Functional Medicine

Functional medicine is an integrative approach to the management of our patient’s health needs. The systems in our body are designed to work together. Knowing this, each system is dependent on each other for the optimal function of the body as a whole. Our goal at Thrive for life is simple; we work to support and restore the body’s natural ability to heal itself. We do not claim to treat conditions or cure disease. Emphasis is on the underlying cause of disease and development of a comprehensive and holistic treatment plan. We have the ability to assess the function of the neuroendocrine, immune and metabolic systems and are able to generate and devise a customized plan with nutritional, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations. We embrace functional medicine and nutrigenomics (methylation and MTHFR). Functional medicine at Thrive for Life is about adapting a new lifestyle that is attainable, real and can produce results.

What is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is a personalized approach to creating a nutritional plan for you. The plan is based on diagnostic tests (blood, saliva, urine, and DNA), your symptoms, a detailed clinical history, and state-of-the-art laboratory testing. We utilize a variety of testing facilities: LabCorp, 23andme, Genova Diagnostics, Neuroscience, and Cyrex Labs just to name a few. These labs assist us in evaluating your blood chemistry, neurotransmitters and hormones, food sensitivities and allergies, “leaky gut”, nutrigenomics (MTHFR), and autoimmune conditions. The lab values in the medical model are based on sick people, so when a medical professional looks at your labs, there are no grey areas. Therefore, you either have an illness or you do not. On the other hand, through research, the lab values used in the functional medicine model are based on healthy individuals. Functional medicine supports individuals in the so called grey area, outside of healthy functional lab values but not outside pathological values. We not only develop a customized nutritional and lifestyle plan for you but also use supplements to support the body’s natural process. We choose specific nutraceuticals from companies such as Apex, Designs for Health, Neuroscience, Orthomolecular, and Seeking Health. Everyone’s story is different, which is why it is important to find someone you trust that can guide you along your health journey.

Conditions Treated

  • Autoimmune Disorders
  • Blood sugar issues
  • Constipation
  • Fatigue
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Hypothyroid
  • IBS
  • Metabolic Syndrome
  • MTHFR/Methylation
  • Reflux/GERD

How The Team Has Helped Others Thrive

“My family first started seeing Dr. Matt for chiropractic maintenance care. As a med traveling family we needed someone we could trust with our health right away as we were only in town for 8 weeks. At our very first visit I felt comfortable enough to dive into the functional medicine side of the practice as I had been feeling very ill for months on end with no relief. After a quick blood test we found out that I had another autoimmune disease. He promptly put me on a great supplement and diet regimen. Within a week I felt some relief, within two I was a whole new person. We have since moved locations, however Dr. Matt continues to just be a phone call or email away for any flair ups so I don’t have to suffer through months of pain, exhaustion and immense brain fog. He really took the time to figure out the root of my problems, not just mask it with medication. I can’t thank Dr. Matt enough, and neither can my kids, He gave them their mom back!”
-Teri C
“My 21 year old daughter has a rare genetic connective tissue disorder. It causes a lot of subluxations, dislocations and pain for her. Due to her specific medical condition, I had always been very leery of her receiving chiropractic care. Our journey to finding Dr. Matt was through the Functional Medicine aspect of his practice. When I called the office to discuss the possibility of her becoming a patient, Barb, a saint, was very welcoming and knowledgeable. At her first visit, we addressed the Functional Medicine aspects of the care that we were looking for. It was also, very gently, recommended that she be evaluated for chiropractic care. We decided to give it a try. Dr. Matt was amazing. He very gently put her back “together.” She has issues from her knees to her pelvis, SI joint, hips, spine, shoulders, neck, jaw and head. She always felt better after being treated. Her treatments are very thorough and never rushed. Dr. Matt is a gifted chiropractor and a great person. I highly recommend his office.”
-Shelley R
“I began working with Dr. Matthew Smith to address ongoing side effects caused by an autoimmune disorder, Hashimoto’s Disease, of my thyroid, which began four years ago. After three years of inconsistent, and ultimately unsuccessful, treatment by an endocrinologist and the use of artificial thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), or synthroid, I was frustrated by an inability to lose weight, ongoing inflammation, bloating and numerous other chronic side-effects of the disease. Rather than simply trying and failing to mask the side=effects, as the endocrinologist had done, Dr. Matt began measuring and treating the causes behind symptoms. Dr. Matt identified these causes as including inflammation, anemia and low absorption of vitamins B12 and D, all resulting from the disease’s irritation of the gut. Since May 2012, Dr. Matt has guided me on how to eliminate foods that increased the levels of TSH and or caused irritation or inflammation. This involved my starting a life-long, gluten-free diet, avoiding nightshade foods, and after taking blood tests to measure the functional facts behind my symptoms, doing a 35-day Repairvite cleanse, supplemented by Apex Brand Nitiric Balance, Resvero, Tumero, Bitamin D, Oxicell, and B12 drops. The results have changed my life. For the first time in four years, the bloating and weight have decreased naturally, and supplements have allowed me to feel more consistently energetic and to function daily in a healthy way. In short, I’m beginning to feel like myself again. Most importantly, by reappearing my gut, feeding my body the necessary nutrition, and reducing irritation and inflammation, I feel that I’m preventing further problems down the road. Thanks, Dr. Matt, for giving me a healthy fresh start and path to follow.”
-Erin F

Interested in Functional Medicine with Thrive?

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