Eleanor Henderson
About Functional Medicine
Your body is totally unique. That’s why
Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, or 'FDN' uses comprehensive & easy-to-use laboratory tests & questionnaires to help identify & understand your internal biology. This is so beneficial when understanding various chronic or acute symptoms which may arise within a person.
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Medical treatment is for specific diseases or 'diagnosis' or managing symptoms only, & treatment depends on medication as the first line of therapy yet dietary & lifestyle approaches have the potential to be more effective.
90% of today’s doctor visits are for stress-related conditions: fatigue, pain, headaches, digestive problems, insomnia, anxiety, foggy thinking, panic attacks, weight gain, & mood swings. Nutritional science is now advancing at a rapid pace. It works in a non-specific manner, identifying healing opportunities & underlying causes at a subclinical (pre-disease) level. These laboratory tests may help to reveal imbalances & metabolic (The chemical changes that take place in a cell or an organism to produce
energy) markers for your hormones, immune system, digestion, detoxification, energy production & the nervous system. This may be what is responsible for the symptoms that you experience. If you have lost your vitality, have experienced a decline in what you consider your best self, feel 'off' or that you’re falling behind your own expectation of vital health & have been frustrated by the use of medications, then you may find that incorporating Functional Diagnostic Nutrition & D.R.E.S.S. (diet, rest, exercise, supplementation & stress reduction) recommendations is a path to better health & vitality.
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There is no 'one-size-fits-all’ as every individual’s chemistry, biology, history & metabolism is unique. Eleanor does not diagnose or treat diseases. Instead, based on these findings along with information that you provide, we coax your body's chemistry back into balance using general lifestyle recommendations regarding diet, sleep/rest, exercise & supplementation that help restore health by supporting your body’s innate ability to heal itself.
For instance - a person may present certain symptoms, but the 'Metabolic Chaos' occurring within may then disrupt other functions.
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Test:
We start by ordering functional laboratory tests. The test kits are delivered to your home with clear instructions of how to provide your biological specimens & return your kit to the lab.
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2.
Educate:
Once your labs come back, I review the results & make sure that you understand how these results relate to the symptoms you are experiencing. Next we review the steps necessary to return your body to optimal health.
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3.
Recommend:
Recommendations include behavioural modifications including exercise, rest, & steps to reduce stress (internal & external), along with nutritional recommendations including food choices & supplements.
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4.
Follow-up:
After testing & recommendations, we follow up to make sure you are successful. This includes coaching sessions to answer your questions, reviewing your response to supplements & behaviour modifications, & scheduling follow-up testing if necessary to ensure that your markers of health are returning to optimal balance.
D.R.E.S.S. Recommendations
D.R.E.S.S. is a powerful and proven approach to attaining & maintaining overall wellness via the five habits of good health.
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Diet: There is no one perfect diet or food plan that’s right for everyone. Every person’s chemistry, metabolism & sensitivities are unique & taken into consideration. Diet recommendations will include the elimination of inflammatory foods such as sugar, trans-fats, processed & chemically-laden foods; while increasing nutrient dense, organic (when possible), & chemical-free foods.
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Rest: The body heals at night while we sleep. Good sleep habits are critical to both healing & health maintenance. Periods of rest during our waking hours can also contribute greatly to reducing metabolic chaos, the erratic fluctuations in stress hormones & blood sugar.
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Exercise: The absence of daily activity does almost as much damage to our body as smoking. Movement is critical to proper circulation, metabolism, detoxification & mental acuity. What is enough? What is too much? We will finely tune activity & exercise so that it supports your body’s specific requirements.
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Supplements: Over-farming, pesticides, preservatives & storage deplete our food of essential vitamins & nutrients. We supplement to replace what we’re not getting enough of to be healthy. At times we need therapeutic doses to start to feel better. FDN uses only natural, high quality botanicals to coax the body back to optimal health.
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Stress Reduction: We work together to reduce the metabolic stress on your body from within, & to find ways to meet & overcome the inevitable external stresses that make up our every day lives. Strategies for managing your stresses are explored & tailored so that you feel more empowered & grounded.