Band-Aids Or Root Causes: How Functional Medicine Uses Food And Labs To Find The Real Problem

Send us Fan Mail“Your labs are normal” can sound reassuring, but what if it’s also the reason you stay stuck for years? We sit down with Lisa Marie, a nurse practitioner, family practitioner, and PhD in holistic nutrition, to talk about how functional medicine looks for what’s coming next, not just what’s diagnosable today. Her story starts early, with a metastatic thyroid cancer diagnosis at 23 and a life-changing decision to keep her pregnancy despite intense medical pressure. That experience pushed her to ask better questions, dig into research, and eventually build a practice rooted in both clinical data and real-world sustainability.We get into the heart of preventive health: optimal lab ranges versus “normal” ranges and why you can feel awful even when your doctor says everything looks fine. Lisa Marie breaks down how fasting insulin can reveal insulin resistance years before type 2 diabetes appears, especially when you interpret it alongside fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C. We also talk about using labs as data, retesting regularly, and learning how to advocate for yourself inside a medical system that’s often designed for disease treatment rather than true prevention.From there, we zoom out to the daily habits that actually move the needle. We talk gut health as a starting point, mineral deficiency as a hidden driver of symptoms, and why supplements should be used strategically instead of sold as shortcuts. We also address weight loss medications with nuance, including why muscle matters for longevity, why the scale is only one metric, and how to build a plan you can live with after any “quick fix” ends.Subscribe to Words of Wellness, share this conversation with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review so more people can find these tools for healthier, more vibrant lives.CONNECT WITH LISAMARIE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisamariethenp Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaMarieNPwww.lisamarienp.comCONNECT WITH SHELLY: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswithshellyj https://www.instagram.com/momswhoflourishFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShellyJefferis A few of Shelly's favorite clean products:High quality, clean nutrition and beauty products: https://shellyjefferis.isagenixClean-crafted wine, free from chemicals & pesticides:https://scoutandcellar.com/?u=healthyhappyhoursJuJu Non-toxic candles & air fresheners:https://goodjujucandles.com/?ref=mrtgnyghCoupon code for 10% off: ShellyJefferisThank you for listening to the Words of Wellness podcast with Shelly Jefferis. I am honored and so grateful to have you here and it would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to follow, leave a 5-star review and share  the podcast with anyone you love and anyone you feel could benefit from the message.Thank you and God Bless! And remember to do something for yourself, for your wellness on this day! In Health, Shelly