This might be my most controversial clinical opinion: I don't work with functional lab tests. Not DUTCH testing, not GI Map, not organic acids, not microbiome panels. In this episode, I walk through exactly why and some considerations for those who do work with these tests.

In this episode, we cover:

• What I mean by "functional labs" and which tests fall under that umbrella.

• Why I only order tests when the results will actually change what I do.

• The validity problem, with fecal samples for microbiome testing as an example.

• Why "accurate results" and "clinically actionable results" are two very different things.

• The evidence problem: how recommendations attached to these labs are often theoretical rather than based on clinical data.

• The conflict of interest issue.

• A harder question for practitioners: if a lab is telling your client what to take, what exactly are they paying you for?

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Introduction

• 0:10 - My most controversial clinical opinion

• 0:35 - Full disclosure: not judging practitioners who use these labs

• 1:38 - Reason 1: I don't think I need them

• 2:03 - When I think testing matters (iron as an example)

• 4:07 - Reason 2: Validity concerns

• 5:01 - Reason 3: The "what do we do about it" data is mostly theoretical

• 6:05 - The supplement recommendation problem

• 9:38 - A question for practitioners who rely on labs to guide recommendations

• 10:45 - What I'd rather clients spend that money on

It's a beautiful day outside, your brain is blank, and you're supposed to write a newsletter (or record a podcast). So, do you give yourself a pass? In this episode, I make the case for showing up even when you have nothing to say.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why "I don't feel like it" is different from a real reason to skip your content commitment.

• The distinction between a well-deserved day off and letting your marketing/promotion plans fall off the radar.

• Why your "not my best" content sometimes lands better than the pieces you agonized over.

• How to think about consistency as a skill.

• When it is appropriate to revisit your content commitments.

• A simple prompt to get unstuck: write about something that happened to you this week and connect it to your community.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Introduction

• 0:14 - The summer content slump

• 1:01 - When taking a day off is fine - and when it isn't

• 1:57 - Why consistency is a practice, not a personality trait

• 3:33 - Showing up for your community even on the hard days

• 4:50 - When to actually re-evaluate your content strategy (hint: not today)

• 6:35 - The easiest prompt for getting unstuck

Have you ever started a "quick" DIY project for your private practice, only to find yourself pulling your hair out three days later?

In this episode, I’m sharing a slightly embarrassing (but hopefully helpful) cautionary tale about a recent tech rabbit hole I fell down. After noticing my website traffic had dipped, I decided to take my page speed optimization into my own hands. What followed was a crashed website, a warning from my web host, and hours (days?) of wasted time. I finally hired an expert to fix it in under two hours for $100.

If you are a solo practitioner trying to do it all yourself, I want to talk about how to recognize when it’s time to step away from the keyboard and pay an expert to do what they do best.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why page speed actually matters for your website traffic and search rankings.

• The trap of the DIY rabbit hole (and how to know when you’re officially stuck).

• My experience finding an affordable, highly-rated WordPress expert on Upwork.

• How to weigh the cost of hiring help against the value of your own time and sanity.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Camille's workshop on Updating your Home Page

• Google PageSpeed Insights (to check your own site's speed)

• Independent Analytics (the lightweight WordPress analytics tool I use)

• Looking for the name of the speed optimization expert I hired? Send me a message and I'll gladly share his Upwork info!

Coming Up Soon: Keep an ear out for upcoming episodes where we'll be diving into my policies on using AI in clinical practice, as well as my opinions on functional labs.

Join the Practitioner Notes Newsletter: Every Thursday, I send out a newsletter with short essays, resources, and three specific recommendations—recipes, products, or tools—that made my life a little better that week. I’d love to have you join us! You can sign up at intheclinic.com or camillefreeman.com.