What Can Functional Medicine Doctors in San Francisco Treat?

Do you struggle to wind down before bed each night? Are your thoughts constantly riddled with stress and anxiety? Has it been weeks since you’ve had a restorative night of rest?

 

If anxiety, stress, and insomnia feel like they’re taking over your life, first take a deep breath. Then rest assured that there is hope for healing and relief. You can feel better again.

 

Functional medicine in San Francisco can help you get to the bottom of these health issues and get you back to feeling like you again. Here’s how.

 

The Functional Medicine Philosophy

You’re likely used to the process of seeing a traditional doctor, while functional medicine may feel like a more foreign concept. The funny thing is, functional medicine has actually been around much longer than traditional medicine! It’s finally starting to gain traction in the United States specifically. 

 

Or maybe you’re familiar with how functional medicine works (maybe you’re even one of our clients!) but you need a refresher as we head into the new year.

 

Whatever the case, let’s break down a few pillars of the functional medicine philosophy:

 

• Your body has the power to heal itself when it’s properly aligned, fueled, and balanced.

• Your body parts are interconnected–not isolated systems. We learn in school about the different body systems (such as digestion or skeletal) but the truth is, they’re all related and impact each other. Your brain fog and fatigue may be a result of an unhealthy gut. 

• Your health is not just physical. Other factors contribute to your overall health, such as: genetics, mental health, environment, stress levels, sleep, and more. A functional medicine provider considers all of these factors in treatment.

• Your symptoms have a root cause. If your roof was leaking, you wouldn’t mop up the mess and leave the hole in the roof. Instead, you would also patch up the leak. This is what sets functional medicine apart: identifying and treating the root cause of your outlying symptoms. 

 

Clare Cattarin (MSN, FNP, IFM-CP, S-CP) is a functional medicine provider in San Francisco who embraces these philosophies when meeting, treating, and guiding patients at Functional Health & Healing. 

 

What Causes Insomnia, Stress, and Anxiety?

Many people across the United States suffer with stress, anxiety, and insomnia. The three are very closely related; it’s natural to experience stress in our lives, but chronic stress and worry manifest can become an anxiety disorder. This can lead to trouble sleeping, which may progress into full-blown insomnia. 

 

Insomnia, stress, and anxiety have a variety of causes:

 

Poor sleep hygiene.

Most of us stumble home from work only to collapse in front of the TV for the rest of the evening. We often don’t make the time or have the energy to properly wind down before bed. Instead, we spend hours in front of screens, still carry the stresses of the day, and finally crawl in bed way too late.

 

Overusing screens.

It’s become a constant battle to avoid picking up your phone in search of a new notification or social media content. Most of us have staggering screen time levels each day, and the constant influx of information makes it almost impossible for our brains to relax and wind down. 

 

Poor stress management. 

Most of us are overworked, overstressed, and overstimulated. It’s too much for our brains to handle the influx of news, notifications, work requirements, and relationships or families we have at home—much less spend time on self-care and health!

 

Other physical health issues.

Many people may be dealing with environmental and physical factors contributing to their overall energy, sleep, and stress levels. These include nutrition, exercise, toxins, gut health, genetics, and more.

 

How San Francisco Functional Medicine Treats Insomnia, Stress, and Anxiety

The issues of insomnia, stress, and anxiety are tangled together like a giant ball of Christmas lights. Thankfully, functional medicine providers like Clare Cattarin are used to dealing with health issues that are intertwined. 

 

Here’s how a San Francisco functional medicine provider like Clare Cattarin may approach treatment for insomnia, stress, and anxiety:

 

Tackling physical health.

In our current lifestyle, it’s hard to live in a way that feels good. Most of us aren’t eating foods that make us feel good and spend a lot of time on the couch. We may be dealing with environmental factors, hormone imbalances, or genetic factors we don’t even know about. Functional medicine providers in San Francisco take each of these factors (and more!) into account and specialize in proper treatment. Clare Cattarin will help you find food and movement that feels good; discover environmental toxins; examine your personal DNA and genetics; and restore gut and hormone health. 

 

Healing the gut.

Since gut health is so important in both your mental and physical health, it often takes center stage when it comes to healing—especially with stress and anxiety as the gut helps produce “happy hormones” that contribute to a happy mood and feeling at peace. San Francisco functional medicine works to bring gut bacteria back in alignment, which may include nutrition, exercise, stress management, and supplements. 

 

Addressing mental health. 

Your mental health matters. It matters to us, and we hope it matters to you as well. Mental health affects your gut health, energy levels, overall mood, personal self-worth, and many other aspects of your life. With physical health coaching from Functional Health & Healing, you can expect to feel better mentally as well. Also, you may engage in mindfulness techniques such as yoga, meditation, affirmations, or journaling to benefit your mental health.

 

However, we also want to stress the importance of getting professional help for your mental health. We can do our best to guide you as San Francisco functional medicine doctors to find another professional to assist with mental healing. 

 

Discover Your True You with San Francisco Functional Medicine

If you’re tired of dealing with stress, anxiety, and insomnia, don’t let any hesitation or worries hold you back. Get connected with us today online or by calling 415-531-9775. We’re here to provide empowering care that gets to the root cause of your disease.