Principles of Functional Medicine
There are many factors that can affect a person’s health. The cause of a person’s disease or illness might be due to their lifestyle, genetics, or their environment. Addressing the underlying issue instead of just treating the symptoms can provide more balance in a person’s overall health and bolster their immune system. It means that you can boost your health with functional medicine!
At our London Functional Medicine Clinic we are here to help you get your health back on track. We focus on treating and adjusting your entire body’s systems for an optimised and balanced state of being. For example, we can laser focus on a specific system like your digestive system and get you feeling better as a whole. And best of all, we make all of your treatment recommendations in person or remotely to suit your commitments.
Functional medicine is an approach to healthcare that centres around a holistic approach to treating the whole person by looking at all the different systems that are all interconnected. Healthy living is not just about how you eat or how much time you spend at the gym, but also about what’s going on in the different systems within your body.. A functional medicine practitioner will work with each part of a person’s body and examine how they are performing so as to catch any potential misalignment early.
Even though the term “Functional Medicine” can appear somewhat vague, it is gaining more widespread recognition through various doctors and clinics such as the world renowned Cleveland Clinic who use it in their approach to healthcare. Despite this, the general public remains largely unfamiliar with the concept and practice of functional medicine. Essentially, functional medicine is distinct from the conventional or standard model of healthcare that we are accustomed to, and in order to gain a complete understanding of what it entails, it is necessary to look at its core principles
The core principles of Functional Medicine
We are all biochemically different
And therefore, requires a personalized approach to healthcare. Instead of treating the disease itself, functional medicine focuses on treating the individual. It works to enhance the body’s natural healing mechanisms, rather than directly targeting the disease.
Functional Medicine principles rely on evidence-based medicine
Functional Medicine utilizes scientific principles, advanced diagnostic testing, and non-pharmaceutical/non-surgical treatments to bring balance to the body’s primary physiological processes. Understanding this fundamental concept is the first step towards comprehending what Functional Medicine entails.
Functional Medicine Focuses on Health, Healing & Prevention
The approach taken by Functional Medicine is highly proactive, with a focus on achieving optimal health levels, and preventing future diseases. This involves placing a specific emphasis on achieving overall balance, and wellness. In other words, rather than concentrating solely on the specifics of a medical diagnosis or disease, Functional Medicine seeks to understand the underlying causes.
Systems Biology-Based Approach
Functional medicine practitioners and Functional Medicine Doctors employ a systems biology approach to comprehend how fundamental imbalances can impact various areas of the body, instead of using an organ systems-based approach
Patient-Centered Approach
In Functional Medicine, patients and doctors work in tandem to determine a suitable and agreeable treatment plan. The process of achieving health objectives is a collaborative effor
What Is A Functional Medicine Doctor?
A Functional Medicine doctor or practitioner is a qualified healthcare professional who operates beyond the standard of care health model we currently see in the UK and worldwide. They prioritize spending quality time with their patients instead of the standard 10 minutes have with each patient.
To resolve health concerns, they employ an in-depth diagnostic approach that considers the patient as a whole, rather than just someone with symptoms. The practitioner or functional medicine doctor can also function as a health coach guiding you through the process to getting healthier. By doing so, they aim to prevent patients from wasting time and resources on temporary health solutions that only act as band aids.
Functional Medicine provides a way for individuals to restore the proper functioning of their body’s living and breathing “machine” without resorting to ineffective medications or invasive procedures that fail to address the underlying causes of disease.
How we can help?
Book an appointment today with one of our expert clinicians to discuss how we can help you with various conditons from digestive conditons to metabolic dysfunction.
