At a Glance:
- Watch Video: Hear from Functional Medicine expert, Dr. Saxena, as she explains what you must do each year to keep on top of your health.
- Get all the details on the 7 things that you should be doing, with what to expect and links to get started.
Taking charge of your health means more than just a yearly visit to the doctor; it involves a comprehensive, proactive approach to understanding and optimizing your well-being.
That’s where functional medicine gives you access to unparalleled care. At Forum Health we are the one-stop-shop for everything you need to be doing to stay ahead of health issues and maximize your prevention efforts.
Read on to get my top recommendations. -Dr. Saxena
Hear from Functional Medicine expert and Chief Medical Officer at Forum Health, Dr. Shilpa P. Saxena, as she explains what you need to be doing yearly to maintain optimal health.
How you can make the most of your yearly health evaluations by focusing on these 7 things, according to a functional medicine doctor.
From detailed blood tests to personalized nutrition plans, functional and integrative medicine offers a holistic strategy to ensure you stay on top of your health. This checklist covers essential annual check-ups and assessments that can help you maintain peak health, prevent potential issues, and promote a balanced, vibrant life.
1. Comprehensive Blood Tests
Understand Your Baseline: Functional medicine recommends comprehensive blood tests annually to understand your health baseline. These tests go beyond standard cholesterol and blood sugar levels; they encompass a full range of markers that can identify potential issues before they become significant problems.
Key Markers to Check: Working with your provider, you can opt for tests that include markers for inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, vitamin and mineral levels, thyroid levels, cardiometabolic health, and hormone levels.
Exclusive Advanced Testing: A benefit of functional and integrative medicine is access to testing that traditional providers may not offer.
The Organic Acid Test (OAT) is a comprehensive diagnostic tool that measures the levels of various organic acids in urine. These organic acids are metabolic byproducts produced during the body’s normal processes of metabolism.
The OAT Measures:
- Energy Production Markers
- Neurotransmitter Metabolism
- Detoxification Pathways
- Nutrient Status
- Gut Microbiome Markers
- Amino Acid Metabolism
- Markers of Fungal or Bacterial Overgrowth
A strong immune system is key to optimal health and functioning. Immune system testing provides a comprehensive picture of your immune health, helping in the diagnosis of immune disorders, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and other conditions, while also offering guidance for personalized treatment and lifestyle changes. If you suffer from persistent fatigue, autoimmune conditions, recurring infections or have a family history of immune disorders, this advanced testing protocol could be beneficial for you. Learn more.
Knowing these insights into your health can help tailor care plans specific to your needs.
Schedule your comprehensive blood tests with a Forum Health provider near you, today.
2. Nutritional Assessments
The Importance of Personalized Nutrition: Have you experienced bloating, indigestion, or just feel you have recurring tummy troubles? Your nutritional needs are unique, especially as you age. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for everyone and finding out exactly what you need is the key to losing weight, building a healthy immune system, and finally feeling vibrant in your body.
A nutritional assessment focuses on discovering your specific dietary needs and deficiencies.
What to Expect: During your assessment, you’ll discuss your eating habits, lifestyle, and any symptoms you may be experiencing. This can help identify nutrient gaps and areas for improvement. Your provider will use this information in conjunction with advanced testing protocols they deem necessary to determine what nutrition plan is best for you. Learn more.
Practical Tips for Nutritional Improvement: Work with a nutritionist or health coach to develop a meal plan that includes a variety of foods rich in essential nutrients. Consider incorporating more whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Get more tips and recipes on our blog.
Schedule your nutritional assessment with a Forum Health provider near you, today.
3. Gut Health Evaluation
Why Gut Health Matters: Your gut is often referred to as your second brain because of the complex and extensive network of neurons in the gastrointestinal system. It plays a crucial role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function. Plus! Poor gut health can lead to many issues, from digestive problems to chronic diseases.
Common Tests and Methods: Our functional medicine providers may recommend stool tests and gut microbiome analyses to evaluate the health of your digestive system. These tests can identify imbalances, infections, and other gut-related issues.
Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth testing provides precise and comprehensive insights into your gut health. By identifying the presence of abnormal levels of bacteria in your small intestine, your provider can pinpoint the exact issue and create a tailored treatment plan just for you.
Easy Steps to Improve Gut Health: The good news is that you can start improving your gut health today. Incorporate probiotics and prebiotics into your diet, reduce your intake of processed foods, and consider gut-healing supplements like L-glutamine or aloe vera under professional guidance. Ready to reset your gut health? Get started with the GDRx Gut Detox Program.
Schedule your gut health evaluation with a Forum Health provider near you, today.
4. Hormonal Balance Check
The Role of Hormones: Hormones regulate many of your body’s processes, including metabolism, mood, and energy levels. Hormone levels fluctuate as you age or both men and women, and an imbalance can significantly affect your quality of life.
Identifying Imbalances: Saliva, blood, and urine tests are all used to measure hormone levels. These tests can detect imbalances in cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and other key hormones. Getting a full picture of your hormones is the key to protecting your health, especially as you age, and natural hormone production begins to decline. Learn more.
Remedies for Imbalances: Depending on your test results, natural remedies such as lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, and supplements like adaptogens may be recommended to balance your hormones. Additionally, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy may be recommended to maintain energy levels, mental clarity, weight management, libido and sexual health function. Learn more about BHRT for women and TRT for men.
Schedule your hormone balance check with a Forum Health provider near you, today.
5. Stress and Mental Health Assessment
Understanding Stress: Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your body, contributing to conditions that impact both physical and mental health. Physical impacts of long-term stress include heart disease, hypertension, suppressed immune function, digestive issues, muscle tension, and metabolic disturbances. Mentally and emotionally, it can lead to anxiety, depression, impaired cognitive function, sleep disorders, mood swings, unhealthy eating habits, substance abuse, and physical inactivity.
Chronic stress also increases the risk of chronic diseases and accelerates aging! Read more about how stress affects your health. Prioritizing an annual mental health assessment is crucial for identifying and managing stress.
Tools for Assessment: Questionnaires and one-on-one consultations can help evaluate your stress levels and mental health status. Common tools include the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Working with your provider, they can help you determine symptoms or conditions that may be a result of excess stress and recommend appropriate testing. Functional medicine is revolutionizing mental health care from the inside – out. Read how.
Strategies for Stress Management: Develop a stress management plan that includes practices like mindfulness, meditation, physical activity, and adequate sleep. Professional counseling or therapy might also be beneficial.
Schedule your hormone balance check with a Forum Health provider near you, today.
6. Detoxification Pathways Review
The Need for Detoxification: Your body is constantly exposed to toxins from food, water, air, cosmetics, pollution, and household products. And while your body is designed to eliminate these toxins to keep you healthy, it is common for the toxin load to become too much and your detox pathways of the skin, liver, kidneys and colon get overburdened. Aiding effective detoxification is essential to help eliminate toxins and maintain optimal health.
How to Assess Your Detox Pathways: Tests can measure how well your liver and kidneys are functioning, as well as levels of heavy metals and other toxins in your body. Functional medicine practitioners may also recommend tests like the Organic Acids Test (OAT).
Detoxification Strategies: Implementing a detox plan might include drinking plenty of water, eating organic foods, reducing exposure to toxins, and using supplements to support liver function. Additionally, our total body detox by GDRx is a complete reset that can be done in a 10-day or 5-week program.
Schedule your detoxification pathways review with a Forum Health provider near you, today.
7. Sleep Quality Analysis
The Importance of Good Sleep: Sleep is a crucial part of overall health and very productive time for the brain and body to repair. During sleep, your body optimizes cognitive function, emotional well-being, and physical health. Poor sleep, especially over extended periods of time, can exacerbate many health issues, from weight gain to depression. And studies prove it, read more.
How to Assess Your Sleep: Consider keeping a sleep diary, using wearable sleep trackers, or undergoing a sleep study to assess the quality of your rest. Pay attention to factors like sleep duration, sleep disruptions, and sleep cycles. Hormone levels, nutrient intake, neurotransmitter balance, sleep hygiene all affect how well you sleep. Then work with your provider to understand how these results could be affecting your overall health.
Improving Sleep Quality: Easy ways to improve sleep include creating a bedtime routine, minimizing exposure to screens before bed, and ensuring your sleep environment is comfortable and conducive to rest. Improve your neurotransmitters and brain health with our BrainRx program. If necessary, consult a sleep specialist for personalized advice.
Schedule your sleep quality analysis with a Forum Health provider near you, today.
Go the Extra Mile with These Advanced Functional Medicine Tests
Healthcare Personalized Unique to You with Genetic Testing
Genetic testing provides valuable insights into your unique genetic makeup, which can inform personalized health strategies and preventative measures. Genetic testing can identify predispositions to various diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, allowing for early interventions and tailored treatments. It can also guide medication choices, optimizing effectiveness and minimizing adverse reactions based on an individual’s genetic profile.
Additionally, genetic testing can uncover hereditary conditions that may impact family members, facilitating informed family planning and lifestyle adjustments. Overall, understanding your genetic information empowers you to make proactive, informed decisions about your health and wellness. Get started with genetic testing at Forum Health.
Unlocking Early Detection with the ONCOBlot Test for Cancer Screening
Unlike traditional screening methods, the ONCOBlot test can detect multiple types of cancer at their earliest stages, even before symptoms appear. It offers a highly advanced and sensitive method for early cancer detection by identifying specific cancer-related proteins currently circulating in your bloodstream.
For any potentially fatal condition, time is of the essence. Early cancer detection is crucial for effective treatment and improved outcomes, as it allows for timely medical intervention.
By pinpointing the presence of cancer-related proteins, the ONCOBlot test provides a comprehensive overview of your cancer status, enabling personalized and proactive healthcare strategies. The ONCOBlot test empowers you with critical information to manage your health and potentially catch cancer in its most treatable phase. Learn more about the ONCOBlot test.
Your Health, In Your Hands
Incorporating these key annual health practices from a functional medicine perspective can significantly improve your overall well-being. By being proactive and taking a holistic approach to your health, you’ll not only feel better but also catch potential issues before they become serious problems. Remember, your health is an investment, not an expense.
Ready to take the next step? Schedule a consultation with a Forum Health functional medicine provider today and start making meaningful changes tailored just for you. Your future self will thank you!
