What can your skin and hair tell you about your health? Enter: functional medicine.

When it comes to health, it’s not uncommon for folks to talk about their latest workout obsession or their success with intermittent fasting. But when was the last time you heard someone talk about their nails or hair as it pertained to their health?

Enter functional medicine. Previously considered to be “alternative,” functional medicine addresses root causes rather than just symptoms. With functional medicine, it is not a “one pill to fit them all” mentality.

One condition may have many causes, and it is the job of a functional medicine professional to investigate and find each cause to properly treat the individual patient. 

Novis Health is a functional medicine practice located in Fort Mill and focuses on the treatment of type II diabetes and hypothyroidism, among other conditions. We caught up with Dr. Ryan Valencic, co-leader of the practice with Dr. Ruben Valdes, to find out what functional medicine is all about. 

CharlotteFive:  How would you describe what functional health is to a person who is not familiar with the term?

Dr. Valencic: Functional medicine is focused on a biology-based approach that identifies and addresses the root cause of a disease. Each symptom or cause depends on the individual’s genes, environment and lifestyle. 

Functional medicine doctors assess why chronic health issues are present and then build a personalized treatment plan. That may include diet and lifestyle, but will also most definitely include what can be done to affect overall health. 

C5: What can someone expect from a functional health screening/assessment?

Dr. Valencic: We (at Novis Health) test extensively, more so than a “traditional” doctor’s office. Often, by the time people get to us, they might feel like they’re crazy because every health professional has been telling them based on the testing they’ve done that the patient is fine. 

We go beyond standard panels to reveal why their symptoms are real and why it’s happening.  Once completed, the results are thoroughly analyzed and dietary, lifestyle and nutraceutical protocols are customized for that individual. 

C5:  Who could benefit from functional health services?

Valencic: Anyone can benefit from these services, but they are most commonly utilized for individuals suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypothyroidism and autoimmune diseases to name a few. 

We see a lot of people with the symptoms of low thyroid, who are being treated with prescription medicine and are seeing no marked change. 

If you’re wondering if you have a thyroid issue, symptoms of hypothyroidism include: 

• Inability to lose weight despite your healthy diet and exercise
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Hair loss

C5: Do insurance companies recognize the services there?

Valencic: Many of our patients receive reimbursement for some of the services we provide.

C5: What do you have to say to people who say functional medicine and practices are fake news? 

Valencic: I would put them in the same boat as those who defiantly stated that the earth was flat hundreds of years ago. Having an opinion without properly understanding something rarely makes you right. 

Interested in learning more about functional medicine, especially as it pertains to your thyroid? Dr. Valencic and Dr. Valdes recently published the book “The Thyroid Hack: The Secrets, Solutions And Shortcuts To Feeling Like Yourself Again.” It’s available directly through the Novis office and is a comprehensive guide to understand thyroid dysfunction, how to prevent it and how to manage it naturally. 

“If you don’t feel like you’ve been accurately or fully diagnosed, or if you feel you haven’t been given appropriate treatment, you’re probably right.”

This story was originally published September 23, 2019 at 10:02 PM with the headline "What can your skin and hair tell you about your health? Enter: functional medicine.."