Functional Medicine is:

Holistic

Transforming patient health by understanding and addressing all the things that influence it, including genes, environment, diet, and lifestyle.

Science-based

Using the conventional approach to healthcare as a starting point and building onto it with more thorough, integrative health information.

Collaborative

Empowering patients, practitioners, and health coaches to work together to identify root causes of illness, overcome roadblocks, and make the dietary and lifestyle changes necessary for healing.

Efficient

Because addressing root causes instead of alleviating symptoms, reversing chronic illness, and preventing future illness all mean reduced health costs, in the long run.

Individualized and patient-centered

So that the patient’s voice is heard at every appointment, and the treatment they receive is tailored to their unique needs.

Definition sourced from The Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, where I received my Functional Medicine Health Coaching Certification.

Learn more about what Functional Medicine is in the video below:

The Overflowing Kitchen Sink

Imagine for a moment, your kitchen sink overflowing, as an analogy for a chronic health condition. In conventional medicine, the doctor would be working from an endpoint perspective, and treating the disease symptomatically, which in our example would be little more than continuously mopping the floor of accumulated water. Here, the sink is the expression of disease.

In contrast, Functional Medicine takes a holistic and more investigative approach, looking at not just the biology of the individual but social and lifestyle factors which, when combined, can help return someone to optimal health. In our example, plumbing represents the Functional Medicine model and switching off the valve and water supply illustrates how we need to get to the root of the symptoms.

What works in Conventional Medicine and remains essential is acute care which includes for example, treatment for injury or emergency care.

Learn more more about how Functional Medicine differs from conventional medicine in the video below.

Coaching in a Functional Medicine Paradigm

Genes account for only 25% of your health. 75% is within your control.

You can take control and determine whether your genes will be expressed through modifiable lifestyle factors such as:

• Diet

• Nutrition

• Exercise / Movement

• Stress Management

• Relationships

• Sleep

• Toxin Exposure

• Hydration

Learn more about why Health Coaches are so important to Functional Medicine - and the world in the video below.