Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Health coaching is a collaborative partnership designed to bridge the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it.

While your doctor provides the what (diagnosis and treatment plan), your health coach helps you implement the how—the practical, sustainable strategies that fit into your real, everyday life.

At Functional Pharmacy, coaching focuses on:

• Turning complex medical recommendations into simple, step-by-step actions
• Addressing the lifestyle factors that influence chronic disease and cognitive health
• Providing support to help you move past roadblocks
• Celebrating small wins while keeping you aligned with your long-term goals

A health coach is an essential part of your care team, but works within a defined scope of practice.

We do not diagnose conditions, interpret lab results, or prescribe medications.

Instead, we help you follow your personalized plan with clarity, confidence, and consistency—so you can experience real, lasting progress.

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References:

Functional Medicine Coaching Academy: What is Functional Medicine Health Coaching?

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP): Health Coaching for Patients With Chronic Illness

Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM): Health Coaching as a Strategy to Enhance Your Practice

This small group is designed for adults who are noticing early cognitive changes—such as brain fog, mild forgetfulness, or word-finding difficulties—and want to take a proactive, functional medicine–based approach alongside their medical care.

You may be a good fit if you identify with one of the following:

The Early Symptom Responder
You’ve noticed subtle shifts in your thinking or memory and want to take action early. Research shows that targeted lifestyle interventions—supported by coaching—can significantly improve cognitive performance in at-risk individuals.

APOE4 Carriers
You carry one or two copies of the APOE4 gene and want to be proactive. Emerging research suggests that lifestyle strategies—like regular movement and anti-inflammatory nutrition—may have an especially meaningful impact on cognitive outcomes for APOE4 carriers.

Women in Midlife (40s–60s)
You’re navigating perimenopause or menopause and noticing changes in focus, memory, or mental clarity. This group addresses the connection between hormonal shifts and brain health.

Those with a Family History
You have a parent or close relative with Alzheimer’s or dementia and want to take an epigenetic approach—using lifestyle to influence how your genes are expressed.

The Integrative Patient
You’re working with a physician but want to go deeper—exploring root contributors like inflammation, metabolic health, and nutrient status.

The Consistency Seeker
You understand the importance of sleep, nutrition, and stress management—but need structure, accountability, and support to follow through consistently.

This group acts as a bridge between knowledge and daily action—providing the guidance and supportive community needed to help you protect and strengthen your cognitive health over time.

🔘 See If the Memory Group Is Right for You
🔘 Meet Your Coach
🔘 Explore Resources

References:

1. JAMA Internal Medicine. Effect of personalized health coaching on cognitive scores in at-risk adults. Published 2024.

2. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Impact of walking and diet on cognition for APOE4 carriers. Presented 2025.

3. US POINTER Study Group. Lifestyle interventions and the delay of cognitive aging. Alzheimers Dement. Published 2025.

4. Women's Health Initiative. Hormonal shifts, epigenetics, and cognitive risk in postmenopausal women. Accessed January 6, 2026.

5.Institute for Functional Medicine. Evidence supporting the functional medicine approach to mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation in brain health. Accessed January 6, 2026.

Unlike traditional support groups that focus only on open discussion, this group uses a “learning circle” approach—combining guided education with supportive conversation.

Each session centers on a specific topic, chapter, or short video from trusted dementia care experts, giving you a shared language and a practical toolkit you can use right away in daily caregiving.

We rotate through a curated set of highly respected resources:

Understanding the Changing Brain by Teepa Snow
Learn why behaviors happen based on brain changes—and see practical techniques like “Hand-Under-Hand” in action.

Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s by Joanne Koenig Coste
Discover the concept of habilitation—connecting with your loved one in their current reality to reduce distress.

Positive Caregiving by Sarah Teten Kanter
Shift from burnout toward moments of meaning, connection, and resilience.

The 36-Hour Day by Nancy Mace & Peter Rabins
A trusted guide for navigating medical, behavioral, and practical challenges.

Creative Engagement by Rachel Wonderlin
Learn simple, meaningful ways to keep your loved one engaged through creativity and connection.

Do I have to read everything before attending?
No. Each session highlights key takeaways and practical strategies. You can benefit even if you only skim a section or watch a short clip.

I’m already overwhelmed—will this feel like more “homework”?
Not at all. The goal is to reduce stress, not add to it. Many caregivers find that learning these approaches actually makes daily interactions easier and more meaningful. You’re always welcome to simply listen and take away what feels helpful.

What if my loved one has a different type of dementia?
The strategies we teach are designed to support all types of cognitive impairment, including vascular, Lewy body, and frontotemporal dementia.

How do I get started?
You can explore the current monthly topic and join at any time. For additional support, the Alzheimer's Association also offers 24/7 resources to complement what you learn in the group.

🔘 Meet Your Group Facilitator 
🔘 Explore Caregiver Resources
🔘 Schedule a Call to see Current Topics & Join

Your sessions are fully personalized—designed around your unique health goals, symptoms, and priorities.

Working 1:1 allows us to go deeper than a group setting, uncovering root causes and building a plan that fits your real life.

Most clients choose to focus on one or more of the following areas:

1. Cognitive Health & Brain Clarity

• Addressing brain fog, memory concerns, and mental fatigue
• Personalizing your plan based on genetics (such as APOE status)
• Designing a “brain-first” nutrition strategy
• Tracking progress with cognitive assessments
• Supporting neuroplasticity through targeted brain exercises

2. Metabolic & Hormonal Balance

• Stabilizing blood sugar for steady energy and focus
• Using tools like CGMs for real-time insight
• Supporting metabolism, weight, and metabolic flexibility
• Navigating perimenopause and menopause-related changes
• Improving cellular energy (mitochondrial health)

3. Sleep, Stress & Daily Rhythms

• Improving sleep quality and circadian rhythm
• Identifying root causes of poor sleep or nighttime disruption
• Building stress resilience through nervous system regulation
• Incorporating sustainable movement for brain and body health

4. Gut & Environmental Health

• Supporting the gut-brain connection and reducing inflammation
• Identifying food sensitivities and digestive triggers
• Reducing toxin exposure from food, home, and personal care products
• Creating a healthier, lower-toxin living environment

5. Habits, Accountability & Follow-Through

• Turning “knowing” into consistent action
• Building realistic routines that fit your lifestyle
• Identifying and overcoming roadblocks
• Tracking progress and adjusting your plan over time

No matter where you start, the goal is the same:
to help you create sustainable changes that support long-term brain and body health.

🔘 See If 1:1 Coaching Is Right for Me
🔘 Meet My Coach
🔘 Explore Resources
🔘 Book My Discovery Call

Yes—because lasting health changes are rarely a solo effort.
Involving your inner circle can improve accountability and help ensure everyone is aligned with your plan.

For 1:1 Coaching Sessions

Many clients find this especially helpful when discussing:

• Medication and supplement routines
• Nutrition and meal planning
• Daily habits and home environment

Having shared understanding often makes it easier to follow through between sessions. I simply ask that you let me know in advance.

For Small Support Groups (Learning Circles)

Because our groups are built on trust and shared experience, guest participation is handled a bit differently to protect member privacy.

Caregiver Support Group
If you are co-caregivers, you are encouraged to join together as full participants.

Vitality & Memory Groups
If a family member would like to attend, we recommend they:

• Enroll as a participant, or
• Join a dedicated care partner support session

This helps preserve a safe, focused space for everyone in the group.

Virtual Participation Guidelines

To maintain privacy and a high-quality experience:

• Please join from a quiet, private space
• If attending from different locations, we can provide a multi-user link so everyone can fully participate

🔘 Explore Resource Library
🔘 Book My Discovery Call

References:

National Institute on Aging: Caring for a Person with Alzheimer's Disease

Family Caregiver Alliance: Caregiving and Virtual Support Groups

Institute for Functional Medicine: The Power of Social Support in Lifestyle Change

Journal of Medical Internet Research: Impact of Family Involvement in Virtual Health Coaching (2025 Study)

I offer Medication Reviews for New York residents and Health Coaching (lifestyle and education) for clients across the globe.

🔘  Start My Medication Review

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Most health coaches can only help with habits, but your health is more complex than that. As a licensed NY pharmacist, I identify the hidden 'missing links' in your care—like medication side effects or supplements that clash with your prescriptions. We’ll align your unique lab results with your current regimen to ensure your plan is safe, effective, and tailored entirely to you.

🔘  Book Medication Review 

🔘  Learn More About Me

I perform a comprehensive cost-analysis of your medications. In New York, pharmacists are experts in generic substitution laws and can help you identify therapeutic alternatives or assistance programs that could save you hundreds of dollars annually.

🔘  Book Medication Review 

🔘  Learn More About Me

Yes. Through a process called deprescribing, we identify "polypharmacy" issues—such as duplicate therapies or medications that are no longer necessary for your current health goals.

While I do not discontinue prescriptions myself, I provide you with a clinical summary to take to your doctor to safely discuss scaling back.
 

🔘  Start My Medication Review

🔘  Learn More About Me

This is one of the most critical parts of our review.

Many over-the-counter supplements can dangerously interact with or diminish the effectiveness of your prescribed medications.

I create a "Master List" that ensures every vitamin, herb, and prescription works together safely.

🔘  Book Medication Review

🔘  Learn More About Me

It is possible. Many common medications for sleep, blood pressure, or allergies have side effects like confusion or dizziness that mimic early cognitive symptoms.

I evaluate your regimen to see if "medication-induced cognitive impairment" is a factor and discuss safer alternatives for your brain health.

🔘  Book Your Medication Review

🔘  Learn More About Me

Yes, if you choose. I can provide a professional Medication Action Plan for you to share with your healthcare team, ensuring your primary care provider and specialists are all aligned on your current regimen.

🔘  Book Your Medication Review

🔘  Learn More About Me

Participants often experience clearer memory, improved focus, better problem-solving, increased energy, and enhanced mood, leading to a return to normal activities and greater confidence in decision-making. It's a comprehensive approach to optimize brain health and potentially reverse early cognitive decline. 

A monthly subscription through Apollo Health includes:

• Personalized report based on labs + history, genetics, and biomarkers to identify specific contributers or risks to cognitive decline

Complimentary BrainHQ brain training

Cognitive assessments to track progress

Opportunity to ask Dr. Bredesen questions at monthly town halls

Access to search engine to find educational guides, videos, community forums, and quarterly Town Hall recordings

• Practitioner locator to connect with brain health coaches or clinicians

• ReCODE mobile app to view your reports, integrate tracking, and access resources on the go

Note: Labs are not included in the program subscription and are billed separately.

I help you turn information into action and results.

With coaching, you will:

• Know exactly where to start by translating your report into simple, prioritized action steps
• Co-create a plan that fits your life with personalized guidance around the B7

• Stay consistent and motivated with ongoing support and problem-solving when challenges arise

• Use your data with purpose by integrating tools like Keto-Mojo, BrainHQ, and Cronometer into clear, actionable insights
• Track your cognitive progress through structured evaluations over time
• Feel confident in your next steps with guided lab interpretation

This is a partnership. You’ll have consistent support to stay on track, build momentum, and make meaningful, lasting changes in your brain health.

🔘 Request My Personalized Protocol Discovery Call

🔘 Explore ReCODE Pricing & Plans

Active brain stimulation is one of the B7. We don't just guess if your brain is improving; we use data-driven tools to measure and drive your progress.

Apollo Health utilizes BrainHQ™, a clinically validated brain-training platform. Participants are typically encouraged to spend a minimum of 90 minutes per week on specific exercises designed to improve processing speed, memory, and attention.

To ensure the protocol is working for you, you will participate in regular cognitive testing so we move beyond subjective feelings like "I think I feel better" to objective data, and see where we need to adjust your personalized plan. Watching your scores climb over time is a powerful motivator and affirms that your lifestyle changes are physically strengthening your neural pathways.

As your coach, I can help you interpret these scores and ensure your training stays challenging but achievable. If you hit a plateau, we adjust your nutrition, sleep, or supplement protocols to ensure your brain has the "fuel" it needs to perform during your training sessions.

🔘 Meet with Me

🔘 Explore BrainHQ

The time commitment is less about "adding extra hours" to your day and more about restructuring the habits you already have. 

Most participants find that after the initial learning phase, the routines become a natural and sustainable part of daily life.

The Learning Phase (Weeks 1–4)

In the beginning, expect to spend a few hours per week:

• Reviewing your personalized ReCODE report and relevant Apollo Health Guides
• Learning the KetoFLEX 12/3 nutrition approach
• Setting up your kitchen and daily routines

This phase is front-loaded so everything feels clearer and easier moving forward.

Your Daily Routine (Ongoing)

Nutrition

• No extra time—just a shift in what and when you eat based on your personal meterics and targets

Movement & Brain Training

• Spend 30–45 minutes on aerobics and strength. You aren’t just building muscle; you’re sparking BDNF to rewire your brain for the long haul.
• Power up with a 30-minute mental workout three days a week—just keep it out of your 'sleep window' to stay relaxed at night.

Sleep & Stress

• Prioritizing an ~8-hour sleep window
• ~10 minutes of daily mindfulness or stress regulation

Most of this becomes part of your normal rhythm—not something “extra” on your to-do list.

Monthly Support

Plan for about 1–2 hours per month for coaching:

• Tracking progress
• Adjusting your plan and supplements
• Troubleshooting challenges

Why coaching actually saves you time

Many people spend months (or years) trying to piece this together on their own.

With guidance, you can skip the trial-and-error and move forward with a plan that works without the overwhelm.

🔘 Meet with a Coach
🔘 Explore ReCODE 
🔘 Book My Discovery Call

It uses advanced testing to find your unique cognitive drivers (like inflammation, toxins, metabolic issues) and creates a personalized plan to reduce those triggers, optimize nutrients, balance hormones, and rebuild neural networks.

🔘 Claim My Cognitive Clarity

🔘 Explore the ReCODE Program 

Absolutely By optimizing your cellular energy and cooling inflammation, the Bredesen Protocol doesn't just protect your brain—it revitalizes your entire life, from deeper sleep to unstoppable vitality.

🔘 Sign up for ReCODE Program 

🔘 Request Me as Your Coach 

Subjective Cognitive Impairment (SCI):
An individual notices changes in memory, focus, or thinking, but standard cognitive testing typically remains normal. Daily functioning is not affected. This stage represents a key opportunity for early intervention and prevention.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI):
Cognitive changes are measurable on testing and often noticeable to others, but the individual is still able to function independently in daily life. MCI carries an increased risk for dementia, though progression is not guaranteed.

Dementia:
Cognitive decline has progressed to the point that it interferes with daily activities, independence, and quality of life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause, though dementia can result from several different conditions.

Understanding these distinctions helps guide appropriate timing, expectations, and support strategies—especially when the focus is on early intervention and preserving brain health.

Not sure where you or a loved one may fall?

🔘 Schedule My Discovery Call 

🔘 Take Free Cognitive Quotient Assessment

Outcomes with the ReCODE Protocol vary depending on when someone begins and how consistently the program is followed. One of the most important lessons from the research is that earlier intervention leads to better outcomes.

Ideally, we aim to support brain health before mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia develops.

That said, engaging with the protocol at any stage—when aligned with the individual’s and family’s wishes—can be a thoughtful and compassionate choice.

In general, the closer someone is able to follow the protocol, and the more support they receive from family, coaches, and practitioners, the better the results tend to be.

Based on Dr. Bredesen’s clinical experience and published research to date:

Individuals with no cognitive symptoms:
Among those who had no measurable cognitive impairment and followed the Bredesen Protocol, there have been no documented cases of progression to dementia so far.

Those with SCI:

People who noticed early changes—such as memory lapses or word-finding difficulty—but did not yet meet criteria for MCI often show the most robust improvements. When root causes (such as inflammation, infections, metabolic factors, or toxin exposure) are addressed, many individuals improve and maintain those gains over time.

Individuals with MCI:

Regaining lost cognitive function can be more challenging, but meaningful improvements are possible. In a 2022 study by Drs. Ann Hathaway and Deborah Gordon involving 25 patients with MCI or early Alzheimer’s disease, 84% showed cognitive improvement after nine months on the Bredesen Protocol. Some participants improved modestly, while others experienced substantial gains—including improvements from the dementia range back into normal cognitive scores. As a group, improvements were present but generally less pronounced than in those who began at the SCI stage.

Those with dementia:

When the protocol is started later, outcomes are more variable and full reversal is not expected. However, meaningful improvements in quality-of-life have been observed, such as regaining continence, increased awareness, or recognizing loved ones again. 

Overall, ReCODE is best viewed as a personalized, systems-based approach that aims to slow decline, improve function where possible, and support brain health with dignity and care at every stage of the journey.

🔘 Start My ReCODE Journey 

🔘 Book My Discovery Call 

Don't just protect your brain—power it up. 

Starting early is the ultimate 'insurance policy' for your mind.

You'll build long-term resilience while feeling the immediate benefits of sharper focus, better mood, and sustained energy every day.

🔘 Know My Cq Brain Score

🔘 Schedule My Discovery Call 

ReCODE Program costs varies significantly per individual needs, but typically involves three main components:

Apollo Health Membership: Required for reports, ~$75/month (ReCODE), ~$39.95/month (PreCODE) billed monthly/annually

Lab Fees: Initial and follow-up blood tests (e.g., ~$850 for baseline, ~$250 for 6-month follow-up), plus potential specialty labs

Practitioner Fees: Varies by provider (MD, ND, etc.) for consultations, personalized plans, and ongoing support, ranging from hundreds to thousands annually.

Overall Estimate: First-year costs can range from a few thousand (with basic support) to over $10k-$15k (with extensive labs/support), with lower costs in subsequent years

🔘 Join an Apollo Health Program

🔘 Book My Discovery Call 

Getting started is a straightforward process:

Step 1: Enroll in the Bredesen Protocol. Visit the Apollo Health website to enroll in the appropriate program, ReCODE or PreCODE.

Step 2: Select a Certified Practitioner. Use the Apollo Health database to find certified practitioners (MDs, NDs, etc.) and select me as your pharmacist coach.

Step 3: Schedule a Discovery Call. Book a discovery call on Functional Pharmacy contact page to discuss your specific needs and goals and to confirm we are a good fit.

Step 4: Develop Your Tailored Plan. Your personalized ReCODE Report® will be used to identify your unique root causes (metabolic, toxic, etc). A tailored plan will then be co-created with you based on these findings.

Step 5: Implement and Monitor. With your permission, progress will be tracked and managed in collaboration with your other providers through regular virtual or in-person appointments to adjust lifestyle factors and monitor progress.

🔘 Enroll at Apollo Health

🔘 Schedule My Discovery Call