Something Everyone Should Know About- Functional Medicine

At last week’s Paleo Fx, I was really happy to see a good representation of practitioners who are not only advocates of the Paleo diet but of Functional Medicine.

What is that exactly?

From their site, http://www.functionalmedicine.org/ :

“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.”

Imagine a visit to a doctor where one of the first things they asked you about was what you were eating (gasp!?)!   One that actually wanted to make your visit their main priority and genuinely wanted to help you, with a food as medicine approach first rather than shooing you out with a prescription for drugs after you asked your three questions and exceeded your ten minute office visit!

In some cases, we can cure our own symptoms and health issues independently by shifting our diets to that of the Paleo regime, but in other cases, sometimes we need to dig a little deeper.   The power of food paired with the science and technology that this type of approach has to offer can be life changing.

It’s a must-go-to page for all of us, even if we’re feeling great and simply need to have a doc to call our own to keep us functioning optimally!