Functional medicine is a form of alternative medicine that takes a holistic, individualised approach to healthcare. Instead of just treating symptoms when they arise, functional medicine aims to get to the root cause of the disease. It has grown in popularity in recent years. Here are five of the key benefits functional medicine can offer patients:
1. The Focus is on Finding the Root Cause
Conventional medicine often focuses on treating the symptoms and diseases at face value without delving deeper into what might be causing them. Functional medicine takes the opposite approach – practitioners spend extensive time with each patient, digging into their genetics, lifestyle, diet, environment, and psychology, among other factors, to find potential underlying causes for the symptoms they are experiencing. By identifying and addressing the root causes, the symptoms can often resolve or greatly improve.
2. Treatment Plans are Tailored to the Individual
A cookie-cutter approach is not effective in functional medicine. Practitioners understand that every person is biologically unique and will require a customised treatment plan based on their specific situation. Extensive testing is done upfront, including genetics, blood tests, stool analysis and more. The practitioner then pores through the results to see what imbalances and dysfunctions are present for that particular patient and designs a plan to bring their body back into balance. This personalised approach gives patients the best chance at experiencing transformative results.
3. The Focus is on Prevention
Functional medicine puts a strong emphasis on preventative strategies versus reactive treatment when disease takes hold. By optimising important lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management early on, the goal is to prevent the development of disease down the road. Patients are empowered to be proactive with their health instead of waiting until problems arise to seek treatment. Preventative measures may include food sensitivity testing, nutrient level testing, digestive support protocols, meditation practices and much more.
4. The Whole Body is Considered
The functional medicine approach views the body as an interconnected system instead of isolated parts. All body systems are taken into account, from the gut, liver and immune system to hormones, brain health and beyond. If imbalances in one area are not addressed, it can create a domino effect, leading to dysfunction in other areas. Functional medicine practitioners from Urban Wellness examine all the potential links and influences between body systems to bring the body as a whole back into a state of optimal functioning.
5. Patients Become Educated and Empowered
A big part of functional medicine is not only to provide patients with solutions to their current health woes but also to educate them to be able to make healthy choices going forward. Extensive teaching is done around topics like managing stress, anti-inflammatory eating, exercise, hormone balance, gut health and much more. The goal is for patients to feel confident in all the factors under their control so they can take charge of improving and maintaining their health over the long term. They become informed, empowered, and engaged.
Exploring functional medicine for your own health concerns can be life-changing, leading you down a path towards increased energy, performance, and overall better living.