As attention to functional medicine rises in response to the cultural shift to better health and healthier lifestyles through natural, holistic practices, modalities and procedures, North Texas has not been left behind. We are blessed with a small, but growing number of healthcare professionals that have been diligently applying these principles in their practices for years. There are a variety of options for whole-person wellness that looks at root causes available around the Metroplex, and we are excited to to present many of them to you.

Avery Carpenter, DC

New Leaf Health and Wellness
4100 McEwen Rd., Ste. 130, Dallas,
972-666-1771
NewLeafHealthAndWellness.com

Functional medicine asks, “Why?” We believe our bodies are naturally designed to be healthy; that symptoms are a warning sign that something is not functioning properly in the body. If we ignore the warning signs, symptoms get worse and illness is inevitable; and that looking upstream to the root cause of the symptom is the only way to restore and maintain good health.

Susan Harris, MSN, CNM, FNP-C

LifeStream Health Centre
705 Main St., Coppell
972-304-6400
LifeStreamMed.com

Functional medicine is an integrative approach that treats illness and promotes wellness by focusing on the unique aspects of each patient in relation to their environment and genetic predispositions. Individual treatment plans are implemented to restore physiological and psychological balance to focus on treating the root cause of the problem, not just masking the symptoms

Claudia Harsh, M.D.

Baylor Scott & White
Integrative Medicine Center at Sammons Cvetko Cancer Center
3410 Worth St., Dallas
214-820-3595
BaylorHealth.com

Functional medicine is a treatment paradigm that aims for the root cause of acute and chronic illnesses. Using functional medicine tools, we can build up a timeline of your life and see what predisposed you to get sick. We can then assess functional lab testing and see your genetic predisposition to disease, your current gut function and your nutritional needs. We add stress management tools, nutrition coaching and sometimes medical acupuncture to help you achieve optimal emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health.

John Gonino, DO, PA

Gonino Natural Wellness Center
6720 Horizon Rd., Heath
469-402-2800
GoninoWellness.com

We empower patients to embrace true health, utilizing education and natural modalities to support the body’s own natural healing mechanisms. Combining conventional medicine to control symptoms with natural therapies to heal cellular level, we carefully follow a 15-point wellness program incorporating nutrition, holistic remedies and supplementation, detoxification, lifestyle changes and exercise. We attend conditions that include cancer, depression, thyroid disease, diabetes, heart problems, hormonal imbalances and obesity.

Marina Johnson, M.D., FACE

Institute of Endocrinology and Preventive Medicine
10670 N. Central Expy., Ste. 510, Dallas
214-574-4376
DrMarinaJohnson.com

The Institute takes the expertise of endocrinology and applies it to preventive medicine and healthy aging. Endocrinology is a systems-based study of disorders caused by deficiency or excess of hormones, which are powerful mediators of all body systems. Preventive medicine aims to prevent the occurrence of disease by finding the root cause. The Institute provides innovative, science-based therapies which respect the extraordinary potential that comes from utilizing the intrinsic, healing abilities of the mind, body and spirit.

Christian Renna, DO

Life Span Medicine
2311 Cedar Springs Rd., Ste. 150, Dallas
214-303-1888
LifeSpanMedicine.com

LifeSpan medicine is a preventive, integrative practice focused on you and your health. Our providers are comprehensively trained, board certified and experts in their fields. We create customized plans to identify the root cause of each health issue. Our programs correct imbalances, eliminate symptoms, prevent disease and optimize health. With each program, we provide expert care, effective treatments, exceptional care coordination and world-class support.

Maxine Thomas, M.D.

Dr. Maxine J. Thomas Family Medicine
4725 Wellington St., Greenville
903- 450-9120

I often refer to functional medicine as “connect-the-dots medicine”. It is an alternative to the add-a-drug-for-every-symptom model of care offered by conventional medicine in the treatment of chronic disease. For the sake of understanding, we have carved up the human body; each doctor group has selected a part and forgotten it was ever a whole thing. Functional medicine views diseases as states of dysfunction that can be altered by removing obstacles to the body’s natural tendency for self-healing.

Carolyn Matthews, M.D.

Baylor Scott & White
Integrative Medicine Center
Sammons Cvetko Cancer Center
3410 Worth St.,  Dallas
214-820-3595
BaylorHealth.com

Matthews is passionate about assessing the whole patient and looking for and treating underlying causes of pathology. She believes emphasis should be placed on nutrition and lifestyle. “We’re looking to create the best foundation for health that anybody can have,” she says. “Then if you have pharmaceuticals, radiation etc., you’ll have tools in your toolbox for coping with side effects of those treatments.”