A San Diego Functional Medicine Guide to Healing the Root Cause

At Integrated Medicine Ministries in Carlsbad, near San Diego, we specialize in functional and integrative medicine that gets to the root of chronic illness. If you're not feeling your best, it's often because of foundational imbalances that block your body’s natural ability to heal.

In our experience, there are three major “deal breakers” to achieving optimal wellness. Until these are addressed, true healing is limited—no matter how many supplements or prescriptions you take.

1️⃣ Eradicate Anemias

Anemia is one of the most overlooked causes of fatigue, brain fog, and poor healing. At our San Diego functional medicine clinic, we always begin with addressing this critical issue.

There are two primary types:

Iron Deficiency Anemia
➤ Red blood cells (RBCs) are microcytic—too small to efficiently carry oxygen, iron, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and toxins throughout the body. This affects brain function, circulation, and detoxification.
B12/Folic Acid Deficiency (Pernicious Anemia)
➤ RBCs are macrocytic—too large and often damaged, making it difficult to pass through tiny capillaries, impairing delivery to vital organs.

Since red blood cells are essential for oxygen and nutrient delivery, functional medicine treatments must begin with testing for and treating anemia to promote full-body healing.

2️⃣ Normalize Blood Pressure

Conventional medicine often sees low blood pressure as a sign of good health. But from a functional and integrative medicine perspective, this isn’t always true.

Your heart must generate 120 mm/Hg of systolic pressure to send blood uphill to your brain when standing, and 80 mm/Hg during relaxation to allow oxygenated blood to refill the heart and circulate.

Without proper circulation, oxygen, nutrients, and detoxification stall—blocking progress in any healing protocol.

In our clinic, we teach patients that blood pressure regulation is neurological, not simply cardiovascular. The Vagus nerve—part of the parasympathetic nervous system—controls this delicate balance.

Instead of masking symptoms with beta blockers, diuretics, or calcium channel blockers, we address:

Vagal nerve activation
Stress reduction techniques
Botanicals and adaptogens
Biofeedback and lifestyle modifications

These holistic therapies for blood pressure restoration are core to how we treat patients in the San Diego area with a focus on long-term wellness.

3️⃣ Balance Blood Sugar

Your body needs stable fuel to function optimally. Blood sugar instability leads to hormone disruption, fatigue, brain fog, cravings, and inflammation.

There are two main metabolic pathways:

The Insulin/Glucose Pathway

Fuels: fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, fish, dairy, beans, sugars, etc.
This path requires complex hormonal signaling and is easily disrupted by:

Chronic stress
Inflammation
Insulin resistance
Pancreatic dysfunction
Malabsorption
Genetic polymorphisms
Poor gut health

At Integrated Medicine Ministries, we run functional labs to investigate these factors and guide patients to dietary and lifestyle solutions.

The Ketogenic/Short-Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) Pathway

Fuels: healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, animal fats, organ meats, and nuts.
This path is more efficient and anti-inflammatory. It requires bile to release SCFAs and MCTs, which are absorbed easily without the need for insulin.

This is the preferred energy system in our evolutionary design—one that promotes brain function, reduces inflammation, and supports metabolic flexibility.

Clean Food, Clean Fuel

We recommend anti-inflammatory diets tailored to the individual. Many patients in our San Diego practice benefit from:

✅ Autoimmune Paleo Plan
✅ Autoimmune Ketogenic Plan
✅ Autoimmune Plant-Based Plan

To support gut health and functional healing, we advise patients to avoid:

Gluten and processed grains (especially wheat, oats, corn)
Soy
Lectin-rich foods (tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, peppers)
Dairy (due to BHT and antibiotics)
Canola oil
Genetically modified squash and produce

The Functional Medicine Approach in San Diego

Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. We help patients listen to their bodies and experiment with macronutrient ratios that leave them feeling:

Satisfied for 4–5 hours
Clear and focused
Full of energy—without dips or cravings

Botanicals, emotional healing, homeopathics, and flower essences are all part of our personalized wellness plans.

Begin Your Healing Journey

If you're looking for functional medicine in San Diego that addresses root causes like anemia, blood pressure, and blood sugar imbalances—Integrated Medicine Ministries is here to help.

📍 Located in Carlsbad, CA
📞 Call us today at (760) 519-1759
🌐 www.integratedmedicineministries.com

OR

Book Here

Deal Breakers for Optimal Health and Wellness in San Diego