Tuesday Apr 01, 2025

EP06: Weight Loss through the Functional Medicine Lens

Weight gain isn’t always a result of overconsumption; it’s often the body’s natural response to imbalances that go undetected for years.

In this episode, Tracy Harrison breaks down four functional imbalances commonly at the root of overweight and obesity, starting with insulin resistance that often hides behind “normal” labs. How many patients are told they’re fine when their metabolism is anything but?

Tracy explains how stress, subclinical hypothyroidism, hormone disruption, and environmental toxins can all push the body to hold onto weight, even when someone is doing everything “right.” Could that daily fatigue or bloating be tied to something deeper?

This episode leaves practitioners with a challenge: stop chasing symptoms and start identifying the early signs of imbalance. Because when we address the real root causes, weight loss becomes a natural outcome, and patients finally feel seen, supported, and in control.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Four Functional Imbalances Behind Weight Gain

03:27 Hidden Early Stages of Insulin Resistance

12:06 Why Standard Labs Miss Metabolic Dysfunction

15:10 Gut Health and Its Role in Metabolism

18:12 The Clinical Cost of Over-Relying on GLP-1 Medications

26:06 Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Overlooked Thyroid Markers

38:06 Estrogen Dominance and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

43:06 Adiposity, Hormone Synthesis, and Toxin Storage

48:00 Constipation, Retoxification, and Hormone Clearance

54:03 Sympathetic Dominance and Chronic Stress

52:00 Building Sustainable Weight Loss Through Root-Cause Care