Using a holistic approach to treat chronic conditions and handle preventative health concerns with a focus on identifying the root cause of symptoms and moving forward with natural methods.

Tara McLellan, functional medicine certified, family nurse practitioner (NP) is the owner of Integrative Healthcare of Lower Alabama. She is also an athlete who focuses on functional flexibility, strength and movement. She practices what she preaches on living a well-rounded and active life.

McLellan became a Nurse Practitioner to help people be healthier and happier. “I realized traditional medicine often uses medications to mask symptoms, rather than asking why the symptom is occurring in the first place and if it can be addressed holistically,” she says. “So, in 2019, I started studying integrative medicine and became a certified NP through the Institute of Functional Medicine.”

One specialty area for McLellan is working with hormone imbalances. “The body makes many hormones, such as estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, cortisol and more. All interact with each other in a delicate balance to maintain health. When the body becomes inflamed due to illness or age, hormones can suffer and affect a person’s weight, mood, energy level and a host of other things,” says McLellan.

Functional medicine is patient-focused, not disease-focused, and seeks the underlying causes of symptoms to correct and treat them through natural means. McLellan commonly finds that lifestyle modifications and supplements can treat the root cause, rather than simply masking symptoms with medication. She enjoys helping patients of all ages with hormone imbalances, autoimmune disease, chronic gastrointestinal issues and those struggling with their mental health.

Learn more about how the functional medicine approach is changing lives with a holistic approach to chronic and preventative health concerns.