The winter months are rarely kind to our healthy habits. The days grow shorter and the weather gets colder, and suddenly we’re stuck inside — often with plenty of delicious holiday food to tempt us into the kitchen. After spending all year trying to get back into shape (or simply trying to lead a lifestyle…
Depending on who you ask, “healthy” can have very different definitions. Many providers may define their patients as “healthy” when they receive results from generic screening tests, such as a blood pressure reading, body mass index measurement, or cholesterol labs, that are “within a normal range.” However, “normal” results often do not resolve feelings of…
When we feel sick, we schedule a doctor’s appointment. When we feel depressed or anxious, we schedule a session with a therapist or counselor. In a conventional health care system, it is typical to think about the treatment of mental and physical health as entirely separate entities. However, research has long shown a concrete connection…
Sleep is easy to take for granted. In the U.S., more than one-third of adults regularly get less than seven hours of sleep a night. Our work culture of long hours, along with our modern lifestyles, often even celebrates a lack of sleep. As a result, few people think twice about losing a few hours…
Several medical practice models exist in healthcare that provide different experiences for both patients and providers. The changing healthcare landscape in the U.S. has ignited a shift in primary care delivery as providers experience burnout from grueling work schedules and unsustainable patient volumes, with less compensation than ever before. What has emerged? A new way…
There is no denying that conventional medicine has its limitations. Prescribing pharmaceuticals as a primary defense against disease can swiftly disregard underlying issues that lay at the root of a health condition. Many turn to alternative forms of health care only to face confusion about the myriad options. And for good reason: the road to…
As the body’s main mechanism for cell communication, hormones control numerous processes, from growth and development to appetite and the immune system. Hormone deficiencies or imbalances, therefore, may lead to significant downstream effects on major systems of the body. A decline in hormones is most often correlated with age but can be brought on by…
Becoming an Essential Health precision health care client means taking a step towards optimal health. Precision health care combines the best of conventional medicine with principles in functional and integrative medicine to approach health care from a whole-person perspective. It provides 24/7 access to a provider with minimal wait time for appointments, and visits with…
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone (though women have small amounts) that regulates many of the body’s functions, including the development of muscle, bone, and fat mass; libido and sexual function; and blood cell production. Testosterone is produced in the testes in men and the ovaries in women, as well as trace amounts in…
Hormone changes typically occur with age, but can be exacerbated by several factors, including but not limited to cortisol imbalances, chronic medication use, or thyroid issues. Treatment to regulate hormones within the scope of conventional medicine relies on daily medication that provides the body with synthetic hormones to replace what it is unable to produce…