The Institute for Functional Medicine

10/16/2025

A wide variety of environmental toxicants make their way into our everyday lives, and exposures to common chemicals such as insecticides, herbicides, and pesticides may lead to adverse health effects. How does toxicity fit into a patient’s total health picture?

Swipe through these graphics to learn more about the growing body of research connecting exposure to environmental chemicals to human health, and learn more about the functional medicine approach to managing this exposure in the following article: https://go.ifm.org/4oo9LGH

10/15/2025

Helping patients adopt significant changes to their diet can be a large undertaking. In the following clip from our podcast, "Pathways to Well-being," IFM educator and renowned clinical researcher Terry Wahls MD, FACP, MBA, IFMCP shares her practical approach to dietary interventions for brain health. Listen as she explains how she meets patients where they are, whether that means starting with small, manageable steps or making a broad, immediate change.

Explore how low-carbohydrate dietary plans like paleo and keto can help prevent cognitive decline and neurodegeneration by listening to the full episode or reading a written transcript: https://go.ifm.org/4haXzad

10/14/2025

Registration Deadline Extended: If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to begin your functional medicine journey, now is the time!

Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice (AFMCP) is the most comprehensive and practical introduction to functional medicine available—designed for healthcare professionals who are ready to create real, lasting change for their patients. The deadline to register has been extended for one week only!

Swipe through these graphics to see what past learners have said about the course, and register to join us at https://go.ifm.org/493wxiP. This is the last time the course will be offered this year.

10/10/2025

Earlier this year, we shared our 2024 Impact Report, highlighting a year of meaningful growth and impactful partnerships that are shaping the future of functional medicine. We're proud to showcase how our collective efforts, alongside our wonderful community, are expanding access to whole person care and advancing the transformation of healthcare for patients and practitioners worldwide. As we look forward to the year ahead, we invite you to read the full report to see how your support is making a difference: https://go.ifm.org/4q2Oe8a

10/09/2025

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be linked to changes in women’s health, including both earlier menarche and earlier menopause. In the following video, IFM educator Deanna Minich, PhD, MS, CN, CNS, IFMCP explores some of the obvious and less-obvious signs of endocrine disruption in women.

Educating patients about EDCs, including guidance about potentially problematic ingredients in personal care products, may help reduce exposure. Dietary treatment approaches may also be part of a personalized functional medicine approach to support the elimination of toxic compounds and alleviate toxic burden. Read more about EDCs and women's health in the following article: https://go.ifm.org/4q4QRXb

10/08/2025

October is , an opportunity to increase awareness around the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women globally. Today, we are revisiting an episode of our podcast with Rebecca Knackstedt, MD, PhD, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon specializing in breast reconstruction and functional medicine. Throughout the episode, Dr. Knackstedt provides strategies for optimizing cancer prevention and care and discusses how she incorporates the functional medicine model into her medical practice.

In the following clip, Dr. Knackstedt discusses the essential role of targeted nutritional interventions in supporting breast cancer treatment and recovery. She emphasizes that adequate protein intake is critical for preventing sarcopenia and highlights the importance of key fatty acids and probiotics to protect and restore the gut microbiome. Listen to the full episode, or read a written transcript, by clicking here: https://go.ifm.org/4oeRlsc

10/07/2025

Do you see patients with autoimmune diseases, recurring infections, atopy, or other chronic symptoms that don’t respond to initial treatment? With functional medicine, you can explore the underlying causes of disease and begin to treat illness at the root. At the upcoming Immune and Environmental Health Latin America Advanced Practice Modules, you’ll learn how to support immune system balance and identify toxic exposures as a root cause of disease. Both courses are presented entirely in Spanish with our expert educators. Attendees will have access to presentation decks and a selection of translated tools and resources from the IFM Clinical Toolkit. Join us in Bogota, Colombia November 12-17. Visit https://go.ifm.org/46EARUe for more information.

¿Atiende a pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes, infecciones recurrentes, atopia u otros síntomas crónicos que no responden al tratamiento inicial? Con la medicina funcional, puede explorar las causas subyacentes de la enfermedad y comenzar a tratarla desde la raíz. En los próximos Módulos Avanzados de Práctica de Salud Inmunológica y Ambiental de América Latina, aprenderá cómo apoyar el equilibrio del sistema inmunológico e identificar las exposiciones tóxicas como causa fundamental de la enfermedad. Ambos cursos se imparten íntegramente en español con nuestros expertos educadores. Los asistentes tendrán acceso a las presentaciones y a una selección de herramientas y recursos traducidos del IFM Clinical Toolkit. Únase a nosotros en Bogotá, Colombia, del 12 al 17 de noviembre. Visite https://go.ifm.org/46EARUe para obtener más información.

10/06/2025

The connection between a patient’s circadian rhythms and modifiable lifestyle factors such as exercise, sleep, and nutrition is an important consideration for tailored and sustainable health strategies. What is the latest research on this relationship? How do circadian rhythm disruptions impact disease risk? And how can lifestyle factors influence circadian alignment to improve health outcomes? Read more about how circadian disruptions influence disease risk in the following article: https://go.ifm.org/46T1ljv

Learn how to personalize clinical treatments and therapeutic strategies during IFM’s Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice (AFMCP) course. A new AFMCP cohort has just begun, and there is still time to register at https://go.ifm.org/4mTkeZN.

Nutrition, Health, & Wellness Circadian Rhythms and Modifiable Lifestyle Factors Practitioner | Reading Time: 4 minutes | Written on: October 2, 2025 Modifiable lifestyle factors such as nutrition, exercise, stress management, and sleep habits directly impact health. Functional medicine prioritizes...

10/03/2025

Comprised of medical experts from a variety of scopes of practice and geographic locations, IFM is excited to announce the 2026 Annual International Conference (AIC) Steering Committee! This group will shape the AIC experience by providing strategic input on clinical themes and educational speakers. AIC 2026 will inspire and empower practitioners in their application of functional medicine in patient care. Swipe through these graphics to discover who is on the committee, and learn more about AIC at https://go.ifm.org/4o2ymkb.

10/02/2025

Recent studies continue to link increased pediatric antibiotic use to increased risks of immune-based and metabolic conditions, and gut microbial disruptions appear to play a large role. Early-life antibiotic exposure is reportedly a significant stressor on the pre- and postnatal microbiome. How might early-life stressors impact health later in life, and how can a functional medicine approach help?

In the following video, IFM educator Elizabeth Boham, M.D., MS, RD, IFMCP, talks about the importance of only using antibiotics when necessary. Read more about the potential long-term health impacts of early-life antibiotics use here: https://go.ifm.org/4nxC5Xl

10/01/2025

The 2026 Annual International Conference (AIC) returns to San Diego May 27-30! Innovate your care with the latest functional medicine research and clinical strategies from the field. AIC will explore advances in functional medicine research, clinical applications of artificial intelligence (AI), personalized nutrition, genomics, the gut- brain axis, biorhythm and circadian health, women’s health, the implementation of functional medicine in conventional healthcare institutions, and many other methods for optimizing patients’ healthspan. Tickets are on sale now! Visit https://go.ifm.org/3IKcNGj to learn more.

09/30/2025

Highly prevalent in today's modern society, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are inhaled, ingested, or absorbed by the skin through contact with everyday products such as the following:
💧Plastic bottles
🥫Metal food cans
🍽️Detergents
🥡Food packaging
🚀Toys
💅Cosmetics
🔥Flame retardants
🐛Pesticides

Exposure to these toxicants has been associated with multiple health problems. How does nearly constant exposure to EDCs affect diabetes risk? Learn more about the relationship between EDCs and type 2 diabetes here:

Explore the latest study on endocrine disruptors and how exposure to certain endocrine-disrupting toxins may increase the risk of diabetes.