Leading Functional Medicine Provider in Sanford
A Revolutionary Approach to Chronic Health Conditions
Millions of people are tired of treating symptoms with a mainstream medical approach while the root causes of their health issues remain unaddressed. Are you one of them? At Connected Health, Dr. Michaelene Callahan offers a comprehensive functional medicine approach that looks beyond symptoms to identify and treat the underlying causes of disease, supporting your body’s natural healing processes.
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine shifts from a disease or condition-centered focus to a more patient-centered approach. We partner with you, the patient, to restore your own healing abilities. And we address the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.
Our team spends time with you, listening to your histories and examining the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that influence long-term health and complex, chronic diseases.
How is Functional Medicine Different?
Functional medicine focuses on patient-centered care, promoting health as your own level of peak performance, not merely the absence of disease. As healthcare providers, we are not healing you, we are joining you in the discovery process, tailoring care to your unique needs, and taking into account your body’s responses along the way as it turns to a state of self-regulation and self-healing.
We also examine the interactions between your history, physiology, social environment, mental state, and lifestyle to find the connections and the disruptions or interference that can lead to dysfunction and, ultimately, disease.
Functional medicine is not just one kind of treatment. This approach integrates various methods, including combining the latest in modern lab testing and diagnostic tools with more alternative techniques. This can include:
- Prevention through nutrition, diet, and exercise
- Prescribed combinations of drugs and/or botanical medicines, supplements
- Protocols and programs for detoxification, gut healing, weight management, and more
- Lifestyle recommendations and stress-management techniques
Conditions We Address Through Functional Medicine
Our functional medicine approach can help with a wide range of chronic conditions, including:
The Connected Health Functional Medicine Approach
At Connected Health, our functional medicine protocol may include: We begin with a thorough evaluation that goes far beyond standard medical workups:
- Detailed health history
- Assessment of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors
- Advanced laboratory testing to identify imbalances
Rather than just treating symptoms, we look for the fundamental imbalances that may include:
- Hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances
- Oxidative stress and inflammation
- Digestive, absorptive, and microbiological imbalances
- High levels of toxicity
- Immune and inflammatory responses
- Structural integrity issues
We develop customized protocols that may incorporate nutrition, supplements, lifestyle modifications, and more.
Things people often ask about Functional Medicine
How is a functional medicine appointment different from a regular doctor's visit?
Your first appointment will be much longer than you’re used to—often 60-90 minutes. Our team will take a detailed history, exploring your timeline of health challenges, environmental exposures, lifestyle factors, and more. This allows us to identify patterns and connections that might otherwise be missed.
Will I need special laboratory testing?
Most likely, yes. We often use advanced functional laboratory testing that provides deeper insights into your body’s functioning than standard blood work. These might include comprehensive digestive stool analysis, food sensitivity testing, nutrient evaluations, toxic burden assessments, and hormone panels.
Does functional medicine mean I have to stop all my medications?
Not at all. Functional medicine works alongside conventional medicine. Our goal is to address root causes so that, in partnership with your prescribing doctor, you may eventually need less medication—but this is always done carefully and safely.
Is functional medicine covered by insurance?
Some aspects of functional medicine care may be covered by insurance, though specialty testing and certain treatments are often not covered. We will discuss all costs with you before proceeding with any recommendations.
New Patient Special Offer
If you’ve been struggling with pain, we’d love to help. Our success rate in caring for people with this type of condition has made us one of the most trusted chiropractic clinics in the Sanford area.
Schedule your consultation today at Connected Health. Contact us at (321) 462-5107. We proudly serve patients from Sanford and surrounding communities.
What Patients Are Saying
"Dr. Callahan and staff at Connected Health Sanford are so amazing. I love how she focuses on the body as a whole, and incorporates her functional medicine background, i have been going for a few weeks and can tell the difference!! I would highly recommend to any one in need of her services."
