Functional Medicine in Asheville, NC: A Root-Cause Approach to Healing

What Is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine is a personalized, science-based approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying and treating the root causes of disease, rather than just managing symptoms. Unlike conventional medicine, which often relies on medications to suppress symptoms, functional medicine seeks to restore balance in the body by addressing underlying dysfunctions in the immune, digestive, hormonal, and metabolic systems.

Key Differences Between Functional and Conventional Medicine:

✅ Root-Cause Approach: Functional medicine aims to uncover the why behind symptoms, while conventional medicine often focuses on what the symptoms are.
✅ Comprehensive Testing: Advanced lab work is used to assess gut health, hormone imbalances, inflammation, toxins, and nutrient deficiencies.
✅ Personalized Treatment Plans: Each patient receives a customized health strategy that includes nutrition, lifestyle modifications, supplements, and holistic therapies.
✅ Preventative & Restorative Care: Instead of just managing disease, functional medicine helps prevent chronic illness and optimize long-term health.

By addressing genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, functional medicine provides a whole-body approach to healing, making it an ideal solution for those struggling with chronic conditions like autoimmune disease, digestive disorders, hormone imbalances, and fatigue.

Why Is Functional Medicine Growing in Popularity in Asheville, NC?

Asheville has become a thriving hub for holistic health and wellness, with more people seeking natural, sustainable solutions for chronic health issues. Patients are frustrated with conventional medicine’s symptom-based approach and are turning to functional medicine for personalized, root-cause healing.

Top Reasons Asheville Residents Are Choosing Functional Medicine:

✔️ Chronic disease is on the rise, and conventional treatments often fail to provide long-term relief.
✔️ People want natural, non-invasive solutions that focus on nutrition, lifestyle, and holistic therapies.
✔️ Patients are seeking deeper answers and more thorough testing to understand their unique health concerns.
✔️ The functional medicine model empowers individuals with education, resources, and ongoing support for lasting wellness.

With its strong focus on nature, organic food, and alternative healing, Asheville is the perfect place for functional medicine to thrive.

What Is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine is a root-cause, patient-centered approach to healthcare that focuses on understanding the underlying factors contributing to disease, rather than just treating symptoms. Unlike conventional medicine—which often relies on medications to manage conditions—functional medicine aims to restore balance in the body through personalized treatments, prevention strategies, and lifestyle-based healing.

How Functional Medicine Works

Every patient is unique, and functional medicine goes beyond a one-size-fits-all model to develop customized treatment plans based on individual health history, genetics, environment, and lifestyle factors.

Functional medicine practitioners take a whole-body approach, recognizing that symptoms in one area of the body may be connected to imbalances in another. This method allows for a comprehensive healing strategy that addresses the root cause rather than simply managing surface-level symptoms.

Key Principles of Functional Medicine

✅ Identifying & Treating the Root Cause – Instead of masking symptoms with medication, functional medicine investigates the underlying dysfunctions causing illness, such as inflammation, gut imbalances, hormone disruptions, and nutrient deficiencies.

✅ Advanced Diagnostic Testing – Traditional lab tests often fail to detect early imbalances. Functional medicine uses comprehensive testing to assess gut health, food sensitivities, hormone levels, toxins, and genetic predispositions.

✅ A Holistic, Personalized Approach – Functional medicine treats the whole person, not just the disease. Treatment plans include nutrition, stress management, lifestyle changes, supplements, and mind-body medicine to support optimal wellness.

By focusing on prevention, long-term healing, and lifestyle modifications, functional medicine helps patients take control of their health naturally.

Conditions Treated with Functional Medicine

Functional medicine is particularly effective for chronic and complex conditions that conventional medicine often struggles to treat effectively. By identifying and addressing root causes, this approach helps manage and even reverse many persistent health issues.

Common Conditions Treated

✔️ Autoimmune Diseases
Functional medicine helps regulate the immune system and reduce chronic inflammation, benefiting conditions such as:

• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (autoimmune hypothyroidism)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Lupus (SLE)
• Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Celiac Disease

✔️ Digestive Disorders & Gut Health
The gut is a critical foundation of overall health. Functional medicine restores gut balance to treat:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD – Crohn’s & Ulcerative Colitis)
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

✔️ Hormonal Imbalances
Hormones play a key role in energy, metabolism, and mood. Functional medicine helps correct imbalances in:

• Thyroid Disorders (Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism)
• Menopause & Perimenopause
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Adrenal Dysfunction & Chronic Stress

✔️ Cardiometabolic Conditions
Functional medicine addresses metabolic dysfunction to prevent and manage:

• Type 2 Diabetes & Insulin Resistance
• High Cholesterol & Heart Disease
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Chronic Inflammation & Obesity

✔️ Brain Health & Neurological Conditions
Supporting cognitive function and mental clarity is a key focus of functional medicine:

• Cognitive Decline & Early Alzheimer’s Prevention
• ADHD & Focus Issues
• Anxiety & Depression
• Brain Fog & Memory Problems

✔️ Chronic Fatigue & Inflammation
Unexplained fatigue, body pain, and inflammation often indicate underlying imbalances, such as:

• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME)
• Mitochondrial Dysfunction (Low Energy Production)

✔️ Tick-Borne Illnesses (Lyme Disease & Co-Infections)
Functional medicine provides comprehensive support for chronic infections such as:

• Lyme Disease
• Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, and Other Co-Infections

Functional Medicine Services in Asheville, NC

At Caring for the Body, PLLC, we provide comprehensive, science-based functional medicine services designed to uncover the root causes of chronic illness and restore optimal health. Our approach goes beyond symptom management, using advanced diagnostic testing, personalized treatment plans, and holistic therapies to promote long-term healing and disease prevention.

Comprehensive Health Evaluations

The foundation of functional medicine begins with an in-depth health assessment to understand the full picture of your well-being. During your consultation, we:

✔️ Conduct a detailed medical history review, including past illnesses, lifestyle habits, and environmental exposures.
✔️ Identify potential root causes of chronic symptoms such as inflammation, gut dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, and nutrient deficiencies.
✔️ Develop a personalized roadmap to optimize your health using functional medicine principles.

Advanced Diagnostic Testing: Uncovering Hidden Health Imbalances

Unlike conventional medicine, which often relies on basic lab tests, functional medicine employs specialized testing to provide a deeper understanding of your body's unique biochemistry.

✅ Gut Microbiome & Stool Analysis

• Identifies bacterial imbalances, parasites, yeast overgrowth, and digestive enzyme deficiencies.
• Evaluates gut inflammation and leaky gut syndrome, which contribute to autoimmune diseases and chronic illness.

✅ Hormone & Adrenal Function Testing

• DUTCH Test – A comprehensive assessment of cortisol, sex hormones, and adrenal health.
• Thyroid Panels – Measures TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies to detect hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, or Graves' disease.
• Sex Hormone Testing – Evaluates estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone imbalances linked to menopause, PCOS, and fertility issues.

✅ Food Sensitivity & Nutrient Deficiency Testing

• Detects hidden food intolerances that trigger inflammation and autoimmune responses.
• Identifies vitamin and mineral deficiencies essential for immune function, energy production, and cognitive health.

✅ Genetic & Epigenetic Testing (IntellxxDNA, 3x4 Genetics)

• Analyzes genetic predispositions to conditions such as autoimmune disease, cognitive decline, and metabolic disorders.
• Provides personalized lifestyle and nutrition recommendations based on genetic markers.

✅ Environmental Toxin & Heavy Metal Testing

• Detects exposure to mold, pesticides, heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic), and other environmental toxins that disrupt immune function and hormone balance.
• Guides safe detoxification strategies to help the body eliminate toxic burdens.

Personalized Treatment Plans: Targeted Solutions for Optimal Health

After gathering comprehensive diagnostic data, we create a customized treatment plan designed to address your specific health concerns. This plan may include:

✔️ Nutrition & Dietary Guidance – Tailored eating plans to reduce inflammation and support gut health.
✔️ Targeted Supplement Protocols – Personalized recommendations for vitamins, minerals, and herbal therapies to address deficiencies and imbalances.
✔️ Stress & Sleep Optimization – Strategies to support adrenal function, nervous system balance, and restorative sleep.
✔️ Gut Healing Protocols – Designed to repair leaky gut, restore microbiome balance, and improve digestion.
✔️ Hormone Balancing – Natural approaches to optimize thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive hormones.
✔️ Detoxification & Liver Support – Gentle, effective methods to remove toxins, heavy metals, and environmental pollutants.

Holistic Therapies & Lifestyle Medicine

At Caring for the Body, PLLC, we integrate functional medicine with holistic healing practices to ensure long-term success and well-being.

✔️ Anti-Inflammatory & Therapeutic Diets

• Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), Paleo, Mediterranean, and Ketogenic diets for gut and immune health.
• Individualized meal planning for blood sugar balance, brain function, and metabolic health.

✔️ Mind-Body Practices

• Meditation, breathwork, and movement therapy to reduce stress and support immune function.
• Lifestyle coaching to build healthy habits and increase resilience against disease.

✔️ Detoxification Support

• Infrared sauna therapy to promote detoxification and reduce inflammation.
• Liver support protocols to enhance the body’s natural detox pathways.
• Mold detoxification programs for individuals with exposure-related illnesses.

✔️ Targeted Supplementation

• Use of high-quality, science-backed nutrients, adaptogens, and functional medicine formulas to support healing.
• Herbal medicine and natural compounds for gut health, hormone balance, and cognitive function.

Take the First Step Toward Better Health

Are you ready to take control of your health and address the root causes of your symptoms? At Caring for the Body, PLLC, Dr. Cynthia Libert, M.D., offers a personalized, functional medicine approach to help you feel your best—naturally.

Whether you're struggling with autoimmune disease, digestive disorders, hormone imbalances, or chronic fatigue, our comprehensive testing and holistic treatment plans can guide you toward lasting wellness.

Schedule Your Free Strategy Session Today!

✔️ Discuss your health concerns and goals
✔️ Learn how functional medicine can help you
✔️ Take the first step toward a personalized healing plan

📞 Call Today: (828) 490-1545
📍 Visit Us: 1998 Hendersonville Rd, Suite #24, Asheville, NC 28803
🌐 Learn More & Book Your Consultation: Caring for the Body, PLLC – Functional Medicine Services

Your health and vitality start here! 🌿 Let’s create a plan tailored just for you.‍

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