Move Daily Health Podcast Episode 013: Let’s Talk Functional Medicine, with Dr. Sharon Kelly

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Do you suffer from low energy? Have you struggled to find the cause of an underlying health problem? In today’s episode we talk to Dr. Sharon Kelly, a Naturopathic Doctor and Functional Medicine Practitioner with a true focus on preventative medicine.

Sharon has been in practice for over 14 years and specializes in Environmental Medicine, diagnosing and treating difficult but common problems like mold and mycotoxin illness. If something isn’t right with your health but you can’t seem to find the answer, be sure to tune in as Sharon discusses how she helps her clients find the “Why?” behind their symptoms.

Show Notes:

0:00 – Who is Sharon Kelly?

3:25 – What is Functional Medicine?

4:30 – How Functional Medicine fits within the modern Healthcare system, and the value of of a team-based approach across Healthcare professions.

8:20 – The two most common categories of ailments seen in Sharon’s patient population:

– Infection & detoxification

9:30 – We dive in major environmental impacts, notably mold toxicity.

10:25 – How to know if you’re suffering from mold toxicity, and how & why it can affect people differently.

12:35 – We discuss how people on the Hypermobility spectrum can be more susceptible to mold and other environmental factors.

15:35 – How do people become affected by mold toxicity?

– Food (grains) & water-damaged buildings

17:20 – Did you know that raw cashews are poisonous? Dain didn’t until a few weeks ago…

18:55 – Sharon outlines her approach with patients:

– Minimal supplements, minimal inputs, and food as medicine.

20:40 – Why Sharon doesn’t like to eliminate many foods from the diet:

– Immune system tolerance to food vs. food composition itself

21:40 – Don’t take away SOUL FOODS! How elimination diets can negatively impact the nervous systems and overall health.

22:35 – The value of understanding the “Why” behind treatment recommendations

23:40 – We discuss the value of CONTEXT in discerning the right information to apply to your own personal circumstances

25:10 – Sharon elaborates on why dietary diversity is important for immune function

30:15 – We chat about supplements (namely those for energy) and again the value of context therein

34:55 – Sharon touches on how chronic stress suppresses immune function

– You have to impact the stressor itself, impact the impact of the stressor, or detoxify the stress hormones themselves.

37:25 – We revisit the importance of understanding the “Why” behind symptoms, and how this is key to managing overall daily stress.

41:25 – Some advice around stress management and optimizing digestive health

45:25 – Sharon’s book recommendations:

– The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk

– Toxic, by Neil Nathan

– Game Changers, by Dave Asprey

– Dare to Lead, by Brene Brown

47:05 – Sharon’s daily non-negotiable self-care tool: Gratitude.

49:00 – Sharon’s one piece of advice to help you with your wellbeing: Be very aware of the feelings that drive your daily decision-making, because these decisions dictate the stimulus received by your genetics, and this interaction dictates your health and well-being.

51:00 – Where you can find Sharon.

More about Dr. Sharon Kelly:

Dr. Sharon Kelly is a Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. The founder of the Bayview Natural Health Clinic, Sharon has been in family practice in Toronto for over 14 years. Her special interest is preventative medicine, which involves looking for and address the underlying cause of disease, rather than just relieving the symptoms.

Sharon attained certification in Mind Body Medicine from the Bensen-Henry Institute (BHI) at the Harvard Medical School. The MHI mission is to fully integrate mind-body medicine into mainstream health care by means of rigorous, evidence-based research and clinical application of the work. Sharon is also certified in Functional Medicine. She completed the Institute of Functional Medicines’ certification program in 2015 after training for 3 years. Functional Medicine is an evolved way to practice medicine. It engages both the patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. A practitioner might start with the questions: “Why has function been lost?” and “How can we support the return of the function?”

Bayview Natural Health Clinic is a tight-knit group of dedicated, determined, patient-focused practitioners. They’ll work with you collaboratively to improve your health.

To start, they’ll invest the time to understand your concerns. Whether your symptoms are new or persistent, their licensed health care practitioners will review all underlying factors to make sure they’re working with all the pieces of the puzzle. Together, you will evaluate treatment options and develop a plan tailored to your needs.

“Improving your health isn’t something we do to you at BNHC. It’s what we work on with you.”

Connect with Dr. Sharon Kelly:

Website: Bayview Natural Health

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Thank you and stay tuned for the next episode, dropping on the 1st and 15th of each month!