PERSONALIZED HEALTH
Discovery Guide
Salena Rothenberger, [Link], CFMP, CHC
Functional Health Mama
R e d e f i n i n g H e a l t h ' c a r e '
Functional Health Mama
R e d e f i n i n g H e a l t h ' c a r e '
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Disclaimer Notice
This publication is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical
advice, legal advice, or services. If you feel that you have a medical problem you should seek the
advice of your physician or healthcare practitioner.
Copyright Information
© 2018 Functional Health Mama a subsidiary of The Functional Perspective, LLC
[Link] [Link]
Table of Contents
Your Health Matters ……..…….............................................................................…… Page 3
The Best Kept Secret of Modern Medicine............……….......….…………………… Page 5
The Smart Way To Get To The Root Of Your Health Problems……….…..…..……… Page 7
5 Pillars Of Exceptional Long Term Health..…………………………….……………… Page 10
Embrace Your Body's Innate Healing System…………………….……..……………… Page 13
Discovery Guide and Strategy Planner …..………………….…………….…………… Page 15
Your Next Steps……..…………….…………………………….…………….…………… Page 21
About the Author …………………………………………………….…….……………… Page 24
2
Don’t look for someone who will solve all
your problems; look for someone who will
face them with you
~Anonymous
3
Congratulations on taking the next step towards better health and wellness! I
am honored to be a part of your journey and look forward to connecting with
and supporting you.
This guide contains the foundations of creating health. As you go through each
section look for opportunities to improve and build on the good things which are
part of your current health. I realize sometimes this can be overwhelming!
That is why I am here to help you along the way and am passionate about
empowering you to take charge of your health. Just as it can be overwhelming
to learn how to ride a bicycle, with love, encouragement, and guidance we are
off to the races and have a hard time remembering when we couldn't ride! That
is what I want for your health, to be able to look around at your health
overflowing with life and vitality where it is difficult to imagine a life without it
Of all the information in this guide, the most important is this: There is hope,
our body is amazing at healing! Follow your instinct that says, yes, I can heal,
there is something more to the picture and I will not stop until I find all the
pieces. I believe in you and that powerful inner voice of yours, so let us dive in
and put the pieces of your health back together!
In peace, love, and wellness!
Salena
4
The Best Kept Secret In Modern
Medicine
Let me let you in on one of the best kept
secrets of modern medicine...
Your body has the ability to heal itself and
prevent nearly ALL diseases of aging.
Too good to be true, right?
You’ve already been to a number of
practitioners, and nobody seems to have an
answer to actually fix your chronic ailments.
Conditions like asthma, thyroid problems,
diabetes, arthritis and autoimmunity are
commonly considered permanent. Doctors
work to treat them... to medicate you.
You might think your health is failing. But it’s
really our modern medical system that’s
failing you.
Modern medicine has essentially turned into
big industry. Patients are pushed through the
system like parts on an assembly line.
Medical specialists focus their attention squarely upon the reason for your visit, with little (or no)
regard to your overall state of health. What they fail to realize is that it’s your overall health that
provides a clear road map to the source of the majority of your health problems.
A proactive, holistic, natural approach to preventing and minimizing your pain will allow you to
do the things that you love now, and every day, for the rest of your life.
5
Illness Doesn’t Happen In A Vacuum
When we consider your entire health and every ailment and condition you have, patterns
emerge. But deciphering these patterns and getting to their root cause requires detective work.
● What is triggering your adverse health?
● Why has function been lost?
● What can we do to restore function?
In other words, uncovering the root cause or mechanism involved with any chronic ailment can
ultimately reveal why a set of symptoms – even unrelated symptoms – exist in the first place.
Let’s look at an example of this phenomenon…
IBS - Asthma
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) doesn’t appear to have anything in common with asthma. You
would go to two different specialists to treat each, yet neither specialist would look at how these
two ailments relate to one another – and more specifically, the cause of both. Yet, it is possible
that both conditions are caused by the exact same root cause. In this example, that root cause
would be internal inflammation.
One Condition, Many Causes | One Cause, Many Conditions
6
Healing your whole body is an iterative process. It takes time. But more importantly, it takes the
right kind of approach – one that gets to the root of your problems.
Remember : Good health is not just the absence of disease, but a state of immense vitality.
Getting to that state one must take the entire body into consideration.
When we take this holistic approach we are looking through the lense of Functional Health.
The Smart Way To Get To The Root Of
Your Health Problems
Functional medicine operates on the principle that identifying a disease state is not the goal,
rather identifying the systems which are out of balance. The term Functional Medicine refers to
something completely different than what you have come to know as conventional medicine
(i.e., the current standard model of care).
To fully understand what functional medicine is, we’re going to compare it with conventional
medicine. The differences will be obvious.
7
Addressing
the Whole,
Not the Parts
Functional Medicine
addresses the whole
person, not just an
isolated set of
symptoms.
A medical doctor
traditionally uses
drugs or hormones
as therapeutic tools
to deal with
symptoms which manifest. The standard model of care is generally the same for various
conditions like low thyroid, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, autoimmunity and so
on. The goal is to stop or block the symptom. Your general practitioner either decides to treat
you, or elects to refer you to a specialist.
Both have access to the same basic tool: medication. Their goal is to diagnose a disease and
match that disease with a corresponding drug. Such as replacing
hormones which you are low in. Or blocking cholesterol production
which is elevated.
Makes sense, right?
This model of care works well for acute diseases, trauma, infection, and emergencies. But it
does not ask, nor seek the answer to, the question, Why? Why are these hormones low?
Why does the body think it needs to make more cholesterol?
Furthermore, in the case of the chronic diseases which affect over 125 million Americans, this
model fails miserably. And, that’s a key reason why these conditions are chronic and persistent.
Yet these same chronic conditions, such as allergic, digestive, hormonal, metabolic,
neurological, autoimmune problems, are finding long term solutions through a Functional Health
lens .
8
Conventional vs. Functional Model
Looking at the conventional model side-by-side with functional model gives you a clear sense of
their differences and how they’re used today.
Conventional Model Functional Model
Reactive: Focused on managing disease and Proactive: Focused on resolving the root
treating symptoms, well after a disease has cause of illness to reverse and prevent
manifested. chronic health and dis-ease.
Palliative: Suppresses the symptoms; Restorative: Restores proper function of the
manage the disease. (note keyword ‘manage’ body to reverse dis-ease, prevent illness,
when we manage a business we are not promote optimal function while working in
trying to end the business rather prolong it ;) harmony with how our body was designed.
Disease-Centered: Treats the disease Centered on the Individual: Treats the
without giving attention to the bio- individuality individual and modifies strategies for each
of the patient. individual’s personal needs.
Limited Options: Relies almost exclusively Unlimited Options: Combines the best of
on pharmaceuticals and surgery, with a conventional and natural medicine into an
blatant disregard of negative effects and intelligent hybrid to provide unlimited
risks. treatment options.
Profit-Driven: Heavily influenced by parties Evidence-Based: Based on the latest
with a vested interest, including research and clinical observation.
pharmaceutical and insurance companies.
Conventional Medicine certainly has its place. It provides excellent emergency life saving
interventions. It’s most appropriate for accidents and trauma like broken bones and severe
illnesses which have not responded to proactive care.
However, it’s designed to manage symptoms – not to restore health and optimize function.
While conventional Western medicine focuses on managing the symptoms of illness, A
Functional Health approach aims to understand why the symptoms manifested and it uses that
knowledge to address the roots of chronic states of adverse health.
Addressing the root causes of chronic conditions often solves many problems at once. And
therein lies the greatest value of seeking Functional Health and Wellness.
9
5 Pillars Of Exceptional Long Term
Health
Your body is an amazing healing machine. With proper care and fuel it has the capacity to treat
many chronic conditions. In fact, the chronic ailments are great clues of how your body is
attempting to protect your health. Remember, we ask “why” - the symptoms are at the end of
the equation. If we have an apple we know that is the result of fruit maturing on an apple tree, it
did not come from a banana tree.
There are five pillars of healthy living that, when managed properly, can lead to exceptional long
term health and provide relief for a wide variety of chronic ailments. As you read through these
start thinking about connections between each topic and your current health. Begin to ask, why,
what and how.
1) Your Environment
The environment of your day to day life has a profound effect on
your health. Most think of the environment as the location they live,
toxin exposed to and other obvious locations such as where you
work. These do play a vital role, but there is so much more to our
environment than physical locations.
Relationships - family, friends, co-workers and any other people
you surround yourself with have an influence on your health - for
better or worse.
Atmosphere - again, more than the air we breathe. A home,
work, and/or school environment which has an atmosphere of tension will curtail efforts of
healing faster than a speeding bullet and with more power than a hydrogen bomb.
Maintaining toxic relationships with certain individuals in your life can affect your health – which
can have a stark impact on your body’s ability to heal itself. Do not overlook this.
10
2) Your Diet
What you eat and drink plays a critical role in your overall
health. Yet, most Americans are overweight and
undernourished. This point is worthy of repeating...most
Americans are overweight and undernourished.
Consider This: Current USDA guidelines provide zero
discussion of healthy fats while overemphasizing
carbohydrates and grains.
Little attention is placed on the dangers of refined carbohydrates and items labeled as ‘food’.
This may be due to the conflict inherent in the USDA’s mission, which is to set national health
nutrition policy while helping to market and promote specific agricultural products to Americans.
(See my post about the US Food Guide on my blog)
A practitioner of functional health will closely examine your current diet
and history. Patterns often emerge that determine a direct correlation
between what you consume and your overall health. But you already
knew that - you don’t put water in your vehicle’s gas tank for a reason.
3) Your Activity Level
It’s no surprise that exercise is important to your
overall health. But what kinds of exercise promote the
body’s natural ability to heal?
Certain aerobic and resistance exercises can improve or prevent
various conditions. We’re just beginning to understand how certain
activities can alleviate and suppress many chronic ailments.
A common misconception is more activity is better, this is just not
the case with chronic illnesses.
In the chronic ailments our body is in a catabolic mode - it is the
'fight/flight' mode. That run from a lion and escape death at all costs
mode. Did you catch that? Running at all costs... When we exert a
significant amount of energy biochemical co-factors which are
needed for growth, healing and restoration are diverted to other
pathway
11
Don't get me wrong, regular vigorous exercise can promote health - key is in a healthy
individual.
A functional health practitioner will help you develop an activity plan which supports restoration,
rejuvenation and vitality.!
4) Sleeping Habits
The healing properties of sleep are legendary. Likewise the perils
of a lack of it. Do you remember as a child asking your parents
why you had to take a nap?
The answer your parents may have given you was 'because that
is when your body grows' (well, besides because I told you to :)
Science has only recently begun to unravel the myriad of health
effects of sleep and shed light on the mechanisms that underlie
the dual-edged sword of sleep.
As with many biological properties, sleep seems to follow an
inverted-U-shaped curve. Optimal effects are experiences at
intermediate levels of sleep. Either too much or too little can be
problematic. This is an area where awareness of what our body is
telling us is invaluable.
In a nutshell, our bodies need time to rest. We have a lot of demands for our time and energy.
Just as we don’t leave our vehicles running all the time we shouldn’t keep our bodies running all
the time. They need time to repair from the daily toils of our day to day life. If we continually
‘burn the candle at both ends’, the wick is going to burn out.
5) Managing Stress
Excessive stress is one of the most salient contributors to poor health, and is unquestionably
associated with increased rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune disease,
diabetes, and death.
The simplest illustration is in regards to our vehicles. What happens when you continuously
drive your vehicle off the pavement in the ditch? Now what happens when you do that at 70
miles an hour? Hour after hour? How long will it hold up? How long will YOU be able to keep a
hold of the steering wheel?
12
Stress kills.
Too often conventional providers fail to acknowledge and delve into areas of stress in our lives,
let alone testing. Such as cortisol, a hormone without which we are unable to survive. As with all
hormones, excess or deficiency leads to stress on other systems.
A functional approach uses detailed testing to identify where
you are on the cortisol spectrum, and which other systems
have been affected. This is followed by an anti-stress
regimen which may include proven stress relieving activities,
such as meditation and yoga.
Laughter will always be seen on a recommendation for
achieving optimal levels of stress.
Now that you understand how to tap into your innate healing
system and ways to restore health, supporting core body
functions through the Functional model, read on to find out
how you can team up with Functional Health experts at
Functional Health Mama to guide and mentor you on your
journey to restore health.
Embrace Your Body’s
Innate Healing System
Functional Health isn’t a better health solution just because it’s natural. Functional Health is a
better solution because it produces better health outcomes. Addressing the cause and
maximizing function instead of managing symptoms while the illness continues to progress.
Here at Functional Health Mama we understand the merits of Functional Health and how it can
be applied to virtually anyone seeking to reclaim their health, regardless of their medical history.
Tap into your body’s innate healing system today!
Believe it or not… you now have more knowledge by reading this short guide about your body’s
healing system than most health practitioners out there. It’s true! Disappointing, but true.
In fact, most doctors, specialists and even therapists do not (and cannot) address your health in
a specialized and holistic manner in which you deserve. The good news is…
13
You Can Begin Today… Right Now!
Implement the steps you learned from this guide RIGHT NOW to improve your digestion,
metabolic and hormonal systems.
● Reduce your stress levels
● Ensure your body has high quality fuel
● Appropriate activity (remember, less is often best in chronic conditions – call me if you
would like to run your activity program by me for feedback)
● Get quality rest each and every night
● Submerse yourself in an environment which promotes peace, harmony and joy
Taking your Journey Beyond
If you are eager to take your health to the next level there is no better way to start than by
exploring our Comprehensive Functional Health Plan
The Functional Health Mama’s Comprehensive Functional Plan can evaluate your unique
situation and get to the root of your systems imbalances.
It begins with in-depth history gathering by your personal health detective, through
comprehensive questionnaires based on the functional health model.
The next step is to meet with us as we, including you, lay out the pieces of your health, then we
begin the exciting journey of putting those pieces together.
Some of the recommendations you can expect are addressing opportunities for change in
lifestyle, food, activity, stress and rest. In addition we will explore which functional testing is
appropriate for you to help us uncover those deep hidden clues.
Throughout the process you can connect with us anytime through your individual client portal.
You can access tools and guides we share at any time and access to your results at your
convenience.
If you are ready to hop on a no-obligation call to find out how we can help you embrace your
body’s innate healing system, call us at 936.463.0272 or schedule here:
[Link]/schedule
14
Quick Strategy Guide:
Opportunities for
Functional Health Mama Regaining Health
R e d e f i n i n g H e a l t h ' c a r e '
NOTES
Quality of Sleep
Quantity of Sleep
Quality of Food
Quantity of Food
Activity Balanced
"Self" time
Toxic Exposures
Chemicals?
Molds?
Pathogens?
Relationships/Emotional?
Laughter
Permission to make mistakes?
Put together a timeline
Compile history and symptoms
Identify patterns
Copyright 2018 The Functional Perspective, LLC [Link]
Quick Strategy Guide:
Opportunities for
Functional Health Mama Regaining Health
R e d e f i n i n g H e a l t h ' c a r e '
SLEEP STRATEGY FOOD STRATEGY
ACTIVITY STRATEGY TOXIN STRATEGY
STRESS STRATEGY
Copyright 2018 The Functional Perspective, LLC [Link]
Quick Strategy Guide:
Opportunities for
Functional Health Mama Regaining Health
R e d e f i n i n g H e a l t h ' c a r e '
POTENTIAL LABS TO CONSIDER
CBC w/differentials
CMP
Vitamin D 25(OH)-D3 & 1,25-(OH)-D3
B12
Homocysteine
GGT
Uric Acid
Hs-CRP
Electrolytes
Iron Panel - Serum Fe,
TIBC, Transferrin & Ferritin
Full Thyroid: TSh, T3, T4, FT3, FT4,
RT3, Thyroid Antibodies
GI-Map - Comprehensive Stool
OAT - Organic Acids Test
Food Sensitivity - Cyrex/Dunwoody
DUTCH (Hormone)
Other:
Other
Copyright 2018 The Functional Perspective, LLC [Link]
Quick Strategy Guide:
Opportunities for
Functional Health Mama Regaining Health
R e d e f i n i n g H e a l t h ' c a r e '
NOTES
Copyright 2018 The Functional Perspective, LLC [Link]
936-463-0272
[Link]
We Know Functional Medicine
We understand the complexities of the digestive, adrenal, hormonal, and metabolic systems and
their contributions to overall health. We get to the root of your ailments using 21st century
science and critical thinking.
We Take Time
We spend time with our clients, looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and
lifestyle factors that can influence long term health and complex, chronic disease. Every plan is
highly individualized to maximize your long term health benefits.
We Listen
You can also expect to do a lot of talking, as a big part of Functional Health is exploring your
detailed personal and family history, the circumstances around your first symptoms, and the
experiences you may have had with other health care providers.
We Support You
Our personalized programs may include, botanical, nutritional supplements, therapeutic food
plans, detoxification recommendations, and counseling on lifestyle, exercise, or stress-
management techniques.
We Empower You
We educate and empower clients to create a lifestyle, nutrition plan, and environment that
supports optimal health. As a co-pilot in the development of your plan, you will be in control and
will be more equipped to make sustained lifestyle changes which improve your health.
20
Your Next Steps
With the right tools and information, the truth is that we can identify diseases years before their
symptoms are obvious. In addition we can address damage from those chronic ailments.
That is why I do what I do for a living... because LIVING is the goal. And one life changed (or
saved) becomes a family changed, and that is a legacy for me as a practitioner.
Together we create a comprehensive personal roadmap that is all about you and your life
journey in your body.
Schedule a complimentary, no-obligation phone consultation with me to learn exactly what we
can do to address your ailments and reclaim your health once and for all.
CALL NOW: 936.463.0272 Or Book Your Call At: [Link]/Schedule
Don’t be afraid – Functional Health and Wellness is real and it’s here. Call now to discover the
ways that it can work for you to improve so many aspects of your life.
We look forward to helping you,
Salena Rothenberger, [Link], CFMP, CHC
Founder I Functional Health Mama
[Link]
[Link]
21
ABOUT SALENA ROTHENBERGER,
[Link], CFMP, CHC
Born in Urbana, Illinois, Salena grew up with two sisters on a small farm in central Illinois.
Salena learned the qualities and skills needed to become a good health detective long before
her career in the health and wellness community. Her parents embraced and nourished her
inquisitive nature. She was taught the importance of compassion, discernment, critical thinking
and to approach challenges with an open mind.
She spent much of her academic years pursuing math and science. Outside of school her time
was spent with horses. Following high school she attended Parkland College in Champaign,
Illinois majoring in pre-veterinary medicine. She put that on hold to pursue her love with horses
and went to work on a Thoroughbred farm in southeastern Connecticut. This led to meeting her
new love and now husband of 23 years, Eric. Since then she has spent most of those years
growing a family.
She experienced many years of infertility challenges and lost four children prematurely. In 2005
she and her husband welcomed their now oldest child into the world. What was a blessing then
has brought her full circle to her passions as a child, and as she puts it "is becoming a blessing
to others". In 2014 her eldest son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes following DKA (diabetic
ketoacidosis). During that hospitalization Salena became overly aware of the limitations of the
conventional medicine model. While it excelled at helping her son recover quickly from DKA, it
was lacking in providing a long-term resolution to her child’s adverse health. As a response
Salena delved back into her previous passion and became consumed with studying biochemical
pathways, immune responses and holistic oriented methods along with herbs and supplements
which are known to support and improve health.
With support and nurturing from family, friends and her local family physician, Salena graduated
from Functional Medicine University, a nationally recognized leader in functional medicine
education for healthcare professionals and CEUs and certificates of completion provided by
Southern California University of Health Sciences. She also received certification as a Certified
Health Coach upon completing Dr. Sears Wellness Institute Program. During school she studied
advanced training in nutrition and functional health and medicine.
Asking the question “Why” is at the heart of her ‘detective’ work to identify the underlying cause,
for not only her son but, clients whose health systems are suffering distress. When faced with
the conventional model of symptom management she explores ‘why’ the body is responding in a
way that results in adverse health. Doing so in a way which empowers her clients through
sharing, her so they, too, can take charge of their health.
22
The root of her philosophy for investigating health, especially autoimmune diseases, lies in a
comprehensive approach that combines supporting both physical and mental-emotional
systems. In addition to utilizing strategies to effectively support the body’s innate ability to heal,
she also strives to teach clients that their health is dependent on:
● A well-functioning digestive system provided with proper nutrients
● A healthy lifestyle that embraces a balanced emotional state, harmony with circadian
rhythms and activities which promote rejuvenation and restoration
● A supportive network of relationships with friends, family, and health practitioners. where
peace and especially joy abound
She is proud her passion and knowledge led to the founding of The Functional Perspective,
[Link] and contributor to Transcending Wellness a Healthy Living
Journey. She is exceedingly grateful for the nurturing of her passion by the the founder of
MyMD Select, Dr. Jeremy Smith.
She resides with her husband, two children and their family dog, Chocolate, in the Deep Piney
Woods of East Texas, in Texas’ oldest town – Nacogdoches.
23
Be on the lookout for Salena's next book:
Foods To Eat & Avoid For
Autoimmune Disease
LIVING WITH 8 WAYS TO BEGIN FOODS TO EAT &
AUTOIMMUNE REVERSING FOODS TO AVOID
DISESE AUTOIMMUNITY
ESTABLISHING A YOUR NEXT ABOUT THE
HEALTHY STEPS AUTHOR
DIET
24
FOLLOW US
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[Link]/functionalcoach
© Functional Health Mama 2018
All rights reserved
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Questions@[Link]
Cover photo : Lola Byrne
25
Do you feel stuck on a health roller coaster? Have you searched for answers to your chronic
health problems but come up empty handed? In OPEN THE DOOR TO BETTER HEALTH:
Tapping Into Your Body's Innate Healing System functional wellness practitioner and certified
health coach Salena Rothenberger talks straight about the current medical system, why our
health spirals out of control and how you can get back in the driver's seat.
With simple to understand illustrations she shows anyone who is struggling with chronic
ailments how to get to the root cause. In these pages you will discover:
The Best Kept Secret of Modern Medicine
The Smart Way to Get to the Root Cause of Your Dis-ease
5 Pillars of Exceptional Long-term Health
Your health can be better, but only if you choose the door to better health. If you are looking to
take charge of your health, this book is a must read.
FUNCTIONAL HEALTH MAMA
OPEN THE DOOR TO BETTER HEALTH
26
Resources
Functional Health Assessment
[Link]
The Enneagram
[Link]
YourLabWork
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Get Healthy eStore
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10% off coupon code: TFP10
Emotional Freedom
Technique
[Link]
Contact Us
936.463.0272
Questions@[Link]
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