Rooted in Results: The Future of Functional Medicine with Dr. Erica Armstrong

RealPharma: Conversations with Pharma Pathfinders

🎙 Episode Title: Rooted in Results: The Future of Functional Medicine with Dr. Erica Armstrong

🧬 Episode Summary
In this episode, Dr. Na-Ri Oh and Ian Wendt sit down with Dr. Erica Armstrong, board-certified family medicine physician and founder of Root Functional Medicine, to explore the promise, challenges, and evolution of functional medicine. Dr. Armstrong discusses how Root’s systems-based, data-driven approach is helping patients uncover the root causes of chronic disease, improve outcomes, and reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals—all while scaling care with smart tech and telehealth.

Whether you're in biotech, med affairs, or digital health, this conversation offers an eye-opening look into how patient-centric, preventative medicine could transform our approach to chronic disease—and what pharma can learn from it.

🧪 What You'll Learn:

• Why traditional medicine may be great at managing symptoms—but not always solving problems

• How functional medicine complements pharmaceuticals and improves adherence

• The biomarkers we’re missing (hello, fasting insulin!)

• Why nutrition might be the most under-prescribed medicine

• How Root Functional Medicine is scaling personalized care without sacrificing quality

• The role of AI, telehealth, and tech platforms in building the future of functional medicine

🧵 Resources & Links Mentioned:

🔹 Guest Bio & Links

• Dr. Erica Armstrong, MD, IFMCP
  Founder, Root Functional Medicine
  LinkedIn: Dr. Erica Armstrong
  Website: rootfunctionalmedicine.com
  Instagram: @rootfunctionalmedicine

📘 Publications & Tools

• The PCOS Thyroid Connection by Dr. Erica Armstrong
  Available on Amazon

• Root’s Blog & White Papers
  ➤ rootfunctionalmedicine.com/blog
  ➤ White paper on Autoimmune Conditions: Read here

💊 Related Guests Mentioned

• Dr. Grace Magedman — Leadership & functional medicine coach
  LinkedIn: Dr. Grace Magedman

💡 Topics Mentioned

• Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) training: functionalmedicine.org

• GLP-1s and functional complements to pharmaceutical therapies

• Personalized lab testing and the Root Cause Panel

📱 Follow the Hosts

• Nari Oh – LinkedIn

• Ian Wendt – LinkedIn

🧠 Favorite Quotes
🗣 "Functional medicine is not more expensive than missed work, missed vacations, or endless procedures with no answers." – Dr. Erica Armstrong

🧪 "We start with conventionally trained MDs and pair them with dietitians to make the magic happen."

🧠 "Balanced blood sugar—protein, fat, and fiber—is the one thing I tell everyone to start with."