Dearest Visionary... 💫

Welcome back to our weekly edition of Friday Field Notes

This week: why testing matters, and how we use it to actually fix hormones in our Doctor of Functional Medicine program.

Fatigue. Anxiety. Weight that won't budge. Mood swings. Hormonal chaos. 🤯 These are signals—not diagnoses. And without real data, you're guessing.

Here's the problem: standard lab ranges are based on statistical averages from sick people. You can be "normal" on paper while feeling terrible in real life. And if you're a woman? Symptoms are often brushed off as "stress," "perimenopause," or worse, "normal." Even when you know something real is off, you're sent home without answers.

The perimenopause dismissal is especially common for women in their late 30s and 40s—but many shouldn't be experiencing those symptoms yet.

Functional testing closes the gap. It uses optimal ranges and pattern-based interpretation to catch imbalances early—especially in hormone health, where completely different issues can look identical.

Take the DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones). It's an at-home hormone panel that shows not just your hormone levels, but how your body metabolizes them.

Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol—plus the metabolites, which reveal what's happening on a deeper level. Blood tests can't show you that. And it works for optimizing hormone health at any age—not just when things fall apart.

In our Doctor of Functional Medicine program, students learn to read advanced tests like DUTCH and use them to guide real, root-cause care—no guessing, no cookie-cutter protocols.

Want to start balancing your hormones now? Read on. 👇 🧡

⚡ SUPPORTING CORTISOL NATURALLY

• Morning light exposure — Allow natural sunlight to reach the eyes and face within the first 30–60 minutes of waking (without your glasses or contacts in). This supports the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and helps anchor a healthy circadian rhythm. ☀️
• Amber lighting at night — Replace bright overhead lighting with amber bulbs or warm lamps after sunset to encourage melatonin production and natural cortisol downregulation. 🌙
• No screens first thing or before bed — Avoid blue light exposure immediately upon waking and at least one hour before sleep to protect cortisol rhythm integrity and nervous system signaling. 📵 
• Food before coffee — Caffeine on an empty stomach can excessively spike cortisol. Prioritizing protein, minerals, and hydration before coffee helps stabilize blood sugar and adrenal communication. Additional coffee tips! ☕
  

🌿 HORMONE-SUPPORTIVE BOTANICALS

• Adaptogenic herbs — Ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil help support stress resilience and balanced cortisol signaling.
• Magnesium — Especially glycinate or threonate forms to support nervous system regulation and relaxation. 💊
• Vitamin B5 — Pantothenic acid plays a role in adrenal hormone production and stress response support.  🧠
• Vitamin C — Supports healthy cortisol modulation and adrenal tissue resilience. 🍊
• Mineral-rich foods — Unrefined sea salt, bone broth, and leafy greens provide foundational minerals essential for hormone communication. 🧂

✨ These practices are not replacements for functional testing, but they can gently support cortisol regulation and hormonal balance while deeper investigation unfolds.

True precision comes from understanding what's happening internally through functional testing. Symptoms alone aren't enough to guide care, as they may mask the root causes of imbalance. And the point is to heal at the root level, right?

In the Doctor of Functional Medicine program, students learn how to combine supportive daily practices with individualized testing, creating a stable internal environment and guiding care with clarity and accuracy. 🤍

🎧 Stay Tuned...

Next week, we’ll cover Cell Salts.

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Disclaimers & Fine Print: None of the content in this email (or anywhere from Rockwell) should be taken as medical advice, and should not be used to treat, diagnose, prescribe, or cure. Always do your own research, use common sense, and take full responsibility for what you decide to do with the info shared here.