Fix the mechanism, not just the number.
Functional medicine asks why your labs drifted, why your energy dropped, why the symptom appeared — then treats that cause. Dr. Simon has practiced this way since 2013, because it's how naturopathic physicians were trained all along.
When "your labs are normal" isn't good enough.
- Fatigue, brain fog, or low drive that standard workups can't explain
- Borderline labs — blood sugar, cholesterol, thyroid — drifting the wrong way year after year
- Digestive symptoms (IBS, bloating, reflux) treated only with suppression
- Hormonal transitions: thyroid, cortisol, perimenopause and menopause
- Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions needing more than a specialist visit twice a year
- You want prevention with a plan — not "come back when it's worse"
How a functional workup actually runs.
- Extended intake. Your full timeline — not a 12-minute visit. Goals first, disease second.
- Targeted testing. Cardio-metabolic and endocrine panels, thyroid beyond TSH, nutrient status, SIBO breath testing, stool microbiome analysis, food intolerance testing (US BioTek/Genova), cortisol rhythm.
- Mechanism-based plan. Nutrition, movement, targeted supplementation graded by evidence, prescription medication when it's the right tool.
- Accountability. Structured follow-up, re-testing, and coaching until the change holds.
Root-cause medicine is also hands-on.
Watch — neck pain, ergonomics & breathing, with Dr. Gina Peterson, PT (IRG Physical Therapy)
Functional medicine here includes physical medicine: spinal and extremity adjustment, soft-tissue work, and collaboration with local physical therapists — so musculoskeletal pain gets treated in the same plan as the labs.
Chronic disease is a slope, not a switch.
The earlier you intervene on a mechanism, the smaller the intervention needs to be. That is the entire case for functional medicine.
Functional medicine questions.
Is functional medicine covered by insurance?
Primary care visits with Dr. Simon are billable to contracted insurance (Regence, Premera, BCBS, First Choice). Some specialty functional labs are direct-pay; you'll always know costs before testing. Concierge membership reduces direct-pay pricing on labs and supplements.
How is this different from my conventional primary care doctor?
Same diagnostic rigor and prescribing ability, but longer visits, more complete testing, and a treatment plan that starts with mechanism — nutrition, lifestyle, and targeted therapeutics — rather than defaulting to symptom management alone. Dr. Simon refers to and collaborates with specialists whenever appropriate.
Can Dr. Simon be my primary care provider?
Yes. Washington State licenses naturopathic physicians as primary care providers who can diagnose, treat, prescribe most medications, order labs and imaging, and refer to specialists.
What lab testing do you use?
Standard panels through Quest with direct pricing available, plus specialty testing where clinically indicated: comprehensive thyroid and hormone panels, salivary cortisol, SIBO breath tests, stool microbiome assessment, food intolerance panels, nutrition and organic acid testing, and cardiometabolic risk markers.