If you already have a doctor you see regularly, you might wonder where functional medicine fits. Maybe your checkups go fine and your labs come back normal, but you’re still tired, still stressed, or still fighting weight that won’t move despite eating well and exercising. You don’t necessarily want to start over. You want someone to look more closely.
That’s a situation we hear about at Functional Medicine by Dr. Marina Fest, DNP. Our care is built to dig into the why behind persistent symptoms, and the health history and labs you already have are part of how we do it.
Adding Depth to the Care You Already Have
Care with Dr. Fest builds on what you already know about your health, starting with the history and labs you bring in.
Your existing labs and history are a starting point
Every patient begins with a comprehensive functional evaluation. Dr. Fest reviews your medical history, lifestyle, stress, environment, digestion, hormones, and prior labs.
Those prior labs matter. If you’ve had bloodwork done elsewhere, bringing it in means we can see what has already been checked rather than treating your past care as a blank slate. Your history becomes context for the next set of questions.
When normal results don’t match how you feel
Feeling tired even when your labs are normal is one of the most common reasons people reach out to us. So is feeling stressed and unable to fully relax.
Dr. Fest has extensive primary care experience. Over her years in traditional healthcare, she saw that many chronic symptoms stay unresolved when care focuses only on managing diagnoses. That observation shaped her approach. Our practice is for people who know something doesn’t feel right and want real answers, not reassurance that everything is normal.
What a functional evaluation looks at
Functional medicine considers how lifestyle, nutrition, environment, and biology interact. Dr. Fest’s approach evaluates digestion, hormones, metabolism, inflammation, and lifestyle factors to look for root causes.
In practice, that means looking for underlying factors such as hormone imbalances, gut dysfunction, nutrient deficiencies, chronic inflammation, blood sugar instability, thyroid dysfunction, and stress and cortisol dysregulation. Reviewing them together can give a fuller view of symptoms that don’t fit neatly under one diagnosis.
Testing that can add more detail
When it would help, we use advanced diagnostic testing. Depending on your needs, that may include GI MAP microbiome testing, hormone panels, micronutrient testing, and inflammatory and immune markers.
GI MAP is one example of the added detail this can bring. It’s a DNA based stool test that uses qPCR to analyze the gut microbiome, and it’s more detailed than a standard stool test. For testosterone concerns, we offer comprehensive testing that includes free and total testosterone levels.
Clinical training paired with a root cause lens
Dr. Fest holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, and her specialization is primary care plus functional medicine. She has advanced training in functional medicine and combines evidence based clinical medicine with a root cause philosophy.
That combination matters if you’re used to conventional care. You get doctoral level clinical expertise alongside a broader look at how your systems connect. Care plans are personalized and science based, built on clinical findings and your health priorities.
A plan that’s built around your goals
Findings from your evaluation and testing shape a personalized root cause protocol. Depending on what you need, that may include nutrition strategies, supplementation, gut restoration, hormone optimization, and lifestyle modulation.
Your personal goals, concerns, and preferences are central to treatment. Patients often mention Dr. Fest’s collaborative, listening focused, and educational style. That makes it easier to understand what’s being recommended and why.
Ongoing support, not a single visit
Ongoing Support and Partnership is one of the core services on our homepage, and continuity of care is one of the things that defines our practice. After your protocol begins, we continue with progress tracking, protocol adjustments, follow up testing, and education.
Because of that, our practice isn’t a fit for one time visits without follow up, prescription only solutions, or rushed appointments. Functional medicine with us is a relationship that builds over time.
Is this a good fit for you?
You may be a good match if you want deeper answers, feel unheard despite normal labs, value personalized concierge style care, and are ready to invest in long term health. We aim for transparent costs too, with clear advice on functional medicine costs, so you can weigh this decision with real information.
Where we see patients
Our office is at 2627 Hylan Blvd C5, Staten Island, NY 10306, and we primarily serve Staten Island. If you live in Florida, you can receive care through telehealth.
Let’s Take a Closer Look Together
If your current care hasn’t explained why you still don’t feel like yourself, we’d like to hear your story and see the labs you already have. Functional medicine in Staten Island with Dr. Fest is designed to add depth, ask more questions, and stay with you as your plan evolves.
Book your appointment at https://app.malla.co/join/marina-fest-099694, call (347) 222-9107, or email lifestyledoctorwellness@gmail.com to schedule a consultation.
FAQs
Should I bring labs from my other doctor?
Prior labs are part of the comprehensive functional evaluation, along with your medical history, lifestyle, stress, environment, digestion, and hormones.
What kind of testing might be added?
Depending on your needs, advanced testing may include GI MAP microbiome testing, hormone panels, micronutrient testing, and inflammatory and immune markers.
Is this a one time consultation?
No. Continuity of care is central to our practice. Ongoing care includes progress tracking, protocol adjustments, follow up testing, and education, and we’re not a fit for one time visits without follow up.
Do you offer telehealth?
We primarily serve Staten Island. Patients in Florida can receive telehealth services.
