For years, our healthcare system has always been focused on treating the symptoms of disease. Patients going to the doctor would expect to get treatment for their disease or chronic condition by way of a drug prescribed by the medical professional.
In the advent of functional medicine, the framework for treatment has shifted from the symptoms to the cause. A functional medicine doctor utilizes a systems-oriented approach in preventing and treating the underlying causes of complex and chronic diseases by focusing on the individual. In doing so, the practitioner spends more time with the patient, with both of them engaging in a therapeutic partnership.
Functional medicine determines and addresses the cause of diseases by evaluating the patient’s biochemical and genetic factors. It also takes into account their lifestyle. As such, functional medicine nutrition education is a critical component in improving patient health and providing treatment.
Here are three things you need to know about a functional medicine food plan?
1. Functional medicine recognizes that not all patients require the same nutrition to achieve optimal health. A functional medicine food plan evaluates your medical history and health concerns to determine specific nutritional needs. In considering your unique health and nutrition profile, functional medicine nutrition acknowledges that you need more than just a one-size-fits-all food strategy.
2. Your functional medicine practitioner conducts a body-composition scan to test the overall and regional information of your body. Your fat percentage, fat mass, and muscle mass are the information used to create nutritional recommendations for your functional medicine food plan to reach your specific health objectives.
3. As part of functional medicine nutrition education, you will be properly guided throughout the program. There are classes and courses to help you understand fully the state of your health and determine the best food choices for you. Functional medicine delivers results by conducting thorough and proper evaluation, educating patients, and accepting one-on-one consultations.
Health and nutrition are extremely important, and a functional medicine food plan works by properly addressing the nutritional needs of your body. Be part of the Advanced Lifestyle and Nutrition Education Program (ALNEP) at The Lamkin Clinic. Contact us today!