Why does everyone need Functional Medicine?
Conventional medicine mainly focuses on treating symptoms, the aftermath of the cause. Yes, conventional medicine uses preventive care – but it still does not focus on the entire person.
Most doctors do not have the time to really delve into the root causes that are affecting the patient due to time constraints and the amount of patients they have to see. That approach is an ineffective way to provide a patient centered care that promotes healing.
Functional Medicine emphasizes a partnership between the doctor and the patient promoting a true healing of the cause of the illness. This relationship allows the patient to gain back the control and responsibility of his or her own health. It incorporates the scientific knowledge we now have about environmental influences, lifestyle choices, genetics, and systems biology affecting the entire person.
Fundamentals of Functional Medicine Include:
- Patient-Centered Care and not a disease centered care. It promotes health to its ultimate goal, way beyond the absence of disease. Functional Medicine doctors look “upstream” in the patient’s life history, physiology, and lifestyle that often lead to illness. Each patient’s genetic makeup is considered, along with both internal (body, mind, and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect the health continuum in unique ways.
- Integrates best medical practices. It uses conventional evidence based medical practices with new emerging scientific information along with an “alternative or integrative” approach that actually considers the whole person.
- Focuses on both prevention of disease and treatment of disease and symptoms not by just giving medications.
- Addresses wellness and disease through creating personalized nutrition, exercise strategies, improved sleep, reduction in toxin exposure, and stress management.
- Utilizes the latest advanced laboratory testing and other diagnostic techniques that conventional medicine overlooks. Nutritional supplements, herbal and botanical supplements are also incorporated to medications, if warranted.