomatic relief via diet modification)
- Dr. Kelly Brogan M.D. (great info on detox via coffee enemas, psychiatric health and the microbiome)
- Marc David & Emily Rosen (great info on psychological processes and our relationship with food/emotions)
- Dr. Kellyann Petrucci M.S., N.D. (great info on bone broth and functional foods)
- Dominic P. D'Agostino PhD (great info on ketogenic diets and their impact on cancer & health)
- Chris Kresser M.S. L.Ac (one of the most knowledgable practitioners as a whole)
- Ben Greenfield (one of the best people at deconstructing optimal health strategies)
- Rebecca Coomes (one of the best at delivering SIBO content for those with digestive issues)
- Dr. John Douillard D.C., C.A.P. (possibly the person closest to strategies at restoring gut lining & immune response of any listed)
- Mike Mutzel (full of great interviews on his podcast to dissect functional medicine)
- Abel James (his wild diet is awesome, has a great podcast interviewing worthwhile people)
- Dave Asprey (one of the thought-leaders in functional foods and self-experimentation)
- Robb Wolf (one of the better people for deconstructing ancestral diets)
- Paul Stamets (one of the greatest resources for all things fungi, mushroom and mycelium as adaptogens/cancer care)
- Peter McCoy (one of the leaders in all things mycology, how these adaptogens heal the body and soil)
- Joe Cohen (one of the best resources on articles to detail deeper understanding of all things health-optimization)
- The Power of Poop Resource (just a great resource for fecal matter transplant information)
- Teri Cochrane CN, CCP (avoiding Amyloids or truncated proteins and getting back to a Wildatarian diet to address the root issue of infections such as Epstein Barr Virus)
Lab Testing Resources
What labs can be used from home/in office to help make better informed decisions with wellness strategies?
(it is NOT necessary to do all of these tests or even most of these tests, this is simply to give you a glance of potentially beneficial ways to do some more detailed detective work. Dr. Michael Ruscio is the most conservative on the front of labs of the functional medical practitioners I am aware of, all the while still getting great results, so I would suggest listening to his podcast to get more details on how he interprets data and what he suggests testing with first. Most recommend OATS as the first to test with.)
A notation on thyroid health and ranges you need to be aware of to make better medical choices.
A quote from Dr. Amy Myers regarding thyroid health. I STRONGLY urge you to study up on this as its often a complicating factor in gut issues, especially slow motility.
"In my functional medicine practice, I have found that the ranges below are the ones in which my patients (and myself) thrive. I listen to my patients as well, and take how they are feeling into account.
TSH 1-2 UIU/ML or lower (Armour or compounded T3 can artificially suppress TSH)
FT4 >1.1 NG/DL
FT3 > 3.2 PG/ML
RT3 less than a 10:1 ratio RT3:FT3
TPO – TgAb – < 4 IU/ML or negative"
Amy Myers M.D. Thyroid Connection
(it is NOT necessary to do all of these tests or even most of these tests, this is simply to give you a glance of potentially beneficial ways to do some more detailed detective work. Dr. Michael Ruscio is the most conservative on the front of labs of the functional medical practitioners I am aware of, all the while still getting great results, so I would suggest listening to his podcast to get more details on how he interprets data and what he suggests testing with first. Most recommend OATS as the first to test with.)
- Vibrant America for Leaky Gut Panel (gut zoomer, this is used by Dr. Jack Wolfson for better results for gut conditions)
- IBS Chek Test (a new test for determining IBS as well if SIBO was caused by food poisoning as described by Dr. Allison Siebecker)
- Ubiome Microbiome Testing (not clinically relevant quite yet, but a great snapshot as to the diversity of your microbiome)
- Urine Toxic & Essential Elements (a test for environmental toxicity and heavy metals)
- Full Thyroid Panel (TSH Free T4 Free T3 Reverse T3 Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb) Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb) this is recommended by Amy Myers M.D. she also has a list of proper ranges based on her functional medical practice)
- Cyrex Laboratories Array 3 (which measures wheat and gluten proteome reactivity and autoimmunity)
- Cyrex Laboratories Array 4 (which measures covers other cross-reactive proteins)
- Cyrex Laboratories Array 5 (this one tracks as a Multiple Autoimmune Reactivity Screen)
- Cyrex Laboratories Array 7 (this tests for neurological autoimmune reactivity)
- Cyrex Laboratories Array 10 (this tests for multiple food sensitivities which can shed light on how better to fine-tune diet)
- 23andMe (with this data you can run it through online algorithms to see what supplements/foods may be in your best interest)
- The Metyhlation Panel (a detailed account for methylation status which can be helpful for determining detoxification capacity)
- #201AC - HPA Stress profile with Insomnia Sample (stress levels tracker to help determine complicating factors for fatigue)
- Complete Blood Panel (blood sugar; lipids; comprehensive metabolic panel; thyroid panel; various nutrients like B12, magnesium, vitamin D; some inflammatory markers like hs-C-reactive protein, homocysteine; things like GGT, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase; then a CBC with the basic immune markers. Here's an example of a video tutorial by Ben Greenfield as to what might be one of the most comprehensive of blood panels out there by Wellness FX.)
- Doctor’s Data Comprehensive Stool Analysis (this is one of the finest for stool tests on the market currently)
- #401H Stool Analysis (sometimes best to run back-back with Doctor's Data above as Chris Kresser will do in difficult cases)
- SIBO Breath Testing Resource (a resource of where to source your breath test for SIBO)
- The RealTime Lab Mycotoxin Test (unfortunately not available in every state but a promising lab for mycotoxin exposure, also see the documentary funded by Dave Asprey called Moldy. Be sure to do a glutathione challenge test by consuming or using transdermal glutathione about 30-45 min before this test as it will show whether or not you are burdened by myocotoxins.)
- Organic Acids Test [OATS Testing] (the #1 test to run in functional medicine as it gives the most bang for your buck, it helped me to determine fungal markers as well as neurotransmitter imbalances which were remediated via simple amino acid + vitamin methylated b intervention)
A notation on thyroid health and ranges you need to be aware of to make better medical choices.
A quote from Dr. Amy Myers regarding thyroid health. I STRONGLY urge you to study up on this as its often a complicating factor in gut issues, especially slow motility.
"In my functional medicine practice, I have found that the ranges below are the ones in which my patients (and myself) thrive. I listen to my patients as well, and take how they are feeling into account.
TSH 1-2 UIU/ML or lower (Armour or compounded T3 can artificially suppress TSH)
FT4 >1.1 NG/DL
FT3 > 3.2 PG/ML
RT3 less than a 10:1 ratio RT3:FT3
TPO – TgAb – < 4 IU/ML or negative"
Amy Myers M.D. Thyroid Connection
"Functional medicine is about causes, not symptoms. It is getting to the root of the problem."
Mark Hyman M.D.
Mark Hyman M.D.