How Functional Medicine Can Change Your Life (and Your Health)

Functional Medicine: Introduction and Background

Many patients and doctors alike are frustrated with the state of American healthcare. It can be hard to find a doctor who cares and has the time to treat patients' unique conditions. Focused on relieving specific symptoms, conventional medicine often fails to consider the whole patient, their history, and concerns, as well the underlying state of their health. 

Picture the patient like a tree. Functional medicine considers the root (that is, the underlying causes) of their complaint, not just the leaves (the visible symptoms, which are outcomes) of their condition. 

Functional medicine takes a bigger-picture approach. It doesn't reject conventional medicine but rather aims to take a pragmatic and thoughtful tack, focusing on the patient‘s long-term wellness — as opposed to the rather brief and transactional nature of conventional Western medicine. According to WebMD, functional medicine doctors “work holistically, considering the full picture of your physical, mental, emotional, and sometimes even spiritual health."

As its name implies, functional medicine looks at a function a patient may have lost because of an underlying health issue or set of complex health issues and seeks to restore that function, fully — rather than just medicating the obvious and perhaps superficial problem. The roots of functional medicine are a concern for a patient's whole life and factors like nutrition, hormones, personal relationships, and mind-body issues.

Functional Medicine Versus Conventional Medicine

If you're still asking, "what is functional medicine?", this chart sums up some of the big differences between functional and conventional medicine.

4 Reasons to See a Functional Medicine Provider

If you have a health concern and are wondering about the benefits of functional medicine, consider these four strong reasons to see a functional medicine practitioner:

1. You Want Longer Appointments

It can feel hard to open up or even scratch the surface of one's medical issues when there isn't time for a long conversation — or even apparent interest on the part of a doctor limited to 15-minute slots. By contrast, doctors trained in functional medicine spend more time with you because their process involves recording a detailed history, asking questions to get a bigger picture of your life and situation, and because, ultimately, they want to get to the bottom of your health concerns. 

2. You Are Open to Alternative Treatments

Functional medicine doesn't preclude prescription drugs, but functional medicine doctors do take a more open-minded, holistic approach to their patients' health. They might prescribe alternative but science-based treatments like: 

• Acupuncture

• Meditation

• Yoga

• Nutritional interventions

• Herbal remedies

Diet and exercise are crucially important to health, but many conventional doctors will shy away from giving detailed recommendations. Functional medicine recognizes that mind and body are interconnected, and can even affect bodily functions like digestion and immunity. Functional medicine doctors will even ask you bigger questions about your larger sense of meaning and purpose and find ways to address those (if those are deficient).

3. You Have a Chronic Illness

Functional medicine is well suited to treating chronic illnesses. For example, if you've been struggling with inflammation or joint pain for a long time, a functional medicine doctor will look for the causes of chronic disease, as opposed to treating the symptoms. They will take a broad approach, including consideration of psychological, environmental, genetic, or a combination of these factors. As a result, they may be able to bring more relief than just another suggested cream or ointment.

4. You Want a Personalized Experience

Everyone is different on a genetic level, but also in their environment, culture, and current life stresses. Functional medicine addresses each person individually. If you're looking for a more focused approach to your medical needs, a functional medicine doctor will likely offer more specific guidance and insight than a traditional one.

Examples of Functional Medicine and Its Benefits

Doctors like Mark Hyman, MD have brought a greater awareness of the benefits of functional medicine to the public, promoting the idea that diet can beat and prevent many diseases. Scientific studies attest to the benefits of functional medicine, finding that "it may have the ability to improve global health in patients". 

Consider a patient who goes to a regular doctor with a rash. Skin issues can have many causes, including environmental sources, allergic reactions, genetic conditions, psychological issues like anxiety, or autoimmune conditions. 

The conventional doctor might send a patient home with a cream to treat the topical condition. A functional doctor might take a different approach, asking questions about a patient's medical (and life) history and current living situation and stresses. The result is longer-lasting relief, as well as lifestyle changes that will prevent other diseases, too. 

Many of functional medicine's greatest successes have to do with clearing up chronic, longstanding symptoms that have pained their sufferers for years. It can be especially effective for weight loss, general inflammation, or lack of energy. 

For example, when considering weight loss plateaus, Dr. Hyman offers insight into how functional medicine would approach this common issue, considering such causes as:

• Gut microbe imbalances

• Nutritional imbalances

• Inflammation and immune function issues

• Environmental toxins

Depending on the issue, a weight loss plateau might be remedied through supplementation, nutritional changes, addressing mold exposure or infections, or considering the cumulative effects of toxins like mercury which may be the result of eating too much swordfish or tuna (a common enough issue in our polluted world). Reaching a weight loss plateau may have a complex cause and require more thought than just telling someone to exercise more, or shrugging it off as inexplicable. 

Corporate Wellness Magazine points out many amazing instances of functional medicine's success stories, such as reversal, not just management of Type 2 diabetes, and better early diagnosis of certain cancers.

Conclusion: Functional Medicine for Your Health

If you're intrigued by the idea of functional medicine and are frustrated with a health issue in your own life, like an autoimmune disorder, that conventional medicine has been unable (or doesn't care) to treat, it may be time to investigate this more holistic, personalized approach! Sofia Health is a great resource featuring many functional medicine practitioners. Reach out today and take control of your health!