Fatigue. Brain fog. Poor sleep. Unexplained weight gain. Stress. Hormonal changes. Digestive problems.
Sometimes these symptoms have a clear medical explanation. Other times, people undergo testing, are told that everything appears “normal,” and are left wondering why they still don’t feel like themselves.
Our natural tendency is often to ask:
“How do I make this symptom go away?”
That’s an important question. But sometimes another question is worth asking:
“What might this symptom be telling me?”
A symptom isn’t necessarily a diagnosis. It also shouldn’t automatically become a source of fear. But symptoms can provide information that helps us understand what may deserve further evaluation.
When “Everything Looks Normal” But You Don’t Feel Normal
At Tri-Cities Functional Medicine, we often hear people describe patterns such as:
- Persistent fatigue
- Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
- Poor or disrupted sleep
- Difficulty losing weight
- Changes in hormones
- Digestive symptoms
- Chronic stress or feeling overwhelmed
- Simply not feeling like themselves anymore
Conventional medicine remains essential.
There are circumstances where identifying a disease, making the correct diagnosis and providing appropriate medical treatment is exactly what someone needs.
Functional medicine isn’t about rejecting conventional medicine.
Instead, it can involve asking additional questions.
Rather than asking only, “What diagnosis matches these symptoms?” we may also ask:
“Why might this individual be experiencing this pattern?”
That changes the conversation.
Looking at the Whole Person
Human physiology doesn’t operate as a collection of completely independent systems.
Sleep can influence how we feel during the day.
Stress can interact with sleep, appetite and other aspects of health.
Nutrition and movement matter.
Hormones, metabolic health, gastrointestinal function, medications, inflammation, environmental factors and emotional health may all deserve consideration depending upon the individual.
That’s why we think in terms of interconnected pillars of health.
1. Nutrition and Detoxification
What are you putting into your body, and what does your individual physiology require nutritionally?
2. Exercise and Movement
The human body was created to move. Movement can be an important component of maintaining health and function.
3. Stress and Hormones
Ongoing stress isn’t merely an emotion. The physiological response to prolonged stress can interact with multiple aspects of our health.
4. Sleep
Restoration requires rest. Sleep quality and quantity deserve attention when someone is experiencing fatigue, brain fog and other persistent symptoms.
5. Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Health
We don’t include this pillar because we believe every disease has a spiritual cause. We don’t.
We include it because a human being isn’t simply a collection of laboratory values.
You are a whole person.
Your Symptoms Are Not Your Identity
This may be one of the most important ideas in this entire conversation.
Your symptoms are not your identity.
If you’re exhausted, your identity isn’t “I’m a tired person.”
If you’ve gained weight, your identity isn’t “I’m a failure.”
If you’re experiencing brain fog, your identity isn’t “I’m losing myself.”
We need to separate who someone is from what that person is experiencing.
A symptom may provide useful information.
Sometimes conventional medical testing identifies its cause quickly. Other times, a deeper evaluation may be appropriate.
The goal isn’t to become frightened by every signal coming from the body.
But the goal isn’t to ignore persistent changes either.
We want to respond with wisdom.
A Christian Perspective: Identity Before Performance
As a Christian physician, my understanding of whole-person health is also influenced by my faith.
Matthew 1 introduces Jesus Christ as the promised King and as Immanuel—God with us.
That has profound implications for identity.
Our relationship with God isn’t ultimately established by our ability to perform perfectly. For the Christian, identity is grounded in Jesus Christ.
That means our health status doesn’t determine our worth.
Our weight doesn’t determine our worth.
A diagnosis doesn’t determine our identity.
Laboratory results don’t determine our identity.
That foundation can change the way we approach health.
Instead of desperately trying to perfect ourselves, we can learn to steward what God has entrusted to us.
Fear, Control and the Next Faithful Step
Matthew 2 provides an interesting contrast.
The wise men seek Jesus and worship Him. Herod sees the same King as a threat to his control.
That raises an important question:
What happens inside us when circumstances move beyond our control?
A diagnosis comes.
Our body begins changing.
Our finances become uncertain.
Something happens with one of our children.
The future doesn’t look the way we expected.
Fear can become a powerful master.
In Matthew 2, Joseph repeatedly receives direction from God. He doesn’t receive the entire roadmap at once. He receives enough direction to take the next faithful step.
There is an important distinction between dependence and passivity.
Depending upon God doesn’t mean neglecting wisdom or responsibility.
We pray.
We listen.
We seek wisdom.
And then we faithfully steward what God has placed into our hands.
I believe that can include our health.
What Voices Are We Listening To?
Psalm 81 repeatedly confronts God’s people with their failure to listen to Him.
That raises another question for us:
What voices are shaping our lives?
Fear?
Culture?
Busyness?
Success?
Money?
Other people’s opinions?
Social media?
Our circumstances?
Our emotions?
Or God?
Most of us don’t have carved idols in our homes. But anything that begins occupying the position that belongs to God deserves examination.
And surprisingly, even something good can take that position.
Including health.
When Health Becomes an Idol
It’s possible to become so consumed with optimizing every laboratory value, supplement, meal, workout, hormone and health metric that eventually we’re being controlled by health rather than wisely stewarding it.
That’s not freedom.
Our ultimate hope isn’t perfect laboratory values.
It isn’t the perfect diet.
It isn’t the perfect supplement protocol.
It isn’t the perfect exercise program.
And it certainly isn’t functional medicine.
For the Christian, our ultimate hope is Jesus Christ.
Medicine is a tool.
Nutrition is a tool.
Exercise is a tool.
Laboratory testing is a tool.
Supplements can be tools.
Functional medicine is a tool.
These things can be used wisely.
But they make terrible gods.
So What Is Your Body Trying to Tell You?
Maybe you’ve been exhausted for years.
Maybe your sleep has deteriorated.
Maybe your digestion has changed.
Maybe you’re gaining weight and don’t understand why.
Maybe your hormones seem different.
Maybe brain fog has become so common that you’ve accepted it as normal.
Maybe chronic stress has become such a regular part of life that you barely recognize it anymore.
Don’t panic.
But don’t automatically ignore persistent symptoms either.
Seek wisdom.
Obtain appropriate medical evaluation.
And begin asking good questions.
Sometimes the question isn’t simply:
“What can I take to make this symptom disappear?”
Sometimes another valuable question is:
“Why might this be happening in the first place?”
That’s one of the questions we ask in functional medicine.
But there’s an even greater question:
“Who am I trusting as I walk through this?”
For the Christian, freedom isn’t ultimately found by gaining greater control over every circumstance.
We listen to God.
We trust Him.
We seek wisdom.
We faithfully steward what He has given us.
And we allow Jesus Christ to remain King.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re tired, stressed, experiencing hormonal changes, gaining weight, sleeping poorly or simply don’t feel like yourself anymore, I’ve created a free training exploring the connections between inflammation, hormones and stress from a root-cause functional medicine perspective.
In the training, I’ll explain why seemingly unrelated symptoms can sometimes be connected and why looking at the whole person can be important.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FREE INFLAMMATION + HORMONES + STRESS TRAINING
There is no pressure. My goal is to help you better understand what may be happening so you can make informed decisions about your next steps.
And remember:
Your health is not your identity.
Your diagnosis is not your identity.
Your symptoms are not your identity.
Your weight is not your identity.
Your laboratory results are not your identity.
Take care of the body God has entrusted to you.
Seek wisdom.
Pay attention.
Ask good questions.
Trust God with what you cannot control.
Faithfully steward what He has placed in your hands.
And above everything else, keep Jesus Christ in His rightful place as King.
This article is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat disease or replace individualized medical care.
Tri-Cities Functional Medicine is located in Johnson City, Tennessee, and serves patients throughout Tennessee and into Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Kentucky remotely (In-person when needed and for those outside of these states.) These areas include but are not limited to: Washington County, TN, Sullivan County, TN, Carter County, TN, Greene County, TN, Knox County, TN, Bristol, TN, Holston Valley, TN, Tri-Cities, TN, Walnut Hill, TN, Elizabethton, TN, Greeneville, TN, Morristown, TN, Blountville, TN, Bluff City, TN, Kingsport, TN, Jonesborough, TN, Colonial Heights, TN, Limestone, TN, Knoxville, TN, Bristol, VA, Abingdon, VA, Grundy, VA, Asheville, NC, Boone, NC.
