A Consumer Awareness Guide to

Functional Medicine

By Dr. Carri Drzyzga, DC, ND

The Functional Medicine Doc

Copyright © 2014 by Dr. Carri Drzyzga, DC, ND All rights reserved. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is expressly prohibited.

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What is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is a new and emerging field of healthcare. It’s a subspecialty within

the much broader field of Natural Medicine.

While medical doctors typically address your symptoms…

Functional Medicine is about finding and fixing the underlying cause of

your symptoms.

Functional Medicine doctors pinpoint the root, underlying cause of your symptoms and

then work with their patients to fix it, using treatments that are natural, safe,

and proven effective.

This approach enables you to feel normal again, get your health and energy back, and

become able to enjoy your life to the fullest.

Find the cause. Fix the cause. Feel normal again!

That’s Functional Medicine in a nutshell.

A Personalized, Find-the-Cause Approach to Health Care

Everything in your body is connected.

Functional Medicine doctors understand this, so we tend to think “outside the box,” not

only in how we diagnose you, but also in how we heal you.

Functional Medicine doctors look at the WHOLE body because everything in your body

is connected.

We want to hear about everything that’s going on with your health—all your complaints,

all at once—so we can piece those connections together.

There’s No “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach to Healthcare…

It doesn’t work with T-shirts…

And it certainly doesn’t work with health care!

Everyone is unique.

That means you get a personalized approach to care, and a personalized approach to

treatment.

That’s usually what takes place during your first visit with a Functional Medicine

doctor. This is where the detective work starts. A thorough history will often reveal

the clues needed to crack your case wide open.

A Functional Medicine doctor will then look over all the tests that your family doctor

and specialists have already run. That leads to even more clues, then further testing, to

find the underlying cause of your symptoms.

Next, your treatment plan is put together—an actual plan designed

specifically for YOU.

It’s very much a team approach. The Functional Medicine doctor and patient (YOU!)

work together, as mutual allies.

Functional Medicine is a patient-centered approach, not a disease-centered approach.

We Treat YOU.

In Functional Medicine, we always seek to find the cause and fix the cause

naturally.

Always.

We find what is out of balance with you, and then treat you for that.

Treatment may include vitamins, herbs, diet changes, and the like, then we retest to

ensure all normal function and energy levels are returning.

Functional Medicine is NOT Band Aid Medicine.

That’s why Functional Medicine works when other approaches don’t.

And, that’s why Functional Medicine is an exciting, emerging field of healthcare.

Functional Medicine just makes sense…

And…

It changed my life.

Where BOTH regular medicine and Natural Medicine failed to fix my fatigue,

Functional Medicine finally worked for me.

I Didn’t Think It Would Ever Happen To ME!

My story goes like this…

It all started in 2009. I was celebrating fifteen years in practice as a Chiropractor, but

the truth is I wasn’t happy in my career. I wasn’t fulfilled.

So in 2009 I went back to school—Naturopathic school.

It was a tough decision. I moved from Canada to Chicago, leaving my husband, my

dogs, and my patients behind. They all gave me their full support, and I needed it!

I took on the biggest course load they would allow.

I loaded my schedule full of courses. I was in class thirty hours a week—morning,

afternoon, and evening classes.

Plus study time…

Plus writing term papers…

Plus giving presentations…

Plus preparing for exams.

Plus traveling back and forth to Canada to treat my patients.

I was in class all week…then fly out Friday night to Ottawa…work all day Saturday

treating my patients… and again on Sunday…then straight back to the airport…to be

back in Chicago Sunday night…for Monday morning classes.

It was an insane schedule! And a lot of pressure to succeed. Thinking back on it, I

don’t even know how I did it all!

I was the definition of “burning the candle at both ends.”

It was one of the most stressful times of my life.

Lots of late nights…lots of tossing and turning…lots of knots in my stomach…lots of

coffee to make it through my day.

About six months in was when the fatigue really hit me.

In the beginning I just shrugged it off because I knew the fatigue was from stress.

Between semesters I went to my family doctor. She ran blood work.

She said my thyroid was low and followed that up with, “We’ll just watch it. I’m sure

it’s nothing.”

I said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa—wait a second. What do you mean my thyroid is low? How

low is low?”

My TSH was 7.15. Ideal is under 2.0, so I knew this was bad.

The next thing she said was, “We don’t usually do anything about this until your

numbers are into the double digits.”

And I thought, “What? That makes NO sense! You’re going to WAIT until I get worse

before you do something?”

I asked for more testing—to find the cause.

Actually, it was more like a debate, because that concept—find the cause—seemed

foreign to my doctor.

(I honestly don’t mean to doctor bash. They do their best, but their hands are tied by the

system. So it can be really frustrating, even for me, to deal with doctors.)

From a functional medicine standpoint, the two most common reasons for low

thyroid are

1) high cortisol levels from stress; and

2) the autoimmune thyroid condition Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

I said, “Let’s rule out Hashimoto’s. I want antibody testing—thyroperoxidase antibodies

and thyroglobulin antibodies. And a vitamin D test, too.”

My doctor said, “No. It’s not necessary.”

After debating with her farther, she finally gave in and ran the tests.

(Honestly, I think she just gave in to shut me up!)

The test showed I didn’t have Hashimoto’s, so that left me in the cortisol and stress

scenario as the cause of my low thyroid.

I thought, “All right. I’ll take better care of myself.” I started a vitamin and herb regime.

Then I headed back to the grind of school.

And the stress kept building.

I told myself, “Carri Ann, this is short-term pain for long-term gain. You just have to

suck it up! Suck it up so that you can get that diploma and practice natural medicine.

This is your dream! Just keep your eye on the prize!”

So that’s what I did.

I worked extra hard…

…and paid my dues…

Until graduation day!

By the time that day came, my batteries were nearly dead.

I was both physically and mentally exhausted!

Next came Board Exams.

More studying...

More stress...

More sleepless nights...

And more pressure than ever!

Afterwards I basically slept for three months - ten hours at night plus two-hour naps

every day. I thought, “I just need to recharge my batteries. Sleep will fix me.”

Except more sleep didn’t help my fatigue.

I started taking more supplements…more herbs…more everything. It only helped a little.

Once my ND license arrived, I could finally test myself.

I started applying Functional Medicine to myself.

I used to feel exhausted, even after LOTS of sleep!

I did a saliva test for cortisol. These are my cortisol results:

My saliva cortisol test results

My cortisol was LOW all day long - I was in Stage 3 Adrenal Exhaustion!

No wonder I had so much fatigue!

I completely changed my vitamins and herbs. I also started a gluten-free diet.

After seven or eight weeks, my energy was a little better, but I still had a long way to go.

So the next thing I did was a stool test.

Bingo! I found a parasite! Cryptosporidium parvum, a very common parasite. I

probably got it from my dogs. They lick everything, including me. I treated the parasite

with herbs.

My energy got a little better again, but I still had a ways to go.

Besides the fatigue, I was also struggling with my brain. I think going back to

school fried my brain! Seriously! Stress—or cortisol—actually does kill off brain cells.

I had foggy brain, poor memory, lack of concentration, lack of motivation,

lack of drive, and I was distracted easily.

I relied on sticky notes and lists, otherwise I would forget.

I’d ask my husband a question and forget his answer, so I’d ask him again.

He’d get upset and thought I wasn’t listening to him.

The reality was my brain just wasn’t working! I felt like I had adult ADD—Attention

Deficit Disorder. I’d start one little project, and I’d get distracted and go to something

else, and then I’d get distracted again and go on to another thing. And nothing was

actually getting done!

I was worried.

As a doctor I really rely on my critical thinking skills, especially with Functional

Medicine.

I thought to myself “Would I ever be normal again?”

The last piece of my fatigue puzzle was fixing my brain.

I tested and determined the right combination of amino acids to balance my serotonin

and dopamine at optimal levels.

It was a lot of capsules to swallow, and the testing was rigorous.

But once I found the right combination for me…

It was like a light bulb turned on inside my brain!

My brain was clear…

And I felt fully present again…

And my fatigue was GONE!

I finally felt like my old self!

Being on those amino acid supplements to keep my brain in

balance—that was the biggest part of my fatigue puzzle.

My advice for you is…

Don’t give up!

You should have hope. Now I have plenty of energy and I feel normal again!

There IS a reason why you have your symptoms.

My other advice is…

Be patient.

It takes time to figure fatigue out.

For most patients there are multiple reasons why their health problem is there.

Like for me—the low cortisol, the gluten sensitivity, the parasite infection, the brain

imbalance. That took a lot of time to figure out, let alone fix.

Sometimes it really can be a needle in a haystack.

But that needle IS there, waiting to be found.

Keep digging for it - you will eventually find it!

And then feel normal again, and get your health back, and get your life back!

You’ve got to find the cause, and then fix the cause, so that you can feel

normal again.

Functional Medicine can help with many different health problems.

Find a Functional Medicine doctor to work with. They will help find the needle in your

haystack.

Thank you for reading my story. I hope it helps you or someone you love.

If Functional Medicine worked for ME, it might work for YOU, too!

Are you at least feeling hopeful about Functional Medicine?

About feeling better?

And feeling normal again?

The next step is to find the right Functional Medicine doctor for you.

A doctor that is an authority in treating your health problem.

A doctor that will listen to you and take your health problem seriously.

A doctor that has been trained to understand that everything in the body is connected.

A doctor that doesn’t use band aid approaches.

A doctor that will not only FIND the real underlying cause of your health problem, but also FIX it with natural treatments, like diet changes, vitamins and herbs.

A doctor that will get you feeling back to normal again…maybe even better than normal!

That’s why I’ve written this helpful guide – to help cut through the confusion so you can

find the right Functional Medicine doctor for YOU!

In this guide you’ll discover how to avoid:

3 common Functional Medicine rip-offs;

5 misconceptions about Functional Medicine;

8 questions to ask before you book your first appointment with a Functional

Medicine doctor; and

4 mistakes to avoid when choosing your Functional Medicine doctor.

3 Common Functional Medicine Rip-Offs…

1. You’re told you need to do a battery of tests before your first

visit.

This is one of the biggest scams, and is NOT considered REAL Functional Medicine.

When you’re told you need to do a panel of tests before your first visit…

Or the doctor needs you to do all kinds of tests for a ‘comprehensive workup’ before your

first meeting…

This is code for SCAM.

In the city where I practice there is a compounding pharmacy that offers testing like

this. Everyone gets the same panel of blood and urine tests. Everyone.

You’ll also find this popular scam on the internet. Don’t fall for it.

We are all biologically different and unique.

Running the same tests on everyone across the board is a generic, one-

size-fits-all approach to healthcare.

And, like a one-size-fits-all tee shirt, it rarely works.

Plus, it’s unethical. Period.

Functional Medicine is by its very nature personalized medicine – like a custom

tailored suit.

Your Functional Medicine doctor should sit down with you first and take your complete

history before ever deciding which tests are appropriate for your case.

And, they should also review all your past tests - any and all tests run by your family

doctor and specialists - before deciding which tests are appropriate for your case.

In this sense the tests you actually need are custom tailored exactly for your specific

case.

You avoid spending money on tests that you don’t actually need. And, you avoid

spending money on tests that have already been done, too.

2. You’re told you don’t need ANY testing.

Some doctors think they don’t need to do any testing on you because they can figure out

your case just from your symptoms and a detailed history.

In my opinion…

If you’re doctor’s not testing…

That means they’re GUESSING.

And…

They’re wasting your time…

And your money.

In order to find the underlying cause of your health problem a certain amount of

testing must be performed to see what’s out of balance…and what’s not.

I’ll give you a common example...

Many doctors think they don’t need to test your vitamin D levels because ‘everyone is

deficient’.

(Which is, for the most part, true for us here in Canada. Just about everyone I tested last

year was vitamin D deficient or insufficient. Ideal vitamin D levels are 125-250nmol/L.)

But, then they prescribe a generic amount of vitamin D for everyone to take – usually

1,000iu-2,000iu daily.

(Again, a one-size fits-all approach rarely works for anyone…)

Here’s the problem with this…

Vitamin D deficiency can be all across the board – mild deficiency…moderate

deficiency…or severe deficiency – regardless of symptoms.

Depending on how SEVERE the deficiency is it will obviously require a different

dosage to fix.

Your doctor won’t know that unless they test you first.

Plus, vitamin D deficiency does not correlate with any specific symptoms.

In fact, vitamin D deficiency mimics many, many different diseases…

So without a test the doctor usually takes you on a wild goose chase based on your

symptoms alone…

And just wastes a lot of your time…

And your money.

(That’s just one example with vitamin D. I could give you many other examples.)

Doctors that do not test are either…

1.) Don’t know what to test or are not comfortable with interpreting the test results –

this means they’ve never been fully trained in the Functional Medicine

approach.

(You don’t want this doctor.)

Or…

2.) It’s entirely possible that they fundamentally cannot legally even run tests

because they’re not even a real doctor, or they’re practicing outside their

scope of practice!

(Crazy, I know…but I’ve seen it happen!)

A good Functional Medicine doctor will always have a plan for testing

you…

And will explain the pros and cons of testing based on your case…

So you can decide whether or not you want to go ahead with testing.

Tests can be expensive…I know that. But, in order to find the underlying cause and not

waste any more of your time and money oftentimes the best investment in your

health is running the right tests.

Again, when you’re not testing…you’re guessing.

3. Re-running tests that have already been done.

Unless you’re retesting to measure progress…why test twice?

To pad the doctor’s wallet…no other reason.

I especially see this with blood tests…

Doctors needlessly re-running tests that have already been done by

someone else because they’re too lazy to get copies of your medical

records.

That’s why a good Functional Medicine doctor will request all your medical records from

all your doctors…

To see what has already been tested…

And avoid repeating tests unnecessarily.

Now, most test results are only good for about a year or two.

Tests older than this don’t hold as much relevance to your present state of health. In this

case retesting is usually necessary to get an accurate picture of your present health.

5 Misconceptions About Functional Medicine…

1. A Functional Medicine doctor is just another pill pusher.

Wrong.

Functional Medicine doctors always strive to FIND the underlying cause of your health

problem, and then FIX the cause with natural treatments, so you can feel normal

again.

The goal is always to FIX…always.

This will take a certain amount of supplements for sure…I won’t mislead you about that.

But, understand there is a fundamental difference between medications and

supplements.

Medications for the most part only act as band aids – covering up your symptoms

without fixing anything…and often create side effects that require more medications.

The difference is that supplements are NOT band aids – they’re work to promote

healing and actually fix the underlying cause.

And, once the cause is fixed, you won’t need those supplements anymore.

2. Functional Medicine doctors don’t know anything about

diet.

Wrong.

A doctor that ONLY pushes supplements but doesn’t talk to you about your

diet is NOT actually doing Functional Medicine.

Functional Medicine doctors know that your diet is the foundation of your health…and

usually your illness, too.

A good Functional Medicine doctor will always prescribe dietary advice based on your

particular case and your particular health goals.

Now, most health problems cannot be fixed with diet alone, so I’m warning

you about that upfront.

By the time most patients see a Functional Medicine doctor their problem is chronic and

long-standing…

And this means multiple nutrient deficiencies and imbalances are going on.

Relying on diet alone to fix that mess is just NOT being realistic.

Supplements must be used...

…while diet is being addressed…

for the fastest road to health recovery.

And don’t worry – a good Functional Medicine doctor won’t have you eat a bunch of

weird foods, either!

(To be perfectly honest, that’s a pet peeve of mine. I think it’s only fair that if I won’t eat

it or drink it then I shouldn’t ask you to, either. )

3. ALL naturopaths are trained in Functional Medicine.

Not exactly.

Sure, most naturopathic doctors learn some Functional Medicine…

(And by some I’m being generous!)

A recent review of the top naturopathic medical schools revealed that only about

0.8% of naturopathic training is devoted to Functional Medicine.

0.8%!

So, don’t fall for the trap that “all naturopaths are trained in Functional Medicine”.

To make sure your Functional Medicine doctor

actually has proper training in Functional Medicine

visit the website for the Institute for Functional

Medicine at www.FunctionalMedicine.org.

A quick search will reveal if your doctor is properly trained in Functional Medicine or

not, PLUS the year they did their training - this will give you an idea of their level of

experience with practicing Functional Medicine.

(For example, if you search for my name you’ll see I received my Functional Medicine

training back in 2004.)

4. Once you start treatment you’ll have to go forever.

Wrong.

Functional Medicine is NOT a quick fix solution.

Frankly, if that’s what you’re looking for…

…a quick fix…

Then Functional Medicine is NOT for you.

There’s no such thing as a quick fix for chronic health problems.

Functional Medicine takes time.

It will probably take longer than you expect…

…usually 2-3 years to really fix the underlying cause for most patients.

But, once you’re done you’re DONE!

Think of it like renovating an old house…it takes time…usually more than you

expect…and patience…and a certain amount of expense…but once the renovation is

done it’s done.

Now, you’ll still need to maintain the upkeep on the house…even after the

renovations…or the house will start falling apart again…and faster than normal.

That only makes sense.

It’s the same with your body.

Once you get healthy…

Average Blood Tests from

Family Doctor

Functional Medicine Full Blood Report

Complete Blood Count X X

Iron Stores:

Ferritin

X

X

Blood Sugar:

Glucose

HbA1C

X

sometimes

X X

Kidney Function:

BUN

Creatinine

eGFR

X X

X X X

B12 X X Electrolytes:

Sodium

Potassium

Chloride

CO2

Calcium

Phosphate

X X X

X X X X X X

Cholesterol Panel X X

Inflammation Markers:

hsCRP

CRP

X X

Liver Function:

AST

ALT

ALP

GGT

LD

Urate

Bilirubin

X sometimes

X X X X X X X

Total Protein X

Albumin X

Albumin/Globulin Ratio X

Thyroid Panel:

TSH

Free T4

Free T3

Anti-TPO Ab

Anti-TG Ab

X

X X X X X

Vitamin D X

You should always maintain the upkeep on your body…

Eating healthy…

Exercising…

Taking your basic supplements….

Stress management…

Or your health will start falling apart again.

5. Functional Medicine is expensive.

Not true.

Although healthcare in Canada is free…

free always comes with a tradeoff.

The tradeoff for free healthcare is…

1. You have little to no control over your

healthcare.

2. You can only have one complaint per office

visit.

3. You can only get a physical exam every three

years.

4. You’re actually getting the barest of minimums

when it comes to blood testing. (You may not

know this dirty little secret…but I see what’s

being tested and what ISN’T being tested on a

routine basis!)

5. A shortage of doctors means you cannot

choose your doctor, or you’re stuck without a

doctor and need to get your healthcare from a

walk in clinic where you are just a number.

6. You have to endure long wait times for testing

and specialists.

7. The government determines your healthcare

based on the current budget…which is only

getting WORSE as the Baby Boomers get older…and sicker.

If you bought a house would you be satisfied with it being built to the barest minimum

structural standards?

If you bought a car would you be satisfied with the barest minimum of safety

standards?

Now ask yourself…

Are you satisfied with having the barest minimum in healthcare for your most precious

and irreplaceable asset – your HEALTH?

Please consider the multiple benefits of personally investing in your

healthcare…

You can choose a doctor that YOU want to work with - a doctor that’s an authority in treating your health problem.

You can choose a doctor that will listen to you…look you in the eye…and take your health problem seriously.

You can talk about as many complaints as you like at your visits, because the doctor you choose understands that everything in the body is connected and takes a whole body approach to your health.

You can choose a doctor that welcomes all your questions and explains things to you in plain simple language you can actually understand.

You can choose a doctor that doesn’t believe in or use band aid solutions.

You can choose a doctor that will not only find the real underlying cause of your health problem, but also fix it with a personalized treatment plan specific for you, including real advice on diet changes, vitamins and herbs.

You can choose a doctor that will get you feeling back to normal again…maybe even better than normal!

You can choose a Functional Medicine doctor as your doctor…and health coach…and cheerleader…and confidant.

What price do you put on your health?

Seriously.

Take a moment and think of that question and put an actual price on it.

(Do you have your number? If not don’t keep reading until you’ve got a number.)

The truth is your Functional Medicine treatment will cost you only a tiny

fraction of that number.

I bet if the transmission on your car blew out today you would have no problem pulling

out your credit card to pay for a new one because it’s so inconvenient to not have a car.

Well, it’s infinitely more inconvenient to not have your health.

Your health is your most precious asset…treat it that way.

Invest in yourself!

Choosing to invest in a great Functional Medicine doctor will pay you unlimited

dividends into the future!

Isn’t your health worth it?

Aren’t YOU worth it?

7 Questions To Ask Before You Book Your First Appointment

With A Functional Medicine Doctor

1. Is the doctor a real doctor? What’s their license number?

First, find out if you’re dealing with a REAL doctor or not.

It seems so obvious…

But you’d be surprised how many people out there get their ‘diplomas’ from an online

school then call themselves a ‘doctor’…especially a Functional Medicine doctor…and

especially on the internet.

Don’t fall for this.

If your doctor is a REAL doctor they’ll have a license number.

You can then contact their licensing board to see if the license is current and active to

practice or not.

(This can easily be done with an internet search).

Plus, you’ll also be able to see if they’ve ever had any professional misconduct or

malpractice findings.

For example, because I’m a chiropractor and a naturopathic doctor I have two licenses

that can easily be found online from the College of Chiropractors of Ontario and the

Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy Naturopathy, respectively.

(And, both my licenses are current, active and in good standing! Go check for yourself:

www.cco.on.ca and www.bddtn.on.ca ).

2. What kind of training does the doctor have?

Don’t be afraid to ask what schools they’ve attended.

Online schools do not count.

REAL doctors go to real schools…with REAL professors…and REAL

exams…and have to pass REAL Board exams in order to practice - NOT

online schools.

But, even with that, a lot of doctors think their training ends on the day they graduate.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

A good Functional Medicine doctor will have an insatiable thirst for

knowledge and continue learning WAY beyond graduation.

Ask for proof of this – what specific training has the doctor received beyond their basic

schooling?

Here’s an example from my professional training portfolio:

Beyond my two doctoral degrees—Chiropractic and Naturopathic Medicine - I have

additional training in Functional Medicine, The Kalish Method, Acupuncture, and I’m a

Certified Gluten Practitioner.

(I admit - I’m a super nerd and total over-achiever when it comes to learning about

natural medicine! This is only a small part of my professional training portfolio!)

Also, look for professional designations and membership icons on your doctor’s website.

These examples are from my website:

3. What are the doctor’s specific areas of expertise?

You know the old saying…

“Jack of all trades, master of none.”

It applies to doctors especially.

There is so much information that doctors need to learn – they have to know a little bit

about all parts of the body.

And because of this many doctors try to be all things to all people.

A good Functional Medicine doctor will know their strengths and weaknesses, and be

happy to tell them to patients.

For example, I do NOT treat children or cancer – those are my two biggest weaknesses -

so I never ever accept those kinds of cases.

But, I do have lots of experience with cases that involve fatigue – heck, I wrote a book on

it!

To learn more about my book Reclaim Your Energy and Feel

Normal Again! Fixing the Root Cause of Your Fatigue with

Natural Treatments go to www.ReclaimYourEnergyBook.com

.

Besides authoring a book, other signs of expertise include:

Extensive blog with posts that are up to date;

Array of videos that have insightful content;

A string of interviews and podcasts; and

Professional looking website with real case studies of real patients.

4. Can I see any proof of the doctor’s results?

The BEST proof of a doctor’s results is with lots of happy, healthy, satisfied patients.

A direct referral from another happy, satisfied patient is the BEST kind of

proof.

But, what if you don’t have a direct referral?

What if you find your doctor blindly from the internet, or newspaper ad, or postcard

flyer?

Call and ask if the doctor has any case studies you can see.

Also, ask if you can speak to any of their patients that had a health complaint similar to

yours.

Most good Functional Medicine doctors have a slew of patients that would

be more than happy to chat with you about their experience with their

doctor…and their clinic.

Now is your chance to get the scoop…so ask them anything and everything – the good,

the bad, and the ugly!

Getting another patient’s experience and unbiased perspective can be very

revealing about the doctor and the clinic staff.

Testimonials are also a good source of proof.

Except, most licensing boards do not allow the use of testimonials by real

doctors.

So, if you do not see any testimonials on your doctor’s website don’t be alarmed – your

doctor doesn’t want to risk losing their license and is simply following the rules and

regulations set by their licensing board.

Otherwise, all doctors would start looking like ambulance chasing lawyers.

(Apologies to you if you’re a lawyer and take offense to that joke! )

5. Do you offer convenient appointment times for me?

You’re probably already super busy with your job…your children… their activities… and

grocery shopping… cooking… eating… sleeping… your favorite television shows… plus

your hobbies.

If you’re like most people, convenience is a prime necessity for your busy

life.

Ask what days is the doctor in?

Do they offer evening appointments?

Do they offer weekend appointments?

Do they offer phone appointments or video chat appointments? (this is especially

helpful if the doctor you choose is not within easy travelling distance)

Can you contact the doctor easily after hours if you have a question?

These are all conveniences that a good Functional Medicine doctor will

provide for their patients.

In my office we take this a step further by making it more convenient for our patients to

get their supplements – we’ll mail their supplements to them so they no longer have to

drive across town and fight traffic just for their monthly supply of vitamins.

6. Will the doctor review my case before my first

appointment?

What you REALLY want to know is…

…“Can the doctor HELP me…or NOT”.

Because if they can’t help you…

Why waste your time…

And your money…

With an unneeded appointment?

You’d like to know that upfront, right?

To remedy this, a good Functional Medicine doctor will first have you

submit a Health Summary of your case history for them to review…

To see if your case is something they can help…

Or not…

Before you even set an appointment…

And before you ever set foot into their office.

You don’t want a doctor that will just accept anyone and everyone as

patients.

The majority of doctors’ offices do this.

You call in, and you automatically become their patient.

This is NOT what you really want.

You only want a doctor that accepts your case because they know they can

help you.

A good Functional Medicine doctor will selectively choose if you are the right patient for

them or not by reviewing your case first.

This is how good Functional Medicine doctors build such a great reputations by only

accepting the cases they know they can help.

Personally, after I review your case summary and when I cannot help, I’ll let you know

ASAP and I’ll try to match you up with a doctor that’s appropriate for your case.

7. Can I get an appointment immediately or is there a waiting

list?

Let me give you an analog.

If you were hungry…

And had to choose from two restaurants…

Would you choose the one that was super busy?

Or the one that was empty?

Busy, of course…or you risk food poisoning, right?

How quickly you can get in for your first appointment will tell you how

busy the doctor REALLY is…or NOT.

A same day, or even same week, first visit equates to an empty restaurant - it may be

convenient today, but you’ll probably regret it tomorrow.

The reality is…

A good Functional Medicine doctor will be busy…

Really busy…

So you’ll have to wait usually a few weeks minimum before you can get in to see them for

your first visit.

An office that has a waiting list for new patients is always a good sign of a

great Functional Medicine doctor.

Be a patient patient – it will be worth the wait!

8. Does the doctor offer a guarantee?

Obviously, real doctors cannot guarantee results or promise they’ll cure you.

That’s totally unethical.

And, just plain wrong.

The fact of the matter is…

YOU are the one that has to do most of the work in the doctor-patient relationship.

YOU have to follow all our recommendations…not just the ones that you “want to do” or are “the easy ones”…

YOU have to take the supplements…

YOU have to do the exercise…

YOU have to eat a healthy diet…

YOU have to manage your stress…

Etc …Etc.

You get the point.

Being healthy takes hard work, time and patience. Being healthy is a choice, not a given. In order for you to get the best results, you have to hold up your end of the bargain.

Now, having said all that…

A great Functional Medicine doctor WILL offer you a guarantee.

Here’s my guarantee:

Dr. Carri’s 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

As a licensed doctor, I cannot guarantee

RESULTS – that would be unethical. However,

as Your Functional Medicine Doctor, what I

can do is guarantee your complete

SATISFACTION. Because Functional Medicine is a process and

journey that we go on together, specific RESULTS often take more

than a couple quick visits. So, my guarantee is this: If for ANY

reason, after only six visits, you’re not 100% COMPLETELY SATISFIED

with your care and the level of service you receive by me and my

staff, I’ll gladly refund ALL your money – for ALL your visits … for ALL

your tests … and yes, for ALL your supplements. My goal is to make

you both healthy and happy!

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Your Functional

Medicine Doctor

1. Don’t choose your doctor based on prices only.

You instinctively already know this…

Working with the best – the best lawyer…the best accountant…the best mechanic –

usually comes with a bigger price tag.

The best Functional Medicine doctors come at a premium and are usually

not the cheapest doctors.

But, understand that with a bigger price tag comes an immense amount of added value

for their level of expertise and experience.

2. Don’t choose your doctor based on a free consultation.

You’ve heard the saying:

“There’s no such thing as a free meal.”

Doctors that offer free consultations are usually desperate for patients.

That’s NOT the kind of doctor you should work with.

And, not the kind of doctor you should trust your HEALTH with.

A successful Functional Medicine doctor values their time and charges for it.

3. Beware of the chiropractor that practices Functional

Medicine.

In Canada, unless your complaint is specifically a musculoskeletal complaint…

Most chiropractors who practice Functional Medicine are actually

practicing outside their scope of practice – knowingly (very unethical!) or

unknowingly (very scary!).

I know this because I have two licenses – chiropractic and naturopathic medicine – so I

am fully aware of the scope of practice for each of my professions.

Plus, chiropractors, per their scope of practice, cannot order any blood

tests, urine tests, saliva tests, or stool tests.

This means they are extremely limited in being able to diagnose the underlying cause of

your symptoms.

And, like I’ve said before, doctors that aren’t testing…are guessing.

In order to get REAL Functional Medicine look for a doctor who is a

naturopathic doctor (ND) or a medical doctor (MD).

4. Don’t choose your doctor based on your insurance

coverage.

In a perfect world your insurance would cover everything, right?

(C’mon, that’s a pipe dream that will never happen – you already know that!)

The truth is…

Insurance coverage is minimal at best and is only there to get you started.

Most insurance only covers your first one or two visits with a Functional Medicine

doctor.

That’s it.

Frankly, the rest will be up to you.

Let’s get real for a moment:

Your health is YOUR responsibility…NOT your insurance company’s

responsibility.

Your insurance company doesn’t care how sick you are…

Or how much treatment you really need to get better.

(And, many patients don’t have any insurance coverage. So, even if you have a little bit

of coverage, it’s better than none at all.)

Just accept that in order to get great healthcare you will have to pay for it

from your own pocket.

The faster you just accept that fact, the faster you will be on the road to better health.

Give yourself permission to take back control of your health.

Invest in yourself.

Invest in your health.

You more than deserve it!

You Can Feel Normal Again…Starting Now!

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of this free report!

I’d like you to think of it as a new beginning - the start of a new chapter in your life,

where you will start your new journey to Reclaim Your Energy and Feel Normal Again!

Since you’re still here reading, I’ll take it as a sign that you have hope that finding a good

Functional Medicine doctor can probably help you…

Maybe even change your life!

Here’s what to do next…

To learn more about Functional Medicine and how it can help you check out these great

resources:

www.DrCarri.com is packed with interviews, blog posts, and my wildly popular podcast

The Functional Medicine Radio Show.

www.DrCarri.TV is my popular ‘TV Show’ loaded with even more health tips and

information about Functional Medicine.

www.Facebook.com/DrCarri is where you can connect with me directly and ask

questions.

www.FunctionalMedicineOntario.com is my private practice where I treat patients.

www.ReclaimYourEnergyBook.com is where you can learn more about my hit book

Reclaim Your Energy and Feel Normal Again! Fixing the Root Cause of Your Fatigue

with Natural Treatments.

One Last Thing…

Frankly, the quickest way for you to feel normal again is with a good Functional

Medicine doctor. Look, don’t waste any more time or energy trying to figure out your

health problems all by yourself. It’s just too complicated and confusing.

So find a good Functional Medicine doctor, one who specializes in your health problem.

In fact, I know a brilliant Functional Medicine doctor who would be delighted to help

you—me! (Come on, I had to get a shameless plug in at some point! )

Thank you for reading this report. I hope you found value in it and it has given you hope.

Dr. Carri Drzyzga, DC, ND

About the Author

Dr. Carri Drzyzga is known internationally as The Functional

Medicine Doc. She is committed to helping patients find the

root cause of their health problems and fix the cause with

natural treatments so they can feel normal again.

Her last name is pronounced “Driz-ga” (it’s Polish), but

everyone simply calls her Dr. Carri!

She has been in private practice since 1996, and is founder of Functional Medicine

Ontario in Ottawa, Ontario.

Dr. Carri holds two doctoral degrees—Chiropractic and Naturopathic Medicine.

Additionally, she has training in Functional Medicine, Acupuncture, The Kalish Method,

and is a Certified Gluten Practitioner. Always an avid learner, Dr. Carri has obtained a

level of expertise in her profession that no other doctor in Canada has achieved to date.

Dr. Carri speaks and gives interviews on such topics as natural treatments for fatigue,

chronic pain, hypothyroidism, and immune and digestive health. She has enjoyed being

a featured speaker at The Eastern Ontario Chiropractic Society.

Dr. Carri has been married for eighteen years to her husband Benoȋt, who is also a

chiropractor. They have two rescued Basset hounds, Bailey and Sammi, who couldn’t be

chiropractors because of their lack of opposable thumbs and propensity for slobbering

on patients. Carri and Ben like to travel, hike, and just spend time together.