• Introduction to Functional Medicine 
• Review of differences and similarities between primary care, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), and Functional Medicine. 
• Review of organs function & organs integrity in Functional Medicine
• Review of the functional connection between organs and systems in the body.
• The Functional Medicine Practitioner RoadMap

• A review of immunology in health and disease
• Immunology in health & disease: a review
• The adaptive immune response B-lymphocytes and antibodies and T-lymphocytes
• Barrier defenses, the innate immune response, and immune response
• Diseases associated with depressed or overactive immune responses
• Cytokines and inflammatory, autoimmune, and degenerative diseases
• The impact of environmental chemicals on immune function
• Important nutrients for immune function
• Physical activity, body weight, and cytokines
• Stress and cytokines
• Supplements to support healthy immune function

Understanding the mechanism of chronic inflammation as the basis of multiple conditions including chronic inflammatory, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative conditions. The class also discusses neuroinflammation and sickness behavior, such as anxiety or depression. 

• A review of environmental contaminants, heavy metals and other industrial chemicals in food, water, air, house-hold products, and living environment 
• A review of endogenous toxins
• Chemical sensitivity and inflammatory reaction to toxic exposure
• Chemicals and changes in genetic expression
• Laboratory testing for environmental chemicals using blood, urine, hair, stool, sweat
• Resources and recommendations for a reduction in exposure to environmental chemicals
• Endocrine disruptors: The Environmental, hormonal, and metabolic conditions

• Review of detoxification process, Phase I, II, and III
• Assessment of toxic load and laboratory testing
• Dietary strategies, lifestyle guidelines, and supplements to prevent and treat toxic accumulation and support a healthy detoxification process

● Review of digestion and absorption of nutrients
● Association between digestion function and integrity and chronic conditions
● Association between drugs, stress, and environmental factors and gastrointestinal function
● Gut microbiome in health and disease
● A review of pathophysiology and nutritional therapies for intestinal permeability, small intestine bacterial overgrowth, dysbiosis, and fungal infection
● How gut dysfunction might lead to inflammatory and chronic diseases
● Nutritional and lifestyle strategies for gastrointestinal health
● The gut-brain connection
● Laboratory testing for patients with gut dysfunction

A comprehensive review of research and clinical studies, as well as treatment protocols for the following topics:

• Gut Health: Intestinal function and permeability
• Gut dysbiosis
• Using probiotics in therapy
• Candida
• Parasites
• Food sensitivity vs allergy and Inflammation

• Nutrition and chronic inflammatory and chronic diseases
• Review of health benefits and considerations in plant-based,  animal-based, mediterranean, DASH, and paleo diets. 
• Anti-vs-pro inflammatory foods
• Nutritional evaluation and lab testing
• Principles of Nutritional therapy
• Supplements regulation and quality

• A review of nutrients deficiency in patients with chronic diseases and recommendations for testing
• Nutritional consideration for supplementation in patients with chronic diseases
• The use of herbal medicine in clinical practice

• A review of the principles and studies on Anti-Inflammatory diet
• Tips for simple dietary adjustments for clinical success
• Includes a patient guide as a resource to share with your patients

• A review on the effect of stress and immune activation and chronic diseases
• Techniques for daily practice of stress reduction
• Nutrition and supplements to support healthy stress response

• A review of mitochondrial function
• A connection between mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic diseases
• Testing options for mitochondria function 
• Strategies to reduce oxidative damage and optimize mitochondrial function

• A review of symptoms of major hormones imbalance and other signaling molecules
• The impact of environmental factors on the hormonal system
• A review of thyroid and adrenal function
• Clinical application of nutritional and herbal medicine

• Review of hormonal, neurological, and cellular function related to aging
• Important testing and considerations in anti-aging therapies
• Nutrition and lifestyle guidance and herbal supplements for the prevention and/or treatment of age related conditions, including menopausal symptoms, benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostate

Technology for improving patient care, included topics: sleep hygiene, electromagnetic radiation, healthy posture, anxiety, and cleaner air and water (to reduce exposure to mold, heavy metals, etc.)

• Review of essential steps in evaluation and treatment of chronic joint pain
• The association between Immune imbalance, environmental factors, and structural integrity of the joint and skin and chronic joint pain
• Early interventions in chronic pain
• Central and regional sensitization:
• Considerations in diagnosis and treatment of muscular, tendons, ligaments, joints,
• Review of mechanism of chronic pain in Functional Medicine
• Mechanism and pathophysiology of osteoarthritis and joint degeneration
• Nutritional and lifestyle approach, alternative therapies, and topical pharmaceutical compounds for pain management and osteoarthritis

• Physical signs of nutritional deficiency
• Using a symptoms survey to identify deficiencies and imbalances
• The intake process
• Understanding the patient’s individual needs
• Setting goals using the S.M.A.R.T system
• The importance of understanding the client’s ‘Stages of Change’
• How to successfully support a healthy weight loss process
• Coaching tools, such as the O.A.R.S. system
• Important considerations in overcoming barriers
• Using reflective listening
• Determining the next steps and setting a personalized plan

• Meal Planning 101: Designing healthy meal plans for clients
• How to work with clients on a tight budget
• Hydration

• Adaptogenic herbs
• Evidence-based recommendations of herbs and supplements for chronic conditions (chronic inflammation and joint pain, fatigue, headaches, digestion conditions, weight gain, hypothyroid, depression and anxiety, decline memory, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, sexual dysfunction, and more)
• History and regulations of herbal medicine
• Safety and quality considerations
• A review of physiological effects of CBD and other cannabinoids
• Herb-drug interaction

• Factors that lead to or contribute to cardiovascular diseases
• The Neuro-Cardiac Axis
• The Mitochondria & Cardiac Function
• The Cardiovascular-Gut Axis
• Hormonal imbalance and risk of cardiometabolic conditions
• Environmental chemicals and cardiovascular function
• Nutritional and lifestyle changes in the treatment of cardiovascular conditions
• A review of clinical studies on the use of supplements and herbal compounds
• A review of prevention strategies for cardiac health

• Essential labs that every Functional Medicine Practitioner needs to know
• Clinical presentation as an indication for each lab and important considerations
• A review of evidence-based treatment protocols

• Hormonal and metabolic changes and chronic diseases in male patients
• Clinical evaluation of male patients
• Factors that contribute to men’s hormonal imbalance or deficiencies
• The treatment of Benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, sexual dysfunction, and androgenic alopecia
• Functional lab testing
• Nutritional, herbal, and lifestyle strategies when treating men’s health conditions

• Reference (Normal) Range vs optimal (Functional) range
• Complete Blood cell Count (CBC) with Differential
• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
• Comprehensive Cholesterol Panel
• Leptin and Adiponectin
• Metabolic and Cardiovascular Markers
• Inflammatory markers
• Homocysteine and MTHFR Mutations
• Urinalysis
• Functional & Nutritional Approach for Kidney Function
• Comprehensive Thyroid Panel & Iodine
• Vitamin D
• Magnesium
• Prothrombin Time Test and INR (PT/INR)
• Warfarin & Vitamin K Intake
• Uric Acid
• Assessing Mitochondrial and Cellular Function

• A review of the physiological factors that lead to or contribute to weight gain and type 2 diabetes
• Nutritional and herbal supplements to reduce insulin resistance and support healthy glucose metabolism
• Nutritional strategies and supplements to support weight loss
• A review of case studies with Functional medicine labs and treatment protocols

• Mechanism of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions
• The Functional, nutritional, and herbal medicine approach to treating autoimmune conditions.
• Putting it all together: clinical case review

• The impact of gut health, diet, lifestyle, metabolism, and environmental factors on hormonal imbalance
• The Functional, nutritional, and herbal medicine approach to treating female medical conditions
• Understanding the mechanism of menopause
• Nutritional strategies and herbal medicine to support a patient during menopause

• Aging-related metabolic changes: Assessment, malabsorption, and impact on health
• Treatment of common age-related diseases: Sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, osteoporosis, and dementia
• The use of herbal medicine and supplements to treat age-related conditions
• Important clinical considerations in the treatment of older patients

• A scientific review of genetics, epigenetics, and nutrigenetics

• A review of genes associated with inflammation, methylation, nutritional metabolism, cardiovascular, cognitive, and metabolic conditions.

• Clinical considerations when using genetic testing and nutritional strategies

• The most common interactions between drugs and food, herbs, and supplements, and the significance of the interactions

• A review of the impact of herbs on the distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs

• The most commonly used drugs and their associated nutrient depletion

• Clinical resources to find drug-herb interactions and drug-induced nutrient deficiencies

• A review of the diagnosis and evaluation process in Functional Medicine
• The 3 Rs of clinical success 
• The 3 Rs in Patient with Chronic Gut Dysfunction
• The 3 Rs in Patient with Chronic Joint Pain
• The 3 Rs in Patient with Psoriasis
• Case Study: Diabetes

• How to structure your new patient flow and build a personalized health plan
• Functional, Nutritional, and lifestyle medicine treatment plans for chronic diseases
• Important considerations when working with clients
• How to use the practitioner toolbox to get the best clinical results

• The Patient’s Story & Motivational interviewing
• Marketing your Functional Medicine Practice: How to get new patients and fill your practice
• Promoting your services: Educate rather than sell
• Coaching strategies to increase patient’s compliance

• A comprehensive exam covering all training material
• Includes case studies, differential diagnosis, and treatment protocols
• The exam is open book and includes 6 parts