What does “a common sense approach to health” mean?

In many ways, “common sense” is the opposite of what you experience in today’s healthcare system. Here is an example:

You have frequent episodes of diarrhea, constipation, and/or bloating.

The current standard “western medicine” process:

• You go to your general practitioner, who sends you to a GI specialist.

• After waiting possibly months (while suffering) to see the doctor, he spends about two minutes with you before referring you for an endoscopy/colonoscopy. Both require anesthesia, prep time, and cost thousands of dollars.

• Your tests show “inflammation” and your doctor gives you strong symptom-managing medications with unacceptable side effects. 

• Your problem is not resolved.

The functional medicine (my) coach approach:

• We start with a thorough discussion about when the symptoms started, and what may have changed in your life around that time. (Stress? A new medication? Antibiotics? Change in ingredients in your favorite food?)

• Options for getting answers are considered, based on your wishes. Could it be something you are eating? Simple dietary changes, an elimination diet, or intolerance/allergy testing could be helpful. Are you worried it may be more involved? GI Map or GI Effects stool tests (around $400) show a very complete picture of what is going on in your gut, including underlying infections, dysbiosis, poor bacterial balance, low digestive enzymes, parasites or leaky gut. Less expensive gut tests (Viome, Thorne) at about $100-200 can show a broader (less specific but still helpful) report of your gut health.

• We will talk about how YOU feel you should proceed. Is there a food you eat daily that you want to try eliminating for a few weeks? Are you currently in a stressful situation that may be affecting your symptoms? Do you need to be referred to a functional medicine or GI doctor?

• In most cases, a change in diet is all that is needed. Others may be helped with gut-healing or stress-reducing protocols. Very rarely (if at all), in the hundreds of patients/clients I have dealt with, has anyone needed acute medical intervention.

So here it is. Look at the obvious, easy, inexpensive ways to address the situation. Unfortunately, a lot of healthcare these days is guided by lawsuit prevention and higher profits…which explains ordering invasive, over-the-top testing for a problem that may be fixed by changing your milk from cow’s to almond. My thought is, try the easy fixes first. Unless it is a dire situation, or your gut feeling is you need a colonoscopy or endoscopy, what do you have to lose by trying a common-sense approach first?

My family has been failed repeatedly by the medical establishment. (The “standard western medicine process” listed above was experienced by my daughter, at age 14. And several other patients/clients over the years.) My other child experienced severe constipation as a baby, resulting in many trips to the doctor and harsh medications. It was a nurse in the practice who noticed his peeling skin and mentioned a possible food allergy…one blood test later, and he was diagnosed with a dairy allergy. Removing milk changed everything for him. And don’t get me started on the “high blood pressure” diagnoses nearly every member of my family has received…due to their anxiety from BEING AT THE DOCTOR. Sheesh.

I do appreciate western medicine’s ability to eradicate infections, or save lives with surgeries. It is good for acute illnesses/injuries that can be “fixed” that way. And some medications can be game-changers. But while traditional doctors look at patients as a series of “parts,” I strongly believe that our body is one entity in which all the pieces work together. (Have you ever felt a punch in the gut when you heard bad news? That is because the brain and the gut are connected via the vagus nerve…so yes, one does affect the other.) I have seen firsthand that functional medicine WORKS. I am happy to help you figure out how it can help you!