Kevin in an attempt to be funny, said, "So does that mean that other types of medicine are non-functional?" I couldn't help to laugh, but I have to admit that he is incredibly smart...
Functional medicine is "a medical practice or treatments that focus on optimal functioning of the body and its organs, usually involving systems of holistic or alternative medicine."
What we really have here is a PERFECT balance between Holistic/Natural expertise and Modern Medicine.
For several months I suspected problems with my health. Likely Hypothyroidism, or Hashimotos, Estrogen Dominance, Adrenal Fatique, perhaps Candidia and likely Leaky Gut. But where do you go to be tested? How do you find a provider that will assist you with healing?
You could make an appointment with your doctor, Oh, just wait for their response and facial expression!
Estrogen Dominance, Adrenal Fatique, Candidia, and Leaky Gut are all conditions that are not recognized by most doctors. It then becomes literally impossible to heal and reverse your condition when this is the case.
I am a big fan of healing my body from the inside out, not covering up or addressing individual symptoms.
Unfortunately, there are many things wrong with medicine today. I asked myself, "Are they really trying to make me well?" Also, "What do they consider to be healthy?"
Consider a few things:
- Health and wellness = less doctor appointments, less follow ups, and less time spent overall in a hospital.
- Health and wellness = less prescriptions - less money to pharmaceuticals, less drug reactions- including allergies, less dependencies, abuse, and overall use.
- Health and wellness = less money billed and collected to or from insurance companies.
- A life of health and wellness = less cancer, obesity, diabetes, depression and every other chronic and acute condition.
I've been told it can take up to 18 years for something to makes its way into traditional medicine. But this is not about time, this is about businesses and money. I'm not saying that these doctors are bad people. Most of them likely found an interest in their field from a personal experience of their own or that of a close friend or relative.
Hormone problems, for example, are all too often masked and covered up by birth control pills! Conveniently we have prescription hormones that can be easily order and dispersed. Young girls are being prescribed them not because of the need or desire to avoid pregnancy but to deal with irregular menses, painful periods, or to assist their bodies to have periods in the first place. Which, BTW, if you or someone you know is struggling, I strongly recommend Nicole Jardim, I fell in love with her during a "Creating Fertile Ground" conference. Back in September, I bought and completed her 5- day Liver Detox, which I extended to 10 days.
Are we taking into account diet, exercise, stress management, vitamin deficiencies,or cortisol and thyroid levels?
Are we taking into account diet, exercise, stress management, vitamin deficiencies,or cortisol and thyroid levels?
Frankly we believe that doctors spend their free time reading up on current studies, and implementing evidence-based care. Most of them do not. Most providers just have their way of doing things, despite what scientific research says, this is bad, we should stop or at least use caution or this is good and shows benefits, we should use this in our practice. This sadly is more common in the birth world...!
Before I began to look for a thyroid doctor, I read enough about thyroid testing to see that most doctors only test for TSH levels. Only TSH! Which if you know nothing about thyroid, there are several things to check for in order to get the "whole picture" and to understand exactly what is going on. This is a problem because TSH may or may not indicate a problem with the thyroid. It makes my heart hurt for the many, many women who have their TSH tested and told that they are fine. But what if they don't feel fine?
I was introduced to a really great website called "Stop The Thyroid Madness!" (Link below) This website will help you understand more about thyroid and adrenal problems as well as how to read your results. They also go into more depth about how TSH cannot determine a thyroid problem.
Just to give you an idea of what the "whole picture" looks like:
I was introduced to a really great website called "Stop The Thyroid Madness!" (Link below) This website will help you understand more about thyroid and adrenal problems as well as how to read your results. They also go into more depth about how TSH cannot determine a thyroid problem.
Just to give you an idea of what the "whole picture" looks like:
- TSH
- Free T3 and Free T4
- Reverse T3
- Thyroid Antibodies
- Iron (4 different tests)
- Adrenal Cortisol (Saliva test)
- B-12 and Folate
- Glucose
- RBC - which tests Magnesium and Potassium
- Vitamin D3
- Sex Hormones, (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA)
- Candidia - Intestinal Yeast
- MTHFR Gene, if history or other reason to suspect is present.
Functional medicine doctors will order these tests.
Why choose a functional medicine doctor?
For me I wanted someone who would listen to my concerns, but also someone who knew what I was talking about. Like I mentioned earlier, you have to recognize the problem in order to fix it!
Why choose a functional medicine doctor?
For me I wanted someone who would listen to my concerns, but also someone who knew what I was talking about. Like I mentioned earlier, you have to recognize the problem in order to fix it!
I wish functional medicine doctors were more popular, accepted, or even known. There is a practice in Salt Lake, Red River Health and Wellness and The Health and Rejuvenation Institute, located in Spanish Fork. I cannot count the number of times I've seen people rave about Dr. Lundell and how he is well worth the drive. I was referred to Dr. Lundell from a very happy and satisfied patient of his.
She warned me that he is busy and hard to get into. I made an appointment for March. (4 months away!) I then proceeded to call and check for cancellation appointments. One of these times I was asked if I would like to be put on the cancellation list, one that would be called when their was a cancelled appointment. I had heard that it was a very long list and that it wasn't worth it. She informed me that they had recently cleaned out the list and there were only 8 or 9 people ahead of me. So I was put at the bottom of the list. Really what was the chance that they would call all of these women and none of them would be able to take the next cancelled appointment? For two weeks I had no luck. No one was cancelling. I was impatient because I felt that this was my next step and something I needed to do before I tried for another successful pregnancy. After two weeks though, I became so discouraged and prayed even harder. It was a lesson on faith and patience.
It may seem silly or unimportant but by this time I was beginning to feel emotional healing from the loss of our baby, almost one year ago. I didn't understand why I had not had the impression to look into this sooner. To me it seemed more convenient to heal both emotionally and physically at the same time. What also began to weigh on my mind... how long was this going to take? Would I have to wait until March to start? Would it take a year or more to get my body fixed?
On November 18th, I had been unable to get through to the receptionist for the past few business days. I fell to my knees and fervently prayed to my Father in Heaven. Expressing to him the desires of my heart, my frustrations and my worries. I felt that I was asking for a very good thing, I specifically asked that if there was some way that someone could cancel their appointment and that I would somehow, someway be able to get it, I would be happier or grateful, or whatever I needed to be.
Just the day before I was taking a shower while Kevin called, I got out to see who it was and then continued on with my shower. I received a voicemail from Kevin, "Good thing I'm not the doctor's office calling about a cancellation...." I returned his phone call and informed him that I checked the caller and that I knew I could call him back. About the same time of day, the following day, I was about to run downstairs when I heard my phone ringing. I just knew it was either Kevin again... or it was them. I saw their number and I just knew that this was it! I got the call that they had an opening on November 25th, one week away! Not even last minute! He truly, truly has been an answer to so many of my prayers. After the phone call I returned to my bed to offer so much gratitude for my blessings and for the assistance that I had received. I had heard that you either have to answer or they will move on to the next person. Somehow, someway, they had called each of the numbers and I was the one to receive the appointment slot.
She warned me that he is busy and hard to get into. I made an appointment for March. (4 months away!) I then proceeded to call and check for cancellation appointments. One of these times I was asked if I would like to be put on the cancellation list, one that would be called when their was a cancelled appointment. I had heard that it was a very long list and that it wasn't worth it. She informed me that they had recently cleaned out the list and there were only 8 or 9 people ahead of me. So I was put at the bottom of the list. Really what was the chance that they would call all of these women and none of them would be able to take the next cancelled appointment? For two weeks I had no luck. No one was cancelling. I was impatient because I felt that this was my next step and something I needed to do before I tried for another successful pregnancy. After two weeks though, I became so discouraged and prayed even harder. It was a lesson on faith and patience.
It may seem silly or unimportant but by this time I was beginning to feel emotional healing from the loss of our baby, almost one year ago. I didn't understand why I had not had the impression to look into this sooner. To me it seemed more convenient to heal both emotionally and physically at the same time. What also began to weigh on my mind... how long was this going to take? Would I have to wait until March to start? Would it take a year or more to get my body fixed?
On November 18th, I had been unable to get through to the receptionist for the past few business days. I fell to my knees and fervently prayed to my Father in Heaven. Expressing to him the desires of my heart, my frustrations and my worries. I felt that I was asking for a very good thing, I specifically asked that if there was some way that someone could cancel their appointment and that I would somehow, someway be able to get it, I would be happier or grateful, or whatever I needed to be.
Just the day before I was taking a shower while Kevin called, I got out to see who it was and then continued on with my shower. I received a voicemail from Kevin, "Good thing I'm not the doctor's office calling about a cancellation...." I returned his phone call and informed him that I checked the caller and that I knew I could call him back. About the same time of day, the following day, I was about to run downstairs when I heard my phone ringing. I just knew it was either Kevin again... or it was them. I saw their number and I just knew that this was it! I got the call that they had an opening on November 25th, one week away! Not even last minute! He truly, truly has been an answer to so many of my prayers. After the phone call I returned to my bed to offer so much gratitude for my blessings and for the assistance that I had received. I had heard that you either have to answer or they will move on to the next person. Somehow, someway, they had called each of the numbers and I was the one to receive the appointment slot.
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