Functional Fueling Nutrition

Functional Fueling Nutrition Functional Nutrition Solutions for Thyroid and Hormone Imbalances.

We are a team of registered dietitian nutritionists that specialize in personalized, evidence-based nutrition solutions for hypothyroidism, hashimotos, PCOS, and other hormonal imbalances. Functional Fueling Nutrition is a Los Angeles and virtual based nutrition practice specializing in functional medicine and hormones. Our Registered Dietitian, Lauren, helps women ages 25-55 restore hormone imbalances using advanced lab testing and functional nutrition to get to the root cause and achieve optimal healing.

08/23/2025

Until you’ve lived it you just don’t get it!!

10 years ago I wondered why me, but today I know that all these challenges were writing the story of how I could help and better understand you.

What people often don’t see is the years of fatigue, acne, 4+ years no menstrual cycle, unexplainable 20 lb. weight gain, gallstones, ovarian cyst ruptures, chronic digestive issues, and on paper doing everything right while my body was screaming at me that something was off.

I share this because I know so many women are living in that same in-between:
💤 exhausted but pushing through
🥗 doing “all the right things” but still feeling worse
🩺 searching for answers that never seem to come

If that’s you, please know — you’re not alone, and you’re not crazy. There are answers. And there is a way back to your health.

If this feels like your story too, drop a ❤️ below so you know you’re not alone.

08/19/2025

Low Free T3? Here are 3 things you should know ⬇️

1️⃣ About 70% of your T3 is made in the liver
2️⃣ Around 20% is made in the gut
3️⃣ The #1 cause of normal TSH but low T3 is nutritional stress

👉 This is why looking beyond TSH is so important when it comes to thyroid health.

I’ll be teaching more about this + sharing my 4-part proven framework for restoring thyroid health in my free workshop this week.

Comment “workshop” and I’ll send you the link to save your spot!

08/18/2025

Any of these surprise you 👀? Drop your answer below 👇

These symptoms might not seem connected to your thyroid… but they are. Your thyroid hormones have receptors all throughout the body, which is why the signs can show up in unexpected ways.

The good news? Your thyroid is highly responsive to nutrition and lifestyle. Over nearly a decade, I’ve helped thousands reverse symptoms like these by using my proven framework for thyroid recovery.

And now I’m sharing that exact framework with you in a free workshop this week 🎉

Comment “workshop” and I’ll send you the link to grab your spot for this Wednesday or Thursday!

08/16/2025

Royal Jelly- a fertility superfood? 😍

Royal jelly is a medicinal food produced by worker bees to feed the queen bee throughout her life— it gives her a longer lifespan and the ability to reproduce 🐝

For centuries royal jelly has been prized as a fertility tonic, and now science is starting to catch up.

Research shows that royal jelly contains unique fatty acids (like 10-HDA) and hormone-like compounds called phytoestrogens that may:

🐝 Increase estrogen and progesterone levels
🐝 Support ovulation
🐝Act as a powerful antioxidant, protecting the ovaries from oxidative stress (a key piece to improving egg quality)

While most evidence is from animal models, early human research is promising.

I love to use it to give my matcha a pinch of sweetness 🍵

Comment 🐝 below and I’ll send you our blog with all the details to learn more.

She came to us with chronic symptoms and a desire to just feel her best again…⁣⁣😣 Bloating, constipation, and food poiso...
08/08/2025

She came to us with chronic symptoms and a desire to just feel her best again…⁣
⁣
😣 Bloating, constipation, and food poisoning after almost every meal or travel
😩 Severe PMS, fatigue, low libido, and thinning hair
😵‍💫 Brain fog, sugar cravings, and restless sleep
😤 Chronic allergies, asthma, skin rashes, and hives
⁣
Fast forward through a deep dive into her hormone, gut, detox, and immune function… and everything changed.
⁣
✨ She’s now sleeping through the night with no grogginess
✨ No more PMS symptoms or breast tenderness
✨ Stabilized hair loss, better energy, and stable moods
✨ Bloating gone and no food poisoning on most recent international trip
✨ She cut her antihistamine use in HALF
⁣
This didn’t happen by chance. It happened because we:
✔️ Ran the right labs and assessment
✔️ Found key imbalances (low cortisol, mold, gut pathogens, poor detox)
✔️ Designed a customized and evolving protocol that worked for her real life
⁣
Now, she feels confident, in control, and finally aligned with her body.⁣
⁣
If you’re tired of managing symptoms without answers, this is your sign.
⁣
DM “READY” and I’ll send you a link to learn more about our 1:1 program!

Clinician:

08/06/2025

Did you know research shows that purple foods can literally block plastics from messing with your hormones? 👀

It’s not just about antioxidants…
Anthocyanins (the pigments that make berries + purple veggies so vibrant) can interact directly with your estrogen + androgen receptors — the same ones targeted by hormone-disrupting microplastics.

They do this by:
➡️ Mimicking your own hormones because their chemical structure
➡️ Blocking the endocrine disruptors from plastics from binding to hormone receptors where your hormones should go
➡️ Influencing gene expression to support hormone signaling

This means powerful support for your entire endocrine system, influencing fertility, brain health & more

✨ COMMENT 💜 below and I’ll DM you the link to this week’s blog where we break it all down — science meets real-life solutions

08/01/2025

Do B vitamins make your skin freak out?
You’re not imagining it—it is possible, and here’s why.

While your body likely needs these nutrients, the wrong form, dose, or combo can sometimes trigger breakouts—especially if there are deeper imbalances going on beneath the surface.

In our practice, we often see this in women who actually need B vitamin support the most.
But once we address the root causes behind the reaction, we’re usually able to reintroduce B vitamins successfully—with the right form, timing, and pairing (and no breakouts!).

👉 We just published a full blog breaking this down, including how to tell if your supplements are the problem, and what changes to consider.

Comment “b vitamins” and I’ll DM you the link to read more!

07/27/2025

Yes, I Freeze-Dried My Breast Milk—and You Can Too 🍼

I recently freeze-dried my stored breast milk and it was a total game changer. Not only did it free up so much freezer space, but it also preserved the nutrients and extended the shelf life from 6 months in the freezer to 2 years in the bag! It also makes for the perfect travel option 🙌

If you’ve got a freezer stash taking over your kitchen (or you just want to preserve your milk for future use or to donate), this is such an empowering option.

All you have to do is just add water when you want to use it.

I used , and I’m so impressed by the quality and care of their process. It was super easy and the turnaround was so quick!

You can save 15% with my code functionalfueling at itsmyleche.com.

07/23/2025

Is it really ADHD… or is it your thyroid?🧠✨

Brain fog, trouble focusing, mental fatigue… sound familiar?

These symptoms are classic in ADHD, but they also show up in thyroid dysfunction—especially low thyroid. And this overlap is common (and often missed).

In this week’s podcast episode, I interview fellow functional RD, .inflammatory.nutritionist to talk about the ADHD and Hormone Connection. We break down how thyroid (and adrenal) health connects to attention, memory, and executive function, nutrition and lifestyle approaches for ADHD, nootropics and cognitive support options and so many other functional solutions.

Comment “114” and I’ll send you a link to listen to the full conversation.

07/20/2025

Everyone talks about how calorically demanding breastfeeding is…
But the truth? It’s far more nutrient demanding.

If we want to prevent symptoms of postpartum depletion like:
▫️ Brain fog
▫️ Mood changes
▫️ Thyroid issues
▫️ Low milk supply—
then we have to do more than just eat enough.
We have to replenish what breastfeeding depletes.

While many nutrients play a role, there are a few that your body needs even more of during breastfeeding — and most women aren’t getting enough, even with a ‘healthy diet’ and a high-quality prenatal.

We just put together a comprehensive breakdown of which nutrients matter most, where to find them in food, and simple meal ideas to help you stay nourished and supported if you’re currently breastfeeding.

✨ Drop “bf” in the comments and I’ll DM you the blog link to check it out!

07/17/2025

Got those stubborn little chicken skin bumps on the back of your arms that just won’t go away? 👀
It might be more than just a “dry skin” thing…

In this week’s podcast episode, we discuss the hormonal and nutritional link to KP (Keratosis Pilaris) including:

🧬 Vitamin A + fatty acid deficiencies that impair skin cell turnover
❤️ The hormonal link. Low thyroid, low progesterone and even insulin resistance, which impact keratin buildup, nutrient absorption and skin inflammation
🧴The role of the liver and bile flow
🦠 How gut inflammation and food sensitivities can drive KP

Plus, I’ll walk you through some of the most effective nutrition + lifestyle strategies I use with clients.

If you’ve been experiencing KP — this episode can help you understand the root causes 🤎

Comment “113” and I’ll DM you the link to listen!

Address

San Diego, CA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16193792416

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Functional Fueling Nutrition posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Functional Fueling Nutrition:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category

Our Story

Functional Fueling Nutrition is a nutrition private practice owned by Lauren Papanos, MS, RD, CSSD. Lauren specializes in a root-cause, personalized approach to nutrition. Lauren is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, a board certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics and is trained in functional nutrition. She holds both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Nutritional Sciences. She has worked as a Division I Power 5 Performance Dietitian as well as in outpatient functional medicine clinics. She has been featured on websites like Women’sHealthMag.com, Active.com, Insider.com and published research in several medical journals.

Her specialties include:


  • thyroid and metabolism

  • women’s hormones