DTC Lab Testing and Health Coaching: From Insights to Impact

On Tuesday, December 17th, FMCA hosted an enlightening webinar, DTC Lab Testing and Health Coaching: From Insights to Impact, exploring how direct-to-consumer (DTC) lab testing can transform client care.

In this session, FMCA Founder Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum was joined by FMCA Graduate Jess Leinbach, NBC-HWC, FMCHC, and FMCA’s own Natalie Maxam. Together, they provided a live demonstration of how health coaches can guide clients through understanding and acting on their lab results from companies like Function Health.

Key Takeaways from the Webinar:

• The value of DTC labs for clients and coaches – Understand how these labs empower clients to take control of their health and provide coaches with critical data for personalized care.
• How to leverage lab results from companies like Function Health – Gain insights into key markers, trends, and how they inform wellness strategies.
• Practical coaching techniques for labs – Observe a live coaching session that demonstrates how to guide clients through their results in a supportive and accessible way.
• Health coaches’ unique role in bridging the gap – Discover how health coaches can translate lab data into achievable goals and empower clients to take action.

This replay is a must-watch for health coaches, practitioners, and wellness enthusiasts who want to deepen their understanding of DTC lab testing and learn how to translate lab data into impactful coaching practices.

Watch the Replay

DTC Lab Testing and Health Coaching: From Insights to Impact

Transcript

Dr. Sandi: Welcome. Today’s conversation is about lab testing, and it’s about a particular type of lab testing, which is direct to consumer. That means that anybody can go on the website of one of these companies. We’re talking specifically today about Natalie’s results from Function Health, which is a company that was started by Dr. Mark Hyman.

And the beauty of these tests is that the individual, you’re in control. You can go on their site. You can purchase these tests, and in this case, it’s a membership. And you get your test done, and then you get the results. And that’s what we’re going to be taking you through on this webinar.

And specifically, what’s the role of a health coach? I was just listening to a podcast, and it was about the future of medicine, specifically longevity medicine. And they talked about increasingly, as our ability to order our own lab tests, as that increases and the results driven by AI interpretation are going to get better and better. So, what does that mean for the role of the doctor?

They talked about the doctor actually being like the coach, that no longer will we rely on our doctors in the future perhaps to be the diagnosticians if AI… And this has been replicated. Often it is AI that is better at diagnosis. Dr. Mark Hyman talks about this that having one doctor’s opinion is not as valuable as having his opinion or her opinion with all of the results from AI.

And so we’re looking at more precision medicine, precision testing. It’s personalized, and it is a doctor functioning as a coach. But doctors are not trained to be health coaches, and that is why they need health coaches on their care teams. And we have coaches who are skilled at listening, they are skilled at asking the right types of questions.

So, what is the goal? What you will see is that when a health coach works with a client, it is based on leaving that session where that individual has some clarity. They are no longer confused about like, “Where should I go from here?” They have an action plan, and that’s what you’ll see today.

So, I am pleased to bring to you this webinar because we believe that coaches and testing go together. And there are many ways that coaches will be the most powerful person that an individual will meet with regarding their test results, because it’s all about how are you going to change your lifestyle based on these results.

So, I’m pleased to introduce two people that are going to do live coaching. You will see Jess. I want to introduce Jess. Jess is a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She is a graduate of FMCA and she is here today to help you to see what this is all about when coaches are working with labs. And she is going to be coaching Natalie. Natalie is on our marketing team, and she is going to share her results. So, I will let the two of them take it from here so that you will see what this is like. So, take it away Jess and Natalie.

Jess: Thank you, Dr. Sandi. Hi, everyone, and welcome again. My name is Jess. I am a graduate of FMCA. I was in the March 2020 class, and I went on to become board certified.

And currently, I am also on the admissions team here at FMCA. So, I do see some names floating by that we have talked to in the admissions office. And my colleagues there and I are very excited for future conversations with all of you, and especially those of you who are tuning in on the recording. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us there. So, we are really dedicated to supporting you and your dreams. And if health coaching is part of that puzzle, we are certainly happy to talk to you.

But, today, Natalie and I would like to invite you to witness this live coaching with us. And we do have some information to share as we get started here. So, Natalie will share her screen, and I’ll give you a little bit of background. So, here we are in our direct-to-consumer lab testing and health coaching webinar. And we’re going to take Natalie from insights to impact.

In the coaching function, that can just be so important and so rewarding for both the coach to be able to serve this purpose and for the client, because this is the client taking it into their own hands. And they are using their skills and their strengths to go out and be brave and get these labs done. And that’s what Natalie’s done, and I’ll be here to support her.

So, as we move to our next slide, we can meet Natalie. And an important part of the coaching function is a foundation session. So, Natalie and I met last week for this foundation session. And one of the big takeaways from that is we need to know where we’re going in coaching, and we need to start the discovery process and who is this person.

So, who is Natalie? What are her strengths? What are her dreams? What are her hopes? What are her visions? What are her preferences? What matters most to her in life? And it’s an honor in my role as a coach to get to partner with her and to learn that.

Specifically in the context here today, where we’re talking about direct-to-consumer labs, remembering who is this person is so critical because someone is more than just their lab work. They’re more than just a value on a page or a graph or a chart or an in range or an outer range. They’re a whole person, mind, body, and spirit. And the coach has the privilege to have a front row seat to get to learn that.

So, I got to learn about Natalie. Natalie is currently living in Minnesota. She recently was in Boston to complete graduate school and now she’s moved back to Minnesota and she’s close to her family. We got a chance to talk about her health and why having her health is important to her. And if she could dream, if she could imagine and dream big, I asked her, “What does optimal health look like to her?” And Natalie shared that her optimal health vision is an energetic magnetic life that can be embraced and enjoyed with resiliency. She’d like to be as healthy as long as possible and to show up for the life that she creates without limitations, experiencing the world and all of its beauty and the ability to truly cherish every moment, that beautiful vision that Natalie was able to come up with.

And I asked her after that, I said, “What will be different in your life? Imagine that you’re there. What does this feel like to you? You’ve reached your vision.” And she said it feels like comfort. Reaching this vision feels like comfort for Natalie. And I asked her, “Do you notice anything in your body when you’re in that place?” And she said, “Yes, her chest felt light and fluffy.”

I said, “What’s the difference there? What does it normally feel like?” She said sometimes it feels tight. So, we can already see that Natalie’s dream and Natalie’s vision are so transformative.

Also, in our coaching, in our foundation session, we did get clear on what is the role of a coach. And Natalie understands the role of a coach, and what a coach does and what a coach doesn’t do. And important to point out that when we’re talking about labs, coaches do not interpret labs. We offer a much more comprehensive mind-body experience where we’re going to be truly co-creating and joining forces with our client and co-creating this path forward from where they are now to that big vision that the client has.

So, with that, we can bring Natalie in and let’s jump into the session. Hey, Natalie, it’s great to see you.

Natalie: Hi, Jess. Good to see you.

Jess: Thank you. Likewise. So, are you ready? How are you feeling? Are you ready to get started here?

Natalie: Yeah, I’m excited. I’m ready.

Jess: Great. Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for being here. And I’m taking a moment to just deeply appreciate your bravery in coming on, and doing a live session, and letting us get a glimpse into your life and leading through this.

So, to open the session, how do you feel about a grounding exercise?

Natalie: I would love that.

Jess: Yeah? Would it be okay with you if we do something similar to what we did in the foundation session with just a couple of moments of breathing? Maybe I’ll bring in a little bit of a visualization.

Natalie: Perfect.

Jess: Okay. Sure, sure. So, let’s join each other in that. So, we can take a moment. If it feels comfortable to you, you can close your eyes. I’ll be closing my eyes as well. Let’s just settle into the body. Let’s take a moment, just, kind of, land here and start to notice your breath and see if we can turn our attention on the inhale, filling and expanding in all directions, expanding that rib cage, expanding the belly. And then taking a nice, slow, long exhale.

See if you can relax your shoulders, your eyes, your jaw. Release any tension that you’re holding and focus on that breath, making your exhale longer and slower each time.

We’re asking the body to promote a parasympathetic response. We’re looking for that calm, asking our nervous system to switch into a mode that’s going to help us be more creative, more open to new ideas.

And when you feel like you’ve focused on the breath, see if you can turn your attention down to your feet. Let’s just do a little visualization and check in here. Notice the ground beneath you. See if you can feel that connection.

And then think for a moment, what does your body need right now? What would be most nourishing to the body? See if you can imagine just pulling it up from the ground. Maybe it’s a feeling or an emotion. Maybe some peace, maybe some energy. Maybe it’s a sensation. Maybe a cool breeze. Pull that up into your body. Maybe warm sunshine pull up in your body. Maybe it’s a bright light.

Whatever it is your body needs most, imagine that coming up through your feet, into your legs, your hips, your back, your chest, shoulders, up through your head. Your whole body is filled with what it needs most right now.

And just take another breath or two. Just lock in that feeling. Your body is calm. Your mind is calm and open, creative. Your body is filled with what it needed most in this moment.

And when you feel satisfied that that’s locked in, blink your eyes open and we’ll join each other for the session. How did that feel?

Natalie: Good. I fee very, very calm and zen.

Jess: Wonderful. Well, I’m very happy to hear that.

So, we’re meeting today because we’re going to do a coaching session. And I know that you were talking about wanting to do direct-to-consumer lab testing. And I know that you have those results, and I wanted to check in with you and just see. Is that what you’d still like to focus on today?

Natalie: Yes. So, I got the Function Health Labs. I had been thinking about it for quite some time. As you know, I’m very up to date with all the wellness things. And I hear about it in countless podcasts and everywhere that I look. I finally got the labs, and I would really love some more guidance. Even as someone that I do know a lot of wellness topics, I still just would love the support to go through them and figure out where to go from here.

Jess: Yeah, of course. I’m happy to support you with that. So, you’ve gotten these labs. You went out and you got these labs yourself. And I think it’s incredible. It takes a certain person to be able to go out and say, “I am taking this into my own hands,” right? And now it sounds like you’ve done this, you have this, and you’d like some support, kind of, going through that.

So, as we go through that and I offer you some support, what would that look like? What would you like to take away from today’s session?

Natalie: As someone, I feel like I do a lot of wellness things the right way and so then also wanting to find an answer for a lot of problems and health concerns that I have and symptoms that I feel and feeling like I’ve been, sort of, lost in our health care system until now. I really want you to help me, kind of, narrow in on what these results will…what answers I can find in them. Even if I feel like at first glance and digesting them, reading them, that I still feel lost. But maybe there’s something I’m missing that you can help me look through that and figure out what can be a key takeaway going forward.

Jess: Yeah. So, it sounds like maybe a little bit of overwhelm is coming up for you. And maybe a little bit of all of this knowledge that you do have, how to actually harness that. Maybe we can mine your knowledge and see what’s there or maybe fill in some gaps if there’s something that you feel like is missing. And then what would you like to do with that?

So, at the end of the session, what would that look like to you? How would you know you found these answers? Would you like to go in a certain direction with it? Let me know what you have in mind.

Natalie: I definitely want to have something to take action on and not feel the same overwhelm or at a loss for what to do next. You know, Function Health gives me the supplements and the foods and things. And I feel like I need to go beyond that. I need help figuring out what to do day-to-day, lifestyle or an action I can take that will really move the needle for me and my health.

Jess: Yeah. So, it sounds like for this session then, what we can focus on is we’ll go through some of the concerns that you have with the labs. We’ll chat through those labs, and we’ll see what we can work on as far as where you’re feeling lost and what’s coming up for you. And then, does it sound good if we try to connect something that is an insight that you’ve come up with there? We’ll connect that to an action step that you can take in your life. Is that what you’re looking for? Okay. All right, great. All right. Well, we will get to it then, Natalie.

So, you’ve gotten these labs, and you’ve gone out, you’ve done this yourself. Can you tell me a little bit about what was that decision like for you to get these labs? Why did you want to do this?

Natalie: So, I know that in our foundation session, we talked a little bit about my health history and my past of different struggles, whether that be with my gut health, mental health, kind of, everything, and just going through a lot of different life changes and feeling lost. Especially in the current medical system, I feel like I haven’t gotten any answers. I’ve just been, kind of, shuffled around from doctor to doctor, different specialists, trying to figure out what is really going on.

I had a lot of gut health issues way back in high school, leading to hospitalization even. And since then, just being on different medications on and off, different testing. I was diagnosed with SIBO, like I had told you, and still just feeling like there’s something out of balance in my body. I have a history of autoimmunity in my mother’s side, and I feel like I have those symptoms.

But I go to the doctor and they’ll say that that showed up negative on the test or whatnot. And I, kind of, feel a little bit dismissed in a way. And then I start to feel a little bit crazy, like it’s in my head. And it’s really hard to try and explain what you’re feeling to someone who doesn’t experience the same thing. I’ve always been what I define as…you can see labeled as HSP, a highly sensitive person. So, I’m very sensitive to different things in my environment or different thresholds of socialization.

A silly example that’s minor would be I don’t like the bright lights in the house. I always have the twinkly lights on, and I don’t turn the overhead light on. And sometimes it feels like people think I’m crazy or the weird one. And I’ve still not found an answer. So, I was like, “Yeah, I need to take this into my own hands.” I’ve done a lot of research. I do all the right lifestyle things. I exercise, I eat healthy. I value my sleep. I have a great sleep routine. I’m very into my morning routine, all of this.

And so Function Health seemed like the option for me to finally get to see, okay, maybe I can find some biomarkers that will show me, like, what actually is going on. And so then I can figure out what to do next, if I should take supplements or if I’m not eating the right things or lifestyle factors. Just overall, what to do next.

And so, that’s, kind of, why I went and got these and what leading up to them has been. And now I have these biomarkers, but I still don’t feel like I really have the answer that I’m looking for.

Jess: Yeah. Well, thank you for sharing all of that. And there’s a lot in that. There’s a lot to unpack there. And first, I want to really acknowledge your strengths that you’ve used. So, we talked a little bit about some of those strengths in your foundation session, and I’m seeing this curiosity, this determination, and this love of learning.

You said that you have this really great knowledge bank of health and wellness. And then there’s this curiosity and this fuel and this perseverance that I’m hearing. You went out and you took this into your own hands, that you’ve experienced some things that have been difficult. And we can chat through that and we can unpack that. But ultimately, it came to a point of decision where you said, “I am going to persevere through this, and I’m going to bring on board some new information. And then I’m going to reach out for help, and I’m going to figure out how to use this new information.”

So, just a beautiful reflection of where you are in this journey and your desire to move forward. I can hear how ready for action you are.

Natalie: Thank you. Yeah. I think it’s hard because I felt that I told all of my family or my mother or whatever. I’m getting these lab tests, and then the results, I was expecting it to be… They all come into my portal and then I think, “Okay, I got it. This is what’s happening. This is what I’ll do.” But it wasn’t really like that. And it was even… They asked, “So then what did you find out?” And I’m saying, “Well, I got the results and this is what it says, but I don’t know what to do next.”

Jess: And that can be a lot. And to reflect back on the journey that you mentioned of how you had so many things out of balance and you said how some people thought that you were crazy. And I’m seeing and hearing someone who can hear their own body. I’m seeing and I’m hearing somebody who’s listening to those cues and clues and taking action on that, which might be a little bit of a different perspective on what someone else is used to.

Maybe that’s different and that’s new for someone to really be in touch with themselves, “These lights bother me, I’m going to make a change.” I see so much action in what you’re telling me. And then I’m also hearing how lonely that can be. So, that sounds like there’s that isolating part of it. What’s that been like for you?

Natalie: Difficult. I really appreciate you saying that you realize that I’m very in tune and listening to my body because I think that a lot of us walk around these days unaware of our body and don’t really feel in touch. And it’s something I pride myself on that I’ve worked on a lot actually over the past couple of years. And I’ve regained a lot of my health through that and being in touch with the way I feel.

Sometimes it’s a double-edged sword because I often feel very aware and self-aware but then sometimes I wish I could turn that off and I just go with the flow and do whatever and not rely on my routines and things so in-depth. And then, like you said, just lonely. Other people might not get that or get why. For example, I love to travel, but sometimes being out of routine, traveling around can be really hard on my body in a way that might not impact somebody else in the same way.

So, just feeling a little bit lost and disheartened when I want to enjoy those life experiences to the fullest, but I feel that there are some health things that might be holding me back.

Jess: Yeah. And you’re not alone on this journey anymore. So, now you have reached out to a health coach, you have an ally, you have a partner, and you have what you’ve learned throughout this journey as well. Your knowledge, it’s like a snowball. I’m getting this image of the snowball going through and you’re accumulating knowledge and knowledge and knowledge, and it’s propelling you and you’re gaining more force and you’re assembling a team now. This is the first step to assemble a team and turning these pieces of your story into something bigger. So, I’m curious now that you’ve learned, what have you changed that you’re most proud of over the course of this health journey?

Natalie: Prior to getting the lab results?

Jess: Yeah, yeah.

Natalie: I definitely am very good about my routines. I love my evening routine. I wind down. I go to bed very early compared to most people my age, I would say. And I value my sleep.

And on top of that, then of course, all the things that they say, nutrition and exercise. I’m up and I love my morning walk with my dog. I drink my coffee and I walk for probably an hour most days. Even in the cold in Minnesota, I’ve gone out, I have a long, long big parka, and I go out and I need that fresh air.

I watch the sunrise as I walk in the morning. And I go to bed at night excited to wake up and do that in the morning. And it’s something that has transformed me. I take that time for myself in the beginning of the day. I think it’s been transformative for my mental health and physical health.

I mean, of course, movement is always good. And I’m very aware of the foods I put in my body. So, I eat very healthy. I know what will make my gut unhappy, having a history of a lot of gut issues. And I’ve used to, kind of, self-sabotage in a way. I’m just going to eat this anyway. And then I would just feel ill. And now I’m very, very aware of what feels good, what doesn’t.

And there’s some of that anxiety of going up to a restaurant and looking at the menu and being like, “Well, what’s going to feel good in my body right now?” And not wanting to be that person that has to ask for special things off the menu or can you make this change to this dish or whatever and not wanting to be accommodated, for lack of a better word. And now feeling a little bit more comfort with that when I’m out, because I’m often with people that love me and respect me and accept me for those things. And they know that it’s been an ongoing battle.

So, those are just a few of the things that I’m very proud of, of where I’ve come and changed, and it’s shown through.

Jess: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and love. When you mentioned that word love, it radiates. I can see it on your face. The people that love you and also the way that you’re showing self-care and love for yourself and for your needs and you’re honoring them. I was reminded of your character sense of spirituality when you’re talking about these routines and what’s been going well. And you’ve learned so much over this time. It sounds as though your routines are a bit of that spirituality piece coming to light in your life.

Natalie: Yeah, definitely. I like to pause and show gratitude. I guess that would be a line of spirituality. I try to journal every day in the morning and the evening, very short. I wish I did it longer. I wish I took some more time for those types of practices. But I do like to just express gratitude for… I definitely… We all experience a lot of first-world problems. And sometimes it’s important to be like, you know what? I have this beautiful apartment and this beautiful relationship, my dog, my family, and I’m safe and I have food and I have shelter and it’s okay. And maybe I had one little stressful interaction the other day, but it’s going to be okay.

Jess: Sounds like your self-talk has really changed a lot from, kind of, where you were on your previous health journey and to now. So, this deep appreciation for this beautiful self-talk that you have and how these things are going to help carry you forward.

So, here we are, and you have these labs and you have these past successes and these wins that you have on board and under your belt and a lot of learning. You’ve learned so much about yourself, and you’re so connected to it. And you have that with you. That’s in your toolkit as you move forward and you look for answers.

So, before we hop into the labs themselves, I’m curious the specific concerns that you were hoping to have answers to. Are you able to share just a few of those specific concerns?

Natalie: Yeah. So, as I said, the autoimmunity, I have a lot of autoimmune symptoms in my body, whether that be achiness or… I have a history of lupus in my family. So, a lot of symptoms that align with that. That’s been really hard.

And then also with my gut, I had been in a place where my gut really wasn’t absorbing a lot of the food I was eating. And so I ended up losing a lot of weight. And so I know that the nutrients that I’m absorbing and the nutrients in my blood might feel a little bit off, but I try so hard to eat so healthy. So, it’s like, “Okay, well, what can I improve there? And what are the most key nutrients that I should be prioritizing?” Because there are so many.

And then also one of my lab markers that I do want to talk about with you more is cortisol, which is all over the internet these days of regulating cortisol and stress. And I am a very type A person, and obviously I’m very regimented in my routines. I think sometimes my stress gets the best of me, so that cortisol is high.

Jess: Great. So, it might be some balance. It sounds like maybe there are some clinical pieces that are happening here. You know, you’re talking about this history of SIBO and some of the gut and the malabsorption and this long journey and having doctors with no answers and being lonely.

And it does sound like there’s a really clinical concern underlying some of these components. And if you’re feeling like you haven’t been fully fulfilled with answers from what you’ve learned, or maybe it’s sparking some more questions, it sounds like as well, I’m curious your thoughts about maybe bringing another ally into this journey. Have you thought about a functional medicine doctor? As a functional medicine health coach, I am able to help facilitate a referral, and we can invite someone on this journey who’s very compatible for you to help you with that clinical piece. What are your thoughts on that?

Natalie: Yeah, I actually would really, really like to find a functional medicine practitioner. It’s been hard to find access to one. And also moving to Boston and then moving back and being in this… Your 20s are, kind of, a transitional phase in terms of trying to find a doctor and that. And so I’ve felt like I haven’t really had anyone holding my hand. And I’ve been, kind of, alone and wanting to approach it in a new way through functional medicine is where I would actually really like to go.

This testing through function is the first step because I really appreciate you validating the symptoms and the way I’m feeling and getting these lab results. It is important also to measure. Like, it also is important to not just go off of how I’m feeling, but I do know that there are further tests that I may need a practitioner to help me get access to or determine what to do in order to look a little bit deeper because they might be able to connect things that I’m missing.

Jess: And they’ll connect you in that clinical way. And in the beginning, you said you really want answers, and it takes a village. We all need each other, right? So, there’s coaching and there’s the support from a functional medicine physician. And if they’re looking at these labs and helping you to further identify your concerns and to answer some of those clinical questions, then we can all work together.

And Natalie, what sounds very promising here, and there’s this modality that you appreciate. And I know this from our foundation session, and you literally work in this world. So, the fact that you’re going to be held by the functional medicine community, it’s not what you’ve experienced in the past in that journey where you went to the doctor, and they didn’t hear you. They weren’t understanding you. They weren’t looking at you as a whole person. They weren’t investigating root causes. Now you’re supported by a team in that modality that means the world to you.

Natalie: Yeah, I think it will help to put the puzzle pieces together that I have.

Jess: Mm-hmm. Great, great. Well, so that’s wonderful. And we can follow up on that. I will help facilitate a referral. We will make sure to find somebody who is a good fit and that you feel comfortable with. And I will offer you the support that you need in that area. So, I invite you… Would you like to turn to the labs themselves? You know, could we look at something from Function Health together?

Natalie: So, out of the… They do, like, over a hundred biomarkers. So, what, kind of, I look for as they come in is what’s out of range. So, I did have quite a few. I don’t know what the average is in terms of people that get Function Health, how many are out of range.

Jess: Yeah. Well, I’m looking at this, and I see that your biological age is 7.6 years younger than your calendar age. So, what did that feel like to see?

Natalie: I’m good. It was validating because I said, I feel like I do everything right. And then I still have symptoms, and I still feel like I’m not to peak health. And it’s frustrating because I’m one of the healthiest people I know, but I still deal with these struggles. And it seems unfair. But I guess that that is a good reframe of… I have 84 in range.

Jess: 84 in range. Yes,k yes. When you see the 84 in range, so switching this from the fact that you’re 7.6 years younger, you’re 17.9. In my head, I’m like, “Oh, is there a different consent form that we need for you for coaching?” Natalie, you’re 7.6 years younger. That’s fantastic. To see that this is working… You know, I don’t know the numbers myself, but I imagine that it might be unusual for someone to come in younger than their actual calendar age.

The 84 that are in range, what do you attribute to why that’s going so well? Some things are going well there, right? So, what is one or two of the biggest takeaways from your life that you shared with me that you attribute to those being in range?

Natalie: The main thing that I’ve changed a lot in the past just year is eating a lot more protein and doing a lot more heavier resistance training. I’m a group fitness instructor and a personal trainer in the past. And so I’ve always… And a runner. So, I’ve always prioritized exercise and fitness. But of course, as a runner, I probably did too much cardio. And getting back into strength training, I think that… As someone in the wellness world, I consume a lot of that content. So, Gabrielle Lyon discussing resistance training and muscle mass is creating a lot of longevity and health. And so I think that definitely the biological age being younger, I think it would be a reflection of longevity.

And I’m young. I’m probably more concerned with health and stuff than a lot of people my age would be because when you’re young, you feel invincible. But I guess that it’s the sooner you start, the better. And Gabrielle Lyon always says it’s never too late to start resistance training or doing those right things. But definitely eating a lot more protein, improving my exercise regime for gaining more muscle mass, I definitely think that probably contributes to all the other biomarkers that were in range.

Jess: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And how is that helping you with your optimal vision of wellness, that energetic, magnetic life, the resiliency showing up for that life without limitations? How does that fit into that bigger dream?

Natalie: I’m just coming to this realization now that I am still young, and just the past two years I’ve come so far that maybe it’s, like, going to be a snowball back to where then everything can start to rapidly continue to improve, because I’m at this pivotal place where I’m, kind of, towards the end of figuring out who you are in life and figuring out what you want to do and who you want to be and your real identity. And, of course, it’s ever-changing.

But a lot of my loved ones always tell me I’m very good at being present. And this plays a lot into my vision of wanting to, like, live a magnetic life and a long, healthy life is to be able to experience life’s opportunities and adventures but be healthy doing so. And when I am healthy doing so, then I can be more present.

And I feel that some of the struggles I’ve had, whether that be making my terrible sensitive gut, taking away from me being present in places, or my achy joints that I feel like I shouldn’t have at this age, even though I do everything right, taking away from me being in the moment. So, definitely just having that health with me so that I can enjoy life longer and live out that vision that I have for myself.

Jess: Yeah, it sounds very hopeful. I’m hearing a lot of hope and a lot of inspiration in that. And it’s so wonderful to have… I’m deeply appreciating this front-row seat to this, that I have right now, and your openness. And I know honesty is a value. And what you’re sharing, it’s very honest. I can feel how deep this is for you. These experiences are so transformational that you’re having.

And you mentioned you’re in a very pivotal, excuse me, time in your life. And to be going out and using these strengths, using that perseverance, using that curiosity, this honesty, this love, all of these strengths that you’re bringing in to assemble this team and this path forward. Natalie, I’m seeing you know the power of lifestyle change. You know, you have just outlined so many ways in which that has really helped you and what it’s given to you and your life to this point now. So, there’s so much hope in bringing on board that same power that you have for lifestyle changes. You know, the labs aren’t changing without lifestyle change, and you have that within you the power to do that.

So, bringing in that functional medicine doctor. You said yes to that. It’s a big step towards getting some more of these answers, to keep that snowball going, to round out all the help and the support that you need. So, you can be fully present. So, whatever your gut is saying to you that might take you away from being present, we’re going to get you some answers around that. Would you like to, kind of, bring up some of the points that you’re more concerned about? You know, we see that some of those are out of range on there. Would you like to chat through some of those?

Natalie: Yeah, I guess I want to, kind of, dive into a little bit. I want to for sure get the functional medicine practitioner, and I’m excited for that.

Jess: In the meantime, sure, let’s take a look at… I’m open to it. Let’s take a look at what you can work on now.

Natalie: So, I outlined what my main concerns were a little bit previously with immune system, nutrient levels, and then cortisol. So, we can look just briefly at these biomarkers for immune regulation. And then the main one that I actually would like to focus on, here’s the nutrients but then also really is the cortisol, because it was quite high.

And like I said, I feel like I do a lot of lifestyle practices that are beneficial, and it’s frustrating. And in the functional portal, it gives me all of the foods to eat and the supplements and whatnot. And a lot of the foods I already eat, I could probably add in some more of the top five it gives me, but everything it says not to eat, I don’t eat.

But also I’m not quite sure how that directly relates to the cortisol. I’m definitely high stress, but I also have a lot of grounding practices, like my morning walk, and I get a lot of sleep. So, it’s just, what am I doing wrong or what could I do better?

Jess: Yeah. I was going to say, the perspective there, I’m hearing, what am I doing wrong? Are you doing something wrong? Do we know that? Just to illuminate and to reflect that back to you, is it doing something wrong or is it that maybe what you’ve been doing has been making a difference and there’s something yet to uncover? There’s some experiments that need to happen. Maybe there’s some curiosity that we need to bring forward and move forward.

So, if you’d like to spend the remaining about four to five minutes that we have, should we dive into this? Do you feel ready to look at cortisol a little more deeply and set an action step as a takeaway?

Natalie: Yeah.

Jess: Wonderful. Well, so how would you like to do that? Do you feel that you want to share what you know about cortisol and maybe see if we can brainstorm or do you feel like you have some existing knowledge and we want to mine that and maybe brainstorm some ideas for an action step? I’ll let you lead how you’d like to accomplish this.

Natalie: So, what I know about cortisol… I probably know more than the average human. I think a lot of the language surrounding cortisol today is that it’s a very negative thing that we don’t want, but it’s actually a good thing and a necessary part of our body and its process. And I know that cortisol should peak in the morning and then go down so that we can have better sleep, and it ties in with circadian rhythm, all of that. But then also I know that when you have too much cortisol, it’s probably bad and deals with stress. It’s stress and aging.

And so I guess I’m realizing right now stress and aging, my age is younger than my age. So, maybe I’m not as off as I think. Maybe it’s more of the stress component. But I do a lot of great… I sleep, and I am very mindful of going on walks to de-stress when I need to. What else can I do for stress maybe?

Jess: Well, that’s really wonderful that you’re looking at it that way. And I love the balanced approach that you have. Your knowledge is really shining through that not all cortisol is bad. And also, to make a connection and to add another piece of information here, are you interested in me sharing something that I noticed?

Natalie: Yes.

Jess: It’s important to remember that this is one snapshot in time, right? So, this is where that functional medicine doctor is going to be so important here and maybe doing a deeper exploration in what does this bigger picture of cortisol look like. And now that we have this, having these labs has allowed you to really see, “Oh, this is what this snapshot is, maybe we can investigate that more.”

And right now together, yeah, you and I can certainly look at some more things about cortisol, and we’ll see what resonates with you and where you feel there’s an opportunity to invite some change in your life. So, I heard you mentioning stress over and over, right? And it’s sounding to me like your body’s wisdom is bringing that up. So, does that feel good to look at your relationship with stress right now?

Natalie: Mm-hmm.

Jess: Yeah. So, I would be curious, how do you feel stress is showing up in your life?

Natalie: I think that certain things that are more minor give me more anxiety and stress than I think they give other people. So, it’s almost going back to what we had talked about in the beginning where certain things affect me differently than others. And feeling like I always, like, go, go, go, go, go. And I want everything to be right in line and perfectly perfect. My routine has to go from this to this to this, and I’ll like create it in my head before the day begins. And then if anything falls off, it throws me a little bit into a state of stress and overwhelm.

Jess: Why do you think that is?

Natalie: I guess I don’t know.

Jess: That’s okay. It’s okay not to know. So, if you’re thrown off a bit, it sounds like when things aren’t going the way that you have planned, it does seem to create some stressful feelings, maybe back and forth for you. Would you like to invite more calm into your life? Is that balance that I’m hearing? Is that, kind of, the other side of it where it’s go, go, go? Is it something that could be more calming for you?

Natalie: Yes and no. I think that I cherish quiet time. You know, I said I go to bed early. I love staying in and being cozy and cherishing moments. But maybe there’s some part of the time that I’m not with others that I might need to invite more of that in.

Jess: Is that something that would be meaningful for you to invite in some calm or do you have another idea of what you might need more of or less of?

Natalie: No, I don’t know.

Jess: So, what if you did know? What would it be?

Natalie: I don’t know.

Jess: It’s okay not to know. It’s totally okay. It’s very difficult to, kind of, know. Would you like to maybe see if we can get an answer from your body? Maybe, kind of, drop into that awareness?

Natalie: Sure.

Jess: Yeah, maybe just, kind of, center yourself again. Maybe think back to the beginning of our session. And if you’re looking for some wisdom or some guidance from your inner knowing, these gifts that you have that are telling you maybe it’s time to slow down, maybe I’m feeling a little overwhelm or anxiety, what could you use more of in your life to create balance?

Natalie: It’s okay to go with your intuition. It’s okay to go with your first instinct. It’s okay to reframe the question. What could you use more of or less of in your life to invite in some more balance?

Natalie: I think I need to prioritize more silence.

Jess: Oh, my goodness. What a gift. What a gift that your wisdom has just given us and given you. That’s really beautiful that you got that information. So, how would you like to do that? How do you envision bringing more silence into your life?

Natalie: I often have something in the background, a podcast, music, mostly those two things. And so I think it would be important to just be okay without that always being on. Okay, listen to your own thoughts a little bit more. Even though I do think I’m very in tune and very wellness-oriented, sometimes I do think probably I could just embrace the silence in the background.

Jess: Embrace the silence. Yeah, and I see how that fits into creating more space for balance and creating more of this opportunity that you want to have to hear yourself and to get answers. You know, I think that this is a beautiful example, but there is so much wisdom. In the beginning of the session, I was hearing, “We need answers, and I’m looking for this and I’m looking for this.” And we have data now. We have the intention to bring on a functional medicine doctor. We have established this coaching relationship, but we also have your wisdom to hear that a little bit more closely and a little bit more carefully and to create space for that.

So, as we’re wrapping up here in our last moment or two, do you feel satisfied with an action step of creating more of that silence? And you mentioned maybe turning things off in the background, just that step for now to carry us until the next time we meet. Does that feel complete for you?

Natalie: It does. I think it will take some self-regulation to not carry that up. And maybe I can start small, like not all day being silent, but while I shower and get ready in the morning, don’t have the music on or something like that.

Jess: Yeah. And I’m looking forward to how that’s going to impact your life. So, in just closing, because we are wrapping up for time here, I wanted to share an observation. Natalie, the kindness that you showed to yourself today was really apparent. It really came through, and it was beautiful to witness. And just a final takeaway, what’s something that you learned about yourself that surprised you today?

Natalie: Like I said earlier, when I had that first revelation that I’ve come so far in the past two years, that sometimes it’s very easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and see things as a smaller part of life than it actually is. But in the grand scheme, I feel very hopeful and I’m grateful that I was able to feel more positive about the results rather than disheartened and see that… Thank you for helping me to see those little silver linings in the results and where I’m going. And it’s always a moving target, but recognizing the strengths and the achievements I’ve made thus far.

Jess: Yes, it’s my pleasure. It’s my pleasure to support you. And that all came from you. You know, I have a mirror. I reflect it back to you. So, wonderful, Natalie. Thank you so much. And I look forward to sharing more with you next time we meet.

Dr. Sandi: Wow, that was just a wonderful example of the power of health coaching, because I hope that everybody listening saw that it wasn’t this just interpretation, “Well, this is low. This is high. This is what you should be doing. This is what you should not be doing.” This was about a profound change.

What I want to highlight is that moment at the end when Natalie realized the value of silence. And so that was her. And what we saw is that it was not just as the expert, “Okay, let’s review your labs,” and Natalie would have no part in that. That is what we have seen in a conventional approach. That doesn’t work.

But Natalie is going to make profound changes. And I hope that you also noticed the emphasis on her strengths. She was in the driver’s seat. It was all about what Natalie wanted to focus on and Jess did a masterful job of focusing and redirecting to her strengths, that biological age. Like, wow. And so now Natalie has a different perspective. And I know that the next time she gets those labs done, we’re going to see changes.

So, I want to see if we’ve got some questions and open it up. We just have a very short time, but we’ll open up the Q&A and see if… Can the question be asked if in her own estimation she found something that stood out to possibly answer some…? Yes. Yeah, you absolutely can do that. So, real food does not have a label. Yes, learning to find what works for your body takes a while. Absolutely.

And then how does the coach facilitate a referral to a practitioner? So, it would be… You can, for example, if Natalie would be interested in a functional medicine doctor, you can go to ifm.org. That is our partner, the Institute for Functional Medicine, and they have “Find a Practitioner.” And then Jess could help Natalie review the doctors that might be in her area or perhaps with telehealth, it doesn’t even need to be in her area. But it would again be Natalie in control. Like, who do you want to see? Would you rather have a female or a male doctor? Do you want to have somebody who specializes in a particular area? So again, it is all about asking those questions. And Natalie would be the one to say, “Yes, this is the person that I want to see.”

All right. Let’s see Maria asked… Oh, there was another question about what would the direction be. Let’s see. Are there protocols we would be taught upon hearing certain keywords that would lead in a certain direction? So, this is so personalized, so it might not be a particular protocol but the direction perhaps it would lead to looking at whether an elimination diet might be useful, for example.

So, that would be one of the ways you could go with that. And let’s see, are there certain components of a blood test that a coach would not be able to help with?

Dr. Sandi: So, if somebody says, I don’t know what this measures, then these tests, particularly like with Function Health, it’s all right there in the report. So, the coach would be with that client going over, “Well, this is what it says that it means. Are you clear on that? Do you need more explanation?” So, it is helping. And if somebody wants more, then they might refer them to an article, to a book, to a different reference, or might explain it in a way that makes sense for that individual.

Okay, Richard, I think maybe, Jess, you can look at that question. We’ll just take one more. Why was only one of the lab measures discussed? Was this good coaching? There were something like 20 total out of range.

Jess: Yeah, as far as coaching, for my role as the coach, I’m meeting my client where they’re at. So, for Natalie, I’m listening to her what is it that she wants to talk about. And my job as a coach isn’t really to go through all 100 and some markers or to take the ones that are out of range, because that’s not the whole story. That doesn’t tell the whole picture from a coaching standpoint. Something’s going well, and then there are concerns. So, we’re looking at what it is that Natalie has come to ask about. Does that answer the question?

Dr. Sandi: There’s a question about how you go about… You’d go to Function Health, and then you sign up. It’s a membership. And the question is also, can a coach actually help the client interpret labs? So, here, the interpretation is there. It’s in writing. So, a coach can go over what that means, but a coach, unless they have a medical license that allows them to say, “You have this.” So, they couldn’t make a diagnosis.

So, in other words, autoimmune came up here. So, Jess would not say to Natalie, “I’m diagnosing you with this particular autoimmune condition.” She would help with explanation of what’s already written there, what these tests could possibly mean in a general sense. And then Natalie would go to her practitioner to get a full diagnosis.

Jess: Yeah, and to add to that, to reinforce in that autoimmune example, Natalie from a coaching scope is coming and saying, “I’ve felt as though I have autoimmune symptoms.” And in our foundation session, she said, “The ANA was negative. I feel very conflicted.” So, as a coach, I can reinforce and validate, “You have these symptoms. Let’s get you with somebody who can hear those as well. Your body’s giving you gifts. We’re not invalidating those gifts and those symptoms that you have just because one lab marker is confusing in the big picture right now. We’re going to bring in support.”

Dr. Sandi: So, we have come to the end of our time together. I just want to say that this is just the opener. There’s a question that came in. Are we going to learn how to read lab results? Yes, we are preparing that. That will be state of the art based on what we currently know about labs, specifically functional medicine labs, and how they differ. So, yes, we will have that to come. And we believe again, the future is health coaches helping people with labs, this growing area of direct-to-consumer labs. And the question that came in, that your partner recently received results and you wanted to learn more about how to use them to move to action. So, yes. So, like, let’s say we did that for… And I want you to take the silence as an example. So, the cortisol for Natalie was high. What would be the move to action? And summing up the session, Jess would help Natalie to start practicing silence. Natalie said she was going to do that when she’s getting dressed, getting ready in the morning. So, the next session, Jess would ask how that went, and that would be the action step. If another lab value was elevated that we were focusing on, then that might be another action step.

So, again, I know we’re out of time, but if you have more specific questions, you can continue to reach out. Again, we are committed to labs, and we will be working with a number of companies showing labs, including labs for tiny babies, which we are going to be having another presentation. So, stay tuned. When you get an email from us, there will be more of this kind of live demos where you will see a whole variety of lab results being explored. So, thank you so much for being here. Bye, everybody. And thank you to Jess and Natalie.

Natalie: Thank you.

Jess: Thank you.