Frequently Asked Questions

Listed below are answers to the most frequently asked questions from patients and visitors to our website

Functional medicine is personalized medicine that deals with primary prevention and underlying of symptoms for serious chronic disease. It is a patient-centered health care that addresses the unique interconnectedness of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors influencing both health, and complex chronic disease. It is anchored by assessing core clinical imbalances that that underlie various disease conditions which are assessed by functional laboratory tests.

Some imbalances that can lead to chronic disease often include sub-optimal cellular nutritional components, environmental and food allergens and toxins, disturbances of gastrointestinal flora and immune function.

Functional medicine is anchored by an examination of the core clinical imbalances that underlie various disease conditions. Those imbalances arise as environmental inputs such as diet, nutrients (including air and water), exercise, and trauma are processed by one’s body, mind, and spirit through a unique set of genetic predispositions, attitudes, and beliefs.

The fundamental physiological processes include communication, both outside and inside the cell; bioenergetics, or the transformation of food into energy; replication, repair, and maintenance of structural integrity, from the cellular to the whole body level; elimination of waste; protection and defense; and transport and circulation.

The core clinical imbalances that arise from malfunctions within this complex system include:

  • Hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances
  • Oxidation-reduction imbalances and mitochondropathy
  • Detoxification and biotransformational imbalances
  • Immune imbalances
  • Inflammatory imbalances
  • Digestive, absorptive, and microbiological imbalances
  • Structural imbalances from cellular membrane function to the musculoskeletal system

Imbalances such as these are the precursors to the signs and symptoms by which we detect and label (diagnose) organ system disease. Improving balance – in the patient’s environmental inputs and in the body’s fundamental physiological processes – is the precursor to restoring health and it involves much more than treating the symptoms. Functional medicine is dedicated to improving the management of complex, chronic disease by intervening at multiple levels to address these core clinical imbalances and to restore each patient’s functionality and health. Functional medicine is not a unique and separate body of knowledge. It is grounded in scientific principles and information widely available in medicine today, combining research from various disciplines into highly detailed yet clinically relevant models of disease pathogenesis and effective clinical management.

Functional medicine emphasizes a definable and teachable process of integrating multiple knowledge bases within a pragmatic intellectual matrix that focuses on functionality at many levels, rather than a single treatment for a single diagnosis. Functional medicine uses the patient’s story as a key tool for integrating diagnosis, signs and symptoms, and evidence of clinical imbalances into a comprehensive approach to improve both the patient’s environmental inputs and his or her physiological function. It is a clinician’s discipline, and it directly addresses the need to transform the practice of primary care. 

See: The Institute for Functional Medicine

Dr Rashel is a board certified Family Physician with nearly 2 decades of experience. She focuses her practice on Functional medicine and addressing symptoms and illness from the root cause.

Dr Rashel works with you through addressing the underlying causes of your symptoms to unveil the root causes of disease and any health condition. By addressing the 8 Essentials to Advance Health most all dis-ease can be addressed from the root causes and healed and or markedly improved. She works with a variety of conditions and symptoms with great results.

Yes when necessary the Doctor prescribes pharmaceutical medications, however there is an effort made to address problems in the most natural way possible and with first addressing modifiable factors that have contributed to disease, diet, lifestyle and toxins, nutrients, then as needed using bio-identical hormones and when needed pharmaceuticals.
Advance health Functional Medicine does not accept insurance for Functional Medicine and Anti-Aging medicine Services as these services are not covered services nor can patients file insurance claims directly. We do not assist with insurance or insurance filing. Due to the current insurance model, there are no appropriate codes for reimbursement of our services. However, many health savings accounts will cover our consultation fees and services. Some insurance carriers may cover lab tests ordered depending on the plan and benefits. Clients who prefer not to use insurance we have negotiated reasonable cash pricing for standard and advanced lab testing we can provide these when needed. Payment for the office visit, phone consultation, or lab tests is expected at time of service.
In Order to be able to provide the best care possible and care that is in line with our core beliefs and values of being able to put the patient first to treat the root cause of disease rather than mask symptoms and have patients undergo common unnecessary surgical procedures, and risks associated with multiple pharmaceuticals and procedures as custom in conventional medicine we choose to stay out of the Insurance model of care so that we can allocate the appropriate time to patient visits to actually get to know you and the problems and treat you in a manner in line with our principles of health and healing.
We offer a variety of laboratory testing that may involve blood, urine, stool or saliva and will be ordered for you based on your unique circumstances.

Yes we seek to use what is Wise and what Works for the benefit of our patients.

This includes all modalities that are safe tolerable, and effective.

Although prescription drugs as well as over the counter medications are used when the provider feels they are necessary, an attempt is first made to use products that are natural and or bio-identical to the body with primary focus on health production rather than disease treatment.

These include targeted nutritional supplements including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, essential fatty acids, herbs and bio- identical hormones.

As a service to you we make nutritional supplements available through the practice. These are hand picked formulated products that have gained my confidence through considerable research and experience. The quality of the recommended supplements is determined by evaluating (1) The quality of the science and research behind the products (2) the quality of the ingredients (3) the quality of the manufacturing process (4) the synergism among the product components (5) the predictability of the results achieved by using the products (6) our clinical experience and clinical success with using the recommended products.

The products recommended by the practice are those that meet our very high standards and produce predictable results.

Being that there is no FDA regulation on nutritional supplements and their quality, purity, actual ingredients or efficacy making these products available to you assures that you are getting the qualities outlined above rather than counterfeit products or products filled with fillers, impure ingredients, high amounts of toxins and impurities, that do not include active ingredients nor a concentration of an ingredient that can potentially be beneficial despite marketing schemes and advertisements.

The value of our recommended products includes your assurance of the products purity, quality, bioavailability (ability to be properly absorbed and utilized by the body) and likely effectiveness. One of the main reasons we make these products available is to ensure quality for favorable clinical results.

To begin the healing and wellness journey, you could fill out the Health Assessments and tell us about your health concerns.

Once you fill out the form, a patient care coordinator will be in touch with you within a few days to make sure that the care we provide fits your health needs.

You may also schedule an appointment by contacting the office at (310) 979-3434.

No, It is required that you have your own primary care physician. While the doctor is a board certified primary care physicians we do not provide acute care services. The doctor can work with you closely as a consultant and coach in preventive, nutritional and functional medicine to help you address the roots of chronic health problems. They can confer with your primary care doctor if required.

Please fill out the new patient intake forms and consents. You can find the intake forms here.

As an integral part of the Functional Medicine Model, we want to understand the complexity of your health story, all the factors that have affected your health, and how you have arrived where you are today. This process of getting to know you, your history, and needs helps us formulate a treatment plan that is specifically catered to you.

Part of the initial discovery process will be asked completing new patient forms upon scheduling your appointment. You may also provide pertinent medical records that may be important to better understand your medical situation. To better understand what medical records may be useful you can review the guidelines below. Most recent medical summary from your latest medical provider(s),
Including specialists you have seen for pertinent evaluations.

(Please do not send a series of medical office notes.

A summary describing most recent findings would be very valuable.

  • Recent lab results from the past 6 months
  • Other medical test summaries from the past year
  • Medical records summary from your provider that reflects a significant medical/surgical event that may have triggered a change in your status
  • Summary of current up to past 6 months of treatments
  • Genetic testing results
  • Recent Functional Medicine test results within the past one year
  • Mental health/psychiatric summary

DO NOT SEND:

  • Notes from routine medical office visits
  • Routine exam notes (this includes immunizations, routine physical exams, etc.)
  • Lab results that are over a year old
  • Diagnostic imaging films or disks
Yes, Dr Rashel works with many patients who have Autoimmunity and has seen great clinical improvements using her customized diagnostics and treatments plans, along with specific dietary and nutrient counseling using a Functional Medicine approach in autoimmune patients.

Dr Rashel Frequently treats the following medical symptoms and conditions.

These are the most common conditions treated however there are many other conditions and symptoms we treat.

  • Acne
  • Allergy
  • Arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADD, ADHD
  • Autoimmune Diseases
  • Cancer Prevention
  • Candidiasis
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Chronic Sinusitis
  • Depression and Anxiety
  • Detoxification and Healing
    Diabetes
  • Digestive Disorders (IBD, IBS, GERD/Reflux)
  • Eczema/Psoriasis
  • Elevated Cholesterol
  • Environmental and Food
    Allergies
  • Fatigue
  • Female Disorders (PMS, Menopause, Infertility, PCOS)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Healthy Aging
  • Healthy Weight and
    Metabolism
  • Heart Health
  • Hormone Balance
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Hashimotos
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Interstitial Cystitis
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Leaky Gut
  • Low testosterone
  • Low Libido
  • Mercury and Heavy Metal Toxicity
  • Metabolic Syndrome, Pre-
    Diabetes, Insulin
    Resistance
  • Migraines and Headaches
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Obesity
  • Osteoporosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Restless Leg Syndrome
  • Small Intestinal Bacterial
    Overgrowth
  • Sleep/Insomnia
  • Thyroid and Adrenal
    Disorders

With Customized Nutrition and Health Coaching a wide variety of health problems including (but not limited to) the list below can be successfully treated and improved:

  • Arthritis
  • Athletic Performance
    Brain Health (focus, cognition, memory)
  • Autoimmune Diseases
  • Cancer Prevention and Support
  • Detoxification imbalances
    ( multiple chemical sensitivities, history of toxin exposures, etc.)
  • Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
  • Digestive Disorders (IBS, Colitis, Crohns’ and reflux)
  • Environmental and Food
    Allergies
  • Healthy Aging
  • Healthy Weight and Metabolism
  • Heart and Cardiovascular support
  • Osteoporosis
  • Restless Leg Syndrome
  • Sleep/Insomnia
Dr. Tahzib can see children 2 years older using the functional medicine protocols for improving health and addressing any root causes of illness or to help identify the root cause of symptoms that have come up.