Functional Medicine

 
"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.  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.
 
Functional medicine integrates traditional medicine with integrative or alternative medicine, creating a focus on prevention and treating upstream problems. This may include evaluating and intervening through nutrition, diet, exercise, laboratory testing, diagnostic techniques, prescription medications, botanical medication, supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs and stress management with lifestyle changes.  
 
We are each created uniquely and respond to our environment differently. As much as is possible we need to look for and treat the cause of problems or imbalances in our body, not just treat symptoms or a number on paper.