Functional medicine integrates what we know about how the human body works with patient-centred, science-based care. It addresses the causes of chronic disease, which are rooted in lifestyle choices, environmental exposures, styles of perception, and genetic influences.
Functional medicine emphasises the therapeutic partnership, which engages the heart, mind, and spirit of both practitioner and client, and encourages moments of deep insight that contribute to more comprehensive answers to stubborn, complex medical problems.
A patient visiting a functional medicine practitioner is likely to have a lengthy interview, fill out questionnaires on a variety of topics, and to undergo physical measurements and laboratory tests. The extensive information collected is used to determine the underlying imbalances and influences (whether genetic, environmental, or psychosocial) that have produced a context for the development and persistence of disease or dysfunction.
The clinician evaluates seven key functional/biological systems to understand the full network of vectors underlying the illness. Then, customized interventions are initiated to re-establish balance and functionality, and a comprehensive treatment plan is created to restore health in the short, medium and long term. Tools are drawn from both conventional and integrative medicine, including lifestyle adjustments based on clinical scientific research.