Functional Medicine is first and foremost a whole-istic approach to health. W-H-O-L-E-istic: looking at the entire body, well-being, genetics, environment, what is working, and what is not…and how those factors interact and influence each other. The question becomes not “WHAT”… but WHY?
The Core Principles of Functional Medicine
-Establish a therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient
-Work with systems and frameworks- not set protocols
-Address the root causes as opposed to chasing signs and symptoms or “treating” a diagnosis
Functional Medicine Doctors are trained to see patients as a whole person, the interactions of different systems of the body, and emphasize the role of diet and lifestyle modification as primary treatment. The BIG PICTURE of healing.
Functional Medicine is a personalized, systems-oriented model that empowers patients and practitioners to achieve the highest expression of health by working in collaboration to address the underlying causes of disease. -The Institute for Functional Medicine
Read more about the Institute for Functional Medicine here.
What about Functional Wellness?
My role as a functional wellness practitioner bridges the gap between doctor and patient. My goals are more specific to each patient’s situation: providing education and communication. I want to understand how health issues are impacting each person’s physical, emotional, and mental health; I want to address environmental and situational stressors; I want to educate patients on how to implement change and take back control of their health.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean rabbit food
Functional Nutrition teaches people what is healthy food and what isn’t. The food industry has lied and manipulated our concepts of “health food” for decades. Eating healthy comes down to making a connection between the food that you are eating (and the foods that you are avoiding) and how those choices can cause digestive distress, hormone imbalances, brain fog, poor sleep, mood disorders, and more.
