Practitioner Guides
Questions to Ask Your Holistic Health Practitioner
Ask about credentials, training specifics, and licensure before your first visit — 'holistic' is not a regulated term
8 min readApr 22, 2026
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Functional Medicine JournalYour health questions,
Your health questions,
answered.
Root-cause protocols, lab guides, and evidence-based insights — so you can take charge of your health.
Gut Health and Microbiome
Not Just IBS: Kelsey Essink on Why Your Gut Is Responding to What You Thought Was Permanent
Gut symptoms usually have upstream causes: nutrition gaps, nervous-system dysregulation, poor sleep, medications, or unidentified inflammatory triggers. Treating the symptom without finding the source is why so many patients feel they are chasing a moving target.
7 min readApr 21, 2026
Pain and Musculoskeletal
Diagnosis First, Needles Second: Nicholas Adams on Matching Acupuncture to the Pain You Actually Have
Effective acupuncture starts with a diagnostic question, not a needle: what is actually causing this pain? A practitioner who skips the history and exam is guessing.
8 min readApr 21, 2026
Sleep and Circadian Rhythm
Cortisol Awakening Response Test: A Functional Medicine Guide to Interpreting Your Results
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) provides deeper insight into adrenal function than single-point cortisol tests, revealing circadian rhythm disruptions
13 min readApr 21, 2026
Mold and Toxins
Can Environmental Toxins Cause Weight Gain? The Hidden Link
Obesogens — chemicals that promote fat storage — are found in plastics, pesticides, personal care products, and household items.
12 min readApr 21, 2026
Lab Interpretation and Testing
Iron Panel Interpretation: A Complete Functional Medicine Guide
Standard lab ranges for iron markers are not the same as optimal functional ranges — you can feel terrible and still be told your labs are 'normal'.
14 min readApr 20, 2026
Thyroid Disorders
Subclinical Hypothyroidism Treatment: Comparing Conventional, Functional, and Integrative Approaches
Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is defined as elevated TSH (typically 4.5–10 mIU/L) with normal free T4 and free T3—but 'subclinical' doesn't mean 'symptom-free.'
13 min readApr 19, 2026
Inflammation and Autoimmune
Cytokine Storm Explained: Understanding Inflammatory Overload and Its Root Causes
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11 min readApr 19, 2026
Mold and Toxins
Infrared Sauna for Detox: Benefits, Research, and How to Use It
Infrared saunas heat your body directly rather than heating the air, allowing longer sessions at lower temperatures.
13 min readApr 18, 2026
Hormones and Endocrine
Bioidentical Hormones vs Synthetic: What You Need to Know
Bioidentical hormones are molecularly identical to what your body produces; synthetic hormones have altered structures
12 min readApr 18, 2026
Pain and Musculoskeletal
Sciatica Is Not a Surgery-First Problem: Mark Croucher on Diagnosis and Collaborative Spine Care
Sciatica is a symptom pattern, not a diagnosis — disc herniation, spinal stenosis, and hip or piriformis pathology can produce similar leg pain, and each points to a different treatment pathway.
9 min readApr 17, 2026
Womens Health and Fertility
Fertility and Functional Medicine: A Root-Cause Approach
Infertility is often a symptom of deeper imbalances—not a standalone diagnosis.
12 min readApr 17, 2026