Functional Them

Functional Them The Women's Health Page for Functional Again in Gisborne, New Zealand. Amanda Roe, ND.

Best scenes from recent runs. Just feeling things out and trying to decide what’s next….which inevitably leads one to c...
02/05/2026

Best scenes from recent runs. Just feeling things out and trying to decide what’s next….which inevitably leads one to contemplate bigger things than running. 🌞

Last year’s focus was on strength and consistent pacing. Those have to stay in the plan as long as I want to sign up for races.The weather here can be so unpredictable, I’m really glad I put so much effort in that specific training, bc I am sure that’s the only reason I got to finish line at my last race/mud slog.😂

It’s important to stop and reassess + redirect where needed. Do we want to hang onto younger dreams? Or have our life experiences changed us? Are there new dreams or even physical requirements we need to mind?

Both my mother and my husband agree I am stubborn. IDK Where that comes from, I call it determined 🤓🐐😂
The reality is, if you are stubborn *and/or determined*, you need to set aside time to make sure the path you’re on, is the one that honors where your body is, and where you want to take it.

Time ticks by. YOLO is real. I intend to live long and prosper, so I want my YOLO to be a quality one.

This week, take time to take inventory. ❤️🙌🏼🕰️
This looks like:
🤍what’s the balance between work and adventure?
🤍what’s the balance between tending the physical home and tending the physical body?
🤍what are your relationships to your family, friends, environment and yourself?

Loosen it up and redirect your YOLO.✨

29/04/2026

Did you hear the news? PENPALS are back! Find yourself a penpal in comments. It’s easy, just write a little bit about yourself and where you’re from. Then come back later to see if you’ve got a match.🙌🏼🤓

If you watched the chat with Aubrie earlier today, you know I was planning to harvest my kūmara today. It’s year 4 of gr...
28/04/2026

If you watched the chat with Aubrie earlier today, you know I was planning to harvest my kūmara today. It’s year 4 of growing kūmara for me, and honestly, after the first few minutes, I thought I hadn’t waited long enough (again😖). Moments later, I unearthed one the size of a 3 month old kitten!

The whole process reminds me so much of birth, not to get all midwifey about it. But seriously…you have to be so gentle and ease these babies out of mama earth. The plant above ground is like a placenta and you can trace the umbilical cord-like roots down to each individual kūmara.

It’s one of my favorite homestead/garden things to do. AND it’s really good practice for staying patient.

Oldie but goodie
01/04/2026

Oldie but goodie

31/03/2026

Now you can even get a sticker for being a grownup and seeing your doc!

The Moon and Matariki (Pleiades). You’ll have to imagine this scene as much more crisp and clear. It’s a challenge to ...
23/03/2026

The Moon and Matariki (Pleiades). You’ll have to imagine this scene as much more crisp and clear. It’s a challenge to get a photo of the moon, and I’m sure there’s good reason for that. 🤩 The moon knows her own beauty and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. You just have to take her in with your own senses.

Seeing Matariki reminds me that we’re are entering a new season now, the Equinox has passed. Whether you’re feeling the rush of Spring or bringing high energy to a close for Autumn, take a minute for yourself today. You are brilliant in all your strengths and vulnerabilities. You are here to be a person. Be a good one. Be a true one. 🙌🏼 Don’t pretend to be anything else. 🌙

💛Before Tarawera 102km race: excited/anxious & hoping all the prep = a finish🩵After: relaxed, content & recovering with ...
18/02/2026

💛Before Tarawera 102km race: excited/anxious & hoping all the prep = a finish
🩵After: relaxed, content & recovering with a finish under my belt.

This was a long game endeavor after having my own struggles with perimenopause changing my body and the way it responds to everything❤️

Just because I do many of the “right things” doesn’t make me immune to aging & the hormonal dysregulation so many of us go through. At first, it was unbelievable. Then, it was frustrating. Doing the same things the same ways surely wasn’t working. Trying to keep up with everyone else definitely wasn’t working.

I had to go at my own pace, find my own rhythm & try new things: Some of it fully-backed by research, & some of it intuitive.

The deeper I went, for my own sake and the sake of my patients, the more I found it’s all about the inter-connectedness of our systems. Sure, hormones are important, but guess what? Nervous system function and digestive function are so key to smoothing that ride. Immune system support and mgmt of inflammatory responses play a big role too.

I used to run many races a year. Now I pick ONE, & honor where my body is, while pushing gently to improve. I am so grateful I can even still do my sport of choice.

What makes it possible for me:
💜Anti-inflammatory eating style (like 80% of the time till a few weeks before race or big training runs then it’s 100%)
💙Sleep from 9:30-5:30 most nights.
💚Strength training 2-3 times per week (thanks !💪🏼)
💛Walk AT LEAST an hour 5 days per week (some of these are short runs)
🧡Big long run 1-2 per month (this used to be every weekend, but it ain’t the perimenopause way for me!)
❤️physio exercises for injury prevention (thanks 🥰)
🩷my own combo of supports (that aren’t in my diet) that includes things like creatine, HRT, magnesium, NAC. I say this bc there are as many combos as there are people, and I can help you find the right one for you.

This year’s race went down as the most difficult in the history of the race. Torrential storms and ankle deep mud for 43km of 102km made what I thought would’ve taken 20 hrs turn into 28.5hrs of focus & grunt. And I did it🥳

It’s baaaaaaack, after a long hiatus, we are back this weekend for a pop-up Somatic Session. If you came to the last on...
03/02/2026

It’s baaaaaaack, after a long hiatus, we are back this weekend for a pop-up Somatic Session. If you came to the last one, you KNOW it’s all the good feels. And this time, your koha goes to Te Aroha Kanarahi Trust—-to help Wharekahika rebuild and plan for their future after The Storm with No Name That Changed Everything.⭐️🕊️⭐️ Reg Link in Stories (Koha either online or at the door)

Helping vs burning out. The world is beautiful but these times are difficult. I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can...
27/01/2026

Helping vs burning out. The world is beautiful but these times are difficult. I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can be there for each other for the long run. The balance between what to me feels like tension and sadness in the body….embodies more than just those two feelings but it helps me have language for it. Language creates vision and action. This is good for anyone, and crucial if you’re here because of hormones. Our hormones are some of the first things to go awry when we spend too long in tension/stress/sadness/overwork. Kids innately know how to mobilize their tension, so do animals. Find your way back to your own knowing.❤️

22/01/2026

Nervous system delights.🌟

Address

156 Ormond Road
Gisborne
4010

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5am
Friday 9am - 5am

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Functional Them posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category