The providers at Renewed Vitality use a functional medicine approach in treating our patients.
Many people come to us because they have non-optimum conditions or symptoms, and the traditional or “conventional” medicine approach is not helping them. So why are they able to heal with us when they haven’t been able to resolve their issues elsewhere?
Because we look for the root causes of their symptoms and address those. We don’t just prescribe a pill to suppress or mask the symptom.
Conventional medicine works well for some situations, such as acute illness, life-threatening illness, and trauma. Doctors and hospitals perform surgeries, complete diagnostic tests, and prescribe antibiotics and other medications to treat their patients. This is incredibly valuable and even life-saving in such circumstances.
However, many patients fall through the cracks of conventional medicine and often feel like they can’t find a provider to fix what’s wrong with them.
Hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases and syndromes, and other issues can go untreated.
And medications prescribed for these issues can bring their own list of side effects to the table.
At Renewed Vitality, we use a functional medicine or integrative medicine approach.
Functional medicine focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. And integrative medicine combines conventional therapies (such as drugs and surgery) with complementary therapies (such as acupuncture, meditation, and yoga).
In essence, we work with you as a whole person to discover what’s causing your health issues — instead of just diagnosing your symptoms. By doing this, we can help you achieve optimal health and new vitality in life!
“Dr. Spurlock and his staff are so professional. He truly cares about his patients. I have been a patient of his for more than 15 years. He literally brought me back from ‘near death’ to feeling wonderful every single day.
It wasn’t an easy journey… but well worth it!! Once you remove the toxins from your body, then balance your hormones, you will be amazed at how great life can be!! And how good you can feel, after thinking there was no hope and no doctor that could help me.
He literally saved my life. I have sent many friends to him and they all say the same thing.” – Christi N
Our Functional Medicine Providers Are Here to Help
At Renewed Vitality, we have dedicated ourselves to finding you the relief you’re looking for. Many patients seek us out after spending years attempting to overcome issues such as:
- chronic fatigue and/or pain
- mental fog
- memory issues
- unexplained weight gain or excess weight that doesn’t seem to budge with diet and exercise
- hair loss
- digestive system issues
- headaches
and many other conditions.
Our Functional Medicine / Integrative Medicine Approach:
- Looks for root causes of illness or dysfunction.
- Focuses on chronic disease management and prevention.
- Is a partnership between the patient and provider that engages our expertise with your participation.
- Includes spending more time with you to address all underlying issues (all of our appointments at Renewed Vitality are at least one hour). This is drastically different from the typical doctor’s appointment, which may only last 10 to 15 minutes.
- Uses the most up-to-date screening tests to manage chronic illness, correct imbalances, and promote long-term vitality and wellness.
- Addresses the whole person, including diet, stress, lifestyle, environment, and genetics.
What Issues Can Our Functional Medicine Approach Address?
Our knowledgeable doctors and nurse practitioners take the time to find the underlying causes of your illness or non-optimum conditions. They will work with you, using proven, advanced technology, in a warm, compassionate environment. This can include addressing such things as:
- Treatment of Thyroid Disorders (we test TSH, T3, T4, Reverse T3, and Antibodies). Conditions treated include Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto’s Disease, and Graves’ Disease.
- Hormone balancing for men and women (and not just the sex hormones, but all the key hormones that regulate vital functions in the body.) This may include Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. This differs from the “Low-T” and other quick-fix hormone clinics that promote hormonal balancing.
- Diagnosis and treatment of digestive disorders, food sensitivities/allergies, and overall gut health.
- Other comprehensive serum lab testing, including for insulin resistance, blood sugar issues, liver and kidney function, as well as melatonin, serotonin, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12, and Magnesium levels.
- Identifying stressors of the body and mind, including inflammation.
- Diagnosis and treatment of adrenal fatigue.
- Testing and treatment for chronic viral syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Low-dose Naltrexone for pain management.
- Nutritional counseling.
- Weight-loss program as needed.
- PCOS diagnosis and root-cause treatment.
- Sleep disorders and treatment.
- Lyme Disease testing.
- Detox programs for heavy metals exposure and other environmental toxins.
- Anti-aging protocols.
Renewed Vitality is an ideal choice to find relief from menopause, low testosterone, weight gain, fatigue, thyroid disorder, various types of hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic viral syndromes, and many other illnesses that cause pain, loss of energy, and vitality.
“Dr. Spurlock is a very caring individual. He also looks at the whole picture and understands what labs really mean. Thank you for listening and helping me get my life back!” – MWB
Taking a Proactive Approach to Your Health is the Best Defense
Hormone balancing, being able to get quality sleep, optimizing nutrition, and having a healthy gut is key to improving resilience and increasing resistance.
- The thyroid gland is responsible for body detoxification and moving toxins out of the body.
- Adequate levels of other hormones, such as progesterone and melatonin, are crucial for getting adequate amounts of quality sleep.
- Over 70% of the body’s immune system lives in the gut microbiome.
Renewed Vitality tests all of your hormones and key vitamin levels to ensure that your body is performing as efficiently as possible to keep you healthy and thriving.
The Role of Hormones in a Functional Medicine Approach
Proper hormonal balance is a vital part of functional medicine. Hormonal imbalances can occur because of aging, diet, stress, sleep disturbances, and medications. And both women and men can have hormonal imbalances.
In women, imbalances often occur as we age, such as with perimenopause and menopause. They can also occur in premenopausal women who suffer from PMS, estrogen dominance, or PCOS. And some hormonal issues come at any age.
As men age, they will go through a period in their life called andropause, which can deplete hormone levels.
And chronic illnesses, adrenal fatigue, gut problems, thyroid issues, insulin resistance, and sleep problems can cause hormones to go awry.
Plus, if you are experiencing hormonal imbalances in one area, it’s not uncommon for the entire endocrine system to be disrupted, since all the hormones work synergistically.
These imbalances can lead to disease, early aging, infertility, and autoimmune disorders. Gut health can also significantly affect the endocrine system along with other biological processes.
Achieving balance with hormones is crucial to feeling good physically and mentally and preventing more serious illnesses, such as osteoarthritis.
Signs that you may have a hormonal imbalance:
- Fatigue
Headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and many other signs may indicate a hormonal imbalance. - Joint and muscle pain
- Weight gain or the inability to lose weight
- Difficulty concentrating
- Weight gain in the abdominal area
- Anxiety and depression
- Sleep issues
- Irritability
- Heart palpitations
- Cold or heat intolerance
- Digestive problems
- Loss of muscle tone/decreased muscle mass
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Painful sex
- Decreased libido
- Loss of skin elasticity
- High blood pressure/high cholesterol
- Irregular or absent periods/infertility
- Acne
- Dry skin/scalp
- Osteoporosis/osteopenia
Symptoms of hormonal imbalances may be vague and overlap with other conditions, so it is important to have accurate lab testing.
“My wife Donna and I enjoyed a meaningful experience at Renewed Vitality. We are much healthier now than ever and on the road to recovery. The staff was great to work with and follow up has been helpful. We both feel great after one year of appointments, too.” – Don G.
The Role of Gut Health in Functional Medicine
More and more research studies show how much gut health influences the body and the brain.
Our gut health influences our immune system — the first line of defense against disease and illness. Often, the breakdown of the immune system can be linked to the health of our microbiome.
Our microbiome also affects our metabolic rate. Metabolism is a biochemical process that determines how quickly your body converts calories into energy.
Problems such as an underactive thyroid, adrenal fatigue, stress, lack of sleep, and an accumulation of toxins will affect your metabolic rate. Therefore, a healthy microbiome is critical, affecting not only digestion, but mood, cognitive function, aging, and, of course, our immune system.
Gut issues can also be caused by taking some medications.
The Enteric Nervous System, or ENS, is located throughout your digestive system and is the link between digestion, mood, and health. The ENS releases enzymes that break down food and control blood flow for nutrient absorption and elimination.
For those with IBS, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, upset stomach, and bloating, the irritation that this creates can actually cause mood swings by sending signals to the central nervous system. That’s why people with IBS and GI tract issues have a much higher percentage of anxiety and depression. And as much as 40 percent of the population suffers from some kind of gastrointestinal problem.
While some conventional practitioners recognize that underlying causes of disease and/or symptoms may be linked to gut health, they rarely understand its role fully — nor do they test for it. Instead, they will prescribe medication to treat a symptom. At Renewed Vitality, we recognize the importance of a healthy gut microbiome and offer testing to find the root cause of your illness.
“They’ve never dismissed any of my concerns as unimportant and take every concern of mine very seriously. They go to an extra effort to make me feel respected and attended to. They always listen to every question or concern I may have.” – HM
GI Effects Testing
The GI Effects Test is an innovative stool test that measures biomarkers of GI function and microbiome performance. This cutting-edge test helps to show not only your gut health but also your overall health.
Once identified, we can implement better and more targeted treatment in your individual health plan.
This test can also show:
- Pathogens present in your gut that may be causing illness
- An improper balance of commensal and beneficial bacteria present
- Any risk factors relating to the microbiome
Food Sensitivity Testing
Food sensitivities can wreak havoc on your GI tract — and as a result, how you feel. You may not even realize you have food sensitivities, even if you suffer from chronic inflammation or GI problems. Some of the symptoms include:
- Rashes
- Psoriasis
- Eczema
- Arthritis
- Joint aches and pains
- Frequent fatigue
- Headaches
- Digestion issues such as gas, diarrhea, IBS, IBD, or other intestinal issues
- Brain fog
- Weight gain or the inability to lose weight
Renewed Vitality uses the ALCAT Test, the leading source for food sensitivity testing. ALCAT testing helps discover precise sensitivities and then creates personalized nutritional planning, resulting in improvements you can see and feel.
“Great staff and doctors that care about your whole body health — functional medicine. Thanks for helping me and my wife get healthier over the years and going forward.” – DE
Our Functional Medicine Providers Are Here for You!
We have skilled and pioneering physicians, compassionate and qualified staff, and a stunning atmosphere that will make you feel like you are right at home. We strive to give you hope for a future in which you are healthy and happy again.
Wm. Marcus Spurlock, M.D. Medical Director
Wm. Marcus Spurlock, M.D. is one of the most experienced physicians in Integrative Medicine and Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy for men and women.
Dr. Spurlock specializes in treating Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Age and Weight Loss Management, Sleep Therapy, Chronic Viral Syndromes, and Body Detoxification. He brings a wealth of experience and research to Renewed Vitality, helping his patients regain a full and energetic life.
Dr. Spurlock has worked for over 35 years in the field of viral diseases, including over 20 years of experience with Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement and Integrative Medicine. He is knowledgeable, experienced, and has a passion for finding solutions to environmental and age-related illnesses.
Read Dr. Spurlock’s full bio here.
Our Nurse Practitioners
Taylor Troup, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Taylor is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 15 years of experience in functional medicine and integrative therapies. She serves clients with both acute and long-standing health concerns, providing compassionate and collaborative care.
Taylor creates customized treatment plans tailored to each client and their unique needs. And she gets great satisfaction helping those with thyroid disorders, hormone imbalances, food intolerances, GI issues, fatigue, and weight/metabolic dysfunction.
Plus, Taylor continues to train on the most up-to-date information so that she can offer the most innovative care to her clients.
Suzanne Bartek, APRN-CNP
Suzanne Bartek specializes in adult and gerontology health. Her areas of focus are based on the functional medicine approach of identifying and addressing the root cause of disease through assessments, lab work, and genetics.
Suzanne earned an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M and a Nurse Practitioner degree from Texas Woman’s University. Her nursing career includes caring for our veterans at the Dallas VA Hospital and practicing preventative medicine at several wellness clinics in Dallas, Plano, and Frisco. She has experience with optimizing patient health, increasing energy levels, alleviating hormonal symptoms, diet, and weight loss.
While striving for a trusting and collaborative relationship, Suzanne’s goal is to listen to the patient, understand that they are unique, and treat them using evidence-based practice solutions. She has been very successful in helping clients reach their goals. She is proud to be a part of many client success stories.
Her clinical interests include disease prevention, supplementation, and optimizing health. She has memberships and regularly attends continuing education courses with NTNP (North Texas Nurse Practitioners), TNP (Texas Nurse Practitioners), AMMG (Age Management Medicine Group), and A4M (Age Management Medicine Group).
Suzanne has lived most of her life in Dallas. She spent time in Salt Lake City and Northern California but eventually returned home to Texas. Her many interests include enjoying family, friends, sports, exercise, music, and travel.
Get a Free Phone Consultation with Our New Patient Coordinator
Renewed Vitality is a place of hope. Our knowledgeable providers are experts in their field and take the time to find the underlying causes of hormonal imbalances and illness.
We will work with you using proven, scientific-based technology in a warm and compassionate environment. We are here to help you restore your health so that you can live a life of vitality and wellness.
Please contact our New Patient Coordinator for your Free Phone Consultation. She can answer any questions or concerns that you may have and give you additional information about our providers, our protocols and fees, what insurance covers, and any other details you may need. She can also get you booked for your first appointments if you decide we are a good fit for you.
There are no obligations to book an appointment. You can reach us at (214) 740-4703, or complete the form below and we will contact you!