283: A Case Study in Clinical Simplicity – Don’t Skip the Low-Hanging Fruit

We’ve all been there – staring at a complex patient case wondering if we should order a full blood lab panel, GI test, or pull out the saliva testing options. But sometimes the fastest way to get a quick clinical outcome is to start by keeping it simple… and that’s exactly what this episode is about.

In today’s impromptu episode, I’m walking you through a recent patient conversation that illustrates this point perfectly. He’s a high-stress, high-anxiety guy with poor-sleep, and not the best diet, but he really wants to get better. So I did what seemed obvious – I kept it simple, didn’t overload him with supplements, and not surprisingly, he got better real quick!

This episode is your reminder (and mine!) that the real magic often lies in the low-hanging fruit: addressing stress, digestion, sleep, and diet.

Let’s simplify it together. 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How I approach every patient consult – by asking great questions 
• My go-to starter protocol for stress and anxiety (spoiler: Calm Restore is the star!) 
• Why I never tell patients to eliminate all the bad foods at once 
• What an anxiety-causing lump in the throat, and heart palpitations were actually telling me 
• The clinical wins that led to 5+ referrals from this one patient 

Clinical Takeaways:

• Address stress first. If cortisol is high, nothing else will resolve. 
• Upper digestion is essential. Start with bitters and/or enzymes. 
• Patients respond best when they feel seen. Overwhelm is real – so go slow, be intentional, and see faster wins.  
• Snoring and disrupted sleep = adrenal clues. Mouth taping + an intentional evening snack can make a huge difference. 
• Trust what the body’s telling you. Symptoms often tell you more than labs ever could. 

Ready to Build Clinical Confidence Like This?

If you want more clinical insights, simple protocols, and a searchable database of over 120 clinical conditions, you need to be inside Clinical Academy. The information is relevant for every functional medicine / wellness practitioner – it’s a clinical game-changer!

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Products Mentioned:

• Gaia Calm Restore 
• Gaia Ashwagandha 700 
• Gaia Sleep Maintenance 
• Angostura Bitters (used for digestive support) 
• MediHerb Digest Forte 
• Standard Process Zypan 
• MediHerb Sinus Forte + Goldenseal (for mucus and sinus support) 
• Celtic sea salt (for mineral balance + nighttime urination)