Megan and fellow coach Danna revisit an early episode to unpack functional medicine—what it is, how it differs from conventional care, and how a functional approach can sharpen a health coach’s practice. Expect practical examples (BP meds, antibiotics + probiotics), how to vet providers, and what extra training changed in Danna’s client work.

Back in 2018, Megan introduced functional medicine as an option when conventional care feels stuck on symptom relief. In 2025, she and Danna (a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach) compare notes: What does “root cause” really mean? How do labs, lifestyle, and nutrition fit together? And how can coaches collaborate with (or simply vet) doctors who think more holistically—without abandoning standard medicine when it’s needed?

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Background

01:04 Understanding Functional Medicine

02:25 Functional Medicine in Practice

13:17 How Functional Medicine Informs Your Coaching Practice

• Root cause ≠ anti-medicine. Functional medicine uses meds when necessary, then investigates lifestyle, nutrition, hormones, gut health, and environment to address why symptoms persist.
• Broader data, better decisions. Full labs (and sometimes stool/urine testing) + food/lifestyle mapping can reveal patterns a 7-minute visit can’t.
• Clinician fit matters. You want curiosity, clear explanations, and collaboration. Titles help, but how they listen is the tell.
• Coaching upgrades. FM knowledge helps coaches guide clients to targeted doctor questions, low-cost experiments (e.g., trial eliminations), and realistic next steps—especially when budgets/insurance are tight.

• Share your questions or stories: leave us a voicemail
• Explore more episodes of Becoming a Health Coach on the SwissCast Network.
• Connect with Danna for functional-medicine-informed coaching.