Functional Medicine
Experience the life-changing effects of functional medicine, a holistic approach to healing chronic illnesses that places nutrition at the forefront. Embrace personalized healthcare that takes into consideration your unique requirements and focuses on optimizing your health in the long run.
Functional Medicine
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine targets the underlying cause of disease through a systems biology approach. An individual’s illness can be influenced by various symptoms or differential diagnoses. More than one cause can lead to a diagnosis. Depression, for instance, can be attributed to a multitude of factors, with inflammation being one of them. Similarly, conditions like inflammation can result in various diagnoses, such as depression. The exact manifestation of each cause is influenced by an individual’s genes, environment, and lifestyle, and only treatments that tackle the underlying cause will offer sustained benefits beyond simply alleviating symptoms.
Specialized training and techniques are utilized by functional medicine doctors to identify the underlying causes of chronic illnesses. Their approach is holistic, taking into account your physical, mental, and emotional, well-being. Their care approach is “patient-centred,” involving an in-depth understanding of your lifestyle, medical history, family background, and specific needs to tailor a personalized solution for your health concerns.
What do functional medicine doctors do?
By examining your complete medical history, functional medicine doctors uncover the underlying reasons for illness. They acquire extensive information regarding your illness and overall lifestyle, frequently investing additional time with patients to ensure a comprehensive understanding. When consulting with a functional medicine doctor, they may ask about your symptoms over time, how you sleep, your exercise routine, diet, stress levels, relationships, and emotional health. By adopting this holistic viewpoint, a customized treatment strategy is formulated to target the multiple factors influencing your chronic ailment. The initial interventions in functional medicine involve improving diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction, rather than relying on medication or surgery.
What to expect during your visit
Before your initial appointment, you will need to fill out a detailed medical history form. This form is vital in helping us identify the underlying cause(s) of your chronic condition. The questionnaire touches upon different aspects of your life, such as your lifestyle choices, including what you eat, how active you are, your work, interests, and things that cause you stress. It explores your genetics, including family medical history, and your environment, taking into account factors like exposure to toxins and allergens. During your initial appointment, a comprehensive visit with a provider, dietitian, and health coach is conducted, involving a thorough review of your health history, physical exam, lab tests, and a presenting “food as medicine” philosophy, enabling a holistic treatment plan for optimal well-being.