3rd Option Health
Health Powered by Choice
My Lab Tests are "Normal"
but I still feel Lousy....
Now What?
We are 3rd Option Health
Functional Blood Chemistry Specialists
Whether you have a diagnosis or not,
we are here to help.
We figure out the 'whys' behind your health concerns using your "normal" labs.
Get real answers, rebuild your health and get back to living life on your terms again!
We look at labs in a way you have never seen before...
... as a Roadmap to Health,
not a Marker of Disease.
Say goodbye to Dr. Google
No more guessing why you feel bad.
There are answers that make sense.
You are in the Right Place!
Numbers Don't Lie!
We look at your existing blood lab
reports (labs you already have) to see what your body is doing biochemically.
No guessing....the answers are right there in the numbers.
My numbers are in the normal range ...that means I'm healthy, right?
Not necessarily. Lab reference ranges can be so broad that dysfunction is hidden or frequently overlooked. Are your numbers at the high end or low end of the range? This gives us an enormous amount of information as to how and why your body may be struggling.
My Doctor already reads my labs.
What makes you different?
Glad you asked!
Conventional medicine focus' only on lab values that are abnormally out of range.These markers have become "Clinically Significant". Meaning a disease process or pathology is already underway.
We assess ALL your lab markers. Especially those in the "normal" range. This is where all the juicy information is that tells us exactly how your body is functioning ... or not.
Dr. Therese Caraway is a Wife, Doctor, Lecturer, Adventurer, Tireless Teacher, Blood Lab Chemistry Specialist and Myth Buster!
Her own health issues led her to doctor after doctor after doctor to find reasons as to why she had no energy, felt lousy and was 40 lbs overweight with a sluggish thyroid. The only things those “experts” offered her were a sympathetic nod and a list of prescription medications to “try”. One prominent Gastroenterologist even told her, “I guarantee that if I put you on a desert island with only a barrel of water… you’ll lose weight”. This obviously was not an educated solution to her problems.
Driven by her intense curiosity and desire to know “why” and “how” things work, she dedicated her life to finding her own answers and BECOME the doctor she was so desperately seeking.
It is her mission to clarify confusion and be a steadfast advocate for patients who have been told their symptoms are “all in their head” or “take these medications for the rest of your life” or “you’re just getting old”! These things are said by someone who can’t help you or doesn’t know how to help you.
A Biochemist at heart, Dr. Caraway uses ordinary, yearly blood lab work to translate the numbers into why you are struggling. She takes pride in really listening to the person in front of her which allows her to formulate a strategic plan to systematically and methodically guide the body back to a place of strength, resilience, and life-long health.
Her passion is to help people feel heard, cared for, empowered and most importantly … Hopeful!
-Chiro/PT 32 yrs
-Functional Medicine Practitioner 18 yrs
-Specialty training Blood Lab Analysis
-Core Strength/Balancing/Whole-body Mobility Coach
-American Biologics Cancer Hospital Mexico 2 yrs . Grand rounds consultant
-Encino Hospital – Post-Cardiac Surgery Rehab
-Mercy Hospital Bakersfield – Hydrotherapy – burn and amputation debridement
Michael Caraway is a Husband, Father, Health Coach and committed patient advocate who delights in facilitating successful results and being the "Tech Guy" for our patients.
As a former CPA, Michael spent years sitting at a desk and eating the Standard American Diet (SAD for short). Those morning muffins and on-the-go lunches were so delicious and addicting! Michael was prescribed medication to treat troubling symptoms but began feeling worse because of the side effects they caused.
While vacationing in Hawaii, it became evident after a mild hike that he was becoming feeble. Just "getting old" was the excuse, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that if this was not addressed, he would not live long or age well. The thought of spending life indoors and going to doctor after doctor was disturbing and unacceptable.
He was committed to changing course, and decided that no matter how or when you start to turn your health around, it is never too late. He lost over 40 pounds, built a resilient immune system and now has more energy than he thought possible. He is inspired to help others do the same and become living proof that the road back to true health is not as long or as difficult as they may think.
The most important thing is to START the journey, no matter how small the step.
Our Services
With information comes the Power to Effect a Change!
Lab Work Analysis
This is where it all begins!
We base all forward progress on the information revealed in your individual blood biochemistry.
No more guessing ... your
unique numbers tell us what's
happening in your unique body.
Biochemistry-based Programs that Work!
Since we get our information from your bloodwork, there is a clear path for you to become your healthiest Ever!
We offer Action Plans that are personalized and targeted to your specific needs.
Supplement recommendations are available, if needed, as well as individual guidance with clear, easy, step by step methods.
One to One Support
You are never alone.
When you are successful, we are successful.
We are passionate about education, inspiration and empowerment. You will have tools and knowledge to take with you for a lifetime.
You will not only feel healthy .... you'll know it!
Let's Get Started!
1.
Get your bloodwork ready
The bloodwork you already have is all we need to get started.
(4 reports maximum)
2.
Click the button below
To open an account,
enter your information and upload your lab reports.
3.
Allow approx 1 week
It takes about a week to go over all the information and formulate a report and a plan.
4.
Schedule a Consult
Your consultation will be a private Zoom call that is approx. 45 min -1 hr in duration.
We will go over:
- In Depth Analysis - Of all your blood labs and symptom questionnaire.
- Detailed Explanation - Simple, interesting and understandable summary of what your tests reveal about your health.
- Action Plan - Things you are doing right. Improvements that can be made and what to do next.
Functional Medicine: Why It Works!
Chronic disease is a disorder that persists for longer than 3 months and is characterized by symptoms that worsen over time.
They are diseases of breakdown, not something you "catch"
(ie - cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, asthma, IBS, thyroid imbalances and many more)
The conventional medical solution ... management of symptoms.
Functional Medicine takes an altogether different approach.
Its purpose is to seek out the root cause of a disorder, rather than relying on drugs to cover up or suppress symptoms.
Functional Medicine Practitioners are savvy detectives that seek an answer to the most critical question … WHY?
There are always reasons behind every symptom.
Your body is not turning on you.
It is NOT your enemy.
It is responding to the inputs and environment it is given.
Medications can be critical, useful and necessary.
However, in most cases, they are not meant to be used as a lifelong treatment.
Drugs never heal you, nor do they get to the root cause of why you are sick.
They are meant to suppress symptoms so you can function.
There can also be a cascade of unwanted side effects
which require more medication to handle the new symptoms.
A real medical Domino Effect.
One treatment leads to another, which leads to another and then another,
… and none of them address why or how this began in the first place.
Then one day you wake up and face yet another day with prescriptions lining the shelf.
and wonder how you got here … or how you get out of it.
You are not just a heart, kidney or even a lymph node that works alone,
and needs its own specialist.
You are a complex, finely tuned biochemical machine that works as an integrated whole.
One exquisite system in which all the cells, organs and systems are so interconnected
that one area cannot be affected without changing dynamics in other areas.
This is the meaning of Functional Medicine!
We look at your unique situation and create a comprehensive,
step-by-step plan to get you back to a place where your body is resilient, strong and Functioning!
The way it was meant to be.
More importantly, you’ll have the ability and knowledge to stay there, for good!
Chronic disease is not a life sentence where there are no options beyond
the standard model of crisis care or disease maintenance.
There are options!
We offer you a 3rd Option.
One that builds health and restores function,
so you can have a vibrant body in which to truly live!
I wish I would have met Dr. Therese sooner. It would have saved me a lot of time and frustration from trying this method or trying that diet. She explains things clearly and logically so that I know exactly why we are doing something rather than just guessing.
Renee M.
I have been told so many times that my symptoms were because I was just getting old or that I was "fine". Even though I knew I wasn't. They blew me off by telling me I just needed to lose weight or eat better, or take this anti-depressant.
It was frustrating because I knew there had to be someone who knows how the whole body works and can figure out what is happening to me.
Dr. Therese really dove into my history & labs and found several things that no one else even noticed. What a difference! Now I know what to do and why.
Julie C.
I am no longer intimidated by all the confusing names or numbers on my lab reports. Nor do I have to wait for my doctor to "explain" it all to me. I have a basic working knowlege of what the numbers mean and what to look for.
Glen R.
I didn't realize there were so many things that could be found out in my lab reports. We talked for over an hour about things that I could work on as well as issues that might become problematic if they were ignored. I never would have known otherwise! Super helpful. I will not look at lab reports the same again!
Still have questions ... no problem!
We would love to meet you!
Click the button below to schedule a 20-30 minute Zoom conversation.
Working together or embarking on a new health
journey is an important decision and we want
you to be confident that you are
making the right choice.
