Functional Medicine is a specialized branch of medicine that is a holistic, individualized, patient-centered and evidence-based approach that facilitates patients and practitioners partnership to address and investigate the underlying causes of a disease process and promote optimal wellness.

 

It considers the many facets of the patient’s life, from birth, childhood, and to the present. Genetic traits and factors from parents and siblings become part of the patient’s health data and are also assessed. Components to assess for causations of disease processes are:

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1. Gut health (leaky gut, leaky brain, poor absorption, poor overall health)

2. Hormones

3. Neurotransmitters, nerves, and circulation

4. Inflammation, detoxification, and oxidative stress

5. Physiologic stress

6. Mindset

7. Therapeutic rest

 

A thorough understanding of all possible factors are considered to establish a personalized treatment plan for the patient. Lifestyle changes or what we call “lifestyle medicine” is the number one target intervention. These are factors in the patient’s daily life that can be controlled and improved which comprises the main bulk of Functional medicine intervention.

 

Functional Medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of a disease process. By addressing root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners are able to establish the complexity of the disease process.