The population of aging adults in the U.S. has grown exponentially over the past 50 years. With this boon has come a growing concern over cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. The cause of cognitive decline has historically been a natural process in aging or an affliction of disease from genetic predisposition. While these both can…
Hormones help control crucial processes in the body, from appetite to reproduction. With age, sex hormones typically cause the most disruption in well-being due to the natural decline of estrogen during menopause in women and testosterone in men over time (also known as andropause). These transitions can lead to symptoms like low energy, decreased libido,…
Our philosophy of care at Essential Health rests on the concept of time. Unlike conventional medicine, the model of our flagship program, Essential Primary Care, was created to give time back to the patient and the provider. This helps to foster strong relationships and provides special attention to each patient’s unique healthcare needs. Because of…
Nikki Fowler, FNP-C is a provider at Essential Health – Raleigh who has worked in a variety of conventional primary care settings and has a nursing background in surgical, intensive care, postpartum, and lactation. Nikki’s passion for functional and integrative approaches in medicine grew as she began to make adjustments to her and her family’s…
Our philosophy of care at Essential Health rests on the concept of time. Unlike conventional medicine, the model of our flagship program, Essential Primary Care, was created to give time back to the patient and the provider. This helps to foster strong relationships and provides special attention to each patient’s unique healthcare needs. Because of…
The body has adapted for thousands of years to overcome physical adversities and weather extreme circumstances – escaping a predator, going a length of time without food, and migrating to climates suitable for survival. Humans have also evolved to experience drastic shifts in temperature, reacting physiologically to heat and cold by either sweating to cool…
There is no doubt that conventional medicine has made incredible strides when it comes to extending the human lifespan. Since 1950, the average life expectancy has increased by over 10 years in the U.S. and by over 30 years across the globe. Much of this progress is due to advances in medical care and screening…
Several approaches to health care have emerged in the industry, many of which intersect and stem from one another and provide different means of eliminating disease and promoting health. Among these include functional medicine and integrative medicine. While both challenge the status quo of conventional care, they are nuanced in practice and benefit patients in…
It’s no secret that vitamins are essential components of health. The body is an intricate, connected organism that operates at a microscope level making highly sophisticated interactions using different molecules to carry out specific tasks. Vitamins and minerals assist these interactions by supporting the development of necessary compounds and structures in the body that keep…
The food we eat powers our everyday lives and our health. What we put in our body can either support health and longevity or can undermine it. However, there is a significant amount of “noise” in the health and wellness industry that can cause confusion around what an optimal diet looks like and how we…