What Every Woman Coping with Infertility Should Know About Functional Medicine for Fertility

Amy Galvan • Sep 03, 2020

Our Functional Fertility Clinic Offers New Hope for Unexplained Infertility, Poor Responders to IVF, and Complex Infertility Cases in Jacksonville, Florida

At our infertility clinic in Jacksonville, we believe in treating the root cause of your infertility. That means we don’t believe in limiting your reproductive health workup to your reproductive system alone. Your body functions as a whole. And we believe your body should be treated that way: as a whole.

Your reproductive system is linked to so many systems in your body that influence it: your immune system, your brain and mood, your gut, your liver and detox pathways, your circulatory system, and more.

What If There Were More to Infertility Than Your Reproductive System Alone?

What if your difficulty having a baby had to do with a dysregulated immune system? An autoimmune condition? A thyroid problem? What if your difficulty having a baby were due to a gene mutation that prevents you from processing folic acid? Would you know?

What if you had a MTHFR gene variant that actually aggravated homocysteine levels and teensy subclinical blood coagulation that caused repeated pregnancy loss---but once it were identified, it could be addressed to not only help you have a baby, but also fix your inflammation, pain, mood, and make you feel healthier than ever?

That is a functional medicine approach. We are looking at the whole picture, not just your reproductive organs and hormones.

That’s why we are passionate about functional fertility medicine. We are one of Jacksonville’s only functional medicine fertility clinics. Moreover, we are one of the only functional medicine fertility clinics in the Jacksonville area that combines heartfelt patient care with 60-minute visits with the doctor. We use this time to empower you with understanding, knowledge, and collaboration on lifestyle and treatment protocols that make sense to you——and fit your lifestyle.

Because we are a functional medicine fertility clinic, we perform lab tests your conventional medicine doctor might not. We use the latest and most advanced testing for autoimmunity, brain function, nutrigenomics, complete hormone panels, and organic acid tests to look at how your body is using hormones and nutrients (or not).

We strongly believe functional medicine represents the future of medicine. And we practice modern conventional functional medicine, as well as the most ancient form found in holistic Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

What Exactly Is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine takes a 30,000-foot view of your health in its entirety, to see how all of your symptoms and health problems are CONNECTED. More specifically, where the ROOT CAUSE or causes are.

More specifically, it is guided by the principle that in order to heal one part of the body, all parts must be considered. All parts interact, rely on each other, and balance each other.

Then we look at how all your body systems are interacting with the environment. Your environment includes chemicals (your exposome), natural elements (light, temperature, humidity), foods and nutrients (and if you are using them effectively or not), and relationships (some can have unhealthy repercussions and need help adjusting).

Functional medicine is a new model of diagnosis and treatment. It is a combination of the best elements of ancient holistic models, and modern scientific lab-driven models. It is integrative care, but all in one doctor!

How is Functional Medicine Different than Conventional Medicine?

The holistic thinking of functional medicine is often ignored in conventional medicine, because conventional medicine is focused on diseases and their specific location in the body.

In conventional medicine, you see a doctor based on a body part. It divides the body up into pieces, and treats only the piece. That is why you end up visiting a specialist for each part of your body: a gastroenterologist for your digestion, a dermatologist for your skin problems, a gynecologist for your hormone imbalance, a rheumatologist for your fibromyalgia or migraines, a cardiologist for your heart palpitations, and a psychiatrist for your anxiety or depression.

None of these specialists are looking at the body as an interconnected whole to the degree that a functional doctor would. Your gynecologist is not asking detailed questions about your digestion the way your gastro does; your psychiatrist is not asking detailed questions about your skin problems; your rheumatologist is not asking detailed questions about your estrogen dominance or PCOS. Each specialist has a detailed picture of only a piece of you.

What Exactly Is Functional Medicine for Infertility? And More Importantly, Can It Help You Have a Baby at Our Jacksonville Clinic?

Fertility is the natural state of a healthy body, when all systems are healthy and balanced. It is more than just the health of the reproductive system alone.

While it is common for infertility to have it’s root cause in the reproductive system, there are two reasons that addressing the reproductive system might not be enough.

One reason is if there are complicating health problems besides infertility. These may be diagnosed and supposedly controlled health problems such as an overreactive immune system, or hypothyroid, or systemic inflammation compromising blood flow to the uterus, or other blood and circulation problems.

The second reason is subclinical health problems. These are health problems that are not identified as a disease condition by conventional medicine because they are not severe enough to trigger on a test result, but are identified as early signs in functional medicine. This occurs when you feel like something is not right, but your labs come back “normal.” These early signs can impact fertility.

A great example is “normal” thyroid labs, which ignore Reverse-T3 (RT3) and thyroid autoimmune antibody testing—both of which can have implications for repeated pregnancy loss in different ways. In the first case, a high RT3 is common with high stress. (If your life is stress-free, it can still occur due to unresolved trauma from the past causing low grade constant internal stress). RT3 interferes with using your thyroid hormone. So although you are producing thyroid hormones, your use of them is blocked at the cellular level. In the second case of autoimmune thyroiditis such as Hashimoto’s, you can be prescribed thyroid hormone to make up for it, but there may be other autoimmune conditions developing that are subclinical and interfering with pregnancy. We would look for autoimmune antibodies attacking your ovaries preventing healthy egg maturation, or systemic inflammation causing impaired microcirculation to the uterine lining, or most common in autoimmune is a leaky gut. A leaky gut may have no symptoms, but despite a good diet, it would cause poor nutrient absorption so you cannot deliver nutrients to the baby when it starts growing bigger. Leaky gut can also lead to excess toxins in the blood causing problems in microcirculation to the uterus needed for the implantation of the embryo.

Functional medicine for infertility is passionate about looking at the whole of your body---because when the whole body is functioning well, nature favors fertility.

Why you should consider our Jacksonville Functional Fertility clinic approach to treating infertility

At GALVAN Precision Wellness clinic, we are fortunate to have a doctor of Oriental medicine, one of the oldest functional medicine systems in the world, who is also certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) in Applied Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice. Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM believes that a functional fertility approach offers her patients the best opportunity to recover their reproductive health.

At our Jacksonville functional fertility clinic, we take the following approaches to restoring ferility:

Investigative. We look beyond WHAT is the problem, and look for WHY is the body experiencing that problem?

Holistic. We look at the connections between body systems, between the body and mind, and between you and your environment.

Safe. Treatments are natural, generally without side effects, and have no Black Box warnings.

Effective. We are results oriented, and use clinical research and leaders in the profession to guide our way.

Patient Centered. We do what works for YOU. Every patient experiences their health problem differently, even if they all have the same health problem. That is why we don’t focus on treating the problem but on treating YOU.

Collaborative. YOU are a part of the healthcare team. You are treated as the ultimate expert in your condition. We respect you, and we partner with you to empower and educate you. We expect you to play a significant lead role in your healing, with us as your guidance and information resource.

Integrative. We combine the best of modern and classical medical models, experience, and technology.

Restorative. We don’t just fix the problem. We repair the damage done by the problem that remains after the problem is eradicated. This is especially true in helping women come off birth control! Birth control easily alters the gut and other systems of the body that need a reset even after monthly cycles return.

Preventive. We don’t just mean early diagnosis, but real prevention. If you have patterns that indicate that you will have problems years down the road conceiving a second child (but not the first), we want to change the direction your health is moving in so your future will be as bright as your present can be, too.

Evidence Based. Not just based on what the research says works, but also based on what YOUR body says is working. If we are treating infertility, we are treating your WHOLE body. You should notice improvements in sleep, metabolism, stress management, digestion, skin, mood, and other indicators long before you are pregnant. Your experience counts as real evidence, not just what experts say has worked for others.

"After 2 devastating diagnosis in 2013 I was at a loss of what to do to get better. Physically I was suffering and mentally I was in pieces. When my doctors couldn't help me I searched for alternatives. Luckily someone sent me to Amy! Since my first visit she has kept me healthy both mentally and physically! She helped me achieve my dream of being a mom! I refer all my friends and family to her and everyone has always been impressed with her skills, patience and her calming and healing presence. I am thankful everyday for Amy and I would be at a loss without her! If you are deciding which acupuncturist to see, your search is over. Amy is IT! And she is worth any new patient wait time! I am eternally grateful. "

---Name Withheld for Privacy

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Who Is The Typical Patient We See for Functional Fertility in Our Jacksonville Clinic?

Our patients are often referred by their reproductive endocrinologist, OB/gyn, or a patient who experienced success in our care.

Some know exactly what the “WHAT” of their problem is: diminished ovarian reserve, IVF support, or PCOS for example.

Some infertility patients come to our clinic due to “unexplained infertility.” We take a deep dive into figuring out what the block is to their health that they are experiencing infertility.

A few patients come who do NOT want a baby yet, but want to make sure they are healthy enough in the future to have a baby on their time line. Many of these women are coming off birth control and wanting help correcting menstrual problems that put them on birth control in the first place.

Often our patients have certain traits in common.

They are incredibly frustrated with the healthcare system as it is now. Often they have been let down by conventional care AND alternative care. They are exhausted from trying to learn enough to diagnose and treat themselves. They have spent countless hours, dollars, and resources at lab tests, supplements, and books that never seem to help enough.

If this describes you, you are in the right place. We want to help you. That’s because at our functional fertility clinic serving the Jacksonville area, our specialty is complicated, nuanced health problems that require a deep dive investigation and understanding. We practice a functional approach that is western and eastern in tradition, modern and ancient.

"Dr Amy is incredible and I'm so lucky to have her as a care provider. She helped us get pregnant twice and have healthy, successful pregnancies! I'm always amazed at what she can tell me about my body without me even mentioning symptoms that I may be experiencing. I've always felt so loved and cared for, and cannot recommend Galvan Acupuncture enough!

---Amanda Redinger, Gainesville FL

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Which Infertility Problems Are Treated Using Functional Fertility?

As a functional medicine and fertility specialist in Jacksonville, Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM is able to treat a wide variety of health problems.

Hormone Imbalance: primary amenorhea, secondary amenorrha, early menopause, perimenopause, estrogen dominance, testosterone excess, low testosterone, low progesterone, low estrogen, E1/E2/E3 balance, poor estrogen metabolism, high FSH, hypothyroid, hyperthyroid, adrenal fatigue, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, melatonin deficiency, cortisol steal, low HCG, neurohormone/neurotransmitter imbalance, PMS, PMDD, PCOS, hirsutism, acne, more.
Gynecological Problems: inflammation of the fallopian tubes, restricted movement of fallopian tubes, water accumulation in the fallopian tubes, thin uterine lining, endometriosis, Irregular cycles, vulvodynia, painful intercourse, vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, heavy bleeding, painful periods, menstrual migraine, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), premature ovarian failure (POF), embryo transfer, Day 5 embryo survival rates, more
Pregnancy Concerns: morning sickness, malposition of fetus, repeated pregnancy loss, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, restless fetus, back pain, sciatica, premature labor, labor induction, threat of miscarriage
General Health Threats to Having a Healthy Pregnancy: high stress, anxiety, poor sleep, poor metabolism, weight management, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, bowel problems, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ehlers-danlos syndrome, Graves disease, vitiligo, IBD, Crohn's, endometriosis, lupus (SLE), and more.

In addition to the list above, Amy has particular experience and expertise in treating autoimmune conditions with fertility concerns, and helping with the emotional support component of infertility, anxiety, grief, depression, as well as the social and soulful complexities of processing unwanted pregnancy, adoption, and past sexual trauma.

How Do You Work With Infertility Patients?

Amy Galvan DOM, L’Ac, FABORM uses three principles in collaborating with infertility patients in our Jacksonville Functional Fertility clinic services.

Respect. Your voice and your choice are always respected.

Mastery: Amy is constantly working toward mastery in her areas of expertise. She is an active member of professional organizations, attends conferences, and subscribes to professional peer-reviewed journals for research findings.

Results: We go for results, whether they are found in the book or found by clinical experience. Dr John F Shen is famous for declaring “Book wrong!” A cookbook approach to medicine does not always work. “I am the asterisk,” said one patient, “When a treatment works on everyone---and there is an asterisk, which takes you to the fine print of when it doesn't work? That's me. I am the asterisk. " If we don’t get results, we will refer you to another professional who can try something new. Never give up!

Should you have a condition that cannot be changed, we will help you live your best life in spite of that condition.

Learn about how Amy works with patients in her 3 Steps to Wellness here.

"My experience with Amy has been phenomenal. I have been seeing her since May of 2018 and she has done wonders for hormonal balance, GI issues, neck pain, skin breakouts and other ailments (yes I had several issues that prescriptions were just masking)."

---Tatania Salazar-Fehrenbacher

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Jacksonville’s Premier Functional Fertility Clinic

If you feel like you want to have a healthy baby but are at a loss for how to do it because of health challenges, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to GALVAN Precision Wellness—The Premier Functional Fertility clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Our clinic is located in the heart of the medical corridor in Jacksonville, minutes from Jacksonville Beach on the 202 JTB expressway, and conveniently located to local areas of Orange Park, Nocatee, Jacksonville Beaches, and the Greater Jacksonville area.

We serve patients in Duval County, St John County, St Augustine, and Gainesville with services for IVF support, fertility acupuncture, natural women’s reproductive health, and functional medicine.

We have an herbal compounding pharmacy and dispensary on site, along with an online dispensary for your convenience.

We offer lab tests for complete hormone panels, autoimmune screening, and nutrigenomics genetic testing for optimal health.

If you have specific questions, [please contact us here].

At GALVAN Precision Wellness clinic,our specialty is chronic, hard to treat health problems that interfere with your reproductive health. We use functional fertility medicine and infertility acupuncture in our Jacksonville clinic to help patients increase their odds and reach their goal of having a healthy baby.

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AMY GALVAN, DOM, L'Ac, FABORM