What is Functional Medicine in Erie CO?

By Dr. Samantha Boldt

Functional medicine in Erie CO determines how and why an illness occurs by addressing its underlying cause. It is also a much more whole body approach rather than looking at just one or two symptoms a patient may be having.

Functional Medicine in Erie CO

In order to dig deeper, FM practitioners spend quite a bit of one-on-one time with patients, especially with the initial history taking, and typically do more in-depth testing than traditional doctors. Testing often done includes comprehensive bloodwork, hormone testing, stool samples, food allergy testing, and more. Treatments tend to include dietary changes, detoxification programs of the liver, gut, or cells, certain pharmaceutical-grade supplements, and lifestyle changes.

Some common root causes we work with are nutritional deficiencies, poor gut health, food sensitivities, hormone imbalances, environmental toxicities, and reduced organ function. Symptoms of these issues typically include fatigue, brain fog, joint and muscle pain, anxiety/mood changes, stomach pain, rashes, poor blood pressure control, weight gain, and a general sense of malaise. By addressing the underlying causes, rather than masking the symptoms with medication, we can often have patients feeling much better with a focus on long-term health and a prevention of further health issues.

Dr. Samantha Boldt has taken over 400 post-grad hours in the study of functional medicine, nutrition, and reading test results. She immediately developed a passion for it after her run-in with Lyme disease about 15 years ago. After developing some pretty severe symptoms over three years, and having gone to over 20 different specialists, no one could find a reason for her symptoms. Feeling hopeless and angry, she finally made her way to a FM practitioner who diagnosed her with Lyme disease. Within a month, she knew that treatment was working and there was hope. Her hope now is to help patients before they get to the point of having to get passed around the medical system. If she had seen a functional medicine practitioner 3 years earlier with the start of her symptoms, it may have only taken a few months rather than a few years to climb back up.

Luckily, with functional medicine awareness increasing, not all patients have to get to this point. Dr. Sam also loves working with prevention patients, patients who may have a few minor symptoms and want to make sure they work on their health before it develops into anything further. We offer free 15 minutes consults at the office with Dr. Sam to determine if functional medicine is a good fit for you. Call or e-mail us if you are interested in setting up an appointment or if you have any more questions!