Functional Medicine is the future of conventional medicine–available now.

The functional medicine approach seeks to identify and address the root causes of disease and views the body as one integrated system, not a collection of independent organs divided up by medical specialties. It treats the whole system, not just the symptoms.

Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach, and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. We believe in a patient-centered approach when we deliver our care, and functional medicine allows us to do that. Functional medicine practitioners spend time with their patients, listening to their histories, and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. In this way, functional medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.

All of our choices have an impact on our body – whether they are food choices, lifestyle choices, or health choices. They all matter when it comes to our overall health, and a functional medicine approach allows us to keep our patients functioning at their highest levels.

We understand that the entire body works as one system and when something goes wrong, it is essential to pinpoint where things went wrong and why so that we can make a treatment plan that will prevent it from happening again. To help our patients optimize their health, we believe in treating every patient with an individualized approach that considers their environmental and lifestyle choices.

Why do we need Functional Medicine?

Our society is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from complex, chronic diseases such as

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Mental illness
• Autoimmune disorders, like rheumatoid

The system of medicine practiced by most physicians is directed toward acute care, the diagnosis and treatment of trauma or illness that is of short duration and in need of urgent care, such as appendicitis or a broken leg.

Physicians apply specific, prescribed treatments such as drugs or surgery that aim to treat the immediate problem or symptom. Unfortunately, the acute- care approach to medicine lacks the proper methodology and tools for preventing and treating complex, chronic disease. In most cases, it does not take into account the unique genetic makeup of each individual or factors such as environmental exposures to toxins and the aspects of today’s lifestyle that have a direct influence on the rise in chronic disease in modern Western society.

There’s a huge gap between research and the way doctors practice. The gap between emerging research in basic sciences and integration into medical practice is enormous—as long as 50 years—particularly in the area of complex, chronic illness.

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

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