Functional Medicine in Lakewood, CO

Why Choose A Functional Medicine Doctor For Chronic Health Conditions?

Functional medicine takes a radically different approach to treating chronic health conditions compared to conventional medicine. Rather than just treating symptoms, functional medicine aims to get to the root cause of disease by taking a holistic, personalized approach.

If you suffer from gut issues, hormonal imbalances, sleep disorders, weight gain, brain fog or other unresolved chronic symptoms, seeing a functional medicine doctor can provide real answers.

Some of the most common chronic conditions that respond well to functional medicine include: 

• Digestive disorders like IBS, SIBO, leaky gut syndrome, Crohn’s and colitis
• Thyroid disorders like hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s
• Adrenal dysfunction, anxiety and hormonal imbalances
• Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia
• Obesity, diabetes and metabolic disorders
• Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and chronic fatigue

Advantages Over Traditional Medical Approaches

The functional medicine model offers significant benefits over the standard medical approach of prescribing drugs to suppress symptoms.

• Personalized treatment plans – Functional medicine doctors run advanced lab tests to identify the root causes of your health issues. They then create customized protocols based on your unique biochemistry.
• Focus on prevention – Functional medicine aims to prevent chronic disease by optimizing all your body’s systems through nutrition, supplements, detoxification, stress reduction, and lifestyle changes.
• Patient education – Functional medicine empowers patients to take charge of their own health through diet & lifestyle changes. Doctors collaborate with patients.
• Addresses root causes – Unlike drugs that just temporarily relieve symptoms, functional medicine corrects imbalances that underlie chronic disease.
• Science-based – Functional medicine relies on advanced lab testing and the latest scientific research, and treatment plans are evidence-based.

In summary, functional medicine offers a much more comprehensive approach to chronic health conditions than simply prescribing drugs to treat symptoms. By uncovering & correcting the root imbalances causing disease, functional medicine restores the body to a state of optimal wellness.

Finding The Right Functional Medicine Doctor In Lakewood/CO

Choosing a functional medicine practitioner is an important decision that requires careful evaluation of a provider’s credentials, experience, and approach to patient care. When searching for a functional medicine doctor in Lakewood, Colorado, there are several key factors to look for.

Credentials To Look For

It’s essential that any functional medicine doctor has the proper training certifications. Relevant credentials include:

• Certification in functional medicine from the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). This indicates completion of IFM’s rigorous training program.
• Certification from the American Board of Functional Medicine or Functional Medicine University. This demonstrates competency in functional medicine principles.
• They should be legally authorized to practice functional and lifestyle medicine in Colorado.
• Membership in the Institute for Functional Medicine, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) and/or the American Academy of Functional Medicine or similar organizations. This shows commitment to ongoing functional health and wellness education.

Proper credentials ensure your doctor has extensive education in addressing root causes of complex health conditions through nutrition & lifestyle changes as well as a systems biology approach.

Evaluating Potential Providers

When researching functional medicine clinics in Lakewood and  Jefferson County, consider factors like experience treating your condition, philosophy of care, and patient reviews. Useful questions to ask during initial consultations include:

• How long have you practiced lifestyle and integrative medicine? Look for 5+ years experience complex cases. Dr. Wanda Bedinghaus, MD at Lakewood’s premier functional medicine clinic has over 30 years of clinical experience.
• What conditions do you most commonly treat? Seek expertise treating your specific health concern. Here at Healing Unleashed, we have deep expertise in digestive disorders, autoimmune disease, hormonal imbalances, metabolic syndrome, obesity & dyslipidemia as well as cognitive (brain fog) & energy issues, stress & chronic pain.
• What tests will you recommend? Functional medicine relies heavily on advanced lab testing. In our clinic, Dr. Bedinghaus is very judicious of what lab tests are really needed based on her 30+ years of clinical expertise.
• How long are initial visits? Initial consults should be 60-90 minutes to thoroughly review health history.
• Do they prescribe medications? Some functional medicine doctors prescribe medications along with lifestyle changes. At Healing Unleashed, we partner with both the patient and their primary care provider to help them address their energy, gut health & metabolic imbalances without chasing the latest diet or exercise craze so they can finally enjoy a well-balanced, productive life looking and feeling their best.
• Do you accept insurance? Many functional medicine clinics operate on a cash-pay model, which is what we follow. However, we are mindful of keeping our transformational care as affordable as possible – so please inquire in our free discovery call about options right for you.

Avoid any doctor unwilling to thoroughly explain their approach or who makes exaggerated claims about the results they can achieve. Legitimate functional medicine doctors emphasize that results require commitment from patients to make diet and lifestyle changes.

With careful vetting of credentials, philosophy, and patient rapport, you can find an authentic functional medicine provider in Lakewood and Jefferson County, CO to partner with on your health journey. We’d love to invite you into a free discovery call so you can learn more about Lakewood’s premier functional medicine clinic!

The Functional Medicine Approach To Testing And Root Cause Analysis

Functional medicine relies on advanced lab testing to get to the root cause of health issues. Conventional medicine often only looks at obvious symptoms and then prescribes medications to mask those symptoms. Functional medicine digs deeper through comprehensive testing to find hidden root causes.

Why Testing Is Crucial

Lab tests like bloodwork, stool analyses, or hormone panels provide objective data about a patient’s underlying condition. Functional medicine uses this data to create highly customized treatment plans. Without testing, treatment might take longer – although an experienced functional medicine expert like Dr. Wanda Bedinghaus can oftentimes choose the right treatment approach based on clinical experience.

Common root causes found through testing include:

• Nutrient deficiencies: Low levels such as vitamin D, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc can affect immunity, energy & cognition.
• Food sensitivities such as gluten, dairy, soy eggs, and nightshades may cause inflammation, autoimmunity, or digestive issues.
• Toxins – think mold, heavy metals, or environmental chemicals – are frequently associated with chronic diseases.
• Pathogenic infections such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites can be responsible for a host of chronic symptoms.
• Hormone imbalances – including thyroid, reproductive hormones, cortisol & insulin resistance can lead to fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, cardiometabolic issues and more.

Interpreting Results and Creating Treatment Plans

Functional medicine practitioners spend time thoroughly reviewing test results to understand the big picture. They don’t just look at lab reference ranges, but optimal ranges based on clinical experience.

Treatment plans are then tailored to each patient based on test findings. For example:

• Low vitamin D would lead to vitamin D3 supplementation.
• Food sensitivities may result in an elimination diet.
• High insulin and hemoglobin A1c may require specific supplements and nutritional protocols
• SIBO diagnosis would mean antimicrobials plus prokinetics.

Functional medicine eliminates guesswork to provide data-driven, cause-oriented solutions. Through strategic testing & analysis, restoration of health is possible… even if you’ve literally tried everything and were told “your labs are normal”.

Now that we’ve covered the functional medicine approach to root cause analysis, let’s explore common functional medicine treatments protocols.

Functional Medicine Treatments & Protocols

Functional medicine providers take a radically different approach to treating chronic, complex health conditions compared to conventional medicine. Rather than just treating symptoms, functional medicine practitioners aim get to the root cause of disease.

Lifestyle Modifications

Lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, sleep & stress play a huge role in functional medicine protocols. 95% of functional medicine treatments involve some form of lifestyle modifications.

• Diet: Elimination diets are often used to identify food sensitivities. Anti-inflammatory diets rich in whole foods are emphasized.
• Exercise: Functional medicine doctors may recommend specific exercise plans depending on a patient’s needs such as gentle movement through yoga, walking, etc.
• Sleep: Patients should be educated on proper sleep hygiene. Most adults need 7-9 hours per night, yet rarely experience deep restorative sleep necessary for proper healing.
• Stress management: Meditation, deep breathing, journaling and other tools help patients better cope with stress. High cortisol levels from chronic stress contribute to inflammation and slow the natural healing processes.

Use of Supplements & Medications

In addition to lifestyle changes,functional medicine doctors may recommend nutritional supplements or herbal medicine in certain cases.

• Supplements like fish oil, vitamin D, or probiotics can help correct nutritional deficiencies that are underlying disease. Herbal remedies may also be suggested.
• In close collaboration with a patient’s primary care provider, prescription medications might be recommended for temporary symptom relief while addressing root causes. In a nutshell, functional medicine clinics will combine the best of integrative & functional medicine with conventional treatments.