The Benefits of Functional Medicine

The Benefits of Functional Medicine

Picture this: You’re hanging out with your loved ones, having a good time, when suddenly the conversation shifts to health issues. Maybe Aunt Jane mentions her asthma, and before you know it, everyone’s sharing stories about their medical conditions.

Have you ever noticed how even though you and Aunt Jane both have asthma, your own experiences with it are totally different? That’s because when it comes to health problems, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Enter functional medicine 

It’s like a personalized approach to healthcare that treats you as the unique individual you are. Instead of just treating symptoms, functional medicine digs deep to find the root cause, in the systems-biology way, of your health issues. And here’s the cool part: After listening to what your metabolism and genetics are telling you, you can make lifestyle changes to prevent it from happening again.

Figure 1 Complex interrelationship among health issues

Sharing the same philosophy with TCM, functional medicine also takes a holistic approach, considering all aspects of your life, such as stress, relationships, sleep, nutrition, etc., that might be affecting your health. That means your treatment plan could include everything from medications to herbal supplements to lifestyle recommendations like diet and exercise. Lifestyle modification can be really challenging.

Figure 2 The functional medicine tree

Different from TCM, functional medicine is using science to understand your body and your life. By looking at things like your medical history, genetics, and lifestyle, your doctor can create a tailored treatment plan just for you. This means no more generic solutions – it’s all about what works best for you.

Figure 3 A bird-eye view of DNA methylation cycles

But perhaps the best thing about functional medicine is that it doesn’t just treat your current health issues – it also gives you a roadmap for staying healthy in the future. By understanding why you’re experiencing certain symptoms, you can take steps to prevent them from coming back.

While not a replacement for conventional medicine and not designed to treat “diseases” themselves, functional medicine can be valuable in addressing a wide range of chronic health conditions and promoting overall well-being.

Here are some areas where it can be useful:

So if you’re struggling with a chronic health concern or tired of the endless cycle of trying different medications to manage your symptoms, maybe it’s time to give functional medicine a try. Consult our healthcare professionals at Body&Soul for discussing it to ensure it aligns with your existing medical care.