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what is 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, and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The key to reversing the rapidly spreading epidemic of chronic disease is to address the underlying causes and solutions for chronic disease, which are primarily driven by the lifelong, daily interaction among an individual’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle choices.

Functional medicine is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centred focus of medical practice to a more patient-centred approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.  

A functional medicine approach includes:

An integrative, evidence-based healthcare approach - practitioners look “upstream” to consider the complex web of interactions in the patient’s history, physiology and lifestyle that can lead to illness.  The unique genetic makeup of each patient is considered, along with both internal (mind, body and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect total functioning.

Integrating best medical practices - functional medicine integrates conventional medical practices with complementary or alternative medicine, creating a focus on prevention through nutrition, diet and exercise; use of laboratory testing and other diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of drugs, supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programmes, or stress-management techniques.

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