Functional Medicine Blog

For years, estrogen products carried a black-box warning that shaped how women and clinicians approached menopause hormone therapy. The FDA’s recent decision to remove this warning is a major shift — one driven by updated research showing clearer benefits and a more favorable safety profile for many women. This article breaks down what changed, why it matters, and how this update is reshaping the conversation around hormone therapy.

Integrative psychiatry combines traditional psychiatric care with functional and holistic methods to uncover the root causes of anxiety, depression, and burnout. Rather than relying solely on medication, this approach restores balance through nutrition, hormones, lifestyle, and nervous system support — helping patients heal from the inside out.

Your brain depends on optimal nutrition to function at its best. Even small deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, or amino acids can influence mood, focus, and energy. Through nutritional and metabolic diagnostics, functional psychiatry identifies the underlying imbalances that contribute to anxiety, depression, and fatigue—helping you move beyond symptom management toward lasting emotional wellness.

Mental health is shaped by more than brain chemistry — it’s influenced by how we live, connect, and manage stress. Through a comprehensive lifestyle and social evaluation, functional psychiatry uncovers how daily habits, relationships, and past experiences impact emotional balance and resilience, helping you heal from the inside out.

Understanding Your DNA to Personalize Treatment At Your Functional Health in Austin , we believe mental health care should be as individualized as your genetic code. Genetic testing  is used by functional psychiatry to reveal how your DNA influences brain chemistry, medication response, detox pathways, and nutrient needs—so treatment becomes more targeted, effective, and safe. Rather than relying on trial and error, genetic testing helps us uncover why  certain therapies work

How Heavy Metals, Chemicals, and Toxins Can Worsen Anxiety, Depression & Fatigue At Your Functional Health in Austin , we recognize that mental health isn’t just shaped by thoughts or emotions—it’s also shaped by your environment . Every day, we’re exposed to substances that can subtly affect brain chemistry, hormones, and detox pathways. From heavy metals and mold toxins to pesticides and air pollutants, these exposures can disrupt neurotransmitter balance and energy metabol

Hormonal balance plays a powerful role in your mental health. When cortisol, thyroid, or sex hormones fall out of sync, it can affect mood, energy, sleep, and even food cravings. Through stress and hormone testing, functional psychiatry uncovers how these imbalances influence emotional well-being—helping you restore balance, resilience, and clarity from the inside out.

Your gut and brain are in constant communication. When inflammation or imbalances disrupt the gut microbiome, it can affect mood, focus, and emotional resilience. Through gut health and inflammation testing, functional psychiatry uncovers how your digestive health influences anxiety, depression, and overall mental health—helping you heal from the inside out.

When detoxing from mold, it’s not just about supplements — it’s about what you eat. Certain fibers and foods help your body make bile, bind mycotoxins, and eliminate them naturally. Learn how to use nutrient-rich foods like flaxseed, bitter greens, and cruciferous vegetables to support a safe, effective mold detox and reduce “detox crash” symptoms.

Feeling tired, foggy, or congested and not sure why? Hidden mold exposure could be the cause. Discover the key symptoms to watch for and what you can do to support your body’s recovery naturally.

Before starting a mold detox, it’s essential to make sure your body’s detox pathways are open. Supporting bile flow and regular bowel movements helps prevent toxin recirculation and reduces “detox symptoms” like fatigue, brain fog, and bloating. In this article, you’ll learn how to safely prepare your liver, gallbladder, and gut for a more effective mold detox using a functional medicine approach.

Testosterone isn’t just a male hormone—it’s essential for women’s health, vitality, and well-being. During perimenopause and menopause, declining testosterone can lead to fatigue, low libido, mood changes, and muscle loss. Learn why testing and optimizing testosterone through BHRT can restore energy, confidence, and balance for women in Texas.

Menopause brings many changes, but one of the most important to understand is its impact on bone health. As estrogen levels drop, the risk of osteoporosis and fractures rises. At our Austin, TX women’s health clinic, we help patients explore the protective benefits of systemic estrogen therapy for preserving bone density and reducing osteoporosis risk during menopause. Learn how hormone replacement and lifestyle choices can keep your bones strong and healthy.

Menopause is a natural transition, but it often comes with hot flashes, sleep issues, mood changes, and fatigue. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) offers a safe and effective way to restore balance, protect long-term health, and help you feel like yourself again. Unlike older synthetic hormone therapies, BHRT uses hormones identical to those your body naturally makes — giving it a much safer profile, especially when it comes to breast cancer risk.

GLP-1 medications offer powerful support for women managing menopause-related weight gain and insulin resistance, but they're not magic fixes. Learn about their risks and benefits, why tolerability matters, and how combining medication with nutrition, strength training, stress management, and proper caloric intake leads to sustainable, healthy results.

Women’s hormone health is complex, shaped by nutrition, stress, and the HPA axis. Learn how DUTCH testing offers deep insights into cortisol patterns, nutrient status, and hormone metabolism, empowering a holistic approach that includes dietary strategies, stress management, and personalized care for sustainable hormonal balance and well-being.

When you think about your health, you might not immediately think about the bacteria living in your gut. But these tiny microbes play a...

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) offers a safer, more natural approach to managing menopause symptoms by using plant-derived hormones identical to those your body makes. Learn why BHRT is often better tolerated, has a stronger safety profile than older synthetic options, and can be personalized to your unique needs. BHRT in Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and in the entire state of Texas

Methylation is one of your body’s most essential processes, affecting detoxification, mood, energy, and even DNA repair. Learn what methylation is, why it matters for your health, what can go wrong, and how to support it naturally with nutrition and lifestyle changes.

Looking for functional medicine in Texas? Our virtual root-cause approach brings personalized care to Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and all of Texas. Get expert guidance, advanced testing, and custom wellness plans from home.