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Wellness Journeys

Medicine is not one size fits all, so treatment shouldn’t be either! At Shore Functional Medicine, our focus is on getting and keeping our you well, regardless of your current health conditions.

Based upon our initial visit and your specific goals, we will create a unique, comprehensive plan for you and be there for you on every step of your wellness journey.

Schedule a telehealth appointment now to experience personalized healthcare to feel your best. For new patients, we offer either a 60 minute or 30-minute initial consultation, depending on severity of symptoms.

Functional Medicine

Functional Medicine (FM) is the field of medicine that takes a comprehensive approach to health and wellbeing. Instead of just treating or medicating symptoms, FM seeks to uncover the root cause of illness and disease to address them at the source. FM uses evidence based

FM treats individuals as a whole instead of the sum of specific disease processes. What this means for you, the patient, is that your FM provider will do a “deep dive” to look for all possible causes of illness and/or imbalance(s) in your body. When a cause can be identified, your provider will work with you to treat the cause, not just the symptoms. Factors such as your entire health history, genetics, diet, stress levels, daily physical activity, sleep habits, environment and mental wellbeing are all discussed and considered.

Initial consultations are often lengthy as your provider will discuss not only your medical symptoms but also lifestyle. After that, if needed, advanced laboratory tests are ordered to help pinpoint imbalances or causes for dysfunction so that your provided can come up with a uniquely tailored treatment plan. Treatment plans, which combined evidence-based protocols with holistic practice, often include lifestyle modifications and supplements, but may include traditional medicines, hormones or peptides.

Common Ailments treated with Functional Medicine

  • Adrenal fatigue or dysfunction
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Chronic pain and chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis
  • Chronic inflammation
  • Cognitive impairment such as brain fog, leaky brain
  • Food allergies and/or intolerances
  • Genetic susceptibility to some illnesses (certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, etc.)
  • Gut Issues such leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Insulin resistance
  • Hyperlipidemia
  • Low libido (men and women)
  • Menstrual Irregularities
  • Methylation disorders
  • Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
  • Nutrient deficiencies
  • Obesity
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
  • Post-viral syndromes (covid, Epstein barre)
  • Toxin exposure
  • Thyroid Disorders
  • Vitamin deficiencies
New patients are encouraged to book 60 minutes for initial Functional Medicine consultation.

Lifestyle Medicine

Lifestyle Medicine is a form of preventative medicine that examines your current lifestyle to identify which habits may be detrimental to your health and offers holistic ways to take control of your health. At our initial consultation, the pillars of Lifestyle Medication are discussed and addressed, with a focus on preventing chronic disease or illness.

We will also discuss other risk factors that are barriers to optimal wellness such as alcohol and nicotine use. We are not here to judge any of your behaviors but to offer realistic solutions to quit or cut down on behaviors that are harming your health.

New patients are encouraged to book 60 minutes for initial Lifestyle Medicine consultation.
The pillars of Lifestyle Medicine include:

Diet & Nutrition

After discussing your current diet, we will explore “food as medicine” to improve mood and energy, while decreasing inflammation and risk of chronic disease. The focus is on whole foods and a predominantly plant-based diet but can be individualized to your specific preferences (so long as your preference isn’t all refined carbs and fast food!) We will discuss caloric requirements, macronutrients requirements and timed eating to help you feel your best, mentally, emotionally and physically.

Movement

After discussing your current level of daily activity, we will teach you how to incorporate movement into your day, and what types of activity to include. Whether you are new to exercise or work out daily, we will offer exercise prescription designed to enhance your overall health and wellbeing.

Sleep Hygiene

A good sleep regimen consists of quantity (how long you sleep), quality (how good you sleep), and consistency (how regularly you get enough sleep). After discussing your current sleep routine, we will help you ensure you are getting adequate rest for your body to function optimally.

Stress Management

Stress can come from many sources (physical, mental and emotional factors) but all contributes to inflammation. Inflammation increases our risk for chronic disease and illness, so learning how to identify sources and mitigate it’s effect are essential to staying well.

Anti-Aging, Longevity & Regenerative Medicine

The focus of Anti-Aging medicine is to restore your vitality and energy to optimal levels. Longevity Medicine seeks to improve your number of healthy years, also known as your healthspan. Regenerative Medicine focuses on improving the body’s ability to heal damage or diseased tissue. Although anti-aging, longevity and regenerative medicine are linked, they are not the same.

Aging is a natural part of the human lifespan. As we age, our bodies become less effective at maintaining homeostasis, the body’s natural ability to maintain a stable environment. This is due largely due to cellular damage. This damage occurs in part by just aging itself but is accelerated by lifestyle choices (such as poor diet and lack of exercise) as well as toxins we encounter in our foods and daily environment.

Longevity, which refers to lifespan, is influenced by genetics, lifestyle choices, environmental factors and mental wellbeing. Therefore, we do not want to increase longevity without some improvements to the aging process.

Regenerative medicine is the field of medicine that is concerned with helping the body repair damaged tissue or organs, in an effort to heal from injury or disease. And while damage or disease may occur as part of aging, it can also occur from injury or a defect in the body’s ability to heal itself, which can occur at any age.

After discussing your symptoms and goals at our initial consultation, and after reviewing any lab work if needed, we create a tailored approach for you. Most treatment plans include lifestyle modifications and/or peptide therapy.

Common Ailments treated with Anti-Aging, Longevity and Regenerative Medicine

  • Chronic inflammation
  • Chronic pain
  • Decreased collagen production (that results in wrinkles or cartilage damage)
  • Fatigue/lethargy
  • Hair loss
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Metabolic Syndrome
  • Mood disorders
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteopenia/Osteoporosis
  • Poor immune function
  • Slow recovery time (from workouts or illness)
  • Sports injuries
  • Sleep disorders
  • Weight Gain

Hormone Optimization

At our initial consult, we will discuss all of your symptoms and explain how they may be related to hormonal changes and steps you can take with lifestyle changes to restore balance. We will then order detailed labs (often covered by insurance) to investigate if hormone imbalance is the culprit behind your symptoms. Based on your results, we will tailor a custom program of bioidentical hormones therapy (BHRT) and supplements to restore your energy and vigor and have you feeling like yourself again. While on a BHRT program, you will have continuous access to a provider via a HIPPA compliant messaging system so you can address any questions or concerns you have along the way!

Hormone imbalance or dysfunction can affect you in many ways. Once thought to apply only to an aging population, we now know that hormone imbalance can start at very young ages. This is due to hormone disruptors in our environment and everyday products we use, such as cleaning and personal care products. Symptoms of hormone imbalance include, but are not limited to:

  • Acne
  • Brain fog
  • Digestive symptoms (such as cramping & bloating)
  • Excessive sweating, hot flashes and night sweats
  • Fatigue
  • Hair loss or hair growth (especially in inappropriate places!)
  • Headaches
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Low libido (sex drive)
  • Mood disorders such as depression and anxiety
  • Mood swings
  • Sleep disruption
  • Unexplained weight loss or gain
  • Vaginal dryness

Common Complaints addressed via Hormone Optimization

  • Brain Fog
  • Cortisol Imbalance
  • Disrupted Menstrual Cycles
  • Mood disorders
  • Perimenopause/menopause
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
  • Poor sex drive or performance
  • Poor sleep
  • Weight/muscle mass Changes

Weight Loss

We offer a variety of medically supervised weight loss programs for when diet and exercise are not enough. During your initial consultation, we will discuss your current eating habits and weight loss goals. We’ll explain the different options available to help you safely reach your desired weight. We’ll also offer suggestions on caloric and macronutrient requirements to help ensure effective and long-lasting results. While on a weight loss program, you will have access to continuous provider contact, who is available to answer any questions or concerns, as they arise.

The different options in weight loss we offer include:
  • Oral Sprays that help mobilize fat storage for increased weight loss, while boosting energy.
  • Oral Supplements and/or Medications that work to decrease appetite and curb cravings
  • Injectable Medications that improve insulin sensitivity and decrease appetite

What’s the process?

The first step in the process is the initial consult. You can schedule this as a telehealth appointment so you can connect with us from anywhere, without waiting at a doctor’s office. If you are local, we also schedule in-person consults too!

The consult will provide us with enough information to order detailed laboratory work to form a comprehensive treatment plan. We will schedule a follow-up with you to provide you with an in-depth explanation on your results and provide you with a report, so we can track progress over time.

The treatment plan may include any or all the following: dietary or lifestyle changes, vitamin injections, IV therapy, peptide treatment or bioidentical hormone replacement. The course of treatment will determine how long is needed between follow up appointment and/or labs monitoring.

FAQs about Anti-Aging therapies and bioidentical hormone replacement (BHRT)

BHRT therapy eligibility is determined from lab work.  All BHRT patients must undergo testing prior to starting, and routinely throughout, treatment. Additionally, certain medical conditions, such as active cancer, make patients ineligible for BHRT.

The three most common hormones used in BHRT are testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. We recommend pill, cream and injection forms of these hormones; your provider will explain which is best for you after your initial consult.

Results from BHRT can take weeks to months.  We purposely increase levels slowly to achieve what is called a “physiological” level, to keep the body in perfect harmony.

Health-Specific Related Questions:

IV Therapy an help support weight loss by combining lipotropic (fat burning) supplements as well as vitamins to boost energy and support metabolism. Lipotropics, such as methionine, inositol, and choline, help your body to breakdown fat and encourages the export of fat form the liver.  Additionally, there is a link between dehydration and weight toss; staying properly hydrated, like with IV fluids, can help your body maintain energy and burn fat to the best of it’s ability.

Hormones are important messengers that allow our bodies to function at it’s best.  However, there are many environmental disruptors that can interfere with our hormones ability to do their job.  Generalized vitamin support, like found in the Meyers Cocktail which contains magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and B vitamins, provides the body with key nutrients and vitamins to promote overall health and wellness for optimal hormone support.

Pain is usually caused by inflammation and is the root cause for many chronic diseases. By decreasing inflammation, we can decrease pain.
Chronic pain and fatigue often become an endless cycle that leads to depression and obesity. Nourishing the body with a high amount of quality nutrients and vitamins, at the cellular level helps to increase energy and mood naturally.

IV therapy helps to promote better skin through hydration, vitamins, and antioxidants. Dehydration and free radicals can cause skin to look tired and accelerate the aging process.  By combining fluids with high-dose vitamin C and glutathione, IV treatments not only combat free-radicals in the blood stream and work to flush toxins from the system, but also acts as a defense against pollution and chemicals, leaking shin healthy and refreshed. Some of the most common supplements used for healthy skin infusion include vitamin C, biotin, glutathione and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium.

Muscle exertion causes cell and tissue damage and as the body heals this damage, we begin to feel soreness and possibly cramps. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein can help repair this damage faster, leading to decreased recovery times.

Dehydration can wreak havoc on athletic ability and water alone will not replace the electrolytes lost during exercise. This can lead to muscle cramps and make one more prone to injury.  There are sports drinks designed to combat this but during exercise, blood is shunted away from the digestive tract, towards the muscles, making oral supplements even harder to absorb than usual. IV therapies to improve athletic performance, which can be given pre or post workout, bypass the digestive tract and deliver these supplements right to the blood stream where they have 100% bioavailability. Standard athletic IV infusions include vitamin B complex, magnesium and zinc, which drive cellular and mitochondrial energy production, vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant to strengthen collagen, repair muscles and reduce inflammation, as well as amino acids for muscle repair and carnitine which helps promote muscle endurance.