What Is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine…is an integrative and science based form of health care. True healing does not come from treating symptoms with a drug; it comes from determining and treating the underlying or “root” cause of a condition. It addresses illness and promotes wellness by focusing on the unique needs of the individual. It utilizes tailored interventions to restore physiological, psychological and structural health. Its purpose is to develop the most accurate, insightful diagnosis possible and then work with the patient to implement a solution.

Our health is susceptible to numerous system imbalances. Whether those imbalances are due to our lifestyles, dietary habits, nutritional needs, trauma, environmental factors, genetic predisposition, attitudes or beliefs, our health can be significantly compromised. These imbalances can lead to…

• Digestion and absorption problems
• Dysbiosis (bad bacteria outnumbers good bacteria in the gut)
• Infectious micro-organisms
• Food toxins, allergens and sensitivities
• Nutritional insufficiencies
• Immune system imbalances
• Inflammatory processes
• Hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances
• Stress, anxiety and depression
• Detoxification problems
• Drug interactions/side effects
• Increased oxidative stress
• Decreased energy production
• Sugar imbalances
• Genetic predisposition
• Structural misalignment and imbalances

…all of which are known to be the signs and symptoms of chronic disease.

The standard medical treatment = drug prescription.

The functional health approach = determine the underlying cause and eliminate the imbalance.

So simply put…restoring true health and wellness is achieved by treating what is causing your symptoms, not by treating a disease named for the symptoms you have.