Functional Medicine
CLINICAL BLOG | INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE Parallel Worlds of Healing: Chinese Medicine’s Spleen and Kidney Schools Meet Functional Medicine Yoon Hang “John” Kim, MD, MPH Board-Certified, Preventive Medicine and Integrative/Holistic Medicine • Direct Integrative Care MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This article is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice,
Functional Medicine
FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PERSPECTIVE By Yoon Hang “John” Kim, MD, MPH Board-Certified in Preventive Medicine and Integrative/Holistic Medicine Yoon Hang Kim MD| directintegrativecare.com KEY CLINICAL POINTS • Obesity is reframed as a hormonal disorder driven by chronic hyperinsulinemia, not simply an energy-balance problem. • Three complementary clinical frameworks — Westman (therapeutic carbohydrate
ketone
CLINICIAN-AUTHORED REVIEW Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH Board-Certified in Preventive Medicine | Integrative & Functional Medicine MD • Exogenous ketones — supplements that raise circulating β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) without requiring strict carbohydrate restriction — have moved from a niche athletic supplement to a metabolic therapy being tested in Alzheimer's disease, heart failure, type
mold
Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH | Board Certified in Preventive Medicine| Integrative & Functional Medicine Physician Focusing on Root Causes | www.directintegrativecare.com MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Laboratory testing should be ordered, interpreted, and acted upon only under
Pentosan
Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium (PPS) From Bladder Pain to Broad-Spectrum Tissue Protection A Comprehensive Academic Review
ldn
Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN): A Functional Medicine Approach to Autoimmunity, Lyme Disease, Long COVID, and Chronic Illness
cholesterol
Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH Board-Certified in Preventive Medicine & Integrative/Holistic Medicine Osher Fellow, Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine | IFM Scholar Updated April 2026 MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Supplements can have drug interactions, side effects, and quality-control
constipation
A Functional Medicine Approach to Chronic Constipation: Root Causes, Microbiome Optimization, and an Evidence-Based Stepwise Protocol Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH Board-Certified in Preventive Medicine | Integrative & Functional Medicine Physician www.directintegrativecare.com Medical Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It
ldn
By Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH Board Certified in Preventive Medicine | Integrative & Functional Medicine Physician MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information presented here should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or
EDS
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The supplement and nutritional strategies discussed here are drawn from the published literature and clinical experience but should not replace individualized guidance from a qualified healthcare provider. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a complex, multisystem condition,
methylene blue
Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH Board-Certified in Preventive Medicine | Integrative & FunctionalMedicine Physician | www.directintegrativecare.com March 2026 Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Methylene blue should only be used under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider. Most applications discussed
gut restoration
5R protocol. It’s elegant, logical, and for many patients, it works. Remove the offending agents. Replace what’s missing. Reinoculate with beneficial organisms. Repair the mucosal lining. Rebalance lifestyle factors.