Frequently Asked Questions & Concerns
Q: Have you ever really noticed how you “feel” after eating? Are you tired, bloated, angry, hot or sweaty, nauseous, still hungry or craving something sweet?
A: Your body can tell you a lot about what it is having trouble with simply by recognizing key symptoms after eating. We can teach you how to recognize & address what your body is trying to do so you can make better decisions when it comes to your personal diet choices!
Q: Do certain “strong smells” or “typical household cleaners” give you head aches or migraines?
A: Many common household cleaners contain strong & harmful chemicals that can irritate your respiratory system, trigger allergies, and even disrupt hormone function. Even products labeled “green” or “natural” may hide harmful ingredients. We can teach you how to read labels on ordinary household products & recommend better / safer alternatives to help alleviate your symptoms!
Q: Do you often get sick, have a runny nose or experience allergy related symptoms?
A: If you are always sick, have a constant runny nose, or experience frequent allergy flare-ups, it’s important to consider both common & less common causes, including autoimmune-related inflammation. We can teach you how to lessen or manage your symptoms & prevent future allergy related flare-ups!
Q: How do I know what I “should” & “shouldn’t” be eating?
A: Labels! All food comes with labels! Most of them have very confusing long words that most people can’t even pronounce. We can teach you how to read the food labels in your local grocery store, so you know exactly what it is you're eating! Including produce!
Q: Do you find it hard to talk to your primary care physician about your health issues or concerns?
A: We’ve all been there! Sometimes it feels like they just don’t understand. You go in complaining of headaches & they offer to write you an acetaminophen prescription (or something stronger), but they don’t address what is actually causing the problem! Odds are you are coming into contact with a headache inducting chemical or allergy related trigger, but without addressing these products or getting the proper testing done you are simply just trying to put a fire out with an ice cube. We take a deeper look into your routine & question every single potential cause that may be impacting your health to address the issue & recommend natural alternatives! Kind of like a personal health detective with a plan!
Q: Do you have any other question or concerns?
A: Book a FREE “Faking Fine” consultation so we can talk about your questions or health concerns together!
Why You Should Get Your Gut Health Tested Before Your Hormones
Getting your gut health tested before your hormones can help you identify root causes of hormonal symptoms that might otherwise be misattributed to endocrine glands or hormones alone. Your gut microbiome plays a direct role in hormone regulation. Beneficial bacteria help convert inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into its active form (T3), regulate estrogen metabolism, and influence cortisol and insulin balance. If your gut is imbalanced (dysbiosis), these processes can be disrupted, leading to symptoms like; fatigue, mood swings, weight changes, and menstrual irregularities. Estrogen and hormone detox happen in the gut. The final phase of estrogen detox occurs in the gut. If you have low beneficial bacteria or high levels of the enzyme beta-glucuronidase, estrogen can be reabsorbed back into circulation, causing “estrogen dominance” which can lead to symptoms such as; heavy periods, bloating, and PMS. Constipation can worsen this process by slowing down hormone elimination. Gut inflammation can mimic or worsen hormonal issues. Chronic gut inflammation from poor diet, stress, or infections can send stress signals to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, contributing to adrenal fatigue, low progesterone, and blood sugar dysregulation. Nutrient absorption affects hormone synthesis. Hormones require specific nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins) for production & poor gut health can impair that nutrient absorption, indirectly affecting hormone balance. Gut health testing can reveal overlooked contributors.
A comprehensive stool test (e.g., GI-MAP) can detect bacterial imbalances, inflammation markers, digestive capacity, and hormone detoxification issues. This can guide targeted interventions — like diet, probiotics, or addressing constipation — before hormone levels are even measured.
Did You Know That Your body NEEDS Vitamin D to function properly?!
Not only does Vitamin D help your body absorb other vital vitamins & minerals, but it promotes a healthy cell growth & decay process which can help prevent a variety of cancer-causing illnesses. It also helps to reduce inflammation, increase immune function & regulate your metabolism which can be beneficial for weight loss, bloating, fatigue & a number of other symptoms that can indicate poor health. Yes, you can get Vitamin D through UVB sun exposure or by eating lots of Vitamin D rich foods, however, in the winter (or if you work indoors) it can be hard to get the recommended amount of daily sun exposure & if you have a restricted diet or don't like to eat a lot of fish or eggs, getting enough Vitamin D can feel next to impossible, but don't worry friend! I am currently offering a very popular Vitamin D3 product, in either liquid or capsule form, that can be absorbed more quickly & easily than the other over-the-counter vitamin options. If you would like to purchase this product or have any additional questions, please send me an email at christina@thatfunctionalcoach.com & I will get in touch with you as soon as I can!
Did You Know That Vitamin C Neutralizes Chlorine?!
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) acts as a reducing agent in a redox reaction. When it comes into contact with chlorine (in the form of free chlorine or hypochlorous acid in water), it donates electrons to chlorine, converting it into harmless chloride ions (Cl⁻) while itself being oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid. This reaction is rapid and effective, making vitamin C a common dichlorination agent. Studies have shown that vitamin C may also help lower blood pressure in both those WITH and WITHOUT high blood pressure. High blood pressure puts you at risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease, the leading cause of death globally. It is an essential vitamin, meaning your body can’t produce it. It’s a water-soluble and found in many fruits and vegetables, including oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and spinach. Vitamin C can reduce your risk of chronic disease. It is a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen your body’s natural defenses. Antioxidants are molecules that boost the immune system by protecting cells from harmful molecules called free radicals. When free radicals accumulate, they can promote a state known as oxidative stress, which has been linked to many chronic diseases. Vitamin C has also been known to help prevent iron deficiency; gout attacks & protect your memory as you age. Oranges do contain a lot of natural sugar, but there are a variety of natural supplements available that can be purchased that do not contain a high amount of sugar. The recommended daily intake for vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men.
Did you know that Sugar wreaks just as much havoc on the body as Alcohol?
Sugar is one of the worst substances you can put into your body. Excess sugar can disrupt nearly every system in the body, contributing to weight gain, insulin resistance, heart disease, liver damage, mood changes, and skin aging. When you consume sugar, your digestive system breaks it down into glucose and fructose. Glucose enters the bloodstream, triggering insulin release, which helps cells absorb sugar for energy or storage. This can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, giving a quick energy boost, followed by a “sugar crash” as insulin lowers blood sugar too quickly, leading to fatigue, irritability, and cravings for more sugar. Sugar also stimulates the brain’s dopamine pathways, creating a temporary feeling of pleasure and reinforcing cravings. High sugar intake is calorie-dense but not satiating, which can lead to overeating and weight gain. Sugary beverages, in particular, bypass appetite controls, making it easy to consume excess calories. Over time, this contributes to obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Fructose, processed in the liver, can be converted into fat, increasing the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome. Excess sugar can inflame blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and raise triglycerides, all of which stress the heart and increase the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Excessive sugar intake can contribute to dehydration by drawing water out of cells and increasing urine output, especially when consumed rapidly or in large amounts. High sugar intake also promotes the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which damage blood vessels and accelerate aging. It is highly recommended that you do NOT to consume more than 10 grams of sugar per meal or 30 grams of sugar per day.
When you drink, alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream and begins affecting your body within minutes. It slows brain signaling by enhancing GABA (calming) activity and inhibiting glutamate (excitatory) activity, leading to relaxation, lowered inhibitions, impaired coordination, and memory lapses. Alcohol also increases urine production, which can cause dehydration, and temporarily raises heart rate and blood pressure. Even a single episode of heavy drinking can weaken immune responses for up to 24 hours. The liver metabolizes about 90% of alcohol, converting it first into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound, and then into acetate, which is further broken down into water and carbon dioxide. Excessive drinking overwhelms this process, leading to fat accumulation (fatty liver), inflammation (hepatitis), and eventually irreversible scarring (cirrhosis). Chronic alcohol use can also impair fat and carbohydrate metabolism, contributing to weight gain. Long-term alcohol use can shrink brain tissue, impair memory, and reduce cognitive function. It increases the risk of anxiety, depression, and alcohol dependence. Chronic heavy drinking can cause permanent neurological damage, including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and dementia. Alcohol can raise blood pressure, cause irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), and weaken the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) over time. Even moderate drinking may slightly increase cardiovascular risk, while heavy drinking significantly raises the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, increases intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”), and disrupts gut microbiota, which can trigger inflammation and digestive issues. Chronic use can inflame the pancreas (pancreatitis), impairing enzyme production and blood sugar regulation, and increasing the risk of diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Alcohol suppresses immune function, reducing white blood cell counts and impairing the body’s ability to fight infections. Heavy alcohol use can disrupt hormone balance, affecting thyroid function, reproductive health, and stress response. In men, it may lower testosterone and sperm quality; in women, it can affect fertility and increase estrogen levels, raising breast cancer risk. Alcohol initially acts as a sedative, but it disrupts REM sleep, leading to fragmented, low-quality sleep and daytime fatigue. Chronic use can impair memory, concentration, and decision-making. A U.S. standard drink contains 14 g of pure alcohol. Examples: Beer: 12 oz at 5% alcohol Wine: 5 oz at 12% alcohol Liquor: 1.5 oz (one shot) at 40% alcohol. Most U.S. guidelines recommend no more than 2 drinks per day /15 drinks per week for men and 1 drink per day / 8 drinks per week for women, based on the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
In conclusion, sugar effects the body just as much if not more than alcohol does. Both are highly addictive, bad for the stomach, heart, liver, brain & a variety of other vital organs & their natural functions which are critical to your overall health, so if you must consume sugar & alcohol, please do so in moderation & be aware of the health risks!