Meet Kim Gensler | Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach / National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
We had the good fortune of connecting with Kim Gensler and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Kim, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
The biggest conventional advice that I disagree with is that going to the doctor and taking prescription medication is going to solve all your health issues. Now don’t get me wrong, the strides made in emergency medical care are tremendous and absolutely necessary for emergency situations. But applying the same techniques to chronic disease will get you nowhere and is one of the reasons why our population is so unhealthy.
90% of our health issues don’t require a doctor. Our issues stem from chronic stress, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, toxic environments, lack of sleep, and our mindsets. These pillars of health must be balanced or you will continue to struggle.
Luckily there’s a new trending field in the Functional Medicine space that focuses on helping people bring more awareness to their lives and supports them while they make those difficult changes. This field is called Functional Medicine Health Coaching.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Functional Medicine Health Coaching is a new, emerging field and more and more doctors are utilizing Health Coaches in their practice to support their patients as they begin making changes in their lives. Functional Medicine Certified Health Coaches are experts in supporting behavior change and providing accountability – two very important aspects that are needed in the change process. Most people know what they need to do to be healthy but there is a gap between knowing and doing and health coaches help bridge that gap.
The state of our healthcare system is in shambles – 6 in 10 Americans have one chronic disease and 4 in 10 have two or more.
Myself and others in the Functional Medicine world would argue that we are in a healthcare crisis.
90% of chronic disease stem from poor diet and lifestyle choices – we eat diets high in sugar, trans fats, and processed food. Spend 90% of our time indoors, in front of a computer, not moving our bodies. We deal with an over abundance of stress day in and day out. Our social interactions with friends and family are minimal. And we are all so busy, jumping from one task to another, that we’ve lost track of the bigger picture.
As I’ve mentioned before, Functional Medicine treats the root cause of disease. And yes, your symptoms may be caused by your imbalanced microbiome, or lack of Vit D BUT, we need to dig even deeper and ask ourselves, WHY our microbiome is imbalanced and WHY our Vit D levels are low. And the answer, most of the time, will be pointing to our lifestyles.
This is where Functional Medicine Health Coaching comes into play. And what sets my business apart from others is that I emphasis Health Coaching. In a world filled with expert advise and information, or infobesity, the last thing people need is more information and more people telling them what to do. What they need is more help and support breaking that information down and putting it into bite sized, actionable steps. Because it’s action that moves the needle and gets people better, not more information.
It’s also important to note that not all Health Coaches are equal. Unfortunately, the title Health Coach has been used loosely over the years and has been watered down by people who may be knowledgable about health, but don’t have any formal certifications. In other words, it wouldn’t be right for me to call myself a doctor or any other profession, if I’ve only watched a program on YouTube, or done a weekend training class. Health Coaching is a VERY specialized field and we are taught things like motivational interviewing, positive psychology, and appreciative inquiry. So make sure you hire a Health Coach that has gone through a nationally recognized health coaching program and has received their certification. Not only do I have my Functional Medicine Health Coaching Certification, but I am also a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, which is the highest Health Coaching certification in the US.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I recently moved back to Colorado last year October after spending 14 years in South Africa. So I’m still finding my way around town! So much has changed! But I will say that the first thing I do when I travel anywhere is to find some great restaurants that support my lifestyle. My favorite being Just Be Kitchen located in DTC and also downtown Denver. I also enjoy Modern Market Eatery. Both places have loads of healthy options.
I also love to visit some of the mountain towns – my favorite being Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park. And with it being so close to Denver, makes it easy with your out of town guests. Shopping, dining, hiking, and more!
Old Town Ft. Collins is also a favorite. I studied at Colorado State University and it’s always nice to go back to your old stomping grounds. Old Town has that mountain town feel that I really enjoy and there is something for everyone there!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my step mom April and would like to thank her for introducing Functional Medicine to me in my mid 20’s. She was the catalyst in my health journey and will be forever grateful!
Website: www.kimgensler.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kim_gensler/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kgensler
Other: TikTok – FUNCT Medicine Health Coach
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