Functional Health and Performance

25/11/2025

When this blood test marker came back Low, we thought it would be an influential finding. It confirmed the Low eGFR pattern our client had on their tests for about 12 months.

Simply put, this is a marker of Kidney health and when such a consistent lows you'd expect it to have already been picked up and addressed.

For whatever reason it had not, so we got to work on considering how we could support kidney function.

This can sometimes be quite complex, but thankfully for this client, the most impact seemed to be from reducing and modulating the factors that could be causing stress to these organs.

Hydration quality was key. There were some significant extremes in the nutritional intake too. Exercise overtraining was also a likely driver.

You can see the improvements in just 3 months here: https://functionalhealthclinic.co.uk/case-study-nicki-going-from-extremes-to-mastery/

19/11/2025

We've been using bodywork to improve the structural integrity of the body since 2008.

It's a fascinating learning process.

At times, the undeniable complexity of the body and desire to 'figure it out' has definitely lead us down the path of getting too complex with our application of the hands-on bodywork and movement work in clinic.

I've found this to be understandable given and all the drivers and factors involved in helping somebody with chronic pain, inflammation, fatigue or other health challenge.

But - we've also come to value and appreciate the skillset of simplicity too.

As we fine-tune our skillset and modalities here at the Functional Health Clinic we find that there is often a lot of simplicity behind this.

And the simplicity comes from two key areas:
1 - Individualisation
2 - Prioritisation

From a pain and bodywork perspective - just because there are multiple aches and pains, tensions, knots, trigger points, imbalances etc - that doesn't mean that you have to work on all of them.

A a little assessment work and targeting of the primary (priority, pole position) areas, there can be a cascade of changes that negate the need to address the other factors.

This of course doesn't take away the complexity of being human! But if that's a given we may as well endeavour to match it with a complementary aspect of simplicity.

Jack

If you have any questions about chronic pain, structural alignment, movement or other please join us on tomorrow's drop-in online: https://Functional-Health-Drop-In.eventbrite.co.uk

18/11/2025

After Nicki told us how she'd been feeling, she asked us if we could help.

We had an inkling that we could.

Whilst there's never a crystal ball to see into the future and make claims about. What we do have is the ability to see current gaps.

We love to look at past timelines for clues and at the present day scenarios. What we draw from that is to consider what the potential is for the future. Then how do we put a safe, effective and ground approach in place for our client.

Here's the second half of Niki's Testimonial:
....."I worked with Jack for approximately 3 months. I was fully committed to the process and everything he had to teach me. He has a wealth of knowledge and is really holistic in his work. He gives you tools and knowledge to use throughout your life and not just at that moment.

My symptoms steadily lessened and eventually disappeared! For the first time in over 10 years I finally felt like myself again, feeling in control of my life. I had energy, motivation, drive and happiness within. I trained when I wanted to and rested when needed without guilt. I no longer have binges or severe cravings. I feel satisfied when eating and I am able to enjoy food without guilt or feeling bloated. My weight is stable and my skin is clear. My menstrual cycle occurs every 28days and I now understand the rhythm of my body.

The skills, knowledge and tools I learnt with Jack are life changing and I continue to consolidate them everyday, now understanding my body, its function and purpose. My perception of both health and fitness has changed. Life is fun again. I not only feel it and see it myself, but my family have also noticed a huge shift in my behaviours, mood and mindset.

For the first time in years I was able to relax and enjoy a wonderful Christmas with my family and they noticed it. Jack has given me my life back and I feel empowered to continue to work hard to build a healthy life for myself."
Nicki (North East, UK)

Take a look at the whole Case Study write-up here: https://functionalhealthclinic.co.uk/case-study-nicki-going-from-extremes-to-mastery/

17/11/2025

Thursday 20th at 9.45am
This week's Functional Health Online Drop-In

Join us for your Q&A on topics such as digestion, hormones, energy, sleep, mood, lab testing, nutrient deficiency, inflammation, pain and beyond.

The nature of these sessions is open and flexible to a variety of topics and serves as a quick way to get some insight from a functional health perspective.

Register (free): https://Functional-Health-Drop-In.eventbrite.co.uk

Look forward to seeing you there.

Jack

17/11/2025

At the Functional Health Clinic we don't have adhoc appointments.

We dropped the conventional clinical model of one-in-one-out a long time ago.

Not because it isn't valid and valuable. But because it simply isn't cogent with the way we see the human body and the process of understanding it's function and enhancing how it is performing.

Perhaps it's also related to the longer term, more chronic nature of the health challenges we work with too. Rather than acute.

What we've designed is in response to where we felt there were major limitations to creating progress. If there's another way to do it, a tweak, fine-tune, whole-sale, then why not build something new?

We work with each and every client through this process.

If you're curious about our Functional Health approach then let us know.

A Discovery Session (call or visit) is a great option too:
- Book: https://functionalhealthclinic.co.uk/free-discovery-call/
- Drop-Ins: https://Functional-Health-Drop-In.eventbrite.co.uk

Jack

16/11/2025

Kelli (Georgia, USA)
Health Restoration Program Member Testimonial

“I'm so thankful for finding Jack after months and months of researching and self-diagnosing. Being at the end of my rope with terrible stomach and digestive issues and not knowing much about the program, I was a bit skeptical at first but Jack's responsiveness reassured me that he was the real deal.

Jack’s support and encouragement cannot be overstated. I was so desperate for guidance and practical steps and Jack was the answer to my prayers. He's a counselor and functional health coach all rolled into one :)

I improved SO much over a few months and feel equipped to use the tools I learned to continue on my journey to optimal function and wellness. If you're in doubt, don't be. You won't regret working with Jack, he's the best.”

15/11/2025

The context of this lab result involves a client who had experienced many extremes in their nutrition and eating and many gut health challenges.

They were tired too. Exhausted.

When these markers came back from the lab we knew we had some great insight and more clarity. But the test that had been run was actually quite limited on the markers that had been included.

These results were from a blood count. A great part of a blood test as it will tell us a lot about the Red Blood Cells and their health and function (among other things).

The Red Blood Cells are important to understand given their role in transporting and delivering Oxygen all round the body to the tissues and cells. An essential function of course.

However, given that these markers were out of balance (lows and highs) we immediately require other markers to provide the context and add the next layer of reasoning.

For these reasons ideally, when we run a blood chemistry, we'd usually love to have included alongside a blood count:
B12
Folate
A Full Iron Panel

Though - without it - we don't want that to stop us from squeezing the insight and value out of the test results.

This client's pattern of Low Haemogobin, Low Haematocrit and High MCV are actually fairly indicative of deficiencies in Vitamin B12 and Folate.

There are other possibilities and drivers. But this information still helps us put these considerations into the client's context.

As an individual, what are the safe and effective changes that they could make, proportional to the information they do and don't have.

Thankfully for this client there were clear areas to address and work on, without having to chase the numbers or chase the symptom.

More details on this client's functional lab test results and what steps they took: https://functionalhealthclinic.co.uk/case-study-nicki-going-from-extremes-to-mastery/

14/11/2025

Secretory IgA Low

This is the first marker I look at when the GI Map results come back from the lab. Whilst we avoid assumptions about what findings will come back, this was particularly low for our client who was in their twenties.

It is a marker of first line defence and our experience is that it would usually only be this low in our older clients.

Yet this really opened the door for the potential of the impact that certain changes could have.

Functional labs and tests are not the be all and end all. Yet sometimes a result like this coming back from the lab really helps things click into place for a person. Great feedback that knits things together for them A lightbulb moment of clarity.

And the more of those the better 🙂💡

Jack

More details on this client's functional lab test results: https://functionalhealthclinic.co.uk/case-study-nicki-going-from-extremes-to-mastery/

14/11/2025

The Functional Health Clinic:
Here's our space and where we do what we do 🙂

It's been 8 years (since November 2017) and it's been educational (on all fronts)!

This is where we integrate our modalities and teach our clients everything we know about human function and how it relates to increasing vitality and solving health challenges.

Prior to 2017 we knew we needed to change something.

We had the modalities we wanted, we had the content and the ideas.

But we didn't have the space in which to deliver it. And that made the delivery much more fractured and dys-integrated. It was clunky.

This space enables us to pull things together in real-time with our clients.

We can stay true to our principles. We can deliver the work in the same connected and integrated way we see the body.

Our clients, their goals and their needs can remain at the centre of and driver of the process.

So rather than a this-for-that approach where the modality or therapy is at centre stage - we've created the opportunity to work with our clients through a coaching process where we can:

- focus on the priorities as they arise.
- move between a focus on bodywork and structure, to movement, to nutrition, circadian rhythm, functional lab assessments and more.
- discuss, coach, teach, learn and educate
- provide a framework that is expansive in the topics and strategies we can cover.
- draw from a number of options and resources.
- provide the flexibility of in-clinic / online support and regional / worldwide.
- provide a safe, non-judgemental space

Most importantly - it's not rigid. There's room for the constant and ongoing need for development.

Our way isn't and never will be the only way. Our approach is grounded in its strengths and limitations.

Hope you find this little insight interesting 🙏
Jack
https://functionalhealthclinic.co.uk/

13/11/2025

Carly (North Dakota, USA)
Health Restoration Program Member Testimonial

"In 2016, I started having my first what I call "gastritis attacks." My symptoms included upper stomach cramps, bloating, and unbearable pain for a few years. I would usually have to walk around, take deep breaths and just burp to let the pain pass. I would get very hot from the pain and need to go to the bathroom.

My Doctors diagnosed H Pylori bacteria and I was given the typical triple therapy antibiotic and ppi treatment. I took this treatment two times - the first couple of weeks I would feel better and then slowly the symptoms would return. I decided that the conventional method of killing the bacteria was not helping and started looking for other options.

I found Jack Walton as a health coach. After doing some testing together, we had a much clearer picture of the health of my body. We began to focus on diet, lifestyle, and supplement changes. After working together and seeing steady and sometimes slow changes, I became h-pylori free! My upper stomach feels so much better. I no longer have stomach attacks, painful burps, or hot flashes. And this time it lasts.

Through this journey I was able to learn more about my body and the best diet that helps my body heal. Jack provided counsel, ideas, and encouragement as we discussed and problem-solved our way through the process.”

13/11/2025

Alcario was patient. He appreciated the significance of the timeline that preceded his health challenges. Which helped him enormously with 'solving' them.

Let us know if a 1-to-1, personalised approach could help you solve your health challenges.

10/11/2025

We're steadily building more free, accessible and valuable resources.

There are of course more and more ways to do this - but we don't want to just add to the noise and produce more impersonal content and information!

We want to create and provide something that contributes to the process and development towards your goals.

Something that is cogent to the bigger picture.

The latest resource is a weekly, online drop-in.

If you have a health goal or challenge and would value a Functional Health perspective then drop-in to ask your question.

We'd love to see you there 🙂
Jack

Next Drop-in - Thursday 13th 9.45am.
Tickets (free) -

Join us for the full session or drop-in to ask your burning question about your health as we explore the Functional perspective to vitality.