Episode 56: Dr. Frances Meredith - Healing the Whole Human

Dr. Frances Meredith on the Biopsychosocial Approach to Sports MedicineMany patients and athletes with concussion-related or chronic symptoms (brain fog, fatigue, mood changes, autoimmune issues) continue to experience lingering challenges despite receiving standard medical care. Today’s guest believes this is often because the biological, psychological, and social drivers of health are not always addressed together within a single care framework.In this episode, hosts Andrew Rizza and Dr. Cameron Roth are joined live from the 2025 NATA Convention in Orlando by Dr. Frances Meredith, a physician trained in primary care and infectious disease who now practices functional medicine, with a focus on concussion recovery, autoimmunity, and whole-person care.Dr. Meredith explains how functional medicine differs from traditional Western medical models and why patients should be active participants in their own healthcare. The conversation explores why concussions can be understood as whole-body injuries, how inflammation and metabolic factors may contribute to lingering symptoms like brain fog and fatigue, and why recovery often benefits from a truly multimodal, team-based approach.DISCLAIMER The opinions presented on Behind the Sports Medicine are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any affiliated institutions or partners. The content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a licensed medical professional before making any health or treatment decisions. Behind the Sports Medicine and its affiliates assume no liability for the accuracy or application of the information discussed.MEET THE GUEST Frances Meredith, MDFunctional Medicine PhysicianFounder, Stribling Springs WellnessFormerly trained in Primary Care & Infectious DiseasesMedical Director of MyConcussionDRTOPICS DISCUSSED Understanding functional medicine The patient as an active participant in healthcare The evolution of concussion treatment Biopsychosocial medicine and team-based care The functional medicine approach to weight managementHIGHLIGHTS 00:56 – Intro to Functional Medicine 01:47 – Functional Medicine vs. Western Medicine 04:34 – Sponsors: Met One Technologies & Get Raw 05:37 – Listening to Patients 08:14 – Dr. Meredith's Team 09:23 – Patient Demographics 10:25 – Brain Fog & Contributing Factors 11:36 – Treatment Focus: Food & Lifestyle First 12:48 – Younger Patients: Autoimmunity & Concussions 14:16 – Concussions as a Whole Body Injury 16:00 – A Team Approach to Concussion Treatment 18:22 – Supporting Neurological Health and Risk Reduction 21:53 – The Biopsychosocial Model and Functional Medicine 24:05 – Advocating for Functional Medicine in Sports Medicine 25:39 – Medical Weight Loss & Factors Contributing to Weight Gain 27:38 – Understanding Functional Medicine & ResourcesQUOTES:01:03 – “Functional medicine, the way I think about it based on my experience in more traditional systems, is focused on understanding root causes. It asks why, and it honors the patient by incorporating their insights and lived experience as part of their health journey.” — Dr. Frances Meredith07:22 – “First of all, I'm not Dr. Meredith. I'm Frances. We're on a first-name basis because I'm not the expert in your body. You are. We bring different expertise to the same table.” — Dr. Frances Meredith07:44 – “So I also tell them right at the beginning, ‘I know that you may have felt unheard in the past. Your intuition matters here, and it often helps guide where we go together.’” — Dr. Frances Meredith14:44 – “When we think about concussions, it can be helpful to look beyond the brain alone. The nervous system communicates with the entire body, and understanding those connections allows us to think more holistically about recovery.” — Dr. Frances MeredithLINKS Dr. Frances Meredith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-meredith-a47bb830/ Stribling Springs Wellness: striblingspringswellness.com Institute for Functional Medicine: https://www.ifm.org MyConcussionDR: https://myconcussiondr.com NATA Convention: https://www.nata.org/career-education/education/events/conventionRELATED EPISODES The Truth About Weight Loss, GLP-1 Meds & the Culture of Over-Eating – With Dr. Meghan Garcia-Webb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02k6hLdwMogSPONSORS: Met One Technologies – http://www.met1tech.com Get Raw – https://www.getrawshots.com#SportsMedicine #ConcussionCare #FunctionalMedicine #BrainHealth #BiopsychosocialMedicine