Aging Gracefully: How Functional Medicine Helps Women Over 50 Feel Their Best
/Aging is inevitable, but how you age? That’s something you have more control over than you might think. At Balanced Thistle, we believe in supporting your body as it evolves—without forcing you to take a hundred supplements just to get through the day. We combine the best of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with research-backed Functional Lab Testing to create a truly personalized plan for your graceful aging.
As you age, your body goes through changes that can affect your energy, sleep, hormone balance, and overall well-being. Our functional medicine approach addresses the root causes of common concerns like fatigue, joint pain, stress, and insomnia. Through targeted nutrition, acupuncture, and advanced lab testing, we create solutions that help you feel stronger, more energized, and in tune with your body. Instead of simply managing symptoms, we focus on restoring balance, improving resilience, and helping you maintain long-term vitality.
Here’s the thing—you deserve healthcare that prioritizes your vitality, not just symptom management. Functional medicine helps us take a deep dive into what’s actually happening inside your body so we can target the root causes of fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and hormone imbalances (because yes, those hormonal shifts are still happening in your 50s and beyond). The goal? To help you feel like yourself—energized, strong, and thriving.
Why Functional Medicine (Done Right) Works
Functional medicine can be incredibly effective—but only when done with a personalized approach. We’ve seen too many patients bogged down by excessive supplements and one-size-fits-all protocols that completely ignore individual needs. That’s not how we do things at Balanced Thistle. Here’s our philosophy on using functional medicine to help you age with ease:
1. Food First, Always
Targeted nutrition based on lab results can work wonders. Instead of an overwhelming supplement regimen, we focus on getting as many nutrients as possible from food. (No offense to supplement companies, but real food wins every time.) When necessary, we add high-quality supplements strategically, not just for the sake of it.
2. A Plan Made for You (Not a Generic Protocol)
If you say the word “protocol” around here, you might get an eye roll. No two women are the same, and no two wellness plans should be either. We run comprehensive lab panels based on your specific goals, analyze the data thoroughly, and create completely tailored recommendations that address your unique needs—whether that’s hormone balance, energy levels, or inflammation management.
3. Acupuncture is a Key Piece of the Puzzle
Functional medicine is fantastic, but acupuncture? It’s the real MVP. Acupuncture enhances circulation, supports hormonal balance, reduces inflammation, and keeps stress levels in check. Plus, regular acupuncture visits mean we can monitor your progress, adjust your plan, and keep you on track toward your goals. That’s why we structure our lab panels with acupuncture in mind—because the combination is that good.
Our Functional Lab Panels
Want to know what’s really going on inside your body? Functional lab testing provides clear insights so we can address imbalances before they become bigger issues. Here’s what we offer:
General Wellness Panel
This comprehensive baseline assessment helps evaluate important markers like blood sugar, thyroid function, iron levels, and inflammation. It provides a snapshot of your overall health, allowing us to detect any early imbalances and create a personalized plan to support your vitality and well-being.
Basic Women’s Hormone Panel
This panel dives deeper into your hormone health, testing key hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. It’s perfect for managing perimenopause, menopause, or simply understanding why you may be feeling out of sync. The insights from this test allow us to tailor a hormone-balancing protocol that addresses your specific needs.
Fatigue Panel
If you’re constantly feeling drained, this panel evaluates your thyroid function, nutrient levels, and key stress hormones to uncover the root causes of your exhaustion. By understanding the underlying factors behind your fatigue, we can provide targeted support to restore your energy and overall well-being.
Advanced Fatigue & Adrenal Panel
For those dealing with burnout, chronic stress, or adrenal fatigue, this panel offers a comprehensive hormone assessment along with a 24-hour cortisol mapping test. These results help us pinpoint the specific causes of your fatigue and stress, enabling us to craft a customized plan that supports your body’s recovery and resilience.
Advanced Women’s Hormone & DUTCH Cycle Mapping Lab Package
Hormonal shifts can play a significant role in how you feel physically and emotionally. From fatigue and brain fog to mood swings and sleep disturbances, changes in hormone levels can impact overall well-being. That’s why this comprehensive testing package provides a deep, personalized look at your hormone balance throughout the entire cycle, giving you the clarity and insights needed to address underlying imbalances.
This package includes a range of lab tests that assess key markers related to thyroid health, metabolic function, and overall wellness. Additionally, we dive deep into cycle-specific hormone testing. The standout component of this package is the DUTCH Cycle Mapping test, which helps identify imbalances and guides us in tailoring treatments to restore balance, whether you’re dealing with perimenopause, menopause, or other age-related hormone concerns.
How to Get Started
If you’re ready to start feeling better, booking a New Patient Appointment is the first step. We’ll take a full health history, discuss your goals, and create an acupuncture treatment plan ideal for you and your personal health concerns. This is also where you start if you’d like to order functional lab testing. From there, we’ll go over lab options and design a plan that makes sense for you—without the overwhelming supplement pile.
Aging gracefully isn’t about “anti-aging.” It’s about feeling your best at every stage of life. Let’s make it happen—on your terms, with your body’s wisdom leading the way.