In this episode, Dr Flass (a pediatric gastroenterologist) reviews why breastmilk is nature's most perfect food for babies, and how formula companies need to be continually using mother's milk as the template to create better infant formula. This episode is condensed from information Dr Flass has presented at recent conferences including the Rocky Mountain Childbirth Conference as well as his book "Feeding Our Children". Most people don't know that the last time the government upd...

In this episode, Brittany and Tom host another guest- Tessa Redish from Form and Function personal fitness. https://www.formandfunctionfit.com/ Tessa is an exercise specialist who focuses on teaching proper form and functional movement to restore health and fitness. She recently started a business in NW Montana that offers online fitness classes and videos perfect for someone new to weight training and strength training. We discuss her background in fitness instruction with Orange...

In this episode, Brittany and Tom have a great discussion with Tyler Ladenburg, physical therapist and co-owner of OrthoRehab. We discuss Tyler's training and professional experience, and the growth of OrthoRehab to be one of the largest physical therapy clinics in Montana. Common complaints and injuries that warrant PT assessment and treatment are reviewed. Tyler really brings home the point that physical therapy should be viewed as much for injury prevention and upstream risk factor i...

In this episode, Dr Flass sits down with Dr Reed Thompson DDS, pediatric dentist and owner of Kalispell Kidds Dentistry. If you have kids and are interested in getting some "inside information" about their oral health from a pediatric dentist, this episode is for you! They discuss the importance of promoting good oral health and oral development in young children by proper early feeding and being mindful of the oral microbiome. The links between oral and gut microbiome and overall healt...

In this episode, we welcome a guest to the show, Jennifer Kingan who is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and owner of Healthy Beginnings Pediatric Therapy. Healthy Beginnings is based in Kalispell, MT and has offices in Columbia Falls and Eureka and offers Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy for kids. We discuss what each of these areas of pediatric therapy offer and who might benefit from their services. Jennifer and Dr Flass have shared a number of patients over the years, an...

Brittany and Tom do an overview of how Functional Medicine looks at thyroid function and dysfunction. We look at upstream and downstream impacts on thyroid function and how it affects our health. Optimal thyroid function is important for our health, but often the problem is not with the thyroid gland itself, but other areas that are impacting the thyroid's ability to function. Rather than just going straight to thyroid medication or a glandular supplement, a provider really needs ...

Brittany and Tom have an overview conversation about the mitigation, prevention and possible reversal of cognitive decline using functional medicine. They discuss the scope of the issue and how many people are being affected by Alzheimer's and related diseases. What are some of the early signs and symptoms of MCI (mild cognitive impairment) versus Alzheimer's? What are some of the new diagnostic techniques being used? Who is at risk? Based off the work of Dr Dale...

Brittany and Tom review the extremely relevant topic of adverse food reactions. Are you or your child having a reaction to something in your diet? This episode takes a Functional Medicine look at the differences between more classic food allergies and anaphylaxis, and other immune and non-immune reactions to foods. They answer frequent parent questions such as: What are the most common foods that you might be allergic to? Will my kid outgrow their food allergies? What are the bene...

Brittany and Tom discuss pregnancy nutrition from a functional medicine perspective. Not enough attention is being paid to the importance of proper nutrition during the First Thousand Days of a child's life, including pregnancy. To increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy, good nutrition should be a priority for the mother! We cover the importance of key nutrients like iron, zinc, choline, omega-3 and prebiotic fiber to feed mother and baby brain and gut microbiome. Much of the infor...

In this episode Brittany and Tom go over what a visit to the functional medicine provider might look like for a patient wanting a more holistic "check up". We discuss how a functional medicine visit differs from a traditional visit, with emphasis on extensive history and contributing upstream causes for the patient's potential health issues. We also go over our take on useful labwork that can alert someone of future health risks and catching things early before full blown disease takes ...

In this episode, Tom and Brittany review "irritable bowel syndrome" and how the mainstream diagnosis and management of IBS leaves a lot to be desired. IBS is an area where Functional Medicine and Integrative Gastroenterology really outshine the conventional approach by focusing on root causes and personalized approaches. We discuss how "IBS" which is really just a list of symptoms, can be caused by many factors including dysbiosis and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgro...

In this episode, Tom interviews Brittany on her Functional Medicine approach to Women's Health, more specifically looking at Perimenopause and Menopause. We review the hormonal changes that are occurring with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, and what symptoms and biological effects this may have and how she approaches this as a Functional Medicine and DPC primary care provider. This period of life can affect every body system of a woman, and she explains why it is important to w...

Brittany and Tom review constipation from a Functional Medicine perspective. They discuss their experiences as healthcare providers treating poop issues- Brittany from a Women's health perspective as well as Tom's experience as a Pediatric Gastroenterologist treating LOTS of cases of constipation. What defines constipation and how big of a problem is it? How often should we be pooping and what does it mean when things aren't "coming out right"? This episode covers the basics of wh...

In this episode of the Aware Families Podcast, Brittany and Tom discuss the sixth and final Pillar of Health- Sunlight, Nature and Environment. It is becoming evident that our modern lifestyle is out of synch with how we evolved in many ways. Yet another example of this is our drastically reduced level of exposure to sunlight and nature. All the while our exposure to artificial light, toxic chemicals and EMF are skyrocketing. How can we think that this doesn't affect our health? H...

In this episode Brittany and Tom discuss the 5th Pillar of Health- how human connection, community and a sense of purpose have a major impact on the health of both adults and kids. For more information find us at www.functionalmedassociates.com

In this episode, Brittany and Tom take a look at one of the Pillars of Health that seems to be crumbling in America right now: Stress Management and Mental Health. Especially since COVID, we have been experiencing a mental health crisis in the US, with rising rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. This episode reviews the extent of the problem, and goes over some alarming statistics. Unfortunately our children are suffering the worst of this crisis, which underscores the importance o...

In this episode Brittany and Tom talk about the importance of exercise and activity for physical and mental health. They discuss what the current exercise recommendations are for kids and adults and how far off the mark we are in America, leading to physical and mental decline. They differentiate between the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, zone 2 versus HIIT training, as well as the dangers of neglecting strength training especially for women. There is a brief discussion of HRV- H...

In this episode, Tom and Brittany discuss the importance of sleep as one of the foundational Six Pillars of Health for kids and adults. They cover why sleep is important, how much we all need based on age, and the potential ramifications of under-sleeping for both adults and kids. Also reviewed are some medications and supplements for sleep and which ones are not recommended because of health concerns with regular use. For more information find us at www.functionalmedasso...

In this episode, Tom and Brittany give their "10,000 foot view" on basic functional medicine nutrition principles. The touch on issues with population studies of nutrition versus personalized "N of 1" approach, and how there has been some bad science in the past that sent us down the wrong path from a health policy standpoint. They discuss the importance of dietary protein for overall health and metabolism and taking both protein quantity and quality into account. The vital role ...

In this episode, you meet the hosts of the podcast and hear their stories and backgrounds and get an overview of the podcast and the topics we will cover. We give our view on what Functional Medicine is and how it can apply to families and their goal of improving the health of the ones they love. We discuss upstream versus downstream medicine and how there is a shift occurring. We touch on the six pillars of health and focusing on the fundamentals of nutrition, sleep, mental hea...