Over the years, our team at Alive and Well has fielded thousands of health and wellness questions. Here are answers to the ones we hear most often.
What's the difference between integrative and functional medicine?
Integrative medicine combines conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary approaches. Functional medicine focuses specifically on identifying and addressing the root causes of disease through comprehensive testing and personalized protocols. Both are holistic approaches — functional medicine is particularly systematic in its root-cause methodology.
Do I need to be sick to benefit from functional medicine?
Not at all. Many of our patients come to us feeling 'fine' but wanting to optimize their health, prevent disease, and extend their healthspan. Functional medicine is equally valuable for optimization as for addressing chronic illness.
How do I know if I need hormone testing?
If you're experiencing fatigue, weight changes, mood shifts, sleep disruption, reduced libido, brain fog, or irregular cycles, comprehensive hormone testing is likely to reveal valuable information. We test far beyond standard hormone panels — including thyroid, sex hormones, adrenal hormones, and DHEA.
What's the best diet?
The best diet is one that works for your individual biology, preferences, and health goals. Generally, the research supports a whole-food, plant-forward diet rich in fiber, healthy fats, and adequate protein — minimizing processed foods, refined sugars, and industrial seed oils. Individual variation matters — food sensitivity testing and microbiome analysis can personalize dietary recommendations.
Are supplements necessary if I eat well?
For most people, targeted supplementation adds meaningful benefit even with an excellent diet. Vitamin D is nearly impossible to optimize through diet alone. Omega-3s are difficult to obtain in therapeutic amounts from food. Magnesium is depleted from modern soils. Functional lab testing identifies your specific gaps and guides targeted, not generic, supplementation.
