I’m very proud to say that I passed my Functional Medicine exam and am now certified as a Functional Medicine Practitioner!

Last year I completed the coursework to become a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner. This allows me to help you find the root cause of your dis-ease so that you can become your own best advocate. After all, no one knows your body better than you do. To quote Dr. Jeffrey Bland,  the Father of Functional Medicine,

“The origin of the disease is always unique.” 

This I know for sure. Ten clients could have the same diagnosis and have ten different root causes. So how do we expect that one pill is going to reverse illness and rebuild health? It doesn’t. It will merely mask the symptoms so you feel better and hope that your body heals itself. Hence the title of this blogpost Healing From Within.

“Your body’s self healing and self repairing, if you can just get out of your own way.” 

Functional Diagnostic testing helps you do that. So does the D.R.E.S.S. for Success Program addressing Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress reduction and Supplementation customized to you after identifying your HIDDEN stressors. Together, we identify Stressors caused by imbalances in your Hormones, Immune system, Diet, Detoxification capacity, Energy production and Nervous system.  We then use fundamental principles to rebuild health.

So what is Functional Medicine? This is the evolution of medicine. I can’t tell you how many of my clients see multiple physicians, and have multiple diagnoses and labels, each given multiple medications, to manage their dis-ease.

In my former clinic, I would see patients with Crohn’s disease, or stomach cancer, or iron deficiency anemia (and witness) not one physician (from well known institutions) recommending a change in diet to alleviate symptoms. One of my favorite patients had had 5 bowel resections and had been bleeding for 10 years requiring regular iron infusions and b12 shots. I asked him if anyone had suggested he go on a gluten free diet. He replied

“No, but I’ve read about that and have considered it myself.” 

I gave him my Kick-Start to Wellness Guidebook with recipes and 3 weeks later received an email from him. For the first time in 10 years he stopped bleeding and his hematocrit and hemoglobin (H&H) blood levels rose. H&H measures the amount of oxygen in your blood, when low you may get a diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. A prime example of how health begins in the gut.

To quote the Institute of Functional Medicine,

“Functional Medicine asks how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root cause of disease for each individual.”

How many times have you gone to the doctor, received a diagnosis and a prescription drug and told to just exercise more and lose weight?  What’s wrong with this picture? First of all, if it were as simple as this, you would have done it already. A Functional Medicine Practitioner helps you uncover the hidden internal and external stressors that is keeping you stuck.

In fact, most of my clients need to do just the opposite. Most need to exercise less and eat more healthy fat. This is not a typo. Despite the recent hoopla on the news, coconut oil does have benefit and (healthy) fat will not make you fat. Understanding that cholesterol is the essential precursor to your sex and metabolic hormones as well as the lining of your cellular membranes is key to changing these old medical myths.

So in a nutshell, this is what I do. I help you uncover what your unique body needs. We then co-create a plan to replete digestive and nutritional insufficiencies, eliminate hidden internal and external toxins, and help you prioritize you so your unique body will do what it naturally does…heal from within.

Carpe Diem and enjoy this glorious weekend!

With Love & Gratitude,

Lisa Jackson,

About Lisa Jackson RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN-P, AFMC
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and a functional medicine coach with a mission to inspire, educate, and empower, clients towards optimal wellbeing.

She is the former Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Lisa’s book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think and Thrive outlines her seven-step process towards optimal health that is fun and transformational.

Lisa is part of the Functional Forum and Evolution of Medicine, the New Self Health Movement and the founder of the Wellness Inspired Network and Carpe Diem Wellness. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.