What Most People Still Get Wrong About Nurses I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how often people misunderstand what nurses actually do. It’s something I hear constantly- people assuming nurses “can’t diagnose and treat” or that we’re “not supposed to make decisions, rather follow orders” in patient care. And if I’m being honest, it’s something that really frustrates me. Nursing as a profession is extremely undervalued in our current healthcare system, and we're misunderst

Learn how functional nurses work with lab data within scope of practice, focusing on education, patterns, and whole-person care.

Recently, I hosted a webinar in the Nutrition for Nurses  course focused on the vagus nerve and its role in digestion—and it sparked some powerful reflections. Specifically, it reminded me just how underutilized heart rate variability (HRV)  is in nursing practice. If you’ve never explored HRV before, you’re not alone. Most of us were never taught about it in nursing school. But I believe that HRV is one of the most valuable, accessible metrics we can use to better understand

We’re standing at the edge of a healthcare revolution—and nurses are the ones holding the blueprint. For too long, our system has been reactive: chasing symptoms, writing prescriptions, and rushing through appointments without truly listening. And nurses? We’ve been expected to follow orders in a system that often doesn’t align with the heart of our profession. But here’s the truth: we’re not just caregivers—we’re leaders, educators, and healers. And the future of healthcare?

By Brigitte Sager, DNP When nurses first learn functional medicine, something big happens: We don’t just see our patients  differently—we start seeing everyone  differently. We think about our kids’ nutrition, our partner’s stress levels, our best friend’s hormone symptoms. We wonder why our parents were never told about gut health or blood sugar or the impact of inflammation. We want everyone in our circle to experience the kind of healing we just discovered. And it’s not co

A Conversation That Hit Deeper Than Expected Last month, during one of our Functional Nursing Membership MeetUps, I sat down with the intention of leading a discussion on how stress and trauma impact our patients. But as I mentally prepared for leading the discussion, something shifted. Instead of staying purely clinical, the topic and conversation became deeply personal. We found ourselves opening up about what it really means to practice as a nurse—the unseen burdens we car

Let’s Clear the Air If you’re a nurse who has ever asked, “Is functional medicine even evidence-based?” you’re not alone—and you’re not wrong to ask. Nurses are trained to think critically, assess data, and practice based on proven interventions. So when we hear terms like "root cause" or "functional approach," it’s completely fair to wonder: Is this grounded in real science or just another wellness trend? Here’s the short answer: Yes, functional medicine is absolutely eviden

Food dyes have been making headlines lately, and for good reason. In a move that has been long overdue, Red Dye No. 3 was recently banned from food in the U.S. —yet it had already been prohibited in cosmetics for over 30 years. Let that sink in. The same dye deemed unsafe for lipstick and skincare  was still being used in children’s snacks and drinks until now. This raises an important question: If a chemical isn’t safe for our skin, why has it been allowed in our food? As fu

Cruciferous vegetables—think broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts—are often praised as nutritional powerhouses, but they also come with a fair share of myths and misconceptions. For functional nurses, understanding the science behind these veggies is essential—not only for our own health but for educating our patients on their benefits. The Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables Cruciferous vegetables are packed with nutrients that support whole-body health. Some key

As nurses, we dedicate much of our lives to healing others, but how often do we think about the environment we’re working and living in? Our surroundings—at home, at work, and even in the air we breathe—directly impact our health. We’re exposed to toxins daily, from the disinfectants used in healthcare settings to the air pollution in our neighborhoods. If we want to show up as the healthiest versions of ourselves for our patients and our families, environmental biohacking is

Winter in the Pacific Northwest is a time for grey cloud cover and drizzle. A fairly well-known side effect of the season is a common health challenge: vitamin D deficiency. Here in the PNW, the lack of sunlight during the colder months leaves many of us vulnerable to low levels of this essential nutrient. While a sunny winter getaway might feel like a temporary fix (and one of my favorite interventions), it’s not enough to sustain your body’s needs. And it’s not just PNW res

Why So Many Nurses Feel Stuck in Traditional Healthcare Nursing is often described as a calling—a deep-rooted desire to help, heal, and care for others. But for many nurses, the reality of working in hospitals and clinics doesn’t always align with the vision that first led us into the profession. I remember the weight of long, dizzying overnight shifts, the constant charting, and the endless patient load. Despite pouring everything I had into patient care, I would leave work