http://www.optimizeyourhealthwithlori.com/, https://linktr.ee/ljcardiologynp

Lori Wendell APRN - Optimize Your Health, 510 C Street, South Charleston, WV (2026)

02/12/2026

Here’s a clear, practical blueprint that we us clinically to help patients actually succeed on a GLP-1 (and not lose muscle, stall out, or feel miserable).

Think of the medication as the amplifier—your habits are the signal. 💘

💉 GLP’s work by:

• Reducing appetite & food noise
• Slowing gastric emptying
• Improving insulin signaling

⚠️ They do not override:

• Poor protein intake
• Muscle loss
• Chronic under-eating
• Inflammation, stress, or sleep deprivation

Goal: fat loss + metabolic healing — not just a lower scale number.

✅ Start low and stay low as long as results are happening Increase only if:

• Hunger returns
• Weight stalls ≥ 3–4 weeks
• Micro-dosing works incredibly well for inflammation & fat loss

👉 Faster dose ≠ faster fat loss
👉 Faster dose = more nausea, muscle loss, burnout

✅✅✅✅ Protein Is Non-Negotiable ✅✅

This is where most GLP users fail. ⚠️

Target:

• 0.7–1.0 g protein per lb of goal body weight
• Minimum: 25–35 g per meal

Why it matters:

• Preserves lean muscle
• Prevents metabolic slowdown
• Improves satiety (works with the GLP)

Best sources:

• Eggs, poultry, fish, Greek yogurt
• Protein shakes if appetite is low

🧠 Rule of thumb: Protein first. Always. 💯

💦 GLPs reduce thirst cues.

Daily target:

• 80–100 oz water
• Add electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium)

Signs you’re behind:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Constipation
• Dizziness

🧘🏻‍♀️🏋🏻‍♂️ Movement That Supports Fat Loss

You don’t need CrossFit. You need consistency. ✅

Weekly non-negotiables:

• 🚶‍♀️ Walking: 7–10k steps/day
• 🏋️ Strength training: 2–3x/week (light–moderate)

Why?

• Protects muscle
• Improves insulin sensitivity
• Prevents regain when GLP is stopped

We offer MICRO DOSING and beyond but we MONITOR Nutrition and Full Body Root Cause at the same time to OPTIMIZE YOUR RESULTS 🧬

Call us today 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

02/12/2026

Core Principles of Functional Medicine 💡🧬

Functional medicine is a systems-based, evidence-informed approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of disease, rather than managing symptoms in isolation.

Root-Cause Evaluation 🩺

Symptoms are viewed as indicators of underlying physiologic imbalance. Functional medicine seeks to determine why dysfunction has occurred, allowing for targeted, upstream intervention.

Systems Biology Approach 🧪

Human physiology is interconnected. Gastrointestinal, endocrine, immune, neurologic, hepatic, and metabolic systems function as an integrated network. Dysfunction in one system frequently contributes to pathology in others.

Personalized Care 🦠

Clinical recommendations are individualized based on medical history, lifestyle and environmental exposures, nutritional status, symptom patterns, and functional and conventional laboratory data. Standardized treatment protocols are avoided in favor of patient-specific care plans.

Optimal vs Reference Ranges 🩸

Laboratory reference ranges identify disease states but may not reflect optimal physiologic function. Functional medicine emphasizes trend analysis, subclinical dysfunction, and correlation of labs with clinical symptoms.

Inflammation as a Central Mechanism 🦠

Chronic, low-grade inflammation is a common contributor to metabolic dysfunction, hormone imbalance, autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease, and neurocognitive decline. Treatment focuses on identifying and removing inflammatory drivers.

Early Intervention & Prevention 🧫

Disease development is a progressive process. Functional medicine prioritizes early identification of dysfunction to prevent progression to irreversible pathology.

Lifestyle as Foundational Therapy 💪🏽

Nutrition, sleep, physical activity, stress regulation, and circadian rhythm optimization are core therapeutic tools. Pharmacologic and nutraceutical interventions are used strategically to support physiologic restoration.

02/10/2026

☀️Time to move your body — every single day 🔥

Movement isn’t about punishment or chasing a number on the scale. It’s about how your body functions, heals, and ages.

Here’s why we encourage daily walking, weightlifting, and getting outside 👇

🚶‍♀️ Walking
• Improves blood sugar control & insulin sensitivity
• Supports gut motility and lymphatic drainage
• Lowers cortisol and inflammation
• One of the best tools for long-term fat loss and heart health

🏋️‍♀️ Weightlifting
• Preserves and builds lean muscle (especially important as we age)
• Improves metabolic health and hormone signaling
• Strengthens bones and joints
• Helps prevent injury and frailty

🌞 Getting Outside Daily
• Natural sunlight supports vitamin D and circadian rhythm
• Improves mood, focus, and sleep quality
• Reduces stress and nervous system overload
• Even 10–20 minutes counts

💡 You don’t need perfection.
You need consistency.

✔️ Walk most days
✔️ Lift weights a few times per week
✔️ Step outside daily

Your body was designed to move — and when it does, everything works better. 💪🌿

02/10/2026

🌿 Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT): Dosing Options Explained

One of the biggest advantages of BHRT is that it’s customized to the individual—not a one-size-fits-all approach.

At our practice, dosing is based on labs, symptoms, age, goals, and risk factors, and adjusted over time as your body responds.

Common BHRT dosing options include:

🔹 Topical (Creams & Gels)
• Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone
• Allows for gradual absorption
• Easy to adjust dosing
• Ideal for sensitive or first-time patients

🔹 Oral (Capsules / Troches)
• Often used for progesterone
• Can support sleep and mood
• Dosing tailored to symptom response

🔹 Injections
• Testosterone
• Provides consistent blood levels
• Adjusted by dose and frequency

🔹Patches
• Estrogen
• Allows for gradual absorption
• Easy to adjust dosing

What we monitor with BHRT:

✔️ Symptom improvement
✔️ Hormone levels (not just one lab)
✔️ Hematocrit, lipids, thyroid, liver markers
✔️ Safety and long-term balance

✨ The goal isn’t “high levels”—it’s optimal function and how you feel.

BHRT works best when it’s:

✔️ Personalized
✔️ Closely monitored
✔️ Adjusted as your body changes

📌 If your hormone plan never changes, it’s time to ask why.

Call us today 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

02/05/2026

🦠 Your Gut Runs the Show

💡Your gut influences far more than digestion💡

It plays a major role in:

• Immunity
• Hormone balance
• Mood & brain function
• Inflammation
• Weight loss resistance

When the gut is inflamed or imbalanced, the rest of the body struggles to regulate.
That’s why we don’t guess—we assess.

✨ Heal the gut → support the whole body.
This is where true, sustainable wellness begins.

💬 If you’ve tried “everything” and still don’t feel right, this may be the missing piece.

Call us today 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

02/04/2026

GI Mapping — the 4-1-1 🧠🦠

GI Mapping (often called a GI-MAP stool test) is a comprehensive stool analysis that looks at how your gut is actually functioning, not just whether something obvious is wrong.

Think of it as a deep-dive audit of your gut ecosystem.

🦠🧬🧫🧪

🔍 What it measures (in plain English)

1️⃣ Your gut bacteria balance
• Beneficial bacteria (the good guys)
• Opportunistic bacteria (can cause issues if overgrown)
• Overall microbiome diversity

2️⃣ Pathogens
• Parasites
• Bacteria like H. pylori
• Yeast/fungal overgrowth (Candida)

4️⃣ Digestive function
• Pancreatic elastase → are you breaking down food well?
• Fat & carb digestion markers

5️⃣ Inflammation & immune markers
• Calprotectin (gut inflammation)
• Secretory IgA (gut immune defense)

6️⃣ Gut lining integrity
• Zonulin → marker for leaky gut
• Helps explain food sensitivities, autoimmune flares, and chronic inflammation

🧫🧪🦠🧬

🤯 Why it matters (the “aha” part)

A dysfunctional gut can drive:

• Fatigue & brain fog
• Hormone imbalance
• Thyroid & autoimmune flares
• Weight-loss resistance
• Skin issues (eczema, acne, rosacea)
• Anxiety & mood changes
• Chronic inflammation

Many people have normal labs but an unhealthy gut underneath.

🧪🧫🦠🧬

🧪 How it’s done
• At-home stool sample (no prep labs, no needles)
• Results guide targeted treatment, not guesswork

🧫🧪🦠🧬

🧠 How providers use it

Instead of “take a probiotic and hope,” results allow for:

• Specific antimicrobials (if needed)
• Precision probiotics
• Digestive enzyme support
• Gut-healing protocols
• Nutrition tailored to your gut, not trends

🧫🧪🦠🧬

🧩 Bottom line

GI mapping answers the question:

Why don’t I feel well — even when everything looks “normal”?

02/03/2026

🌟 NEW: GLP-1 Dosing Now Available IN OFFICE 🌟

We’re excited to announce that we now offer GLP-1 dosing that you can PICK UP from our office — with options tailored to your body and goals.

✨ What makes this different?

✔️ Micro-dosing available for patients who are sensitive, inflammation-focused, or prefer a gentler approach
✔️ Standard dose titration for fat loss and metabolic support
✔️ Provider-guided dosing — no “dose and go” protocols
✔️ Close monitoring, education, and ongoing support

GLP therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. Whether your goal is weight management, metabolic health, inflammation reduction, or improved insulin sensitivity, we personalize your plan from day one.

📍 All dosing is performed safely and conveniently in-office

📞 Call or message us to learn which dosing approach is right for you 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

Your journey. Your pace. Your health. 💙

01/31/2026

🧠 Why a 𝑾𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆-𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚, Systems-Based Approach to Health Matters

Many chronic symptoms don’t come from one isolated problem — they’re often the result of 𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. That’s why our practice focuses on 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆, individualized care, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 quick fixes or cookie-cutter protocols.

🔬 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐧 & 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧

Hormones impact energy, mood, metabolism, sleep, and inflammation. We tailor therapy to your labs, symptoms, and physiology — because 𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍 levels look different for every body.

🦋 𝐓𝐡𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝 & 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐨’𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩-𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞

A “normal TSH” doesn’t always mean a healthy thyroid. We assess thyroid function, autoimmune involvement, inflammation, nutrient status, and conversion pathways to better understand why symptoms persist.

⚖️ 𝐆𝐋𝐏 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 & 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Weight loss is more than appetite suppression. We provide 𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 education, nutritional assessment, and metabolic support to promote 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 fat loss, preserve muscle, and improve long-term metabolic health — 𝒏𝒐𝒕 just short-term scale changes.

🔥 𝐆𝐋𝐏 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐃𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

In select patients, lower-dose GLP therapy may support inflammation reduction and metabolic balance beyond weight management alone.

🧪 𝐆𝐈 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

The 𝒈𝒖𝒕 plays a central role in immunity, hormone regulation, and systemic inflammation. We assess the microbiome, digestion, and inflammatory markers to guide targeted treatment plans.

❤️ 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

We assess cardiac, liver, and kidney function to ensure your body is not just surviving — but FUNCTIONING efficiently and safely as a whole.

✨ Education, assessment, and personalization are the foundation of sustainable wellness.

✨ Our goal is to help your body return to balance — and stay there.

Call us today to get started on your journey to WELLNESS 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

01/29/2026

Inflammation markers we should be watching earlier 👀

🔥 Inflammation doesn’t start with pain — it starts in your labs.

By the time symptoms show up, inflammation has often been brewing for years. 👀

🧪 Markers we should be paying attention to earlier:

• hs-CRP – even “slightly elevated” matters
• Ferritin – too low or too high can signal inflammation
• Fasting insulin – inflammation and insulin resistance go hand in hand
• Triglycerides – not just a cholesterol issue
• WBC & neutrophil trends – immune stress shows up quietly
• A1C – early inflammation can exist before diabetes

📌 Being “in range” doesn’t always mean optimal.
📌 Trends over time matter more than one lab result.

Chronic inflammation can show up as:

• Fatigue
• Weight gain that won’t budge
• Joint pain
• Brain fog
• Hormone imbalance
• Gut issues

✨ The goal is catching it early, not waiting until it becomes disease.

👉 Save this post
👉 Share with someone who’s been told “everything looks fine”
👉 Drop a 🔥 if you want more lab education like this

01/28/2026

GLP-1s, hormones, thyroid meds—
they all work better when the gut is supported. ✅

If digestion is sluggish, inflamed, or imbalanced, medications have to fight upstream.

Absorption drops. Side effects increase. Results stall.

Supporting your gut means:

• Better medication tolerance
• Improved metabolic response
• More stable hormones
• Less bloating, reflux, and fatigue

Gut health isn’t “extra.”
It’s the foundation that makes everything else work.

👉 Fix the gut, and the plan finally starts working with you—not against you.

Ready to start your journey?

Call or text us today 📲 +1 (681) 549-7038

01/27/2026

Struggling to lose weight even though you’re “doing everything right”?

It might not be calories… it might be 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚕 👀

𝙲𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚕 is your body’s stress hormone. In small amounts, it’s helpful.

Chronically elevated? That’s where fat loss gets blocked.

High 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚕 can:

• Signal your body to store 𝚏𝚊𝚝 (especially belly fat)
• Break down muscle instead of fat
• Disrupt blood sugar and insulin
• Worsen sleep, cravings, and fatigue

And here’s the kicker ⬇️

Over-restricting calories, under-eating protein (ARE YOU GETTING TIRED OF OUR PROTEIN PLUGS?— EAT THE PROTEIN) poor sleep, and over-training all raise cortisol — even when your intention is weight loss.

This is why more cardio + less food doesn’t always work.

Fat loss requires safety, not stress.
Fueling properly, managing sleep, balancing hormones, and strength training matter more than pushing harder.

💬 Question for you:

Have you ever noticed weight loss stall during a stressful season?

01/24/2026

❄️ Snow Day Safety Reminder ❄️

With the winter weather moving in, we want to remind our patients to stay safe and warm during the snowstorm.

• Avoid unnecessary travel if possible
• Dress in layers and keep extremities covered
• Stay hydrated and eat regularly
• Check on elderly family members, neighbors, and anyone with medical needs
• If you must be out, use caution on icy roads and walkways

Your health and safety are always our priority.

Stay warm, stay safe, and take care of each other 🤍❄️

Lori Wendell APRN - Optimize Your Health

02/12/2026

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