When patients walk into Natural Medicine & Rehabilitation (NMR) in Somerset, they’re often carrying more than symptoms—they’re carrying years of unanswered questions. Many have visited multiple specialists, completed standard labs and imaging, and still been told their results are “normal,” despite feeling anything but.
That gap between traditional findings and lived experience is exactly where NMR’s functional medicine team steps in—led by Dr. Vince Sferra, founder and clinic director. A chiropractor with extensive training in functional and integrative medicine, Dr. Sferra has spent decades helping patients uncover the root causes of chronic, unresolved health concerns. His approach blends clinical expertise, compassion and deeper investigative testing to reveal what standard evaluations often miss.
“At its core, functional medicine is about uncovering the mechanisms driving a person’s dysfunction or disease,” Dr. Sferra explains. “Instead of stopping at symptoms, we ask why they’re happening—and what processes are fueling them.”
Seeing What Conventional Labs Miss
Patients who seek functional medicine care often struggle with long-standing issues: fatigue, digestive distress, joint aches, autoimmune reactivity, hormone imbalance or brain fog. These concerns aren’t always captured in routine bloodwork.
“Conventional labs diagnose pathology, which is critical,” Dr. Sferra notes. “But when those tests come back normal, patients are often told it’s genetics or stress—without any real testing or deeper evaluation. That’s not enough.”
NMR uses specialized lab panels to identify underlying dysfunction, including stool analysis, adrenal and hormone profiling, micronutrient testing, inflammatory markers, gut and blood–brain barrier integrity and food immune-reactivity—not to be confused with allergy testing.
“These labs, combined with detailed histories and lifestyle diaries, give us a fuller picture of what the body is struggling with and why,” he adds.
A Thoughtful, Thorough First Visit
NMR begins with a modest-fee consultation designed to help patients experience the practice firsthand.
“We learn enough to determine whether a functional medicine workup is truly the right path,” Dr. Sferra explains.
From there, the team conducts a comprehensive review of medical history, questionnaires, previous labs and lifestyle patterns before ordering additional tests. When results arrive, patients receive a complete explanation of what the numbers mean—and how they connect to their symptoms.
“Education is central,” Dr. Sferra emphasizes. “People deserve to understand what’s happening in their own bodies.”
The “Triad of Health”
Once patterns are identified, NMR builds personalized care plans centered on what they call the Triad of Health: nutrition, movement and mindset.
“The overwhelming majority of our recommendations are rooted in diet, nutritional support, physical activity, rest and stress-tempering lifestyle habits,” Dr. Sferra shares. “We like to say: you are what you eat, think and do.”
Follow-up lab testing happens between two and six months later to measure progress and refine the plan.
Collaboration—and Independence
While Dr. Sferra hopes for greater collaboration between functional and conventional medicine in the future, he believes most chronic cases can be effectively managed at NMR.
“We don’t replace primary care, but we can handle the majority of issues patients come to us for,” he notes. “When needed, we absolutely consult specialists to ensure comprehensive care.”
The Reward: Answers, Clarity and Hope
For many patients, NMR represents the first time their concerns are heard in full—and the first time they see data that aligns with how they feel.
“To help someone who has searched for answers for years is incredibly rewarding,” Dr. Sferra reflects. “Functional medicine isn’t alternative. It’s simply a deeper level of investigation—especially for the chronic issues conventional testing hasn’t explained.”
Natural Medicine & Rehabilitation
Address: 399 Campus Drive, Somerset
Phone: 908-252-0242
Website: nmrnj.com
“At its core, functional medicine is about uncovering the mechanisms driving a person’s dysfunction or disease.” - Dr. Vince Sferra