Functional Nutrition FAQs
(scroll for Acupuncture FAQs)
What is Functional/Personalized nutrition?
Functional nutrition uses a personalized approach which takes into account individuality to create strategies that prevent, manage, and treat disease and optimize health. I may recommend labs to determine underlying imbalances in your biochemistry, for example, evaluate your nutrient status, your oxidative stress and inflammation, your metabolism, genetics that affect risk for nutritional deficiencies, and gut health. Not everyone needs every lab. Your history and symptoms will help guide me.
What are the types of patients you work with?
I especially love to work with women’s health, fertility, menopause, difficulties with digestion, energy, mood, stress, immune issues, chronic pain, and those seeking optimum health.
How long have you been doing this and what made you decide to do it?
I have been practicing acupuncture and herbal medicine since 2001. After a period of severe stress, despite a healthy diet, I couldn’t pull myself out of ill health until I started educating and treating myself with functional nutrition. My aha moment was realizing severe or chronic stress (or illness) combined with genetics, individual differences in metabolism, and environmental factors can greatly increase a person’s nutritional needs to heal even with a “good” diet.
How are you different than a regular nutritionist/dietician or functional medicine doctor?
I am not a dietician. Rather than focusing on counting your calories, I assess and address imbalances in your biochemistry and functional nutrient needs. My therapeutic tools may include some adjustments to diet, lifestyle and herbs and supplements, unlike functional doctors who can diagnose disease and prescribe medications.
What will be expected of me?
I work best with patients who will partner with me through different stages of treatment toward better wellness and who are committed to incorporating some supplements and lifestyle and diet modifications to improve health. I love to work with patients who want optimum, not just average health.
What does a session include and what does your program entail?
First, I do an in depth intake by talking with you, reviewing your health history and labs, then assess which further testing and/or realms of health we need to focus on, then give you recommendations to get started. During follow up sessions, I will review labs and further personalize recommendations. I’ll discuss different stages of treatment that may be necessary. In subsequent sessions I may make adjustments depending on response and to attend to different body systems in need. I typically ask that patients follow up once every month or so initially.
Will I have to take supplements forever?
Often there is a period of correction of nutritional and functional status that lasts 3-6 months then my goal is for you to maintain optimum health with a healthy diet and lifestyle, though some people can benefit from supplements unique to their needs on an ongoing basis.
Are the supplements expensive? How do I know they are of good quality?
My patients get a significant discount through my online dispensary which carries very high quality product lines that adhere to good manufacturing practices.
Does this really work?
Yes! Getting the right nutrients for your current situation and addressing individual differences in biochemistry can have dramatic effects on health and well being.
What results can I expect?
I’m working toward a reduction of your symptoms as well as resolution of underlying imbalances. Energy, pain, digestion, stress, and sleep may all improve as oxidative stress, total body stress burden and resilience, inflammation, detoxification, and gut health are improved.
How quickly can I expect to feel better?
People can often start to feel improvement in symptoms within a few weeks and experience overall better health in the next 3-6 months of working with me.
Will you put me on a weird diet where I have to give up all my favorite foods?
I do not favor extreme diets and work with people to create long term sustainable good eating habits incorporating foods beneficial for their unique needs. Sometimes it is helpful to remove some foods mostly temporarily until the gut and body can heal.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes.
Do you accept health savings account cards?
Yes.
Do you accept insurance?
No.
I know I need to get my health situation under control. What is the next step to get started?
Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine FAQs
What does acupuncture feel like?
Most people find acupuncture very relaxing because it stimulates endorphins and neurotransmitters which calm the nervous system and relieve pain. Sometimes you may feel quick little prick when the needle goes in, sometimes you feel nothing. Other therapeutic sensations people sometimes feel are mild tingling, pressure, spreading sensations.
Are there side effects?
Acupuncture is very safe and well tolerated. Very occasionally people may feel temporary aching after a treatment, or minor, painless bruising around a needle site.
How long is a session?
Initial sessions are 1 hour. Follow ups may be 45-60 minutes.
How many sessions will I need?
This depends on the situation, how chronic the problems are, etc., but an initial course of treatment is generally 10-12 weekly or twice per week sessions. Some people benefit from ongoing treatment, but frequency can usually be reduced over time.
How soon will I know it’s working?
I like to see some positive response within 3-6 sessions. Many people feel benefit after 1 or 2 sessions, but acupuncture does have more cumulative effects over time.
Do I need to do anything different after acupuncture?
No.
Do you take insurance?
I do submit to BCBS IL PPO plans if you have acupuncture coverage. Otherwise, I can provide you with a superbill with the necessary codes to submit to your insurance if you are eligible for reimbursement. If you are unsure, please call your insurance to verify your coverage.
Do you take credit cards?
Yes.
Do you take health savings cards?
Yes.
How do I know the herbs are safe?
I use only high quality manufacturers who do third party testing for accuracy and purity of ingredients. I also am trained in herb drug interactions and contraindications. Herbal medicine is generally very safe and well tolerated when recommended by a highly trained and experienced practitioner (such as myself).
How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture works in various ways, by sending signals to the brain to reduce pain perception, by boosting endorphins (pain relieving and “feel good” chemicals), by regulating the autonomic nervous system, improving circulation, reducing inflammation, promoting better digestion, immune and hormonal regulation.
Traditionally, the Chinese explain that acupuncture moves and strengthens Qi, a vital energy in the body responsible for healthy function. TCM, also a functional and personalized approach, is a complete system of assessment and treatment according to individual imbalances in the organ systems.