Functional Medicine Changed My Life—Here’s How It Shifted My Parenting, Too

Brigitte Sager
Jun 23
3 min read

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 coming from ego. It’s coming from love.

Because once you’ve seen what’s possible, it’s hard to unsee it.

Functional Medicine Gave Me My Health—And My Career—Back

I didn’t start learning functional medicine because I wanted a new identity. I started because I was exhausted—personally and professionally.

After years of eczema, allergies and ultimately asthma, all requiring prescriptions that only offered temporary relief, I finally asked the question I wish more of us were taught to ask: Why is this happening in the first place?

That shift changed everything.

By addressing the root causes—inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities, and stress triggers—I experienced real, lasting healing. I no longer needed daily medications or rescue inhalers. My skin cleared. My breathing normalized. I felt like me again.

But maybe even more importantly, it resuscitated my career. I was no longer managing patients through a system that felt misaligned. I had a framework that made sense—and actually made a difference.

Functional medicine didn’t just help me heal. It helped me remember why I became a nurse in the first place.

And Then I Wanted It for Everyone

As soon as I started applying what I’d learned, I wanted to share it with every person I cared about. I wanted everyone to stop eating inflammatory foods. I wanted my kids to take magnesium and omega-3s and eat more greens. I wanted my friends to try elimination diets, regulate their blood sugar, fix their sleep routines, and dive into root-cause testing.

I had so much love and excitement—but also… a bit of pressure behind it.

Because here’s what I learned the hard way: Just because you’re ready doesn’t mean everyone else is.

What It Taught Me About Parenting (and People)

Functional medicine shifted my parenting—not just in what I fed my kids, but in how I approached them.

It taught me to zoom out. To meet people where they are. To lead with questions, not fixes.

My kids didn’t need a full protocol. They needed me—present, grounded, and responsive to their needs. Yes, I model good food choices, supplement when appropriate, and advocate for root-cause care—but I also learned how to listen without correcting, and guide without pushing.

That lesson extended to everyone in my life. Now, I often say to nurses in our Zoom calls:

“It’s about learning how to practice functional nursing—and still get invited to Thanksgiving.”

Because sometimes the most functional thing you can do… is let people be.

Both of my sons were pretty resistant when I first started changing how we ate and lived. They groaned about the food swaps and definitely didn’t want to hear another word about gut health or the health risks associated with Hot Cheetos. I remember feeling like I was the only one in the house on board with this new way of living. But I stayed consistent—not perfect, just steady. I modeled what I hoped they'd one day understand, even when it felt like no one was paying attention.

And now? As young adults, they’re sometimes better at it than I am. They read labels, prioritize sleep, make thoughtful food choices—and they do it because it feels good, not because I told them to. Watching them make aligned choices on their own has been one of the most unexpected and rewarding gifts of this journey. Those years of quiet leadership paid off.

Holding Space for Change—Without Needing to Control It

As nurses, we carry a deep desire to help. But we’re not here to force healing—we’re here to hold space for it.

Functional medicine taught me to trust the process—whether I’m supporting a patient, raising kids, or navigating relationships with people who aren’t ready for change.

Sometimes that looks like sharing a recipe instead of a lecture. Sometimes it means backing off instead of doubling down. Sometimes it means loving people exactly as they are—and being ready when they decide it’s time.