Hippocrates once said, "All disease begins in the gut," and we've found that most patients with chronic illness(es) do have underlying gut imbalances.

Most foundational body systems depend on optimal gut health to function properly. For instance, 80% of the immune system resides in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and up to 90% of serotonin (an important mood-regulating neurotransmitter) is produced there. As a result, poor gut health often complicates and worsens other conditions, including mental health disorders, immune dysfunction, and hormonal imbalances.

The gut is also where we absorb essential nutrients. When the digestive system is inflamed or functioning improperly, critical vitamins and minerals cannot be adequately absorbed and utilized. These nutrients serve as vital co-factors for virtually all biochemical processes throughout the body.

Given the gut's extensive interactions with multiple body systems, addressing digestive health is foundational to most functional medicine treatment plans. For this reason, patients who join ongoing care at Genesis Functional Medicine typically undergo comprehensive GI assessment using specialized testing such as detailed stool analysis, SIBO breath testing, and screening for celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Some gastrointestinal conditions we may treat:

• GERD and acid reflux

• Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Intestinal permeability (leaky gut)

• Yeast Overgrowth

• Food Allergies / Intolerances

• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

• Eosinophilic Esophagitis

The skin is the body's largest organ and often serves as a window into internal health. Abnormal skin symptoms frequently reflect underlying systemic imbalances rather than isolated surface issues. Treating skin conditions effectively means uncovering and addressing the root causes of GI inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and/or nutrient deficiencies. For example, persistent eczema often improves dramatically when we address intestinal permeability and identify food sensitivities - changes that topical treatments alone cannot achieve.

Our comprehensive approach (in an ongoing care membership plan) includes evaluating gut health, hormone balance, vitamin and mineral status, lipid profiles, food sensitivities, and dietary patterns, while also implementing stress management strategies as foundational elements of your treatment plan.

Conditions we treat:

• Eczema

• Psoriasis

• Dermatitis

• Acne

• Rosacea

• Vitiligo

• Hives / urticaria

• Allergic skin reactions

Autoimmune diseases now affect approximately 15 million Americans—nearly 5% of the population—with prevalence increasing 3-12% annually*. This represents one of the fastest-growing categories of chronic illness in modern times.

Autoimmune diseases occur when a person's immune system mistakenly attacks their own body, essentially losing the ability to differentiate between self and non-self. The immune system is intricately connected to the nervous system, gut health, nutrition, energy production, and endocrine function.

Several factors have been shown to increase the body's susceptibility to autoimmunity, including abnormally increased intestinal permeability ("leaky gut"), chronic infections, environmental toxin exposure, and nutrient deficiencies.

Our approach to autoimmune disease is highly individualized due to the multiple potential causes of immune system dysregulation. For instance, a patient with Hashimoto's thyroiditis may show improvement when we address increased intestinal permeability, optimize vitamin D and selenium levels, and reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds. Those interventions go well beyond thyroid hormone replacement alone. We work to identify and address the specific "upstream" factors that are driving the immune system dysregulation. Since multiple triggers are often involved, we utilize a comprehensive systems biology approach to address the interconnected nature of these conditions.

Autoimmune conditions we may treat or support (often alongside a specialist):

• Hashimoto's thyroiditis

• Multiple sclerosis (MS)

• Type 1 diabetes

• Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative colitis

• Celiac disease

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Psoriasis

• Lupus (SLE)

• Graves’ disease

• Sjögren's syndrome

*Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation, December 2024 - Large-scale study using data from major US medical systems analyzing over 10 million patients.

Cardiovascular risk reduction requires addressing inflammation and optimizing metabolic health. Beyond standard lipid panels and A1c testing, for patients in ongoing care we assess advanced biomarkers—including ApoB, Lp(a), hsCRP, homocysteine, and fasting insulin—to better stratify risk and guide personalized treatment strategies.

Our approach centers on lifestyle modifications incorporating anti-inflammatory nutrition, stress reduction, and identification of root causes driving systemic inflammation. Within an ongoing care plan we may utilize tools such as continuous glucose monitors to optimize blood sugar regulation and provide real-time feedback on dietary interventions. Additional evaluation may include comprehensive gut health analysis, environmental toxin assessment, and detailed hormone evaluation.

Cardiovascular and metabolic conditions we see:

• Hypertension

• Dyslipidemia

• Sleep Apnea

• Metabolic Syndrome

• Insulin resistance

• Pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes

Hormone imbalances affect far more than fertility and reproduction—they influence metabolism, energy, mood, sleep, weight, and cognitive function. Yet conventional testing often misses the full picture and may declare basic hormone levels to be normal while patients continue suffering with fatigue, weight gain, irregular cycles, poor sleep, or declining vitality in general.

Hormones function through an interconnected chain: the hypothalamus and pituitary in the brain send hormones to other hormone-producing organs (thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, testes, pancreas), which then secrete hormones that must then be transported, activated at the cellular level, and finally, properly metabolized for removal from the body. Dysfunction can occur at any of those steps: production, transport, receptor sensitivity, or detoxification (removal).

For example, a woman struggling with PCOS will nearly always improve by addressing insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and gut dysbiosis—factors driving her hormonal imbalances. Similarly, thyroid symptoms often persist despite a "normal" TSH level because the issue actually lies in hormone conversion, receptor sensitivity, or autoimmune inflammation rather than production alone.

Our systematic approach evaluates each step of this hormonal cascade to identify where dysfunction occurs. For patients in ongoing care, this may include advanced testing of sex hormones, thyroid function panels, cortisol patterns, and metabolic markers. While bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can be valuable, we employ it strategically after addressing root causes—not as a first-line intervention.

Hormone and endocrine conditions we can help manage:

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

• Endometriosis

• Insulin resistance

• Hypothyroidism and thyroid disorders

• Perimenopause and menopause

• HPA axis dysfunction (adrenal dysfunction)

• Metabolic disorders including obesity & diabetes

Most patients that we see struggle with some degree of sleep disruption, anxiety, or depression—conditions that significantly impact quality of life and overall health.

While psychiatric medications help some people, they don't address underlying factors that may be driving symptoms. Some patients achieve relief, while others continue struggling despite treatment, or develop side effects that create new challenges. Studies show that approximately 50% of patients don't achieve remission with first-line antidepressant therapy.

Anxiety, depression, and insomnia often reflect disruptions in brain health that can be influenced by correctable factors: chronic inflammation, gut dysbiosis, thyroid dysfunction, nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar dysregulation, stress hormone imbalance, or inadequate sleep quality. For example, a patient with persistent depression may show improvement when we address nutrient deficiencies, optimize thyroid function, resolve gut inflammation affecting neurotransmitter production, and stabilize blood sugar.

Our approach includes comprehensive evaluation of gut health (the gut-brain axis produces the majority of serotonin), thyroid and adrenal function, nutrient status, inflammatory markers, and metabolic health. For patients in ongoing care, advanced testing may include organic acid analysis and detailed hormone evaluation. We combine this with anti-inflammatory nutrition, sleep optimization protocols, and lifestyle modifications that support mental wellness.

We work collaboratively with mental health providers and recognize that a comprehensive approach addressing root causes can complement psychiatric care and improve outcomes.

Mental health conditions we treat:

• Insomnia and sleep disorders

• Anxiety disorders

• Depression

• Attention and focus difficulties