Functional Medicine: More than a Band-Aid

The field of functional medicine began to increase in popularity due to the coverage by the media and television. Despite the fact that many people are still unaware of this type of medicine, many believe it is the key to the future of the health industry. This field is extremely different than the more traditional sector of conventional care or medicine. A comparison must be made between traditional medicine and functional medicine to truly grasp the concept.

A traditional physician uses hormones, prescription drugs, therapy and examinations to treat diseases and dysfunctions. A standard model of care was created for treating a wide variety of conditions including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and diabetes. This model almost always remains exactly the same. In the majority of cases, the individual either receives treatment from the physician or is referred to a specialist.

Both a specialist and a general practitioner have access to medications. The standard care model was designed to diagnose the disease or condition and treat it with the corresponding drug or drugs. This is very effective for emergencies, trauma, infections, and various diseases. Unfortunately this model does not work for many chronic diseases currently impacting millions of Americans.

Many Americans are suffering on a daily basis from chronic diseases such as neurological issues, metabolic, hormonal, and digestive problems and allergies. The solution many individuals have turned to for help is functional medicine. It basics can be explained using the key principles.

The Key Principles of Functional Medicine

This type of medicine looks at the biochemical and genetic individuality of every single person. Instead of treating the disease, this branch of medicine focuses on treating the person. The body’s normal healing processes are naturally supported as opposed to directly attacking the condition or disease. Functional medicine is based on science. According to the newest research, the complicated network within the human body is connected through different mechanisms. These connections must be understood to see how the body functions.

The intelligence of the human body enables the body to regulate itself. Every system in the body has a process to remain in balance. This means the body is capable of preventing the diseases triggered by aging through a natural healing process. Functional medicine is the belief that health is overall vitality as opposed to eliminating diseases. This is the best way to define this type of medicine. The traditional physician will try to determine the issue or disease of the patient. Functional medicine focuses on:

  • What caused the issue to occur
  • The steps necessary to restore function
  • What caused the loss of the function
  • The root cause of the dysfunction
  • The reason the symptoms occurred
  • The reason the individual was labeled with a specific disease or condition

In short, it is not about identifying a disease or condition. The root cause must be determined to restore functionality. If you are interested in functional medicine, please make an appointment with The Metabolic Institute. At our convenient location in Spokane, WA, our caring and dedicated team of professionals will be pleased to explain this approach to you in greater detail and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!