Functional Medicine 

You are unique. Your healthcare should be, too.

Your biology, environment, and lifestyle interact to make you a wonderfully complex and unique being.

While traditional medicine prescribes standard treatment protocols to manage your symptoms, functional medicine partners with you to develop a personalized treatment that targets the root causes of your unique symptoms so you can get back to living beautifully balanced.

Functional medicine sees you—all of you.

Traditional vs. Functional Medicine

  • Diagnosis

    Traditional medicine relies on brief office encounters and basic diagnostics to identify symptoms.

    Functional medicine uses a comprehensive assessment process, including a detailed lifetyle analysis and advanced diagnostics, to identify the root causes of symptoms.

  • Treatment

    Traditional medicine depends on standardized, one-size-fits-all treatment protocols, often with an over-reliance on pharmaceuticals.

    Functional medicine partners with patients to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses underlying imbalances and supports the body’s natural healing mechanisms.

  • Goal

    Traditional medicine prioritizes immediate results through symptom suppression.

    Functional medicine balances immediate comfort with long-term vitality, seeking to identify and treat the root causes of symptoms to achieve wellness.

  • Functional medicine may be right for you if you are seeking a holistic approach that focuses on getting to the root cause of your illness, develops a personalized plan for you with consideration to your preferences and lifestyle, if you want to understand what is causing your symptoms, or if you have chronic conditions that no one fully understands. Patients choose functional medicine when they are frustrated with conventional medicine for a more comprehensive approach. If you are willing to make changes to your diet, exercise routine, stress management, and other lifestyle factors to improve your health, functional medicine is right for you!

  • Functional medicine focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of disease and dysfunction. Practitioners aim to understand how different systems in the body are interconnected and how they contribute to overall health or disease. Functional medicine often uses advanced diagnostic tools and testing methods to evaluate biochemical, genetic, and environmental factors that may contribute to health issues. This approach helps practitioners understand individual variations and design targeted treatments. The goal of functional medicine is to restore and maintain health by addressing the underlying causes of disease and dysfunction. It aims to empower patients through education and personalized treatment plans to achieve optimal health and well-being. Treatment modalities in functional medicine may include dietary modifications, nutritional supplements, lifestyle changes (such as exercise and stress management), detoxification protocols, and sometimes medications or therapies targeting specific imbalances identified through testing.

    Holistic medicine takes a broader approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. It considers not only physical health but also emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Holistic practitioners may incorporate a wide range of therapies, including conventional and alternative treatments, to support the whole person. The focus is on treating the person as a whole rather than just addressing symptoms or specific diseases. Holistic medicine typically involves comprehensive assessments that consider physical symptoms alongside psychological, social, and spiritual factors. Practitioners may use a variety of diagnostic techniques, including conventional tests and assessments of lifestyle and environmental influences. Holistic medicine emphasizes the importance of prevention, wellness, and patient empowerment. It seeks to create a partnership between the practitioner and patient, focusing on self-care and lifestyle changes to promote overall health and healing. Treatment approaches in holistic medicine vary widely and may include acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, herbal medicine, meditation, yoga, psychotherapy, and other complementary and alternative therapies in addition to conventional treatments.

  • You should continue your prescription medications while working with your functional medicine provider. If your functional care provider recommends discontinuation, you should do so only after discussion with your conventional provider.

  • The field of functional medicine is relatively young compared to conventional medicine, but emerging research supports its effectiveness and benefits. 

    1. Functional medicine improves quality of life. A study published in Gastroenterology Research and Practice in 2015 reviewed the effectiveness of functional medicine approaches in managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune disorders. The review found that functional medicine interventions, which include personalized dietary plans, nutritional supplementation, and lifestyle modifications, can lead to improvements in disease management and quality of life for patients.

    2. Functional medicine improves symptoms and overall health. A survey-based study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2017) assessed patient outcomes and satisfaction with functional medicine approaches. The findings indicated high levels of patient satisfaction and reported improvements in symptoms and overall health, particularly among individuals with chronic conditions.

    3. Functional medicine improves gut health. Research highlighted in the Journal of Translational Medicine (2018) explored the role of functional medicine in improving gut health and its impact on overall wellness. The study emphasized the use of personalized treatment plans that address gut dysbiosis, inflammation, and intestinal permeability, which are common underlying factors in many chronic diseases.

    4. Functional medicine lowers healthcare costs. Functional medicine emphasizes preventive healthcare strategies by promoting healthy lifestyles, stress management techniques, and targeted nutritional support and reducing reliance on medications. Studies have suggested that these proactive approaches may help prevent the onset of chronic diseases and improve overall wellness outcomes, thereby lowering healthcare costs over time (Permanente Journal, 2010).

    5. Functional medicine augments conventional healthcare. Reviews published in Explore (2010) and Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (2013) suggest that collaborative efforts between functional medicine providers and conventional healthcare teams can enhance patient care by addressing both acute symptoms and underlying chronic conditions.