What Functional Medicine Really Means
Functional medicine looks at why your symptoms appear, not just how to silence them.
Instead of asking, “What diagnosis fits these symptoms?”
Functional medicine asks, “What internal imbalance is creating these symptoms?”
It treats the body as one connected system, where:
• hormones
• gut health
• detox pathways
• stress
• sleep
• nutrients
• inflammation
• metabolism
...all influence one another. This approach explains why symptoms often show up long before disease does and why you can feel unwell even when everything looks “normal.”
Why Conventional Labs Miss What Functional Medicine Finds
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Conventional Medicine:
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Screens for disease
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Uses basic lab ranges
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Checks if you’re “within normal limits”
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Conventional labs ask:
Are you sick?
Functional Medicine:
• Screens for imbalance
• Uses deeper, root-cause labs
• Looks at optimal ranges, not just normal ones
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Functional medicine asks:
Is your body functioning properly?
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WHY FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE LABS
MATTER
Conventional labs often miss the early signs of internal imbalance. Functional medicine labs measure deeper patterns in:
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hormones
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metabolism
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stress response
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gut health
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inflammation
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elimination and detox pathways
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mineral balance
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toxic exposure
These insights explain how your body is operating below the surface; long before anything becomes severe enough to flag on conventional tests.
If you’ve ever been told “everything is fine,” but you know something is off, this is where the clarity comes from.
Health Is More Than Diet and Exercise
Diet
How your food choices support or stress your body.
Rest
Your sleep quality and your body's ability to repair overnight.
Exercise
Movement patterns that balance or disrupt your hormones.
Emotions
Nervous system patterns that influence inflammation and digestion.
Stress
Your emotional, physical, and environmental stress load.
Supplements
Where targeted support may be needed based on internal data.
Toxins
Everyday exposures that affect hormones, metabolism, and scalp health.
Success
Your consistency, habits, and readiness for root-cause healing.
This approach is inspired by principles from the DESTRESS Protocol® and adapted through my training, clinical experience, and client work.
Explore Functional Medicine Lab Options
Stress, Mood & Metabolism Test
This test measures:
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Thyroid hormone levels
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Adrenal cortisol patterns
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Hormonal rhythm
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Metabolic markers connected to energy and stress
Food Sensitivity Test
This test measures:
• Delayed IgG reactions to specific foods
• Inflammatory responses to food exposure
Below is an overview of some of the most commonly used functional medicine labs.
These are a few examples of the types of labs used to uncover root causes of symptoms
Gut Bacteria & Parasite Test
This test measures:
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Bacterial balance
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Yeast/fungal levels
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Parasites
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Gut inflammation markers
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Digestion & absorption function
Mineral & Heavy Metal Test
This test measures:
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Essential mineral levels
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Mineral ratios
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Toxic metal exposure
Frequently asked questions
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