It wasn't a lack of discipline. It was signs of insulin resistance.

“Things just don’t feel normal”

Lauren had been active her whole life. She played competitive soccer growing up.

After college, she rebuilt her health from scratch. She lost over 20 pounds, learned what worked for her body, and committed to a routine.

For a few years, everything clicked.

Then something changed.

Even with daily exercise and a balanced diet, she was constantly bloated. Losing weight became harder. She felt sluggish and inflamed.

She brought her concerns to her primary care doctor.

Things just don't feel normal.

Nothing to worry about

Lauren’s lab tests consistently showed elevated cholesterol.

Her doctor always said the same thing: It’s nothing to worry about.

But that reassurance never felt complete.

Lauren's mom had experienced a heart attack and multiple strokes. Knowing that family history, Lauren couldn't shake the feeling that something was being missed.

Her doctor's standard advice was: Stay active. Watch what you eat.

Lauren was already doing both.

"I felt like, well, I'm doing everything right."

With no true path forward, she felt she had reached a dead end.

A Christmas gift

When Lauren told a friend she was considering a naturopath, her friend introduced her to Function, explaining that the included testing would be well beyond her standard labs.

The idea stayed with Lauren for nearly a year.

With Christmas coming up, she mentioned a Function membership to her boyfriend.

People were like, ‘What did you ask for?’ I'm like, ‘blood testing.’

She was scared of what the results might reveal, so she kept delaying her appointment.

Her boyfriend reminded her why she'd asked for it in the first place.

This is the point. You're not supposed to wait.

Scared and thankful

When Lauren received her results, one finding immediately stood out.

"My insulin levels were really high."

Her Clinician Notes explained that while her blood sugar level was normal, her body seemed to be producing more insulin than expected to maintain that level. This response can be a sign of insulin resistance that is linked to weight gain, inflammation, and more complex metabolic issues.

It was an amazing sense of relief to know that I wasn't crazy.

Other results raised a different concern. She had LDL Pattern B, which means LDL particles are mostly small and dense, and lower HDL Cholesterol, the type that normally helps remove excess cholesterol from the blood. Both results are associated with higher cardiovascular risk.

"That was a little bit scary. But also, I felt really thankful."

The confidence to lead

Lauren immediately downloaded her results and sent them to her primary care doctor.

"I want to create a plan to move forward through this together."

For the first time, they were working from the same information. Lauren now had the confidence to lead the conversation and advocate for herself.

Lauren also took her results to a naturopath.

Together, they built a new meal plan tailored to how her body actually responds to foods. They shifted protein intake to earlier in the day, adjusted her carb timing, and added targeted supplements.

I feel like it was kind of this domino effect that Function really started.

No more bloating

Months later, the changes showed up. Instead of LDL Pattern B, it was now Pattern A. And HDL Cholesterol trended upward and in range.

The results didn't just track her progress.

When her insurance dropped coverage for a GLP-1 medication that had been working, Lauren used her Function insights to show how dramatically her markers had improved.

Her coverage was reinstated.

But for Lauren, the biggest difference wasn't just the numbers.

It was how she felt.

"My fiancé has commented... 'This is the happiest I've ever seen you.' He never hears me say, 'I'm so bloated,' anymore."

Learning to trust herself

After her second set of results, Lauren followed up with her care team to take a closer look at her heart health. They ultimately recommended a CT to measure calcium buildup in the heart’s arteries.

Her coronary artery calcium (CAC) score came back zero. No identifiable calcified plaque.

Looking back, Lauren says the biggest change wasn't just understanding what was happening inside her body.

It was learning to trust herself.

I feel like my life has completely changed since that first blood test. I feel like I now have real control over my health and my future and my story.