What is Functional Health/Medicine?

Many people are unfamiliar with functional lab testing because it's not part of the mainstream, insurance-driven healthcare model we've gotten used to in the U.S. When people first hear about functional medicine, they often think of essential oils and Epsom salts — it is not and honestly, we don’t blame them! But functional medicine is not fringe or woo-woo. It’s a science-based approach that works with the body’s physiology and biochemistry, not against it.

The truth is, this way of addressing health through natural principles isn’t complicated — it’s actually more in line with how the body is designed to function. Ancient systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda have understood these principles for thousands of years. But here in the U.S., we've leaned heavily on pharmaceuticals for the past century.

Back in the early 1900s, Rockefeller famously shifted the medical landscape by shutting down natural medicine schools to make room for petroleum-based pharmaceuticals that are great in acute illness, but are overused in preventable chronic diseases — but that's a story for another time. What’s important is: that’s not what we do here. Functional health is about reconnecting with the body’s natural biology, using modern science to guide the way.

Understanding Functional Health: A Clear, Simple Guide

  • Every process in your body relies on biochemical pathways that need specific nutrients — like B vitamins, magnesium, or zinc — to function. This is all biochemistry, and while it may be boring, it is essential. If one of those nutrients is missing or depleted, the pathway breaks down, leading to fatigue, hormonal issues, mood swings, and chronic inflammation. Most people have never had vitamins or minerals evaluated, yet they are the foundation of our physiology.

    Examples:

    Energy pathways need B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6), magnesium, CoQ10, iron, L-carnitine

    Neurotransmitter pathways in the brain need B6, B12, folate, magnesium, zinc, iron, tryptophan (from protein) to make dopamine, serotonin, etc.

    Phase I and II in liver detoxification needs glutathione, B vitamins, sulfur (from foods like broccoli), vitamin C, and selenium to clear toxins, alcohol, hormones, and medications from the body.

  • Most chronic illnesses don’t appear overnight. They build over time when small dysfunctions in these pathways add up. You might feel tired, moody, inflamed, or in pain — and functional medicine looks backwards from the symptom to trace it to its origin.

    Example: Depression might not just be “low serotonin” — it could be poor gut health, inflammation, or nutrient deficiencies interfering with neurotransmitter production.

    Example: Constant fatigue. The root cause may have began when:

    • Low magnesium and B vitamins → Mitochondria can’t make enough ATP (energy)

    • High stress → Elevated cortisol → Burnout

    • Poor gut health → Malabsorption of nutrients

    The energy system has been struggling for months. The fatigue is the last step — the body’s way of saying, "I’m out of fuel."

  • Functional medicine treats the body as a network of systems — not isolated organs. Your gut affects your brain. Your hormones affect your immune system. It’s about seeing patterns, not just parts. Your liver breaks down and clears out used hormones like estrogen.

    • If your liver is overloaded (toxins, alcohol, poor detox), you might get PMS, hormonal imbalances, weight gain, or acne.

    • Chronic stress shuts down digestion — your body thinks it's in danger and turns off "rest and digest."

    • Inflammation in your gut can trigger joint pain, brain fog, or skin issues.

    • Autoimmune conditions often start in the gut — not the joints or thyroid.

    • If your gut is inflamed or your microbiome is imbalanced, you may feel anxious, depressed, or mentally foggy.

  • Functional testing is especially effective for chronic, complex conditions such as:

    • Digestive disorders (IBS, bloating)

    • Autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis)

    • Hormonal imbalances (PMS, menopause, thyroid issues)

    • Mental health (anxiety, depression, brain fog)

    • Metabolic problems (diabetes, insulin resistance)

    • Inflammatory and vascular conditions

    • Hidden infections like lyme, candida, parasites, and mold


      It also supports healthy individuals who want to optimize energy, sleep, and longevity.

  • Functional labs look beyond basic “normal” ranges to find early signs of imbalance. It is a very comprehensive approach which is exactly why it is not in the mainstream “10 minute” insurance model. We spend 60 minutes during your first visit and order labs that conventional medicine offices do not offer. But they should! We test components like gut health, genetics, inflammation markers, hidden infections, and toxin exposures. These detailed tests allow us to tailor treatments precisely to your body’s needs.

    These are a few tests that are not popular in conventional medicine:

    • Comprehensive Stool Analysis (Gut Microbiome Testing)
      Checks gut bacteria balance, digestion, inflammation, parasites, yeast overgrowth.

    • Organic Acids Test (OAT)
      Measures metabolic byproducts to assess nutrient deficiencies, mitochondrial function, detox pathways, and gut health.

    • DUTCH Hormone Testing
      A dried urine test that measures adrenal hormones like cortisol, sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-s, and hormone metabolites.

    • Food Sensitivity/Allergy Panels
      Measures immune response (IgG, IgA) to a wide range of foods to identify sensitivities.

    • Inflammation Markers
      Tests like high-sensitivity CRP, homocysteine, fibrinogen, and cytokines to gauge chronic inflammation.

    • Heavy Metals & Toxin Panels
      Detect levels of mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other environmental toxins.

    • Genetic Testing (e.g., MTHFR, detox genes)
      Identifies gene variants that affect methylation, detoxification, and nutrient metabolism.

    • Comprehensive Metabolic Panel with Functional Interpretation
      Looks beyond “normal ranges” for glucose, liver enzymes, kidney function, and electrolytes.

    • Cardiovascular Risk Panels
      Advanced lipid panels, lipoprotein(a), and particle size tests.

  • It’s a fair question — and one we hear often. Functional medicine does use supplements, but they’re just one part of a much bigger picture. The goal is not to put you on pills forever. We use high-quality, practitioner-grade supplements temporarily to support a pathway, organ, or system — until it’s functioning well again. Once balance is restored, many supplements can be reduced or stopped altogether. The goal is to get these vitamins and minerals through high quality food! Food is medicine, but it may not always be able to address every issue especially when chronic in nature.

    And no, not all supplements are created equal. Grocery store brands and Amazon products often aren’t tested for quality, potency, or purity. In some cases, there are even counterfeit or mislabeled products that can be ineffective — or harmful. That’s why we only use trusted companies who third-party test their products and meet clinical standards. This ensures that what you're putting in your body is safe, therapeutic, and actually doing what it’s supposed to.

  • No — they’re much more than that!
    In functional medicine, the term “nutraceuticals” refers to a broad category of researched, natural compounds that support the body’s healing and regulatory systems. These include vitamins and minerals, but also many other targeted substances used to restore function at the cellular and system level.

    1. Vitamins
    Essential organic nutrients that support hundreds of critical body functions.
    Examples: vitamin D3, methylated B12 and folate, vitamin A, vitamin K2, vitamin E

    2. Minerals
    Inorganic elements needed for enzymes, hormone production, detoxification, and more.
    Examples: magnesium (glycinate, malate), zinc, selenium, iodine, iron

    3. Herbal Medicine (Botanicals)
    Plant-based extracts used for their therapeutic effects on hormones, inflammation, digestion, and stress.
    Examples: ashwagandha, milk thistle, berberine, curcumin, rhodiola, licorice root

    4. Amino Acids
    The building blocks of proteins, often used for neurotransmitter support, detox, or tissue repair.
    Examples: L-glutamine, L-tyrosine, L-theanine, taurine, N-acetylcysteine (NAC)

    5. Essential Fatty Acids
    Healthy fats that reduce inflammation, support brain function, and improve cellular health.
    Examples: EPA, DHA, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)

    6. Antioxidants and Detox Support
    Compounds that reduce oxidative stress and support mitochondrial and liver function.
    Examples: glutathione, CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, resveratrol, quercetin

    7. Probiotics and Prebiotics
    Used to rebalance the gut microbiome and improve digestion, immunity, and inflammation.
    Examples: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, Saccharomyces boulardii, inulin, PHGG, arabinogalactan

    8. Enzymes
    Support digestive function and systemic healing.
    Examples: lipase, protease, amylase, serrapeptase, nattokinase, bromelain

    9. Glandulars and Peptides
    Tissue extracts and short-chain amino acid compounds used to support hormone, mitochondrial, or immune function.
    Examples: adrenal cortex extract, thyroid glandulars, BPC-157, thymosin alpha-1

    10. Specialty Clinical Compounds
    Clinically researched substances used to target specific pathways.
    Examples: myo-inositol, PQQ, sulforaphane, DIM, beta-glucans

What Our Functional Health Visits Look Like

Functional health also known as functional medicine isn’t about quick fixes or generic treatments. It’s about digging deep into your body’s unique biology to uncover the why behind your symptoms — and that requires a detailed, thoughtful process.

Why It Is Unique:

Visit 1: Comprehensive Health History
We take 60 minutes to explore your life story — not just your symptoms. This includes:

  • Past illnesses and treatments

  • Family health history and genetics

  • Diet, sleep, stress, exercise, toxin exposures

  • Emotional and environmental factors

    This helps us see patterns and connections conventional visits often miss. We will order labs based on what suits your history and symptoms best.

Visit 2: Advanced Functional Lab Testing
After lab results are received, we will review and explain your labs with topics relevant to your health condition. We use specialized labs to assess:

  • Toxic and infectious burden on the body

  • Vitamin and mineral status

  • Gut microbiome balance, digestion, and inflammation markers

  • Detoxification pathways and toxin burdens

  • Immune function and inflammation markers

    These tests go beyond standard labs, detecting early dysfunction before disease develops.

Visit 3 - Continued: This is an EXAMPLE so you can picture the process - not a one size fits all. Everyone is different.

  • Functional medicine often works in layers or phases. It is similar to the order of operations in math class. You add and subtract before you divide and multiply.

    • First, we may prepare the body for removing infection or a toxic burden by working on drainage pathways through habits and supplements to support this: sweating, lymphatic movement, regular bowel movements, and hydration. Cleaning up the diet is important for insulin and blood sugar regulation that are root causes for a lot of downstream symptoms. Nervous system tone (fight/flight vs. rest/digest). Etc.

    • Second, we may we have to remove what’s making you sick or blocking recovery. This could be removing infections or dysbiosis like imbalanced bacteria, an active virus, candida overgrowth, parasites, mold colonization or mycotoxins. We may target heavy metals, environmental toxins, food sensitivities, or nutritional therapies.

    • Third, once pathogens or toxins are addressed, we repair the gut barrier, digestion, and nutrient absorption. We may support digestion and reduce inflammation. Repletion of missing vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids. This will help balance hormones, reduce inflammation, and immunity. We want to help the body recover and re-balance. We begin to we begin to modulate and retrain the immune system.

    • Fourth, now that the organs are functioning better, we may support detox and elimination systems — not just your liver, but your whole drainage system. These systems are crucial for longevity, anti-aging, and preventative health.

      This includes: Liver phase I & II detox pathways, gallbladder and bile flow, kidney support, lymphatic system movement, methylation (folate/B12 pathways), and glutathione production.

    • Fifth: This is the long-term health phase — your symptoms are mostly resolved, and now we build resilience for the future by tracking your yearly lab markers to be able to identify stress in the system early before disease or dysfunction appears. This is why we recommend getting labs done when you feel “well” so you have a strong baseline of your good health to work from when something happens. Our health ebbs and flows while things like colds, food poisoning, sickness, trauma, stress, hormonal changes, etc. happen so we have designed our care to help you strive for longevity and prevention.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Most functional medicine practices are cash-pay or out-of-network. Some labs may be partially reimbursed. It’s an investment in root-cause and preventative care rather than ongoing prescriptions.


  • Functional medicine looks deeper and earlier — before symptoms get serious. It’s more proactive than reactive, and focuses on why you’re sick rather than what label to give it. Visits also average 30-60 minutes explaining your health to you rather than 10 minutes.

  • Yes. Functional medicine is grounded in peer-reviewed science from a wide range of disciplines, including nutritional biochemistry, systems biology, genomics, microbiome research, psychoneuroimmunology, and chronic disease epidemiology. It’s not a fringe movement — it’s a newer evolution of healthcare that uses the most current data on how the body functions as an interconnected system rather than only using medications for a problem that may be reversed naturally. The advanced testing has evolved with our environment. We are exposed to more toxins, metals, pesticides and processed foods in the last 30 years than ever before, and it is taking a toll on our health.

    Simple examples:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406/

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520897/

  • Functional medicine is especially effective for chronic conditions — the kinds of things that don’t get better with a quick prescription. That includes:

    • Gut issues (IBS, bloating, constipation, SIBO)

    • Autoimmune conditions (Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis)

    • Hormonal imbalances (PMS, PCOS, menopause, low testosterone)

    • Fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, depression

    • Skin conditions (eczema, acne, psoriasis)

    • Blood sugar issues (pre-diabetes, insulin resistance)

    • High cholesterol and high blood pressure

    • Long COVID and post-viral syndromes

    • Hidden infections: Lyme, parasites, mold colonization or mycotoxins

    • And much more!

    It can also be used preventatively to optimize health before things break down.

  • Is functional medicine only for people with chronic illness?

    No — many people use it for prevention, performance, and longevity. Athletes, biohackers, and wellness-minded individuals often work with functional medicine practitioners to improve energy, sleep, focus, fertility, metabolism, and overall vitality.

  • That depends on the person and the condition. Some people feel better in a few weeks (especially with digestive or energy issues), while others take months to fully rebalance complex systems. Unlike a band-aid, functional medicine is about real, lasting change — so it requires commitment and consistency.

  • Conventional labs often look for disease thresholds — meaning you're either "in range" or you’re not. Functional labs look for optimal ranges and early dysfunctions that happen before disease sets in.

    Examples of functional testing include:

    • Comprehensive stool analysis (gut health, inflammation, pathogens)

    • Organic acids test (metabolism, nutrient deficiencies, mitochondrial function)

    • Dutch test (hormone patterns over a full day)

    • Food sensitivity panels

    • Toxic burden (heavy metals, mold, pesticides)

    • Micronutrient panels

  • Dr. Macie does not prescribe any medication. There are functional medicine medical doctors, nurse practitioners, chiropractors, osteopathic doctors, naturopaths, and other practitioners. Functional medicine is not anti-medication. It just uses medication strategically, not as the default. The goal is to reduce the need for chronic meds by fixing what's underneath.

  • It’s absolutely legitimate — but it’s time-intensive, not built for 7-minute insurance visits. It takes more training, deeper testing, and longer patient appointments. That’s why it’s not common in the fast-paced, insurance-dominated model of care in the U.S.

    That said, it is growing rapidly. Clinics like the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, Mayo Clinic’s integrative programs, and many MDs are now blending functional medicine with their practice.

  • Most conventional doctors are trained to diagnose and treat acute disease using drugs and procedures — and they’re often amazing at that. But they aren’t trained in nutrition, root-cause physiology, gut health, or environmental medicine.

    It’s not about bad intentions — it’s about gaps in the system. Medical schools do not even teach nutrition. Food is the foundation of our health. Functional medicine fills those gaps with deeper testing and a broader understanding of how our physiology interacts.

  • It can feel expensive up front because it’s often not covered by insurance. But it’s an investment in getting well, not staying sick. Over time, many patients save money by reducing medications, ER visits, surgeries, and lost productivity.

    You can also start small: one targeted lab, a focused nutrition plan, or simple lifestyle changes can go a long way.

  • No, but they overlap. Functional medicine focuses on root-cause diagnosis and systems biology using modern lab testing. Naturopathy focuses on natural therapies. Integrative medicine blends both with conventional care.