Functional Medecine and metabolic health Clinic

A holistic approach to the patient

Most functional imbalances can be corrected; some can be completely restored to optimal function, and others can be significantly improved.

• Prevention is essential. Nearly all complex chronic diseases are preceded by long-term functional disturbances that can be identified and managed effectively.
• Changing the way systems function can have a major impact on a patient’s health. The functional medicine practitioner examines a wide range of available interventions and individualizes a treatment plan, including the ones that impact most on underlying functionality.
• Functional medicine expands the clinician’s toolbox. Treatments may include drug combinations, proven botanical medicines, nutritional supplements as needed, therapeutic diets or detoxification programs. They may also include advice on lifestyle, exercise or stress management techniques.
• The patient becomes a partner. As a patient, you become an active partner of your Functional Medicine practitioner. Such a partnership puts you in charge of improving your own health and changing the outcome of illness.

How is functional medicine different?

There’s a huge gap between research and medical practice. The gap between emerging basic science research and its integration into medical practice is enormous – up to 50 years – particularly in the field of complex chronic diseases.

Most doctors are not sufficiently trained to assess the underlying causes of complex chronic diseases and to apply strategies such as nutrition, diet and exercise to both treat and prevent these diseases in their patients.

Functional medicine involves understanding the origins, the prevention, and the treatment of complex chronic diseases.

Characteristics of a functional medicine approach include:

• Patient-centred care. Functional medicine focuses on patient-centered care, promoting health as positive vitality, beyond the mere absence of disease.
• An integrative, science-based approach to healthcare. Functional medicine practitioners look “upstream” to consider the complex web of interactions in a patient’s history, physiology and lifestyle that can lead to disease. Each patient’s unique genetic make-up is considered, as well as the internal elements (mind, body and soul) and external factors (physical and social environment) that affect overall functioning.
• Integration of best medical practices. Functional medicine integrates traditional occidental medical practices with what is sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” medicine; emphasizing prevention through: nutrition, diet and exercise; use of laboratory tests and other diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of drugs and/or proven botanical medicines, supplements when needed, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs or stress management techniques.