With so much conflicting information available, you may have questions with where to even begin. In our Foundations series, we start with the basics and cover topics that are important your health and wellness. We give you easy to digest information that answers your questions and hopefully leaves you wanting to know more! Today we dive into a healthcare model that may seem unconventional, but in truth honors the basic tenants of healthcare: Functional Medicine
What is Functional Medicine?
At it’s core, functional medicine is simply stopping to investigate the CAUSE of a condition. Sounds simple right? It also sounds like something that should be occurring with every visit to the physician or hospital. But it doesn’t. Our healthcare system is an expensive, volume driven business where providers spend on average 17 minutes with their patients. This leaves little time to connect with the patient and figure out WHY problems are occurring in the first place. Consequently, our health-span suffers.
Health-span is as straight forward as it sounds – how much of our life is spent feeling “healthy”? For some, it is to a ripe old age with a minimal period of illness. For others, life is spent combating chronic conditions, multiple medications and spending time, and money, going from doctor to doctor. The average American spends the final 10–15 years of life suffering the debilitating effects of chronic diseases. A functional medicine approach aims to prolong the health-span and avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful medications that often accompany aging.
How is Functional Medicine different?
Techniques used by functional medicine providers range from addressing risk factors like sleep and nutrition to monitoring labs looking at hormone levels or the by products of chemical processes in our bodies. The beauty of functional medicine is that the recommendation is specifically tailored to the individual’s health history. Beginning with a comprehensive review, starting from birth, events throughout the course of your life are correlated with current concerns and patterns are evaluated.
Sinus problems start after moving to a new home? Mold in the new space could be a contributing factor. Did severe stomach issues correlate with a stressful event? Perhaps to a change in habits following childbirth or beginning college classes? Instead of treating these concerns with a nasal spray, antacid or more, we help you to uncover the cause and get rid of it for good.
To learn more about Functional Medicine and seeing how it may help you, schedule a free 15 minute consultation or head to our Work With Me page! Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter below as we delve into topics like lifestyle medicine, ingredient highlights, medication concerns and more.