In this episode, we welcome a guest to the show, Jennifer Kingan who is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and owner of Healthy Beginnings Pediatric Therapy. Healthy Beginnings is based in Kalispell, MT and has offices in Columbia Falls and Eureka and offers Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy for kids. 

We discuss what each of these areas of pediatric therapy offer and who might benefit from their services. Jennifer and Dr Flass have shared a number of patients over the years, and we discuss the crucial role for SLP in infants and children with feeding difficulties, as well as those with speech and sensory integration difficulties. We discuss the importance of catching feeding issues early, and how important it is for parents to seek help if they feel something isn't right with their child's eating pattern.

For parents who are curious about the potential benefits of pediatric therapy services, what is available, and what type of patients they serve, this episode is worth a listen. 

For more information about the clinic, visit Healthy Beginnings at https://mtbeginnings.com/ 

For all things food related, check out Dr Flass' book on pediatric nutrition "Feeding Our Children" available on Amazon. 

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

Brittany and Tom do an overview of how Functional Medicine looks at thyroid function and dysfunction. We look at upstream and downstream impacts on thyroid function and how it affects our health. 

Optimal thyroid function is important for our health, but often the problem is not with the thyroid gland itself, but other areas that are impacting the thyroid's ability to function. 

Rather than just going straight to thyroid medication or a glandular supplement, a provider really needs to look at what could be affecting thyroid function- including nutritional deficiencies, toxic exposures, disturbances in the gut microbiome and leaky gut, autoimmune processes, as well as problems with the Six Pillars, especially sleep and stress!

This is meant to be an initial review to get people thinking about thyroid in a more functional holistic way.

#thyroid, #functionalmedicine, #hashimotos, #hypothyroid

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

Brittany and Tom have an overview conversation about the mitigation, prevention and possible reversal of cognitive decline using functional medicine. 

They discuss the scope of the issue and how many people are being affected by Alzheimer's and related diseases. 

What are some of the early signs and symptoms of MCI (mild cognitive impairment) versus Alzheimer's? 

What are some of the new diagnostic techniques being used? 

Who is at risk? 

Based off the work of Dr Dale Bredesen and Dr Richard Isaacson (the pioneers of Alzheimer's prevention), what are the steps someone can take to slow or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's? 

If you are concerned for yourself or a family member and wondering if there is anything you can do, this episode provides a framework to empower people to take action.

#functionalmedicine, #alzheimers, #bredesenprotocol, #cognitivedecline

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

Brittany and Tom review the extremely relevant topic of adverse food reactions.

Are you or your child having a reaction to something in your diet?  This episode takes a Functional Medicine look at the differences between more classic food allergies and anaphylaxis, and other immune and non-immune reactions to foods. They answer frequent parent questions such as:

What are the most common foods that you might be allergic to?

Will my kid outgrow their food allergies? 

What are the benefits and limitations of food allergy testing?

What is EoE  (eosinophilic esophagitis)?

Is eczema a food reaction?

What is an allergy versus a sensitivity? 

How are these different from intolerances? (lactose, fructose, histamine)

They draw a lot of information from their own clinical experience as well as the Food Allergies chapter of Tom's book "Feeding Our Children"

#foodallergies, #EoE, #functionalmedicine, #foodsensitivities, 

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

Brittany and Tom discuss pregnancy nutrition from a functional medicine perspective. Not enough attention is being paid to the importance of proper nutrition during the First Thousand Days of a child's life, including pregnancy. To increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy, good nutrition should be a priority for the mother!

We cover the importance of key nutrients like iron, zinc, choline, omega-3 and prebiotic fiber to feed mother and baby brain and gut microbiome. 

Much of the information discussed was drawn from Dr Flass' books "Feeding Our Children" and "Eating For Two". 

#firstthousanddays, #pregnancynutrition, #functionalmedicine

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

In this episode Brittany and Tom go over what a visit to the functional medicine provider might look like for a patient wanting a more holistic "check up".

We discuss how a functional medicine visit differs from a traditional visit, with emphasis on extensive history and contributing upstream causes for the patient's potential health issues. 

We also go over our take on useful labwork that can alert someone of future health risks and catching things early before full blown disease takes place. 

This is a helpful episode for anyone curious about the potential benefits of preventive functional medicine in their health and the mindset of a functional medicine versus conventional medicine.

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

In this episode, Tom and Brittany review  "irritable bowel syndrome" and how the mainstream diagnosis and management of IBS leaves a lot to be desired. 

IBS is an area where Functional Medicine and Integrative Gastroenterology really outshine the conventional approach by focusing on root causes and personalized approaches. 

We discuss how "IBS" which is really just a list of symptoms, can be caused by many factors including dysbiosis and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), celiac, food intolerances and sensitivities, stress and disrupted nervous system of the gut. IBS falls under a category of conditions getting relabeled as DGBI- disorders of gut-brain interaction which is very telling. With a good personal history and the right diagnostic tests, many people are now finding that the functional medicine approach to their IBS provides the answers they have been looking for. 

This is a chance to learn about IBS from a combined gastroenterology and functional medicine perspective.  

#IBS, #irritablebowel, #functionalmedicine, #gastroenterology

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

In this episode, Tom interviews Brittany on her Functional Medicine approach to Women's Health, more specifically looking at Perimenopause and Menopause. 

We review the hormonal changes that are occurring with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, and what symptoms and biological effects this may have and how she approaches this as a Functional Medicine and DPC primary care provider.

This period of life can affect every body system of a woman, and she explains why it is important to work with a provider that understands the process and how best to support their body during this time. Risks for certain diseases also increase during this period of a woman's life, including heart disease, osteoporosis, urologic and cognitive/mental health issues which speaks to the importance of upstream preventive care for this population. 

#perimenopause, #menopause, #functionalmedicine, #hormones, #womenshealth

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

Brittany and Tom review constipation from a Functional Medicine perspective.

They discuss their experiences as healthcare providers treating poop issues- Brittany from a Women's health perspective as well as Tom's experience as a Pediatric Gastroenterologist treating LOTS of cases of constipation. 

What defines constipation and how big of a problem is it? 

How often should we be pooping and what does it mean when things aren't "coming out right"?

This episode covers the basics of what we need to have good daily BM, known as "The 5 Things for a Good Number Two."

We discuss the impact of fiber, the gut microbiome, hydration, movement and good bathroom habits on your gut health and poop routine. 

We also mention some of our favorite supplements to keep things moving and why you might not want to be relying on one of the most popular laxatives long term.   

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

In this episode of the Aware Families Podcast, Brittany and Tom discuss the sixth and final Pillar of Health- Sunlight, Nature and Environment. 

It is becoming evident that our modern lifestyle is out of synch with how we evolved in many ways. Yet another example of this is our drastically reduced level of exposure to sunlight and nature. All the while our exposure to artificial light, toxic chemicals and EMF are skyrocketing. How can we think that this doesn't affect our health? 

How does exposure to sunlight or lack of sunlight impact human health and what can be done in the winter months in places like Montana where sunlight is scarce for 6 months out of the year? 

Does being exposed to and immersed in nature have measurable health benefits for humans? What is the importance of the soil microbiome?

How do the different types of pollution- air, water, electromagnetic and chemical exposures cumulatively degrade our health. 

This episode provides an overview of these topics with the purpose of getting people to think about how their environment is affecting their health. 

For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com