Functional Medicine
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional Medicine 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 between 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.
Our society is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from complex, chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and auto-immune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.
The system of medicine practiced by most physicians is oriented toward acute care, the diagnosis and treatment of trauma or illness that is of short duration and in need of urgent care, such as appendicitis or a broken leg. Physicians apply specific, prescribed treatments such as drugs or surgery that aim to treat the immediate problem or symptom.
Unfortunately, the acute care approach to medicine lacks the proper methodology and tools for preventing and treating complex, chronic disease. In most cases it does not take into account the unique genetic makeup of each individual or factors such as environmental exposures to toxins and the aspects of today’s lifestyle that have a direct influence on the rise in chronic disease in modern Western society.
There’s a huge gap between research and the way doctors practice. The gap between emerging research in basic sciences and integration into medical practice is enormous—as long as 50 years— particularly in the area of complex, chronic illness.
Most physicians are not adequately trained to assess the underlying causes of complex, chronic disease and to apply strategies such as nutrition, diet, and exercise to both treat and prevent these illnesses in their patients.
Functional Medicine involves understanding the origins, prevention, and treatment of complex, chronic disease.
Hallmarks of a Functional Medicine approach include:
• Patient-centered care. The focus of Functional Medicine is on patient-centered care, promoting health as a positive vitality, beyond just the absence of disease. By listening to the patient and learning his or her story, the practitioner brings the patient into the discovery process and tailors treatments that address the individual’s unique needs.
• An integrative, science-based healthcare approach. Functional Medicine practitioners look “upstream” to consider the complex web of interactions in the patient’s history, physiology, and lifestyle that can lead to illness. The unique genetic makeup of each patient is considered, along with both internal (mind, body and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect total functioning.
• Integrating best medical practices. Functional Medicine integrates traditional Western medical practices with what are sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” medicine, creating a focus on prevention through nutrition, diet, and exercise; use of the latest laboratory testing and other diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of drugs and/or botanical medicines, supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs, or stress-management techniques.
Most imbalances in functionality can be addressed; some can be completely restored to optimum function, and others can be substantially improved.
Prevention is Paramount. Virtually every complex, chronic disease is preceded by long-term disturbances in functionality.
Changing how the systems function can have a major impact on the patient’s health.
The Functional Medicine practitioner examines a wide array of available interventions and customizes a treatment plan including those with the most impact on underlying functionality.
Functional medicine expands the clinician’s tool kit. Treatments may include combinations of drugs, botanical medicines, nutritional supplements, therapeutic diets, or detoxification programs. They may also include counseling on lifestyle, exercise, or stress-management techniques.
The patient becomes a partner. As a patient, you become an active partner with your Functional Medicine practitioner. This allows you to really be in charge of improving your own health and changing the outcome of disease.
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT FROM EVERY OTHER DOCTOR THAT YOU HAVE SEEN?
We treat you metabolically and neurologically!
I am here to tell you that……
NO STONE IS LEFT UNTURNED TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF YOUR PROBLEM!
I WILL GUARANTEE YOU THAT NO ONE HAS TOLD YOU WHAT I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU…….
I am going to address:
#1: What makes my program unique?
#2: How I successfully treat patients.
HOW DO I SUCCESSFULLY TREAT PATIENTS?
By using specific metabolic and neurological protocols!
SPECIFIC METABOLIC TESTING AND TREATMENTS:
I: Sensitivity Testing: to determine if you have a sensitivity to gluten (wheat, rye, oats, and barley), milk, eggs, yeast, and soy. If you are sensitive to ANY of these food groups, it could be making your Diabetes worse, as it will increase inflammation in your brain and throughout your body!
Here are some of the symptoms of these sensitivities:
♣ Chronic Pain or Fatigue
♣ Frequent Indigestion
♣ Bloating after Eating
♣ Frequent Loose Bowel Movements
♣ Constipation
♣ Mouth Ulcers or Sores
♣ Frequent Vomiting
The only way to find out of you are suffering from any of these sensitivities is the run the test.
II. Complete Blood Panels:
By using specific blood tests such as:
♣ #1 A Thyroid Panel
♣ #2 A Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP)
♣ #3 A Lipid Panel
♣ #4 A CBC (Complete Blood Chemistry with Auto-differential)
We can assess your Thyroid, Adrenal Glands, Liver, Kidneys, Red/White Blood Cells and Gut Function with the above lab tests. All can be affected with chronic health conditions. By addressing any problems with your Thyroid, Adrenal Glands, Blood Chemistry, or Gut Function, we can help you to heal faster. The CMP also allows us to check your Blood Glucose Levels since Glucose and Oxygen are needed by the brain to function properly.
Glucose Values (12 hour fasting):
♣ Normal: 85-99
♣ Hypoglycemic: 84 or less
♣ Insulin Resistance / Pre-Diabetic: 100-126
♣ Diabetic: 127 or higher
The 4 Priorites are:
1) Anemia
2) Blood Sugar/ASI
3) GI / Liver
4) Fatty Acid Metabolism
III: Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) :
You can test the Adrenal Glands with a test called an Adrenal Stress Index. This is a salivary test much like DNA testing. The Adrenal Glands sit right above the Kidneys and they are your “stress” organs meaning that they react to stress. IF THE PATIENT HAS BEEN OR IS CURRENTLY UNDER STRESS, THIS TEST IS A MUST. IF THE PATIENT SUFFERS FROM INSOMNIA AND/OR DIABETES, THIS TEST IS A MUST. IT WILL MEASURE THEIR CORTISOL LEVELS.
IV. Immune Panels—EXTREMELY IMPORTANT:
Your Diabetes could be hampered by an Auto-Immune condition; in other words, your Immune System could be attacking your Brain and Nervous System. This is why the Immune Panels are so important.
There are two parts to the immune system, TH1 and TH2.
IL- 2 and TNF-alpha = TH1
♣ TH1 is T-cells. T-cells are the army that attacks and cleans up afterward. (Helper T-cells, Suppressor T-cells, NKC, regulatory T-cells, and Macrophages.
IL-4 and IL-10 = TH2
♣ TH2 is B-cells. B-cells make anti-bodies. They tell T-cells what to kill. If the testing comes back with a high B-cell count, the patient is TH2 dominant.
♣ T and B Lymphocyte & Natural Killer Cell Panel
♣ IL-2 ,TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-10
♣ Natural Killer Cell Activity
You will want to determine if there is an Active Antigen or Dysregulation.
♣ Active antigens are parasites, bacteria, virus, mold, yeast, fungi, protozoan, foods, chemicals, and heavy metals.
The best indicator for an Active Antigen as the cause of the patient’s abnormal dominance is the “Helper/Suppresor” ratio on the T & B cell panel. (also called “CD4:CD8” ratio).
♣ The closer to 2.5 the ratio is (or if above that), the more likely it is that you’re dealing with an Antigen.
♣ If the ratio is below 1.2, then you are most likely dealing with a Dysregulation problem.
V. Intestinal Permeability: This test is used to determine if the patient suffers from Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS).
Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS) describes a condition of altered or damaged bowel lining, caused by antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, parasites or infection, can lead to increased permeability of the gut wall to toxins, microbes, undigested food, waste or larger than normal macromolecules. It has been proposed that these substances affect the body directly, while others postulate an immune reaction to these substances.
VI. HORMONE PANELS: We can check hormone panels to determine if the patient suffers from low testosterone in males or low estrogen/progesterone levels in females. Symptoms related to decreased hormone levels may include depression, fatigue, mental fogginess, mood swings, hot flashes, sweating attacks, weight gain, and decreased physical stamina.
Once we have run the necessary tests to determine your specific condition, we can successfully treat you via proper neurological and all natural nutritional protocols.
Ask yourself the following questions:
#1: How has your health affected your relationships, finances, family, or other activities?
#2: What has it cost you in time, money, happiness, sleep?
#3: Where do you picture yourself in the next one to five years if this problem is not taken care of soon?
#4: What is it worth to you if we could improve your condition?
Finally, share this information with a family member or friend.
