04/14/2024
Have you heard of Functional Medicine and why it’s important? ❔
Functional medicine is an area that is getting a lot more attention lately, but it can be a brand new concept for anyone who has pinned their hopes on conventional medicine. In functional medicine, the focus is on optimizing your body and addressing imbalances that could contribute to health problems and chronic disease. 🦠
Anything that is stopping you from being in the best possible health is identified and addressed. This includes reducing inflammation, which is at the heart of a ton of chronic diseases. If you have persistent health problems, inflammation is likely playing a role in this. 😖
If you already have health issues, a functional approach can help you understand what’s caused it and how you can minimize or overcome symptoms. 😌
This is very different from conventional medicine, which usually looks to manage symptoms after they crop up, often through medications. The root cause of the problem will rarely be addressed. 💊
If you'd rather use a natural approach to looking after your health rather than taking medications, functional medicine is definitely something you'll want to dive into. 💭
So, let's talk about why functional medicine matters so much for your wellbeing! 🗣️
Why is functional medicine important? Functional medicine focuses on whole-body wellness. When all of the systems in your body are in balance and working in harmony, you're much less likely to experience health problems. ⚖️
But exactly what counts as 'balance' is definitely not a one size fits all scenario…
Every one of us is different. We all have a unique biochemical makeup that is partly linked to genetics, environment, and lifestyle. Using your medical history and specific biochemistry gives a personalized picture of your health. Your practitioner can look at hormone health, gut health, and nutritional imbalances that are linked to symptoms, for example. Understanding what is going on in your body means you can embark on a bespoke action plan that’s individualized to you. Even if you think you're healthy, functional testing can highlight areas that can be optimized. This is because health isn't just about not having disease. It's also about thriving and encouraging strong vitality. Think of it as a way to support your body to be on top form and ward off the potential to develop health problems. ⚛️
The focus is always to improve overall health, rather than addressing symptoms in any particular area of the body. Even some chronic diseases can be reversed with this whole-body approach. 👀
What is involved in functional medicine? Functional testing is crucial for getting to the root cause of imbalances. 🧪
Blood, stool, urine, and saliva tests can give a much broader picture than a single blood test and can pick up on imbalances that wouldn't be found through blood tests alone. Together, they can provide a lot of detail about how different systems in your body are functioning and how they can be optimized. 🩸
Natural interventions are the priority, notably nutrition and lifestyle optimizations. 🥗
Nutrition is a key part of functional medicine. Food can have an incredible effect on health, especially when you're making nutritional choices that support healing and bridge your specific imbalances. But it's not only about eating healthy. It's about eating in the right way for your specific needs. The best nutrition for you depends on how your body is functioning and how this can be transformed through foods that heal and restore. 🌿
Targeted supplements are often used to promote healing, depending on the results of functional tests. Lifestyle plays a huge role too. Exercise, good sleep, and managing stress levels are just a few of the lifestyle factors that can help maintain balance and promote healing. 🧘🏻♀️
Environmental stressors are also taken into account. Exposure to chemicals, mold, and other toxins can affect health in a huge way and taking them out of the equation is a super important part of functional medicine. But it's often incredibly hard to pinpoint their effects through conventional testing. 😰
Through intentional nutrition and lifestyle changes, functional medicine can help you get on top of your health and feel great. Have you considered incorporating functional medicine as part of your standard care? 🌿🤍