Functional Medicine (FM) is a new concept for a lot of people. Perhaps you have heard of it but think it’s just another name for naturopathic medicine. While this approach does tend to use gentler therapies than prescription drugs, the heart of the FM approach to health care is that it is personalized, patient-centered, and science-based. By working together, a practitioner and patient uncover and address the root causes of illness. Often, a condition can have several causes, but it is also true that an individual can suffer from several conditions that can all be traced back to the same cause. Genes, biochemistry, diet, lifestyle - these all play into disease and provide information that can guide treatment and lead to profound improvement.
Conventional medicine, on the other hand, treats by diagnosis and the severity of that disease. This works well for acute issues and saves lives really effectively. However, when it comes to those with chronic diseases, many are discouraged by their growing list of medications, all the while feeling worse and worse due to medication side effects.
Functional medicine is a great option for people who:
are ready and motivated to actively participate in their healing by changing their diet and activity level, addressing stress in their life, and potentially taking nutritional supplements or prescriptions if necessary;
are curious and want to uncover the root cause of their own condition;
are dissatisfied with conventional medicine’s approach and outcomes;
are interested in gentler therapies but want their treatment to be evidence-based.