Meet Derek
Functional Medicine Practitioner & Doctor of Pharmacy
My goal is to help people experience health, wellness, & healing so that they can fulfill the plans & purposes for their life.
​
Growing up I had several odd health issues that medical doctors couldn't really figure out or fix. I can remember my parents trying everything. They even took me to a holistic Amish physician because I had excessive sweating from my feet in hopes of finding something that would help. I played basketball, and my feet sweated so much that I'd get these huge blisters and I barely could walk. This was happening constantly. I was putting a glob of Vaseline on the bottoms of my feet and changing out socks several times a practice and a game, and still, the pain was excruciating. I also had significant acid reflux & digestive issues that led me to the emergency room a few times from the pain....and nothing really was ever done that helped. I'd be given some medications that "may" manage my symptoms for a little while but they would eventually stop working if they helped at all.
​
​
​
​
What does working with Derek look like?
During our initial consultation, we will work together to develop a personalized treatment plan that enables you to take steps to address the root cause of your current conditions. This will often include nutrition, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations. In many cases, running functional blood labs will help us understand how your body is currently functioning & help us pinpoint the root cause of symptoms.
​
Functional Medicine seeks to determine how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root cause of disease rather than managing symptoms.
This approach empowers us to work together to address the underlying causes of your disease or condition and take actionable steps to support your body's healing process & promote optimal wellness.
​
Our goal is to restore wellness within your body, and maintain it! I am passionate about being sure you don't feel left "on your own" even after completing our visits together. You will be equipped with the tools you need to succeed and follow-up conversations are always available.
​
I'm excited to be alongside your journey as you Thrive!
​
- Derek
​
​
Ten to fifteen years later I finally got tired of not feeling my best, having no energy, and being unable to lose weight around my midsection. I realized a large part of my problems were related to my bad dietary habits and eating "food" products that were incompatible with my health. So I started making changes to what I was eating, drinking, and doing on a daily basis. With time and consistency, my digestion dramatically improved, and I felt better, more energetic, and younger even - which all helped me to get back to and maintain a normal healthy weight.
What I didn't know at the time was I had a few key root cause issues behind my lifelong problems. I had several nutrient deficiencies due to my history of poor eating habits, dysbiosis from poor eating and taking meds that further promoted issues, & I had very high mercury levels from dental fillings that had been in my mouth since I was a child. Finding out these few things, especially the high mercury, explained why I had unusual issues growing up. I finally had an answer for the "why" behind my problems and an understanding of a direction forward.
I know what it's like to search for answers where you're told there are none or "there's nothing more we can do", or "this medicine should help", but it doesn't actually fix the problem or address the root issue. I got sick & tired of managing symptoms. I wanted to find and address the actual problem that was affecting me in every area of my life. How I felt from a health standpoint affected everything I could aspire to do. From family and relationships to everyday experiences I was able to enjoy and participate in.
We can live with our problems and find ways around them, but addressing the root causes of our problems can truly change everything for yourself and others around you.
I'm a husband to an amazing woman and a father to a 1 1/2-year-old little man. Because of how important they are to me, I enjoy helping mamas have more energy, improve metabolism, balance hormones, and show up every day for the ones they love feeling their best - because they are the heart of their family. And I love helping children because my little guy means the world to me & I believe most issues with children can be resolved so they don't have to deal with them as I did.
​
Why just survive when you can thrive?