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A More Natural Approach To
Health & Wellness
Your wellness plan should be as unique as you are. That's why we take a personalized functional medicine and integrative health approach, looking at nutrition, lifestyle, gut health, health history, environmental factors, and other pieces that may influence how you feel.
Understanding Integrative & Functional Medicine
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine takes a whole-person approach to health, looking beyond individual symptoms to consider how nutrition, lifestyle, health history, environment, genetics, and other factors may be connected. Rather than looking at each concern in isolation, this approach helps build a broader picture of your health and the factors that may be influencing how you feel. From there, we create a personalized wellness plan built around your individual needs, goals, and lifestyle.
One thing we value about this approach is time. Our appointments are at least one hour, giving us time to hear your full story, understand your goals, answer your questions, and build a personalized wellness plan together.
Your wellness plan may include education and support around gut health, hormone health, sleep, stress, nutrition, environmental exposures, immune health, movement, and other areas relevant to your goals.
What is Conventional Medicine?
“Conventional medicine has its place healthcare. Physicians and other licensed healthcare professionals diagnosing disease, addressing emergency health situations, and prescribe medications when needed.
Functional and integrative health takes a different approach, with more time devoted to nutrition, lifestyle, health history, environmental factors, education, and everyday habits that can influence overall health.
We believe there is value in both. Medical care is important for diagnosing and treating disease, while functional and integrative health education can give you additional tools to better understand and support your health in everyday life.
Our services are not a replacement for your physician or medical care. Instead, they are designed to work alongside the care you already receive.
How is Functional Medicine Different Than Conventional Medicine?
Conventional medicine and functional health support can both play valuable roles in your overall health, but they approach that role differently.
Appointment Times: Traditional medical appointments often have a limited amount of time available for each visit. Because we work outside of insurance, our appointments are at least one hour, giving us more time to hear your story, discuss your goals, answer questions, and provide education.
Personalization: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to wellness. We consider your health history, nutrition, lifestyle, environment, goals, preferences, and other relevant factors when building your wellness plan.
First Lines of Defense:
Conventional medicine often uses medication as a first tool for managing symptoms and health conditions, and there are absolutely situations where medication is needed. Medications can provide meaningful relief, but they may not always address other factors that could also be influencing how you feel.
A functional approach looks at everyday habits first to support your health. These changes may take time and consistency, but they can help build a stronger foundation for long-term health and wellness without relying solely on medication to manage how you feel.
Client Education: We want you to understand the “why” behind the choices you are making. Education is a major part of our approach so you can better understand your body, ask informed questions, and feel confident making decisions about your health.
Whole Person Approach:
The systems in your body do not operate independently. Digestion, sleep, stress, nutrition, hormones, immune function, movement, and other aspects of health can influence one another.
Rather than focusing on one concern in isolation, we take a broader look at the factors that may be influencing how you feel and use that information to personalize your education and wellness support.
Why Does Bio-Individuality Matter For My Health?
First things first, what is bio-individuality?
Bio-individuality simply means that no two people are exactly alike. Your health history, genetics, environment, nutrition, lifestyle, stress, sleep, preferences, and individual responses can all influence what works best for you.
That’s why we don’t believe in handing everyone the same wellness plan.
We take the time to learn about your typical diet, lifestyle, health history, goals, environment, and other relevant information. When appropriate, laboratory results may provide additional information that can also be considered.
We bring those pieces together to create a wellness plan that fits you and your life. From there, we walk alongside you with regularly scheduled visits, messaging support between appointments, and easy-to-follow education and resources to help you put what you’re learning into practice.
Why We Recommend
Lab Testing?
Your health history, symptoms, nutrition, lifestyle, and goals can tell us a lot, but not everything. Laboratory testing can provide additional information that helps build a more complete picture.
When appropriate, we recommend access to laboratory testing using an independent licensed physician. Which tests may be worth considering depends on your individual health history, goals, existing medical care, and the information you are hoping to better understand.
Before suggesting a test, we take the time to review your history and explain what information the test may provide and why it may or may not be useful for you.
Lab testing is one piece of the bigger picture. Results are considered alongside your health history, lifestyle, nutrition, goals, and other relevant information rather than being used in isolation.
Access to Advanced Lab Testing
Symptoms tell us that your body is in need of help, but they don't always tell us exactly how to best support you. Laboratory testing can provide us with additional information about your health and assist in personalizing your wellness plan. Below are some of the laboratory tests that are available through independent physician orders.
If necessary, we are able to provide access to more specialized testing than shown below. If you don't see the lab tests you are looking for, send us a message so we can discuss how we can best help you & our alternative testing options.
Food Sensitivity Test
This test helps identify your specific food sensitivities and reactions across a panel of up to 250 foods.
GI - Stool Test
This comprehensive stool test looks at bacteria, fungi, parasites, H. pylori, digestive function, gastrointestinal inflammation, and other markers related to gut health.
Organic Acid Test (OAT)
The OAT provides information about metabolism and cellular energy production, nutrient-related pathways, oxidative stress, and markers associated with bacterial and yeast metabolism. It also provides insight into how your body is using certain amino acids and nutrients.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis Test (HTMA)
This hair analysis measures vitamins, minerals, and toxic elements. It helps us identify nutrient patterns and potential exposure to toxic elements.
Adrenal Hormone Test
This test looks at your cortisol pattern throughout the day, along with sex hormones including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S, and more.
Comprehensive Thyroid Testing
Thyroid testing can be customized based on your individual needs and may include TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, thyroid antibodies, selenium, zinc, iron, ferritin, and more.
Metabolic Typing Test
This test measures key markers related to digestion, liver detoxification, and oxidative stress, providing additional insight into metabolic wellness.
Specialized Lab Tests
Specialized tests vary in scope and comprehensiveness. Additional testing may include autoimmune markers, advanced cholesterol and lipid testing, nutritional panels, conventional bloodwork, and more based on your individual needs.
Please note: Lab availability and ordering requirements vary by state. Some specialty or at-home tests may not be available in certain states. As of right now, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island have state laws that do not allow residents to do any at home lab testing. We will review testing options and availability with you before any labs are ordered.