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The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership

Providing functional and integrative practitioners the needed knowledge, research, and skills they need to run a thriving and effective practice.

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“I believe highly skilled clinicians who have a strong evidence-based background are what our profession needs to advance and take its rightful place as a leading option for sick patients. Dr. Ruscio delivers in this regard…”

Dr. Dan Kalish

Dr. Dan Kalish

Author, The Kalish Method

Today I’m inviting you to join me in exploring what I consider to be the next phase of functional medicine.

A phase focused on better patient outcomes…cost-effective functional medicine…and explosive practice growth.

These ideas are the driving force behind my successful practice. They’ve helped me successfully treat thousands of patients in the last few years.

And they are the reason why my clinic has a waiting list.

But while a thriving practice is great, this isn’t just about growing a successful clinic. It’s about serving and healing more patients. Patients who desperately need your help, but often can’t afford it.

It’s about making functional medicine a real force for good.

Not just an ‘alternative’ option for those with huge bank balances.

The Future of Functional Medicine

Giving practitioners the enhanced knowledge they need to run a thriving, effective clinic.

The Truth About Functional Medicine

If you’ve been working in functional medicine for a while, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

You worry about it…your colleagues discuss it behind closed doors…and your patients constantly complain to you about it…

Functional medicine has become far too elaborate and expensive.

Testing…supplements…and special diets can run into the thousands. And while patients — who are desperate to get better — will find a way to pay these fees, they are not happy about it. In fact, they often suspect a cheaper, more effective option is available.

And they are 100% correct.

That is why hundreds of disgruntled patients now seek me out. And they will seek you out too, if you’re willing to make a shift.

Let me explain…

For the last several years, I’ve been practicing a more practical and cost-effective model of functional medicine. A type of FM that focuses on clinically relevant testing and dispenses with confusing protocols.

I realized that more treatment and more testing does not equal better results.

In fact, the opposite is often true. By trying to do too much, you can cripple yourself with information overload. When you focus on core fundamentals, you are able to be more effective because you are less distracted.

For example: cholesterol levels…blood sugar…inflammatory markers…food allergies…and antibodies have all been shown to improve after treating gut infections and dysbiosis. So, if you succeed in treating GI infections and dysbiosis, food reactions and food allergy testing are no longer needed.

In fact, by understanding and treating the gut, you can heal a near endless range of seemingly ‘unrelated’ diseases and symptoms, such as:

  • Fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Female hormonal imbalances
  • Celiac disease
  • Food reactivity
  • Cravings
  • Depression
  • Acne
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Joint Pain
  • Dry or thinning hair and skin
  • Slowed metabolism

And of course, let’s not forget digestive symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, loose stools, reflux and heartburn. Any of these symptoms are absolute confirmation that a problem in the gut is present.

Don’t get me wrong. Can treating the gut heal everything under the sun?

No. I’m not a ‘gut zealot’. But my extensive studies on the microbiota and, more importantly, my hundreds of clinical results all point to one thing…

Treating the gut FIRST will take care of many of the symptoms I listed above and completely eradicate the need for expensive, irrelevant testing.

In a sense, it should be every FM practitioner’s ‘first stop’. Treat the gut and you will — at the very least — clear the way for effective, relevant testing. And in many cases, you’ll solve your client’s issue altogether.

When you tweak your practice to focus on the gut and clinical-relevant testing, the result will be:

Less extensive testing (you save your patients time)

Cost-effective treatment (you save your patients money)

The ability to treat more patients who need your help

Happier patients

I’m now convinced that this is the way forward for functional medicine. And in fact, I’ve completely turned away from my old methods of exhaustive testing and complex, expensive protocols.

Instead, I’ve distilled my clinical practice down to those two fundamentals I mentioned above. They are:

  1. Mastery of the gut.
  2. Understanding what types of test are clinically relevant and necessary…and ignoring everything else.

I want to share these fundamentals with you in a new, exciting publication I’ve just launched. You’ll get the full details in just a moment…

But first, let me draw your attention to one of the most perplexing and ironic facets of functional medicine today…

While I’ve been striving to make my testing and treatments simpler…the ‘gurus’ have become more complex.

Stay On The Cutting Edge Of Functional Medicine with FFMR PLUS

“This resource is hands down, one of the best tools out there to grow your clinical expertise.”

Dr. Rob Abbott

‘Magic Protocols’ Are KILLING Your Practice

Let me ask you a question, and be honest…

Have you ever worried that if you can’t help a patient, it will damage your reputation?

That, eventually, your practice will spiral into an unsuccessful, unprofitable mess?

Honestly, I felt like this early in my career. Overcoming this fearful mindset was one of the most liberating feelings of my professional life. So I can say from experience: this type of fear is a huge roadblock to a clinician’s progress.

It’s also more common than you might think.

You fall into a pattern where you’re always searching for the next magic protocol provided by a ‘guru’. If one protocol or one guru’s advice doesn’t work, you bounce to the next and the next, forever looking for that silver bullet that will make you a superstar clinician and vanquish all your practice fears.

In fact, I’d say almost ALL up-and-coming clinicians suffer from this subtle fear. And the result is almost always the same.

This doesn’t help you at all. It shuts off your ability to think, reflect, and learn from your patients.

Now, you might not be bouncing from guru to guru, but there is no shame if you have been. As I said, I too was stuck in this cycle at one point in my career. But please hear me when I say this: liberating yourself from a reliance on products and magic protocols will be one of the best things you ever do for your professional career.

For your patients. And for your practice.

And of course, it’s relatively simple to do so.

With the right approach, you can understand and master fundamental principles rather than waste time chasing the next magic bullet. And when a desperately sick patient turns up at your clinic…you’ll have the knowledge to treat them with confidence.

Those two pillars — practical functional medicine, and a liberation from gurus and magic bullets — are the foundation of the new publication I mentioned earlier.

The Future of Functional Medicine

Giving practitioners the enhanced knowledge they need to run a thriving, effective clinic.

“I would highly recommend his work for both the suffering patient and the clinician looking to sharpen their skills.”

Dr. Dan Kalish

Join A Select Group Of Practitioners To Receive The Future of Functional Medicine

Its name reflects its focus on this new phase of functional medicine — simplified testing, cost-effective treatment, and the practice growth that comes as a result.

And its goal is to equip practitioners, like you, with the knowledge and skills you need to run a truly successful and effective practice.

Each month’s review will be broken up into four distinct components

SECTION I: Case Study

Model These Successful Practices

Sick…Depressed…And Desperate…
THIS Is How I Turned It ALL Around…

Many of my readers and patients are surprised to discover I was not always the energetic, positive person they know today.

In my early 20s — while I was still slogging away at med school — I slowly became very, very sick. As my health deteriorated, I spent thousands of dollars…saw countless experts…and, eventually, questioned my sanity while looking for a cure. Most frustrating of all, I even had my family doctor, an intern and an endocrinologist tell me there was NOTHING wrong with me.

It wasn’t until I spent my last $300 on a consult with a FM doctor that I was diagnosed with intestinal inflammation. It was from this point on that my healing finally began. I was so moved by this experience that I decided to shift the focus of my studies entirely.

Of course, I still finished my degree, holistic studies, and had my exercise qualifications in my back pocket. But in my heart, from that moment on, I was dedicated to functional medicine. And in the last few years, I have helped hundreds of patients recover from similarly devastating symptoms using what I’ve learned.

In fact, some of their symptoms and stories are so similar to mine that it is, quite frankly, frustrating.

Functional medicine is STILL not reaching the people that need it most.

And medical professionals are STILL engaging in needlessly complex testing.

But rather than complain about it, I’m going to do something. I’m launching my The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership. It’s my hope that it will equip functional medicine practitioners with the fundamental information they need to be a truly effective clinician.

The first section of your monthly Review includes a detailed case-study demonstrating what cost-effective functional medicine looks like, in practice. The goal is to give you an ‘insider view’ of my own clinic — what kind of tests I run…how I interpret them…how I reduce costs…and how you can apply the same techniques and principles in your own practice. You’ll even discover how I communicate and frame delicate issues with my patients. Plus, we’ll spend some time discussing how you can use a negative reaction from a patient in order to grow as a clinician (rather than feel confused or unsure).

Each case study will include:

  • Patient information
  • History and exam details
  • Testing and initial recommendations
  • Lab interpretation and treatment evaluation
  • Assessment
  • Recommendations

And my own personal comments on each particular case.

This is the kind of information I would have killed for when I started experimenting with a simpler model in Walnut Creek. I believe these case studies will shave months, if not years, off your transition to a more effective type of functional medicine.

In short, I’m including these case studies because I believe they are the simplest way to help you treat more patients, more efficiently.

Hide Contents

SECTION II: Research Review

I Read Hundreds Of The Latest Medical Abstracts Every Month… Here’s What I Discovered

Over the last three years, I’ve spent hundreds of hours reading the most recent and important scientific extracts. I was digging for gold…looking to find the strand that would connect a patient’s unusual symptoms with a new protocol…or for an insight that would provide a cheaper solution to problems I was confronted with on a daily basis at my clinic.

I took up this EXTREMELY time-consuming task because I believed it was absolutely necessary to ensure I was giving my patients the best care.

However, through my study I uncovered a sad truth…

Most scientific abstracts are simply not worth the paper they’re printed on.

  • They’re either irrelevant to effective clinical-practice…
  • Good ideas executed so poorly that they become useless (and scientifically invalid)…
  • Or actually marketing in disguise! That is, marketing parading as science in order to inflate the ego of a guru.

BUT!

Despite all this, I STILL found the occasional gem amongst the muck… A new finding or study that had profound implications on my clinical practice. I consider it completely worth it to struggle through hours of nonsense to unearth these rare treasures. But that’s just me.

I realize not everyone has the luxury, or the inclination, to read through hundreds of pages of dense scientific text each month. But I also realize you’d probably love to get access to the most powerful and relevant core ideas…the stuff that can actually improve your practice and have a huge impact on your clinic.

So, in the second section of my monthly review, I’m going to do something unprecedented.

I’m going to open up my personal notes and share everything I unearth during these hours of study and research.

When you subscribe to the Review today, you’ll get summaries of the latest and most clinically relevant ideas — sent to you every month. This is practical stuff you can read today and start using tomorrow.

You’ll get three to five research studies with all the clinical takeaways extracted, and my own, clear interpretation of the findings, such as:

  • The Low FODMAP Diet and Exaggerated Immune Response…
  • Why I Consider TPO Antibodies Between 100 And 300 A Clinical ‘Win’…
  • GI Symptoms VS Depression — The Right Place To Start…
  • When Reaction To Antibiotics Doesn’t Indicate SIBO…
  • How To Sharpen Your Patient Intake Paperwork When Dealing With Hypothyroid Diagnosis…

In 10 minutes of reading, you’ll have covered hours of the newest material. And the next time you’re faced with a challenging set of symptoms, you’ll be as prepared as any medical practitioner in the country to help your patient.

See Contents

SECTION III: Practitioner Questions

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Running A Functional Medicine Clinic — Answered

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In the third section of the Review, I’ll tackle your most difficult and important questions.

Whether you’ve been prompted by an earlier issue of the Review…

A client has presented you with a particularly challenging set of symptoms…

Or you’re simply looking for a second opinion…

Each issue of the The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership will include a comments section where you can submit your most burning questions.

In the following issue, I’ll answer your questions, drawing on my years of clinical experience, along with my latest research.

I do promise to use all my resources to tackle the most important and pressing questions each and every month.

I can’t promise I’ll answer every single question submitted. However, I do promise to use all my resources to tackle the most important and pressing questions each and every month. You’ll get answers that not only benefit the individual practitioner, but also add to the ‘canon’ of functional medicine and help the community as a whole.

For example, in my first Review, a practitioner asked:

“Would anti-microbial herbs for SIBO also take care of SIFO?”

This is a great question to ask. Technically, we don’t know because there is so little available research on SIFO. But I take some time to explain my take on it, and how I’d approach a similar situation, including simple ideas on stool culture, Rifaximin, empirical monitoring and more.

See Contents

SECTION IV: Practitioner Tips

New Tests, Product Reviews, Recommendations & More…

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The final section of the report will cover additional information you can use to run a successful functional medicine clinic. It could be an announcement of a new test, an in-depth product review, an office tool that could save you hours every day, or an upcoming seminar where you can connect with other practitioners. This will be practical stuff you can use to make your life easier, and your practice thrive.

For example, in the first edition of the Review, I share an easy service that allows you to create HIPAA-compliant online forms for your patients. That might not seem like the most exciting thing in the world but, for any serious practitioner, it’s a real timesaver!

That’s the Review. Four sections. And dozens of practical ideas you can use every month to grow your clinic.

Your subscription will be delivered once a month as a digital file. You’ll be able to download it and read it at your leisure. And if you ever need to refer to the contents again, or check a particular study or protocol, it will be there when you need it.

You may even want to print it out and share it with colleagues. That’s fine too.

See Contents

Get Instant Access To This Month’s Future of Functional Medicine

Like any digital product, your access is instant. You won’t have to wait weeks for your first issue. You’ll get instant access to the current issue, and any back issues, as soon as you place your secure order (takes about 90 seconds…)

“Studying the cases you’ve presented has accelerated my clinical knowledge in natural and functional medicine.”

Joe Mather M.D Joe Mather M.D.

Now, if you’re reading this letter, there’s a good chance you’ve read some of my leading work on the gut and microbiota before. Or you may have seen me lecture at UC Berkeley, Sean Croxton’s Digestion Sessions, or the annual SIBO Symposium.

But I also realize this may be the first time you’ve ever visited my website or read my work.

You may not know me at all!

If that’s the case, I’d invite you to scroll down and read what some of my functional medicine colleagues have said about me.

This way, you’ll get a better idea of the content and quality of the The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership before you subscribe.

Trusted By Scientists, Authors And Clinicians Alike…

“Dr. Ruscio’s Future of Functional Medicine Review is a one of a kind clinician newsletter designed to get you to the core of both clinically relevant research and cost effective root cause approaches to restoring health. As a family medicine resident physician having spent many years in various forms of clinical education, this resource is hands down, one of the best tools out there to grow your clinical expertise. The functional and integrative medicine movement is currently lacking cost effective and evidence informed clinical resources to help emerging and current clinicians. The Future of Functional Medicine Review is filling that gap and then some. My personal clinical approach and capacity to critically examine the scientific literature has grown tremendously over the last 1.5 years since joining the newsletter and I encourage you, as a fellow busy clinician, to waste no time in joining this community and growing your capacity to help your patients heal.”

Rob Abbott, MD

MD, Co-Author of the FFMR

“I’ve been an avid reader of Dr. Ruscio’s blog and listener to his podcast since their inception. What I have come to expect from Dr. Ruscio is an intelligent and balanced discussion of whatever is the focus of discussion. For example, he does a remarkable job of discerning what we do know from what we don’t know about the results of microbiome research and the implications and action-steps that we can take from such studies.”

Aaron Blaisdell

PhD in Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience

“In the mysterious and mystifying system of the gastrointestinal track, Dr. Michael Ruscio has provided a field guide for the weary traveler in this world. He is able to take the vantage point of ‘Start with the Gut’ far beyond the basics to the level that every practitioner and patient would need to truly heal imbalances and provide a functional way for healthy living.”

Christopher Keroack MD IFMCP

Medical Director and CEO of Pioneer Valley Weight and Wellness Centers

“Dr. Ruscio is a leader in our field of functional medicine. He has always impressed me with his science based approach that also includes a practical application emphasis. I believe highly skilled clinicians who have a strong evidence based background are what our profession needs to advance and take its rightful place as a leading option for sick patients. Dr. Ruscio delivers in this regard. I would highly recommend his work for both the suffering patient and the clinician looking to sharpen their skills.”

Dr. Dan Kalish

Author, The Kalish Method: Healing the Body, Mapping the Mind

“I have enjoyed the support, guidance, and inspiration of a short list of thought leaders in the holistic health space. Dr. Michael Ruscio is on this list and is an exemplary model of a rare clinician who can effectively translate cutting edge science into clinical efficacy. His patients are living proof of his deep understanding of systems biology and specifically an advanced approach to the ancient practice of starting with the gut.”

Kelly Brogan MD ABIHM

Author of New York Times Bestseller A Mind of Your Own

“I have studied gut health for nearly 20 years and have encountered few people with the level of knowledge on this topic that Dr. Ruscio possesses. Interestingly, his knowledge is not confined merely to research concepts, nor a purely clinical understanding. Dr. Ruscio is unique in that his knowledge and experience is at the highest level both of the theory and practical application of improving gut health.”

Robb Wolf

Author, Wired To Eat

“I am very impressed with the research briefs. They are clear and concise and easy to look over quickly in a few minutes – exactly what busy practitioners need. Please congratulate Michael for doing an excellent job with an issue that surely needed to be addressed.”

Dr. Jeffrey Moss

Moss Nutrition Founder

As I said before, my goal for the Future of Functional Medicine Review Clinical Newsletter is to give you the skills and practical tools you need to grow a successful clinic.

A clinic that can have a real impact on the lives of your patients and help bring functional medicine the widespread attention it deserves. I want as many practitioners as possible to get access to these important ideas, and I’ve priced the review very modestly as a result.

In addition we now also offer the The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership PLUS Research Briefs.

One of the ways in which I’ve stayed abreast of new papers being published, and therefore new findings, has been via what’s known as a PubMed saved search. PubMed is one of the leading medical research databases, and most studies, not all, but most studies will be indexed in PubMed. So instead of following all these various journals, you go to this aggregation body of PubMed. I’ve been honing this series of saved searches in PubMed for many years now and I’m very excited to say that we’re making that available as an expanded subscription of our FFMR.

In addition to all the valuable content in our regular FFMR, with the The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership PLUS Research Briefs each month you’ll get access to:

  • 4 weekly written brief of the best or the most impactful and relevant to functional medicine studies summarized very concisely.
  • A corresponding audio read for each briefing. So if you are busy, you can go through the audio and make a mental notes to return to the studies that interest you.

Most professional certifications and seminars can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. That seems a fair price to pay to get access to new ideas, testing procedures, and techniques that can drastically improve your patients’ lives, if not outright save them.

However, I haven’t priced the Review anywhere near those prices.

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Join Me In Exploring The Future Of Functional Medicine

Functional medicine practice is not an easy path. Being trusted with the wellbeing of a patient is one of the most rewarding AND potentially devastating challenges you’ll ever take on. There’s the soaring highs of helping a client back to full health…and the gut-wrenching lows of losing a patient, or simply being unable to ease their pain.

Added to that, in many ways we’re still on the frontier of this type of medicine. There is still so much to uncover about the gut, microbiota, and how to run a clinic that is compassionate, effective and commercially successful.

I know it’s impossible to know it all…to heal every patient…to know every answer…but I’m determined to do my best.

The The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership is my next logical step as a practitioner, educator and healer.

And if you’d like to join me in exploring it, I’d love to have you along.

The Future of Functional Medicine Clinical Membership

FFMR
FFMR PLUS Research Briefs

Case Studies

Research Reviews

Practitioner Questions

Practitioner Tips

+4 Weekly functional medicine study briefs

+4 Audio readings for each briefing

$29 /month
$49 /month
In health, Dr. Michael Ruscio