How many of you have gone to see a doctor with a list of symptoms only to be told after running a bunch of tests that everything looks.... drum roll please.... normal?

I know because I've experienced it, and hear the same story over and over from friends and clients. Ready to have your mind blown?

The reference ranges that medical doctors look at on labwork are statistical ranges that take into account 95% of the population whom doesn't have a formal disease diagnosis. That's a VERY large range which means you'll also find a lot of "dis-ease" and very symptomatic people within those norms too.

Doctors use these reference ranges to diagnose disease. BUT until you actually develop a diagnosable disease that falls close to or outside of these reference ranges, you're told that everything looks "normal".

Well normal certainly is not optimal, especially when you're symptomatic enough to be going to the doctor for help in the first place.

So what can you do? You seek a different health care model; one that looks at the interconnectedness of the body's symptoms as a whole, that focuses on addressing the root cause of imbalances and dysfunctions, and on reversing disease trends. That's what functional medicine aims to do.

Don't get me wrong. Conventional medicine is brilliant at dealing with acute crisis and disease management - they really do save lives! But its purpose is different and we need both healthcare models.

How to find a good functional practitioner, what to look for and what to ask:

✔️The Institute for Functional Medicine offers the largest directory of FM certified practitioners worldwide (ifm.org / @instituteforfxmed)

✔️Naturopathic.org offers a listing of accredited naturopaths in the US who also offer telemedicine services.

✔️Cand.ca helps you find an accredited naturopath in each province of Canada.

✔️The School of Applied Functional Medicine has a global listing of their AFMC certified functional medicine coaches and practitioners (@schoolappliedfunctionalmed)

✔️ The Nutritional Therapy Association provides a listing of amazing nutritional therapy practitioners worldwide (@ntatraining)

✔️KnewHealth.com is an amazing new concept that will soon be revolutionizing healthcare by providing patients with affordable care and access to an army of worldwide health coaches and functional doctors. @knew_health 

A few other points to consider...

1. Don't be afraid to work with someone remotely. I have clients all around the globe and it doesn't stop us from getting amazing results.

2. Ask about session structure. How much time will you get in each session and how frequently will you meet (in person or over the phone)? They should be no less than 45 minutes long and have a minimum of one follow-up per month to monitor progress and offer education.

3. Referrals and recommendations are a must. Read testimonials and don't be afraid to ask to speak to previous clients/patients.

4. Start following other FM practitioners on social media. Click to see who I'm following from my Instagram page, and use that as a starting point. There is a wealth of rich content and education being offered by many.

I hope this was helpful. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below.