Root Cause Consultation

We have all been there.  Waiting for our appointments for sometimes a long wait and when we go to see the provider in a busy, traditional doctor’s office, we are asked a couple of questions and rushed out in 20 minutes or less.  Maybe this is not always the case.  There have been many providers over the years I have encountered that maximize their time and make you feel you are the most important person in the room.  However, this is unfortunately not the norm.  Not that providers intend to hurry or prioritize incorrectly, but this occurs mostly due to insurance demands, how medical professionals are trained and the reimbursement model they have been given to work within.

I started my journey in nursing in 2008, building a career in the cardiac specialty that landed me in a CVICU for several years helping patients recover from open heart surgery, among other serious cardiac conditions and situations.  I enjoyed it very much.  Despite the drama that ensued among co-workers and stress that comes with the territory, I could to some extent see the benefit of what I was doing.  Until I realized one day that as patients were being discharged from the hospital setting, nurses are given maybe 15 minutes to go over a booklet of paperwork and expect patients to understand the material. Before we know it, we see them again with similar problems.  Diabetes has not been managed, high blood pressure is still prevalent and whatever diet we taught them on before leaving went out the window. They certainly received medication education, though. Looking back, I realize that the wrong information is being emphasized.  But then, the seed was just being sown of where I would eventually open my eyes to the true problem. 

I advanced onto Nurse Practitioner training, knowing this was next for me but unsure of where exactly to start.  I am grateful I received training for family practice so that I could have a broad range of knowledge.  However, there was a great emphasis on prescribing medications and being a ‘safe prescriber.’  Soon after graduating, I stumbled upon functional medicine.  I was curious.  What does this mean?  What does this look like?  I worked in wound care for a brief period and in my own time, I began understanding more about finding the root cause of illness, not just covering up symptoms with a pill.  I decided to be a certified functional medicine practitioner so that I could use this knowledge to help people get to the ROOT of illness and symptoms.  I was finding this out for myself and for others.

Personally, I dealt with mild IBS for over 10 years.  When I had sought help with conventional medicine, I was given a proton pump inhibitor, told to eat more fiber and that was it.  I did not know that I could find a fiber source that was not full of artificial flavor and color and other nonessential ingredients.  I was close to losing hope.  However, I began to see what actually works as I was researching how to help others.   Understanding more about what it means to identify root causes led me to also discover that I had an overrun immune system and hormonal imbalances that needed to be addressed.  I learned these were in their own ways connected and as I began to address my microbiome, the other issues began to improve.  I initially avoided gluten and added psyllium husk for fiber, and have since been removing processed foods from my diet, focusing on whole foods.  It has been only about 2 years and I have seen so much improvement, including keeping weight off, better gut health and less of feeling ‘run down.’ When I tried this several years ago, I thought I was ‘eating healthy’ when choosing salads or just cutting down on sugars; however, it did not help me feel any better. I have since realized that the timing of eating and the proper balance of proteins, healthy fats and fiber with less carbohydrates are what truly help optimize function in the body. I continue to learn how to optimize my health and also to learn much more about whole person health. I am here to help others in their journeys of discovery as well.

Healthcare professionals have known for decades that about 80% of chronic illnesses can be prevented with diet and lifestyle changes.  Yet, the majority of studies and research that is done in mainstream medical is largely funded from those benefiting from the pharmaceutical industry.  While many times the reality of the burden of chronic illness on the body and the reasons for the consequential illness are revealed within the studies, the recommendations for conventional medicine tend to lean toward a medication or treatment that manages the symptoms, rather than address the root cause.  We need quality research to get the necessary data and know what is safe and effective.  However, we also need to get back to finding the reason for the disruption in the body’s balance and how to return the balance with what the body actually needs.

The reality is that where we live (environment) and how we live our lives (diet, lifestyle, daily choices) affects how we experience life – whether we are well or ill, how well we function, how well our brains work, etc.  There is so much at stake when it comes to our metabolic and overall health, and yet we are not taught as a whole to evaluate the ‘soil’ of our health when we are young and need to begin healthy living habits that preserve optimal function.  This is why I choose the root cause approach.  We are a whole person with a mind, body and spirit that are connected and affect each other.  Mental health may be disrupted because of poor gut health or toxic burden.  Anxiety contributes to poor gut health due to the hormones and processes involved.  All parts of our body are connected – even if they aren’t side by side!  Getting to the root of the problem addresses these connections and finds the path to regaining balance and thriving in life again.

I have seen and heard so many stories and experienced for myself the freedom that comes from this approach.  Understanding labs better, going the extra mile with functional testing that seeks the source of symptoms and finding the way to healing from the root and making daily changes in how and what we eat is all worth the cost and time it takes to find the answers.  Looking at the root cause approach and conventional medicine side by side, it should be a no-brainer.  For acute and life-threatening problems – definitely be seen by conventional medicine (urgent care, hospitals). But for understanding ongoing symptoms, chronic illness and many others that hinder your quality of life – see someone who knows about getting to the root cause!

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:23