KALE Functional Medicine

What We Treat

Weight Management

A Root-Cause Approach to Sustainable Weight Loss

At KALE Functional Medicine in Houston, we understand that weight management goes far beyond calorie counting or exercise regimens. Our comprehensive, personalized approach addresses the complex underlying factors that contribute to weight challenges, allowing you to achieve sustainable results while improving your overall health.

Understanding the Root Causes of Weight Challenges

Weight management issues rarely stem from a simple imbalance of calories in versus calories out. Functional medicine recognizes that numerous physiological, environmental, and lifestyle factors can significantly impact your body’s ability to maintain a healthy weight.

We help you not only achieve your weight goals but maintain them long-term while enhancing your overall wellness.

Hormonal Imbalances

Various hormones play crucial roles in regulating metabolism, appetite, fat storage, and energy utilization. Imbalances in these key hormones can make weight loss extremely challenging, regardless of diet and exercise efforts:

  • Insulin Resistance: When cells become resistant to insulin, blood sugar regulation becomes impaired, leading to increased fat storage, particularly around the abdomen.
  • Thyroid Dysfunction: Even mild thyroid imbalances can significantly slow metabolism and cause weight gain or resistance to weight loss. Learn more about our Thyroid Health approach
  • Sex Hormone Imbalances: Changes in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone can affect fat distribution and metabolic rate, especially during perimenopause, menopause, and andropause.
  • Cortisol Dysregulation: Chronic stress can lead to cortisol imbalances that promote abdominal fat storage and disrupt other weight-regulating hormones.
  • Leptin Resistance: This “satiety hormone” helps regulate appetite, and resistance to its signals can lead to persistent hunger and overeating.

Your digestive system plays a surprisingly significant role in weight regulation through several mechanisms:

  • Microbiome Composition: The balance of bacteria in your gut directly influences metabolism, inflammation, and even food cravings.
  • Digestive Function: Poor digestion and absorption can lead to nutrient deficiencies that impact metabolism and energy levels.
  • Intestinal Permeability: “Leaky gut” can trigger systemic inflammation that disrupts hormonal balance and promotes weight gain.
  • Food Sensitivities: Unidentified food reactions can cause inflammation, water retention, and metabolic disruption.

Explore our Gut Health solutions

Chronic, low-grade inflammation and impaired detoxification capacity can significantly impact your body’s ability to maintain a healthy weight:

  • Systemic Inflammation: Chronic inflammation can disrupt hormone signaling, impair metabolism, and promote fat storage.
  • Toxin Burden: Environmental toxins can act as endocrine disruptors that interfere with weight-regulating hormones and may be stored in fat tissue.
  • Liver Function: Suboptimal liver function can impact hormone metabolism, detoxification, and fat utilization.

Even with a seemingly healthy diet, specific nutrient deficiencies can impair metabolism and energy production:

  • Vitamin D: Low levels are associated with increased body fat and metabolic syndrome.
  • Magnesium: Deficiency can affect insulin sensitivity and energy production.
  • B Vitamins: Essential for energy metabolism and stress management.
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Important for reducing inflammation and supporting metabolic health.

Daily habits and environmental influences have profound effects on weight management:

  • Sleep Quality: Poor sleep directly impacts hunger hormones, insulin sensitivity, and metabolism.
  • Chronic Stress: Stress affects hormonal balance, food choices, and fat storage patterns.
  • Physical Activity Patterns: Not just how much, but what type of movement matters for metabolic health.
  • Environmental Exposures: Certain chemicals act as “obesogens” that promote weight gain.

Our Natural Weight Management Approach

Our functional medicine approach to weight management begins with a comprehensive assessment to identify your unique obstacles to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. We then develop a personalized protocol that addresses these root causes through natural, sustainable interventions.

Functional Medicine

With our functional medicine practitioners and advanced testing including body composition and analysis, we can analyze the root causes of weight management issues. 

Ongoing Support and Coaching

Sustainable weight management requires ongoing support and adjustments as your body changes with health coaching sessions, education and resources and community support.

The KALE Difference in Weight Management

Focus on Root Causes

Rather than simply restricting calories or increasing exercise, we identify and address the underlying physiological imbalances that are unique to your body and situation.

We recognize that weight management is highly individual, which is why we develop fully customized protocols based on your specific test results, health history, and goals.

By addressing root causes rather than just symptoms, our approach leads to lasting changes in body composition and metabolic health, not just temporary weight loss.

Our weight management programs improve not just your weight but your overall health, often resolving other symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, mood issues, and digestive complaints.

Optimizing metabolic health reduces your risk for numerous chronic diseases, supporting your long-term wellness goals.

Discover our Preventative Health approach

Begin Your Sustainable Weight Management Journey

If you’re tired of yo-yo dieting and ready to address the real reasons behind your weight challenges, our functional medicine approach offers a path to sustainable results and improved overall health.

Begin Your Sustainable Weight Management Journey

If you’re tired of yo-yo dieting and ready to address the real reasons behind your weight challenges, our functional medicine approach offers a path to sustainable results and improved overall health.

Patient Success Stories

Wonderful experience with Nurse Bassett. No other GP has recommended additional labs or further tests for me and it has been years of anxiety and confusion. Grateful for an amazing staff that is willing to listen and try to get to the bottom of what the health issue is.

Lupita

Patient

I’ve had a fantastic experience with Kale Functional Medicine! Their team truly takes the time to understand your body, your goals, and what works best for you. The level of personalized care and attention I’ve received has been top-notch.

Rey

Patient

This place is the truth and worth every penny! The staff there are always so sweet and willing to help.  I’ve been going for about two years now and have seen great results. Keep in mind this journey to a healthy holistic life is not overnight, but stay the course and you will not be disappointed.

Nicole

Patient