Hello friends! I recently became certified in Functional Medicine for nursing through the Integrative Nurse Coach Academy. First off, I just want to let any of my fellow nurses know how much I recommend this program. We can integrate functional medicine anywhere we practice with educating patients about different tools and lifestyle changes to manage their wellness. The course was eye opening, refreshing, and I have learned so much about truly helping patients navigate their wellness and move toward desired health outcomes.
Anyway, moving forward with why I am writing this blog and feel passionate about educating my community about functional medicine! I came across this program after my own health journey of using functional medicine and working with a functional medicine practitioner. It was the first cohort of this program and I am so grateful I was a part of it! It makes my heart happy to know the education is available specifically for nurses. Functional medicine is so needed in our lives and in our healthcare system. I have my own personal health story that I will soon share but this is what has led me to this space. My hopes are to use my personal story and certification to help patients navigate their wellness, heal, find vitality, and promote longevity.
So, WHAT IS functional medicine?
I will use FM as an abbreviation.
FM looks into the root cause of illness or dis-ease.
For example, say you have symptoms of heartburn, bloating, or constipation. FM looks at WHY you have these symptoms and does not just provide a pharmaceutical medication that in these situations can act as a temporary band-aid.
FM looks at "systems" in our body as a whole.
Such systems I am referring to are the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, neurological system, etc. A FM practitioner or FM trained nurse understands the bodily systems within us are all connected and impact one another. For example, autoimmune disease can begin in the gut or our gastrointestinal system.
FM looks at the entire picture, literally.
Practitioners take the time to zoom out and gather as much information as possible. The intake form can be quite lengthy but is to your advantage as a patient. They start from the very beginning. For example, they are curious about your birth into this world. Was it a vaginal delivery or C-section? What medications were you given as an infant? These are recognized as factors than can impact our wellness as we grow.
FM understands and integrates holism.
Holism reflecting the significance of addressing not only the physical symptoms but our emotional and spiritual wellness. The mind, body, and spirit are addressed. Our mindset, outlook, and stressors will impact our desired health outcomes.
FM values the science of epigenetics.
The research around epigenetics has concluded that our genes do not always determine our destiny in regard to our health and wellness. Our environment and lifestyle choices and habits impact our genes. These factors can turn disease causing genes on and off. This is AMAZING! FM does not ignore our genetic makeup but integrates the science of epigenetics.
FM allows you to take back the power of your own well-being.
Your wellness and vitality is put back into your hands. It allows you to create a deeper connection with your body, to listen, and understand your own body. FM provides guidance to help you heighten vitality and with efforts to promote longevity. Many of our habits, choices, and environments will reflect our wellness and happiness. It is time to take back our power over our wellness. We know our bodies best!
FM uses nutrition, supplements and herbal medicine when needed, sometimes even pharmaceuticals, stress management techniques, and other alternative therapies to restore balance in the body.
Functional medicines values going back to the basics with some interventions. Things like: eat real whole foods, movement and exercise, stress management, and rest and sleep. These are some simple but profound things that I feel like we are moving away from in our society and culture. Rest, stress management, and deep sleep have a profound impact on our well-being. Some of these alternative therapies can become a part of our lifestyle to enhance our wellness. There are truly SO many ( it is most likely we are just unaware of them and their true value).
FM looks at each individual uniquely and values your own personal story.
No one fits in the same box. Our upbringing, environment, lifestyle, and genetic makeup are not the same. This is significant to consider when healing and moving toward optimal wellness.
A few things that I want to share that may stand out to YOU, because they stood out to me!
We are made up of more microbial genes ( bacteria, fungi, and viruses) than human genes. The research on the microbiome is fascinating! Our gut health is so significant. There is still emerging and promising research arising around the microbiome.
Imbalances in the gut are present in autoimmune conditions. Some terms to identify this imbalance are leaky gut or enhanced intestinal permeability. I can personally relate to this. I was diagnosed with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), which most likely led to a leaky gut, and then was told I have Hashimotos (an autoimmune thyroid condition). Healing the gut can help to decrease inflammation in the body, restore balance, and is great preventative medicine for chronic disease.
Thyroid health is undermined in conventional medicine because a full thyroid panel is not completed. A full thyroid panel includes: antibody testing (TPO and Tg), TSH, free T3, free T4, and reverse T3. If I had not seen a functional medicine practitioner then I would have not found out about my hypothyroidism condition until it was most likely full blown. My thyroid labs are now in the ideal range. The ideal range in functional medicine is different than what is considered "normal" in conventional medicine. My antibodies (indicates autoimmunity in this case) are still elevated at this point in time but my thyroid hormone levels are healthy and optimal! Seriously, another whole blog could be written in regard to this subject!
Gluten and dairy are food categories that are problematic for many with autoimmune conditions. Removing these foods can help to restore balance and reduce inflammation. As hard as temporary elimination diets can be, it might just be the tool for your healing and happiness!
Cholesterol is the basic building block for our sex hormones! We need cholesterol in our diet! Much more to say here, it could be another entire blog! If you have been diagnosed with hypercholesteremia, this should be addressed with your physician. That diagnosis is not just someone diagnosed with "high" cholesterol. This is a genetic disorder where the body produces too much cholesterol and can be even troublesome to manage on medication.
I truly have so much more to share! I just wanted to end with a few things that have really stood out to me on my own health journey. My intent is to educate my community about functional medicine so you know there are other options out there if you feel like you are not getting where you want to be from the conventional healthcare system. As a nurse, I want to continue my education, stay open minded to new science and understand science changes, it evolves, and that is what is amazing about science! We are all learning here on earth as we continue to navigate our own journeys. We are truly overdue for the integration of holistic care and preventative care into our healthcare system.
In functional medicine and along my journey of healing I have come to know now that health is not just the absence of disease and/or illness. Disease and illness reflect imbalances in the body and with functional medicine and holistic approaches you can work to restore balance and truly heal. Health and wellness should reflect vitality, joy, happiness, purpose, connection, and a healthy integration of your mind, body, and spirit! Our health should make us feel alive each day as each day is a gift to be felt.
We are a part of a paradigm shift that is happening on many levels and within our healthcare system is one of them. We are operating from an old paradigm. Allopathic medicine meaning our westernized healthcare system can be amazing for particular things like emergency and trauma care, certain surgeries, particular workups amongst other things. There is a time and place for this setting. Currently, we are in a state where chronic preventable diseases are rising each year and allopathic medicine isn't offering a pathway to healing for this. We can take back our power in our own wellness when we begin to see we are in control of our health.
Personally, I think it is important, actually quite essential, to consider going back to the basics and pretty much moving backward in time. We don't need to speed up, we need to learn to slow down and reconnect with what life is really about. Back to the basics meaning eating more real whole foods, growing our own food, making time for rest and play, coming back to rituals and ceremonies for deeper connection with ourselves, our planet, communities, family, and friends, movement and exercise, sleep, and finding purpose in our gift of life! These things in it-self will provide healing, healing to your mind, body, and spirit, and healing for the collective!
Okay, I got all spiritual! Sorry it is just within me! It is all so connected! My life started changing when my spirituality heightened! Thank you for reading this blog. Please feel free to comment any thoughts/questions or reach out to me! I will be working on building a nurse coaching business using functional medicine to help others!
Sending you strength, love, and empowerment! Cheers to our healing!
With Love,
Ali
***This is not medical advice. This is education and information for you to explore.***
Here are a couple references to check out! The second one is for nurses who are interested in exploring nurse coaching avenue, functional medicine, and expanding our knowledge outside the system we have been trained in!
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