Functional Medicine is a systems approach to chronic illness which addresses the whole person rather than an isolated set of symptoms.  Functional Medicine stops chasing symptom and disease labels, moving the focus to what may have created the issue, or the ‘Root Cause’.   Quite simply, Functional Medicine is defining and focusing on the ‘Root Cause’ of your health problems!

Because it Works! How does a 38 percent decrease in fatigue and 39 percent increase in vitality sound! Those results are from a recent Mayo clinic study of middle-aged women using a Functional Medicine approach for stress, energy, fatigue, digestive issues, and quality of life.  Or maybe, a Cleveland Clinics study that found improvement is health-related quality of life associated with patients using the Functional Medicine model.  Yet another study, reported in Journal of American Medical Association, where Functional Medicine delivers results for chronic disease sufferers.

In a Functional Medicine model, we are patient-centered, our goal is to promote health by restoring optimal function to multiple systems, primarily focusing on the immune, hormonal, and digestive systems. Restoring these systems has positive effects on mood, stress, energy, fatigue, digestive issues, and quality of life. We work with our clients to optimize their health by relying on the body’s innate intelligence through diet improvements, lifestyle changes and closing nutritional gaps. In short, we develop a therapeutic partnership, working together to achieve your health goals!

Where conventional medicine is disease-specific, meaning a doctor must follow specific protocols and procedures for an identified condition or disease.  Also, conventional medicine recommendations may not address what matters most to their patients’ health priorities. Don’t get me wrong, in some acute cases or trauma, disease-specific medicine works extremely well. However, it may not be effective for those with multiple symptoms of chronic disease, which has a different nature.

We treat the whole person, not just the lab numbers!  Most Functional Medicine practitioners solve complex and multifaceted health issues. Within my clinic, I see clients with a variety of concerns, including hormonal imbalance, unresolved gut issues, and chronic pain conditions. Recently, we are seeing an increase in clients that want to just understand their biomarkers, make better diet choices, or want to improve longevity.