{"id":18239,"date":"2018-09-25T09:20:18","date_gmt":"2018-09-25T03:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/functionalnutritionlab.com\/blog\/?p=557"},"modified":"2025-08-28T15:01:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T15:01:44","slug":"true-but-partial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fxnutrition.com\/blog\/true-but-partial","title":{"rendered":"true, but partial"},"content":{"rendered":"

You likely have moments where, despite your training, you feel like you still don\u2019t know enough to help people feel better,<\/em> especially if they have complex symptoms or diagnoses.<\/p>\n

If this is true for you, you\u2019re not alone. I work with thousands of practitioners around the globe\u2014coaches, doctors, nurses, dietitians and more\u2014and you may be surprised to learn that they feel the same. It\u2019s human! And it\u2019s part of the challenges we face when we want to bring our A-game to the therapeutic relationship.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s face it, new studies are coming out all the time.<\/p>\n

There are differing opinions about healthcare everywhere you look (or listen).<\/p>\n

People are showing up with diagnoses you\u2019ve never heard of, and they<\/em> seem to know more about it than you ever could.<\/p>\n

How are you ever going to keep up, and finally feel confident that you know enough to be the expert people are looking for?<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re trying to accumulate encyclopedic knowledge (studying for hours before each client, reading every study and article you can find) it really is<\/em> a losing battle.<\/p>\n

The bad news is that if this<\/em> is your standard operating procedure, you\u2019re doing it all wrong.<\/p>\n

Your Functional Reframe: Yes\u2026 AND<\/h2>\n

The good news is that you don\u2019t have to know everything.<\/em><\/p>\n

I promise. You don\u2019t. (And honestly, you can\u2019t! I\u2019ve worked with thousands of clients and assure you that information does not equal capable clinical intervention.)<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to know the right supplements for 700 different symptoms, or the right diet for each of the thousands of diagnoses your clients might show up with.<\/p>\n

In fact, it\u2019s impossible to know the right answer for anyone before you actually see them.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Because\u2026<\/p>\n

All of the information that you can gather from research is true, but partial.<\/em><\/h3>\n

In fact, each detail, whether it comes from study evidence regarding a condition someone has, or the personal evidence<\/a> you\u2019ve helped her gather from her life, history and patterns, is true<\/em> but partial.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, it\u2019s true. AND<\/em> there\u2019s more to consider (because each piece of the truth is partial).<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at a few examples of this true but partial<\/em> perspective, so you can put it to work for you\u2026<\/p>\n

A practitioner I mentor came to me with this question:
\nMy client has Diabetes, is extremely overweight, has non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and his liver enzymes were extremely elevated when last checked. What do you think about suggesting Epsom salt baths to support detox?<\/em><\/p>\n

My answer:
\nYes,<\/em> Epsom salt baths are generally great to support detox\u2026
\nAND<\/em> your client is 67 years old and not stable on his feet. Plus, he lives alone. A bath might actually be dangerous!<\/p>\n

Another student asked me this:
\nA client of mine is experiencing severe constipation. Would you recommend the herb cascara sagrada?<\/em><\/p>\n

My answer:
\nYes,<\/em> cascara sagrada has been shown to alleviate constipation for some\u2026
\nAND<\/em> we want to check all the upstream issues before coming in with an herbal stimulant laxative.<\/p>\n