Hippocrates once said “all disease begins in the gut."  We are now seeing how true this statement really is.  There are many foundational systems that depend on good gut health to function well. For instance, 80% of an individual’s immune system is found in the GI tract, and up to 90% of serotonin is produced there as well. Therefore, we often see that poor gut health complicates and worsens other conditions including mental health disorders, immune dysregulation, hormone dysregulation, among others.  We absorb nutrients in our gut.  If our gut is inflamed or not functioning properly, key minerals and vitamins will not be absorbed and utilized.  We need these key cofactors for basic biochemical processes in our body.

For this reason, just about all Bluestone Functional Health Solutions patients undergo a thorough GI evaluation.  The tests that are commonly used to workup and treat gut health may include a stool analysis, breath test, and organic acid profile.  Due to the interactions of the GI tract with multiple other systems in the body, most functional evaluations and treatments are foundationally anchored with the health of the gut.  If the gut is not functioning properly, it is more difficult to achieve wellness within other bodily systems.

• GERD (reflux)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Food Allergies / Intolerances
• Yeast Overgrowth
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Skin is the largest organ in the body.  As providers, we look for clues in the skin when evaluating internal disease.  So it’s no surprise that oftentimes treating the skin means uncovering and treating root causes of inflammation, imbalance and nutrient deficiencies. 

Therefore, evaluating hydration, gut health, hormone health, and nutrition, as well as stress and sleep habits are foundational to the treatment plan.

• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Dermatitis
• Allergies

Today, 1 in 12 suffer from an autoimmune disease in the United States. It represents one of the fastest growing group of chronic disease in modern time.  The immune system is closely linked to mental health, endocrine function, cardiovascular health and growth and repair. Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks their own body.  The body loses the ability to differentiate self from non-self.  Some potential factors that have been shown to increase the body’s susceptibility to autoimmunity include: dysbiosis, heavy metals, chronic infections, environmental toxins, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, neuro endocrine disruptors, among others.   

The approach to any autoimmune disease is individualized due to the multiple causes for immune system dysregulation.  The overall goal is to identify and remove the factor that is causing the immune system to become upregulated.  Oftentimes there are multiple factors, which is why a systems biology based approach is necessary.

• Hashimoto’s Hypothyroidism
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Psoriasis
• Sjogren’s Syndrome

.The key components of cardiovascular risk reduction include inflammation reduction and improving metabolic health.  Key biomarkers are analyzed to stratify risk and assess for lipoprotein status as well as arterial wall inflammation (e.g. Lp(a)-P, HS CRP, Lp-PLA2, homocysteine and myeloperoxidase).

Treatment and risk reduction is centered around lifestyle changes to incorporate inflammation reducing eating plans, stress reduction, and resolution of root causes of inflammation. This may include evaluation of gut health, toxin exposure and hormone analysis. 

• Hypertension
• Hyperlipidemia
• Sleep Apnea
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes

Nearly every person we see is experiencing some degree of brain fog, difficulty sleeping, overwhelm, anxiety, lethargy, or depression. This is not surprising as 1 in 5 adults suffer from one or more of these ailments.

These symptoms may be disturbances in brain health. If your brain is not right, you are not right. An evaluation of factors that affect brain health is at the foundation of the functional assessment. To understand your specific needs through a functional medicine approach, we use a full evaluation that investigates:

• Gut health
• Nutrition
• Adrenal and thyroid functions
• Environmental toxins
• Genetic predisposition
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

We also provide a lifestyle and dietary analysis that focuses on reducing inflammation and stabilizing blood sugar which impacts brain function and mood. A multi-faceted approach is aimed at giving you relief today by restoring health and providing long-term brain wellness.