“Essentials of Functional Medicine”
Introduction to the Essentials of Functional Medicine
On Demand Video replays
$495 for 1-year access
CE credits = 8 Hours (see state list below)
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Essentials of Functional Medicine Course
My goal in this course is to share with you the most essential thought processes in practicing functional medicine.
When many clinicians first learn functional medicine, they start with simple rules like fixing a leaky gut or detoxing heavy metals instead of learning critical thinking.
Good functional medicine requires a step-by-step critical thinking approach to essential concepts such as gastrointestinal disorders, immune dysfunctions, autoimmunity, hepatic biotransformation, and toxicological load.
Common conditions such as fatigue and hormonal imbalances require investigating underlying causes instead of uniform supplement protocols.
Fatigue is a clinical deal breaker for recovery
One of the most concerning patient complaints is fatigue. They are telling you their bio-energetic systems are inefficient, and they cannot recover.
Sometimes, identifying the cause of fatigue is simple. Maybe they have low blood sugar, which can cause fatigue between meals, whereas high blood sugar and insulin resistance cause fatigue after meals.
If cognitive tasks, reading, or driving cause fatigue, these are early signs of neurodegeneration or poor brain endurance. Other times, it’s very general.
You must do diagnostic laboratory testing to figure out what’s going on.
But I guarantee if you’re working with chronically ill patients who struggle with fatigue—which all of you are—you cannot resolve their case unless you identify and address why they have fatigue.
You must go into clinical steps to promote factors such as mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy. This will allow them to start developing their own mitochondria throughout their tissues. Things like getting them to sleep well, moving daily, and developing rhythms with their routines are all important to change their physiology so they can begin to recover.
You must always work in a north-to-south direction with gut issues
When it comes to treating bacterial overgrowth, leaky gut, inflammatory bowel disease, and other gut disorders, you must always work in a north-to-south direction.
Do your patients:
- Have the ability to chew
- Have peristalsis
- Produce saliva
- Produce hydrochloric acid
- Release pancreatic enzymes
- Release bile, etc.?
These things must happen in a north-to-south fashion for the gut to have the proper pH and environment. A common mistake many clinicians make is they go straight to probiotics, antimicrobials, or other supplements without considering the north-to-south approach.
For instance, if you ignore hypochlorhydria, you’re unlikely to make changes downstream in the gut. Various factors underlie hypochloridria, including an H. pylori infection, the most common infection worldwide, or undiagnosed hypothyroidism.
Exaggerated neurological reactions
An exaggerated neurological reaction to simple triggers suggests “glial priming” – when the brain or the nervous system overreacts to very little inflammatory activity.
We commonly see this in people with past brain injuries. For example, someone who was hit in the back of their head and sustained a cerebellum injury may experience vertigo, nausea, or a sense of unsteadiness in response to an inflammatory trigger.
Someone who sustained damaged in the right parietal lobe may experience numbness in the left side of the body or tingling in their face in response to a trigger.
Whenever you see a patient with a disproportionate neurological response to common inflammatory triggers, you should think of neuroglia priming and ways to dampen it.
Looking at toxic load alone is not enough
If you test 100 people for toxins, they’re all going to have evidence of toxins in their bodies. Every human being these days has a toxicological load.
Obviously, that’s not good, and we want to reduce the toxicological load in our patients.
But it’s not appropriate to link every disorder and disease to heavy metals or toxins. You risk overlooking vital underlying mechanisms with such a narrow view.
A variety of things beyond the toxicological load must happen for toxins to make that person sick:
- Their gut, blood-brain, and pulmonary barriers weaken and become permeable.
- They have an inflammatory immune reaction to the toxins.
- Toxins bind with proteins in the body to trigger an immune response.
These variables explain why some people with a toxic load are healthy and symptom-free while others with trace levels have significant responses.
Looking at toxic load by itself is not enough to determine the underlying causes of chronic health conditions.
Understanding the clinical limitations of probiotics
It’s important to understand the clinical limitations of probiotics. They may have a temporary effect, and they will affect each person differently. One strain may work wonderfully with one patient and not at all with another.
They can also have negative effects on some patients, causing bloating, distention, or other reactions.
The gut microbiome also changes constantly, so the effects can vary based on the current microbiome status.
While probiotics can be clinically effective, they’re more of a short-term solution. Dietary and lifestyle changes will have the most lasting impact on microbiome diversity.
The key is knowing where to start with chronically ill patients
It’s common for patients with chronic illness to arrive at your office having tried a variety of protocols based on misguided and incorrect information. They’re often emotionally worn out and financially exhausted.
When a patient has multiple symptoms and disorders, the key is knowing where to start.
As someone who has been educating functional medicine practitioners for the past 25 years, knowing where to start with a chronically ill patient is where I see the experienced functional medicine practitioners distinguish themselves from the novices.
The experienced practitioner knows how to do a workup, survey how the various systems work together, and which thread to pull first to begin unraveling the pathophysiological web of chronic health disorders.
You don’t want to be the practitioner who has rules like, “Always start with the gut,” “It’s always parasites,” or “It’s always heavy metals.” These are examples of inefficient, non-critical thinking as a clinician.
Functional medicine requires a step-by-step process of critical thinking
My goal in this course is to share with you the most essential thought processes in practicing functional medicine.
When many first learn functional medicine, they start with simple rules like fixing a leaky gut or detoxing heavy metals instead of learning critical thinking.
Good functional medicine requires a step-by-step critical thinking approach to essential concepts such as gastrointestinal disorders, immune dysfunctions, autoimmunity, hepatic biotransformation, and toxicological load.
Dr. Kharrazian is a leading expert in functional medicine
Datis Kharrazian, PhD, DHSc, DC, MS, MMSc, FACN, is a Harvard Medical School trained researcher, clinical research scientist, academic professor, and a functional medicine health care provider. Dr. Kharrazian earned a Master of Medical Science degree (MMSc) in Clinical Investigation from Harvard Medical School, and is a member of the Harvard Medical Alumni Association and the American Association of Immunologists.
Today, Dr. Kharrazian’s clinical models of functional medicine are used by several academic institutions, and thousands of health care clinics and practices providers throughout the world.
He maintains a private practice near San Diego, California, and consults with patients from all over the world who are seeking non-pharmaceutical alternatives. His practice is focused on developing a personalized medical approach using diet, nutrition, and lifestyle approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do any materials come with this course?
You receive access to all the recorded live videos, presentation slides, published papers, Q&A’s, assessment forms, supplement information, protocols, and all other supporting material for one year after the livestream. This means you can rewatch the recorded lectures as many times as you’d like during this period.
Do I receive continuing education credits for this class?
8 hours of CEs are available for licensed health care practitioners. Please see the bottom of this page for more particulars.
What if I can’t digest all the information at once?
First, you are given pre-class reading material to begin familiarizing yourself with the material. Then, you have access to the recorded lectures and supporting materials for up to three years (depending on when you purchase). This means you can rewatch lectures as many times as you need.
What if I have questions after the class?
When you register you are invited to join a Members Only Kharrazian Institute Facebook group where you can ask questions and discuss cases with other practitioners.
How can patients in my area learn about me and the fact that I have taken this class?
We have created an online practitioner referral page. Licensed practitioners who have completed all of the Kharrazian Institute courses will be added to the list. Patients can search the list to look for practitioners in their area.
What if parts of the class are unfamiliar to me?
All of the Kharrazian Institute classes are designed to complement one another. As you take all the courses over time you will receive an extraordinarily comprehensive functional medicine education. Different pieces of human physiology, neurology, immunology, and endocrinology all fit together like pieces of a puzzle for one comprehensive understanding of patient evaluation and care.
MARK HYMAN, MD
Dr. Kharrazian has been a prominent educator and highly-respected clinician in the functional medicine community since the inception of functional medicine. He is an expert clinician and an innovator in this field.
CLEVELAND CLINIC, DIRECTOR OF CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
CHAIRMAN, INSTITUTE FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
TEN-TIME NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR
JEFFREY BLAND, PHD, FACN, FACB
I have had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Kharrazian for more than a decade and observing his professional growth and impact as a key opinion leader in the field of Functional Neurology. He is voracious in his pursuit of learning and skill development. His pursuit of post-graduate studies at Harvard in research methods has embellished his already significant expertise in systems medicine and its application to Functional Medicine. He has a unique skill in making complex information accessible to his students and patients alike, which is a measure of an individual who is a master of his field. Dr. Kharrazian is a humble, quietly competent leader who leads by example and his presence. The Functional Medicine field is rapidly evolving, and it is through the work and leadership of a select group of professionals, of which Dr. Kharrazian is a recognized leader, that it is growing in both its adoption and successful application to the treatment of complex chronic diseases. It is truly a pleasure to call Dr. Kharrazian both a colleague and friend in our mutual advocacy in the development and application of Functional Medicine.
CO-FOUNDER, INSTITUTE OF FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
PRESIDENT, PERSONALIZED LIFESTYLE MEDICINE INSTITUTE
Why is Dr. Kharrazian’s Essentials of Functional Medicine course different?
Dr. Kharrazian is an actual clinician who has been successfully practicing the benefits of functional medicine in the United States and Europe for more than 20 years.
Dr. Kharrazian has witnessed countless real-life patient scenarios and developed proven strategies to address commonly overlooked issues.
Dr. Kharrazian is both a scientist and an educator.
Dr. Kharrazian has been an innovator in the field of functional medicine since its inception.
Dr. Kharrazian stays continually up-to-date with the latest scientific and medical research.
Dr. Kharrazian was trained as a clinical investigator (Master of Medical Science in Clinical Investigation) at Harvard Medical School and can effectively share with you the most relevant research.
Dr. Kharrazian has published a number of immunology studies in the most respected medical journals in the world.
DAVE PERLMUTTER, MD, FACN, ABIHM
Dr. Kharrazian’s work represents the vanguard in our understanding of the role of lifestyle choices in charting the brain’s destiny. His highly effective educational outreach has opened the door for countless healthcare providers, allowing them to dramatically increase their effectiveness in treating and indeed preventing so many of the pernicious conditions that plague our modern society.
AUTHOR, #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING BOOK,
GRAIN BRAIN AND BRAIN MAKER
KELLY BROGAN, MD, ABIHM
Dr. Datis Kharrazian is one of the most powerful clinicians of our time. From the lab to the clinic, he has studied, vetted, and applied his cutting-edge science to heal patients all over the world. I consider him to be a foremost authority in a systems approach to recovery and wellness.
AUTHOR, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING BOOK, A MIND OF YOUR OWN
TERRY WAHLS, MD, IFMCP
Dr. Kharrazian is a brilliant clinician educator who has inspired many, myself included. He is superb at teaching clinicians the power of using functional medicine-oriented history and physical examination to understand and address the root causes of disease and health. Integrating the latest research and years of clinical experience, Dr. Kharrazian, is an international leader in Functional Medicine.
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF THE WAHLS PROTOCOL – HOW I BEAT
PROGRESSIVE MS USING PALEO PRINCIPLES AND FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, CARVER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
On Demand Registration
Essentials of Functional Medicine
Welcome to ON DEMAND registration for KI Course Fifteen – Essentials of Functional Medicine. After registration, you’ll have access to the course for 1-year from the date of your registration. IMPORTANT: You should take the exam in a timely manner in order to get the appropriate credit (if available) from NUHS, or to receive the KI Certificate of Completion.
Current status for CE credits via ON Demand video replays for state licenses is located HERE.
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Kharrazian Institute Essentials Course Registration Fees
$495 for 1-year access to all materials
Any registrant can renew access to any course for an additional year for a $100.00 fee instead of the original registration fee.
Student discounts are no longer available.
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ON DEMAND Registration
Essentials of Functional Medicine Course
This checkout button reserve ON DEMAND access to Course Fifteen on the KI Learning website for all course materials, videos, testing, and transcripts. After registration, you will have 1-year access from the date of your registration. If you have questions, please email us HERE.
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CE Credits and KI Certificate of Completion
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Testimonials about the Kharrazian Institute courses
More testimonials
PEDRAM SHOJAI, OMD
Dr. Kharrazian is one of the greatest minds in the functional medicine space. He’s a trailblazer and an innovator. His courses are gold and his direction is wise. If you’re in healthcare and are ready to be on the right side of history, study with this man.
AUTHOR, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING BOOK, THE URBAN MONK
FOUNDER OF WELL.ORG
DAVID MUSNICK, MD
Dr. Kharrazian is one of the most skilled Functional medicine practitioners in the country. His understanding of interrelationships in physiology puts him in the top tier of Functional Medicine writers and educators in this country.
FACULTY OF THE INSTITUTE FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
NORA GEDGAUDAS, CNS, NTP, BCHN
Datis Kharrazian is truly among the great medical geniuses of our time. His capacity to think outside the box is second to none. He brings cutting-edge insights to the table that others have missed along the way and for this we should be eternally grateful.
AUTHOR, PRIMAL BODY, PRIMAL MIND AND PRIMAL FAT BURNER
ELIZABETH BOHAM, MD, RD
Dr. Kharrazian is a leader in functional medicine, always looking to discover the root cause of illness or dysfunction in the body and, most importantly, uncovering novel therapies to improve optimal function.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE ULTRAWELLNESS CENTER
MARK FLANNERY, DC, MS, BS
Dr. Kharrazian’s education gave me the knowledge and confidence to take on complicated chronic cases. I would not have the patient success I have without the information I gained from Dr. Kharrazian. I have taken many seminars by many different doctors but I could not do what I do without the knowledge I gained from Dr. Kharrazian.
DIRECTOR OF HEALTH WISE CLINICAL NUTRITION
JOSHUA REDD, DC, MS
Dr. Kharrazian’s education has been pivotal in every aspect of my practice. His curriculum has been my foundation for building seven thriving functional medicine clinics. I couldn’t ask for a more rewarding career path.
FOUNDER OF RED RIVER HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER
AUTHOR, THE TRUTH ABOUT LOW THYROID
SHANE STEADMAN, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS
In the last decade, I have seen Dr. Kharrazian change the landscape of healthcare. His ability to integrate functional medicine, immunology, and neurology is second to none. Individuals like Dr. Kharrazian come around once in a lifetime. I could not be more honored to learn from him and consider him to be a wonderful mentor. I sincerely believe the Kharrazian Institute will continue to evolve health care.
DIRECTOR, INTEGRATED HEALTH SYSTEMS AND INTEGRATED BRAIN CENTERS
