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You Were Made for Health!

Welcome to RIFM!

Thank you for for trusting us with your time. We believe you were made for health ... but it’s hard to harness your body’s remarkable power to heal when you’re dealing with a broken healthcare system, confusion, and misinformation.

We help you restore your health & hope with science-backed solutions, so you can live the vibrant life you were made for. We encourage you to explore our free resources, and our membership opportunities.

—Aaron Hartman, Christian Jenski, & Jodi Caddell

The Most Trusted Functional Medicine Practice in Richmond

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December 11, 2024

Best in Richmond—2 Years Strong!

August 1, 2024

First-Of-It’s-Kind Probiotic That Promotes Weight Loss

March 19, 2024

Vote for Richmond’s Best Medical Practice

March 15, 2024

New Service: Advanced Body Composition Analysis

December 29, 2023

New Service: IV Therapy

December 1, 2023
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Slot machines with an overlay text that says the neuroscience of social media

Our Connected Life Crisis

The Neuroscience of Social Media

How Algorithms Hijack Your Brain

The first in our series: “Our Connected Life Crisis” — How Social Media Steals Your Health & How to Get It Back Remember those anti-drug PSAs? “This is…

June 25, 2025
Heart Healthy Brain Damage - Different Cooking Oils

The Kitchen Oil Investigation

How ‘Heart-Healthy’ Fats Are Damaging Your Brain

This 15-minute kitchen investigation reveals the hidden toxins stealing your family’s mental clarity—and the replacement strategy to restore vibrant brain function.

June 18, 2025
Different sources of protein

The Hidden Nutrient Deficiency Aging Women Faster Than Anything Else

Why ‘Eating Enough Protein’ Isn’t Enough Anymore

Why protein quality matters more than quantity for women’s health.

June 11, 2025

Summer: Your Body’s Natural Detox Season (& How to Use It)

Work with your body’s natural rhythms instead of fighting them

Discover the science-backed natural summer detox using seasonal eating. 15 powerhouse foods + 7-day plan. No restrictive cleanses needed.

June 4, 2025
Happy middle aged woman enjoying the beach

Your Hormones in Harmony

Your Hormones After 40: The Changes No One Talks About (But Should)

Navigating Perimenopause & Menopause

Understand the hidden hormonal shifts affecting your brain, metabolism, and energy—plus science-backed solutions to help you thrive through this natural transition.

May 28, 2025

Beyond Weight Loss With GLP-1s

A Doctor’s Guide to Benefits, Risks, & Natural Alternatives

Discover why GLP-1 medications work when other approaches fail, their surprising health benefits beyond the scale, and science-backed strategies to minimize side effects.

May 21, 2025
YouTube Series
In this episode, Dr. Jenski and I are diving into the real-world solutions for better sleep—from how to actually fall asleep (and stay asleep) to what might be sabotaging your rest without you even realizing it. We cover everything from sleep hygiene tips and temperature hacks to deeper topics like dysautonomia, hormone imbalances, and even when medications (yes, even controversial ones) might have a role. If sleep feels elusive, this one’s for you. Want to learn more about sleep? Check out our blog: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/?s=sleep W H A T N E X T ? If you want to watch more interviews from the Made for Health series, check out our playlist below! Made for Health Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zKitZ5uAhpWPHaYoqo3obr8uBQFS7da A B O U T D R . H A R T M A N & R I F M Dr. Hartman’s interest in integrative & functional medicine first began after he and his wife Rebekah adopted their first daughter Anna in 2007. The medical system didn’t offer much hope for Anna’s medical condition and they were forced to explore alternative treatments. Over time, Aaron began to apply the new concepts and treatment modalities he was learning to his clinic patients as well as his own family. In 2012 he formalized his commitment to exploring new and advanced treatment opportunities through his membership with the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine and then the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2015 he received his second board certification in Integrative and Holistic Medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties and in 2016 earned the recognition as a Certified Practitioner in Functional Medicine from the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, Aaron and Rebekah’s commitment to their family’s health led them to move to a little farm outside of Richmond Virginia. While researching how to care for their land, animals, and livestock, Aaron and Rebekah learned about the intricate connections between their health, that of the land they cultivate, the animals they care for, and the food they eat. This led to Dr. Hartman’s intense interest in nutritional medicine as well as ecological medicine and toxicology. Dr. Hartman opened Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine in 2017. His mission at RIFM is to apply the sum total of his scientific research, medical knowledge, clinical experience and continuing studies to his patients in an individualized manner. This new field of medicine has been called Functional Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Systems Biology Medicine and Root Cause Medicine. R I F M W E B S I T E: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/ Thank you for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe for Integrative & Functional Medicine videos uploaded every week. – Dr. Aaron Hartman, MD
The Real Reason You’re Not Sleeping (It’s Not Just Stress or Caffeine)
YouTube Video UEwxektpdFo1dUFocFdQSGFZb3FvM29icjh1QlFGUzdkYS42QzdBMzlBQzQzRjQ0QkQy
Dr. Jenski and I are diving deep into something that's literally killing Americans - our national sleep crisis. We're breaking down the shocking truth that sleeping just 6 hours a night is equivalent to driving with 2 beers in your system, plus sharing our own personal wake-up calls about how chronic sleep deprivation nearly destroyed our health during medical training. If you think you can "sleep when you're dead," this conversation might just save your life by showing you why quality sleep isn't optional - it's essential. Want to learn more about sleep? Check out our blog: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/?s=sleep W H A T N E X T ? If you want to watch more interviews from the Made for Health series, check out our playlist below! Made for Health Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zKitZ5uAhpWPHaYoqo3obr8uBQFS7da A B O U T D R . H A R T M A N & R I F M Dr. Hartman’s interest in integrative & functional medicine first began after he and his wife Rebekah adopted their first daughter Anna in 2007. The medical system didn’t offer much hope for Anna’s medical condition and they were forced to explore alternative treatments. Over time, Aaron began to apply the new concepts and treatment modalities he was learning to his clinic patients as well as his own family. In 2012 he formalized his commitment to exploring new and advanced treatment opportunities through his membership with the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine and then the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2015 he received his second board certification in Integrative and Holistic Medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties and in 2016 earned the recognition as a Certified Practitioner in Functional Medicine from the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, Aaron and Rebekah’s commitment to their family’s health led them to move to a little farm outside of Richmond Virginia. While researching how to care for their land, animals, and livestock, Aaron and Rebekah learned about the intricate connections between their health, that of the land they cultivate, the animals they care for, and the food they eat. This led to Dr. Hartman’s intense interest in nutritional medicine as well as ecological medicine and toxicology. Dr. Hartman opened Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine in 2017. His mission at RIFM is to apply the sum total of his scientific research, medical knowledge, clinical experience and continuing studies to his patients in an individualized manner. This new field of medicine has been called Functional Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Systems Biology Medicine and Root Cause Medicine. R I F M W E B S I T E: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/ Thank you for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe for Integrative & Functional Medicine videos uploaded every week. – Dr. Aaron Hartman, MD
Doctors Reveal Why Sleep Deprivation Is Killing You
YouTube Video UEwxektpdFo1dUFocFdQSGFZb3FvM29icjh1QlFGUzdkYS4zMUEyMkQwOTk0NTg4MDgw
Welcome to the wrap up episode of our 3‑part dive into hormone optimization. In this episode, we walk through the practical, foundational lab panel I run—think cortisol curves, thyroid markers, nutrient levels, sex‑hormone rhythms, gut health, glucose/insulin metrics—and why each piece matters. I also share my philosophy: medicine evolves, personalization is key, and the biggest wins often come from managing stress, sleep, detox, nutrition, and picking off the low‑hanging fruit first. Want to learn more about hormones? Check out our blog:https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/?s=hormones W H A T N E X T ? If you want to watch more interviews from the Made for Health series, check out our playlist below! Made for Health Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zKitZ5uAhpWPHaYoqo3obr8uBQFS7da A B O U T D R . H A R T M A N & R I F M Dr. Hartman’s interest in integrative & functional medicine first began after he and his wife Rebekah adopted their first daughter Anna in 2007. The medical system didn’t offer much hope for Anna’s medical condition and they were forced to explore alternative treatments. Over time, Aaron began to apply the new concepts and treatment modalities he was learning to his clinic patients as well as his own family. In 2012 he formalized his commitment to exploring new and advanced treatment opportunities through his membership with the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine and then the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2015 he received his second board certification in Integrative and Holistic Medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties and in 2016 earned the recognition as a Certified Practitioner in Functional Medicine from the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, Aaron and Rebekah’s commitment to their family’s health led them to move to a little farm outside of Richmond Virginia. While researching how to care for their land, animals, and livestock, Aaron and Rebekah learned about the intricate connections between their health, that of the land they cultivate, the animals they care for, and the food they eat. This led to Dr. Hartman’s intense interest in nutritional medicine as well as ecological medicine and toxicology. Dr. Hartman opened Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine in 2017. His mission at RIFM is to apply the sum total of his scientific research, medical knowledge, clinical experience and continuing studies to his patients in an individualized manner. This new field of medicine has been called Functional Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Systems Biology Medicine and Root Cause Medicine. R I F M W E B S I T E: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/ Thank you for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe for Integrative & Functional Medicine videos uploaded every week. – Dr. Aaron Hartman, MD
Beat Hormone Chaos: 4 Proven Stress + Gut Labs for Daily Balance
YouTube Video UEwxektpdFo1dUFocFdQSGFZb3FvM29icjh1QlFGUzdkYS4wMTYxQzVBRDI1NEVDQUZE
In this episode, Dr. Jenski and I dive deeper into hormone optimization therapy—focusing on the “hormone hierarchy” and how systems like stress, thyroid, and sex hormones are all interconnected. We also explore often-overlooked pieces like the gut, detox pathways, and even the autonomic nervous system—and how addressing those can lead to powerful ripple effects in healing. If you’ve ever felt like your hormones were off but didn’t know where to start, this is a great foundation. Want to learn more about hormones? Check out our blog:https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/?s=hormones W H A T N E X T ? If you want to watch more interviews from the Made for Health series, check out our playlist below! Made for Health Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zKitZ5uAhpWPHaYoqo3obr8uBQFS7da A B O U T D R . H A R T M A N & R I F M Dr. Hartman’s interest in integrative & functional medicine first began after he and his wife Rebekah adopted their first daughter Anna in 2007. The medical system didn’t offer much hope for Anna’s medical condition and they were forced to explore alternative treatments. Over time, Aaron began to apply the new concepts and treatment modalities he was learning to his clinic patients as well as his own family. In 2012 he formalized his commitment to exploring new and advanced treatment opportunities through his membership with the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine and then the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2015 he received his second board certification in Integrative and Holistic Medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties and in 2016 earned the recognition as a Certified Practitioner in Functional Medicine from the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, Aaron and Rebekah’s commitment to their family’s health led them to move to a little farm outside of Richmond Virginia. While researching how to care for their land, animals, and livestock, Aaron and Rebekah learned about the intricate connections between their health, that of the land they cultivate, the animals they care for, and the food they eat. This led to Dr. Hartman’s intense interest in nutritional medicine as well as ecological medicine and toxicology. Dr. Hartman opened Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine in 2017. His mission at RIFM is to apply the sum total of his scientific research, medical knowledge, clinical experience and continuing studies to his patients in an individualized manner. This new field of medicine has been called Functional Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Systems Biology Medicine and Root Cause Medicine. R I F M W E B S I T E: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/ Thank you for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe for Integrative & Functional Medicine videos uploaded every week. – Dr. Aaron Hartman, MD
The Hormone Hierarchy that Changes EVERYTHING (Why Most Treatments Fail)
YouTube Video UEwxektpdFo1dUFocFdQSGFZb3FvM29icjh1QlFGUzdkYS4wNEU1MTI4NkZEMzVBN0JF
Today I'm sitting down with Dr. Jenski, to unpack one of the most confusing—and important—topics in modern medicine: hormones. In this episode, we dive into the history of hormone replacement therapy, how we got off track, and why true optimization goes far beyond just replacing what's low. This one's for anyone who's ever felt lost in the conversation around hormones. Want to learn more about hormones? Check out our blog:https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/?s=hormones W H A T N E X T ? If you want to watch more interviews from the Made for Health series, check out our playlist below! Made for Health Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zKitZ5uAhpWPHaYoqo3obr8uBQFS7da A B O U T D R . H A R T M A N & R I F M Dr. Hartman’s interest in integrative & functional medicine first began after he and his wife Rebekah adopted their first daughter Anna in 2007. The medical system didn’t offer much hope for Anna’s medical condition and they were forced to explore alternative treatments. Over time, Aaron began to apply the new concepts and treatment modalities he was learning to his clinic patients as well as his own family. In 2012 he formalized his commitment to exploring new and advanced treatment opportunities through his membership with the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine and then the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2015 he received his second board certification in Integrative and Holistic Medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties and in 2016 earned the recognition as a Certified Practitioner in Functional Medicine from the Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, Aaron and Rebekah’s commitment to their family’s health led them to move to a little farm outside of Richmond Virginia. While researching how to care for their land, animals, and livestock, Aaron and Rebekah learned about the intricate connections between their health, that of the land they cultivate, the animals they care for, and the food they eat. This led to Dr. Hartman’s intense interest in nutritional medicine as well as ecological medicine and toxicology. Dr. Hartman opened Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine in 2017. His mission at RIFM is to apply the sum total of his scientific research, medical knowledge, clinical experience and continuing studies to his patients in an individualized manner. This new field of medicine has been called Functional Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Systems Biology Medicine and Root Cause Medicine. R I F M W E B S I T E: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/ Thank you for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe for Integrative & Functional Medicine videos uploaded every week. – Dr. Aaron Hartman, MD
Hormone Replacement vs. Optimization: What Doctors STILL Get Wrong 25 Years Later...
YouTube Video UEwxektpdFo1dUFocFdQSGFZb3FvM29icjh1QlFGUzdkYS5CQkEwRDA0MDkwNUM2MDY1
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Podcast

Made for Health

with Aaron Hartman, MD

You were made for health—vibrant, thriving, and full of possibility. But navigating today’s broken healthcare system, endless misinformation, and confusion can feel overwhelming. On Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman cuts through the noise to deliver science-backed solutions that restore your health and reignite your hope. Join us each week for expert insights, practical tips, and inspiring conversations that empower you to harness your body’s incredible power to heal. Whether you're seeking clarity, direction, or just a trusted voice, this podcast is your roadmap to the vibrant life you were made for.

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