Have you ever wished to consolidate your healthcare into one person? Have you ever wished someone would listen to all of your symptoms and generate a singular problem from which all those symptoms stem? Practitioners which practice functional medicine understand the power of the body to be able to heal itself when fed the proper nutrients and given holistic, whole body care.
Understanding Functional Medicine
Functional Medicine is a patient-centered, science-based approach that focuses on the underlying causes of disease and targets the root of the disease as opposed to the symptoms it causes.
Key Principles of Functional Medicine
1. Individualized and Personalized Care: No two people are identical so why should the treatments of any two people be the same? If you'd like to feel like a number, please continue pursuing traditional healthcare but if you wish to see true change in your health, functional medicine is key.
2. Holistic Approach: Let's use an analogy to explain the benefit to a holistic approach. Stubbing your toe causes your heart rate to go up, your breathing rate to go up, and a release of adrenaline (amongst many other things). Simply stubbing your toe changes the function of many of our bodies systems and so too does many diseases. It is important that a practitioner recognizes the symptoms you are having and is able to put the pieces together to get to the root cause of your disease.
3. Emphasis on Prevention: It is much easier to prevent a ball from rolling down a hill than it is to stop a ball which has already begun rolling down the hill. There are important steps we can take every day to put ourselves on a better functioning, more healthful path. Eating healthfully, moving often, learning to process stress, and breathing better are just some of the keys to living more healthful.
4. Integration of Conventional and Alternative Therapies: As amazing as functional medicine is, it does not live in isolation. There is a time and place for all types of medical care. Routine care is important to preventing more serious problems from arising. An oil change is as simple as it comes regarding routine care maintenance but even as simple as it is, not getting your car's oil change will cause significantly more damage.
Applications of Functional Medicine
1. Chronic Disease Management: Functional Medicine is particularly effective in managing chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases by addressing the underlying causes and promoting lifestyle changes.
2. Gut Health Optimization: The gastrointestinal system plays a crucial role in overall health. Functional Medicine often includes strategies to optimize gut health, recognizing its impact on the immune system, mental health, and more.
3. Hormonal Balance: For issues related to hormonal imbalances, such as thyroid disorders or hormonal fluctuations, Functional Medicine offers a comprehensive approach that considers factors influencing hormonal health.
Conclusion
Traditional medicine focuses more on "sick-care" as opposed to "health-care". You cannot expect diseases to improve when the sole focus is on the symptoms of that disease, such as in the case of traditional medicine. Functional medicine and understanding the physiology of the body is necessary to get to the root cause of the disease.
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