Direct Functional Medicine

01/25/2026

Due to road conditions our office will be closed tomorrow.

01/13/2026

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been linked in recent 2025 and 2026 research to an increased risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) through the suppression of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Research indicates that long-term PPI use—typically one year or longer—is associated with a 17% to 28% higher risk of incident hypertension.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.040009 #:~:text=Long%E2%80%90term%20proton%20pump%20inhibitor,with%20higher%20risk%20of%20hypertension.&text=New%20users%20and%20continued%20users,users%20had%20no%20significant%20association.

01/11/2026

A recent large-scale study from 2025, included those using electronic health records and mouse models, show chronic Lyme disease (LD) significantly increases the risk for several gynecological issues like heavy periods (menorrhagia), uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and miscarriage, suggesting Borrelia burgdorferi can persist in the female reproductive tract, causing inflammation and pathology. Research indicates potential links to ovarian cysts, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), and even severe complications in pregnancy if untreated.

12/14/2025

As a mold literate nurse practitioner and functional medicine practitioner I have learned that mold toxicity is more common than people think.

Conventional medicine professionals do not know or understand mold toxicity and can’t help.

Mold is usually not visible in your home. Even new builds have mold and since mold is expensive to remediate some people will sell their homes instead of remediating the mold. I have had patients unknowingly move from one mold toxic home to another.

In NC mold is not on the inspection report when buying a home.

Many mold/water damage professionals are not properly trained about how to test for mycotoxins or about how sick mold can make people. An air test alone can’t rule out mycotoxins.

Once your home is remediated you need to have your personal items cleaned. If they can’t be cleaned you may need to throw them away. In order to properly detox you can’t be actively exposed to mold in your home or work.

There are several mycotoxin tests people can take for mold toxicity all have their pros and cons.

It is not uncommon for there to be people in the same home that are not sick. This is due to differences in methylation SNPs, detox pathways, nutrition, gut health and HLA genes.

Not everyone with mycotoxin illness has CIRS.

There are different protocols and there is not one protocol that works to detox everyone. Mold detox should be personalized to the patient and types of mycotoxins present in their body.

Some people take longer to heal than others. It can takes years to heal from mold toxicity, especially if you have been under chronic stress for years or have had childhood trauma.

In order to heal a practitioner should look at nutrient levels, mitochondrial function, think about possible biofilms and co-infections, check and support gut health, support any endocrine imbalances such as adrenal gland, s*x hormone and thyroid issues. Support brain health and detox.

There is a process to healing the body. Detox is the last step in the process.

And yes, mold is everywhere. It is in the air outside but if your body is supported and you are not living in a toxic moldy environment you can heal.

11/12/2025

Our phones and Internet are down today. We will return your calls and messages as soon as we can. I apologize for the inconvenience.

10/19/2025

PCOS is characterized by metabolic dysfunction. ovulatory disturbance, and hyperandrogenism. Main stream providers treat this condition with Metformin and birth control pills. Many of these patients have a genetic issue called MTHFR C677T. This enzyme is critical for how your body uses folate which is needed in the methylation cycle for healing, detox and DNA/RNA syntheses. Metformin and birth control decrease folate levels and methylation in the body. If a patient with PCOS already has a decrease in folate due to this genetic issue and they are given metformin and birth control this decreases their bodies ability to use folate even more leading to more disease and illness. These patients need to work with a functional provider to work on the root of illness not prescribed medications that make them worse.

09/21/2025

Quick Overview of Thyroid Hormones:
• T4 (Thyroxine): Produced by the thyroid gland; it's a prohormone. It has very little direct activity.

• T3 (Triiodothyronine): The active form of thyroid hormone. It’s what your cells actually use to regulate metabolism, energy, mood, body temperature, and more.

• Free T3 (FT3) and Free T4 (FT4): The “unbound” forms, which are bioavailable (usable by the body).

• TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone): Made by the pituitary gland to regulate thyroid output.
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🔁 Why T3 Matters (and Why T4 Alone Can Be Misleading):

1. T4 Must Convert to T3 to Work
• T4 is converted to T3 in the liver, gut, and other tissues.
• Some people have impaired conversion, due to:
• Chronic illness
• Inflammation
• Stress or high cortisol
• Nutrient deficiencies (like selenium, zinc, iron)
• Certain medications
👉 So, even if T4 and TSH are "normal", if conversion is poor, Free T3 can be low, and the person can still have hypothyroid symptoms.
________________________________________
2. Low T3 = Hypothyroid Symptoms
Patients with low T3 may experience:
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Depression/anxiety
• Cold intolerance
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Hair thinning
Even if TSH and T4 are in range, if Free T3 is low, the person can feel very unwell.

Direct Functional Medicine Offices in Mebane and Clayton Schedule a Meet & Greet Schedule An Appointment No matter where you live in North Carolina, you have access to quality Functional Medicine Care from the comfort of your home! Don’t pay thousands of dollars upfront for Functional Medicine! No...

09/21/2025

Conventional providers do not think women need testosterone but there are many benefits of testosterone for women which is why we are supposed to produce it.

Mood & Mental Health

Mood Regulation: Adequate testosterone levels are associated with better mood stability and lower rates of depression or anxiety.

Confidence and Drive: It can improve motivation, assertiveness, and overall sense of well-being.

Sexual Health

Libido: Testosterone supports healthy s*xual desire and arousal.

Vaginal Health: Supports vaginal tissue health, helping with lubrication and reducing discomfort during s*x.

Energy & Vitality

Fatigue Reduction: Low testosterone can cause fatigue; restoring levels may boost energy.

Improved Resilience: May help with mental and physical endurance.

Muscle Mass & Strength

Lean Muscle Maintenance: Supports muscle development and helps prevent muscle loss, especially post-menopause.

Improved Physical Performance: May increase strength, endurance, and recovery from exercise.

Bone Health

Bone Density: Works in synergy with estrogen to maintain bone strength and reduce risk of osteoporosis.

Cognitive Function

Memory and Focus: Some evidence suggests testosterone may aid in memory, focus, and cognitive sharpness.

09/20/2025

We are now open in downtown Clayton at 423 East Second Street.

07/06/2025

Due to flooding in our area the office will be closed tomorrow.

05/28/2025

When trying to lose weight the goal is to do it in a healthy way. I have heard of places that tell patients to decrease calories to 700-800 calories per day. This is not sustainable. It also slows metabolism and thyroid function. This will lead to more weight gain once you come off of the diet/weight loss medicine.

If you are taking a GLP medication and decreasing calories to these levels you can lose muscle mass. A loss of muscle mass also slows down metabolism.

The goal should be eating healthy whole foods and exercising while focusing on reasons you may not be losing weight such as imbalances in your body.

If you choose to add a GLP medication make sure you are still getting enough calories and protein.

04/04/2025

Yale published about post vaccine syndrome. The publication discuss symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue but also states "From participants’ blood samples, the researchers looked for immune features that were different between the two groups. They found several differences in immune cell populations; those with PVS had lower levels of effector CD4+ T cells and higher levels of TNF-alpha+ CD8 T cells — both are types of white blood cells — among other differences."

https://news.yale.edu/2025/02/19/immune-markers-post-vaccination-syndrome-indicate-future-research-directions

Lower levels of effector CD4+ T cells and higher levels of TNF-alpha+ CD8 T cells (both types of white blood cells) can indeed increase the risk of cancer, as they can disrupt the cancer-immunity cycle and impair the body's ability to effectively fight tumors.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1074761323004107 #:~:text=CD4+%20T%20cells%20can%20have,the%20CD4+%20T%20cell%20compartment.

If you are experiencing these symptoms or concerns, please reach out for a free Meet and Greet through our website at directfunctionalmed.com

A small number of people report chronic symptoms after receiving COVID-19 shots. A new study provides clues for further research.