What is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is the practice of addressing the root cause. There can be more than one underlying cause for a persons Health Challenge or Disease. FM helps in identifying that root cause. Functional medicine is an integrative approach to Disease, which is Patient centric. The approach is holistic & does not treat a disease in isolation but rather focus on addressing the bodily symptoms, imbalances & dysfunction. The following graphic explains the underlying cause of disease such as, Diabetes, Cancer Obesity or Auto Immune Conditions such as Hypothyroid or Fibromyalgia. According to Functional Medicine, the cause lies in dysfunctional physiology or an imbalance of the different systems in he body below the surface.

The various Health Conditions on the top of the Iceberg are the outcome of underlying real causes of the patient according to Functional Medicine. If the approach of the Health Care is to treat the tip of the iceberg then the chances of a long term solution or successfully resolving the health challenge is rare. Identifying & treating the underlying root cause will put the patient on the healing path and help get rid of the disease from the root. Functional Medicine focusses on restoring balance in body’s primary physiological processes using scientific principles, specialised & specific diagnostics, treatments other than drugs or surgery. Aim is to educate the patient about the core issue and offer a lifelong solution for optimal health.

Where does Functional Medicine Fit along with Modern Medicine - Modern Medicine focus is on medical management which work very well for the acute health problems compared to the chronic health issues, where it is much less successful. We are all grateful to Modern Medicine as it offers Life saving solutions to Heart Attack, Accident, or sudden lung infection leading to Pneumonia, in such a case we need a immediate & quick fix solution, guided by a equally experienced & quick thinking Doctor, who may use whatever means to save a life like surgery, modern technology or antibiotics. But on the other side all the Modern Medicine intervention with drugs & surgery and other quick fix solutions often does not successfully help those with chronic, debilitating ailments, such as Diabetes, Heart Disease or Arthritis. We need to change our approach & offer a different solution.

The Two important steps in the Approach oF Functional Medicine - To resolve Chronic Conditions, Functional Medicine relies on 2 scientifically based principles: 1. Add what’s missing in the body to help its physiology back to its optimal functioning. 2. Eliminate or Remove anything that is a obstacle for the body from moving towards its optimal state of physiology.

In simple words your body wants to be healthy but it may be missing things to function at its optimum and be healthy. Functional Medicine helps in identifying the obstacles or missing links in the body’s function. Identifying the underlying cause helps in dealing with those limiting factors in a way appropriate to the patients present condition. Functional Medicine often uses advanced laboratory diagnostics to identify the root cause or causes of the patients present condition or a health problem. Traditional medical diagnosis helps too in the form of taking down the history of the patient, listening carefully & assessing the symptoms and asking the right questions about his or her activities & lifestyle. The treatment in Functional Medicine often comprises of a combination of natural agents ( supplements, herbs, nutraceuticals, & homeopathy). A integrative approach of food & lifestyle changes, counselling for Spiritual & Emotional needs, Pharmaceuticals may be suggested to bring back the patients physiology back to normal function. Educating the patients about their condition yields better and long lasting results leading to a higher success rate.

Disease Centric Vs Patients Centric In the Modern Health care model of today often the focus is treating the Symptoms not the Patient. Medicines are developed to get rid of patients symptom. And once the patient stops the medicine usually the symptoms return. The approach of Functional Medicine is what sets it apart. Instead of hiding the problem, it focusses on restoring the body’s natural function. Though at sometimes Functional Medicine Practitioner may suggest the use of Pharmaceuticals, it is only to put the Patient on the right track so that the patient doesn’t need to take them again.

“Diagnosis lie’s in the art of listening while you take down the history of the patient”

For example, Modern Healthcare Professionals will usually prescribe pharmaceuticals like Metmorfin etc to manage Diabetes. When the patient stops taking such medication the Diabetes usually comes back and the patient has to rely on the drugs for life. While a Functional Medicine Practitioner will offer a Integrative solution after a thorough investigation which will be a combination of Lifestyle Changes, Nutrition, Elimination, Detox & more importantly addressing the root cause by focussing on improving the body’s functioning, hereby offering a drug free solution. It is also important to understand that the treatment in Functional Medicine may vary from patient to patient as it is dependant on each patients unique history & result of laboratory tests. Same symptoms might be present in two different people but the root cause may be completely different. Different factors may produce similar or same symptoms, such as toxic chemicals, pathogenic bacteria, chronic viral pathogens, parasites, emotional poisons like anger, greed, bitterness, and structural growth such as tutors or cysts.

Functional Medicine and its Roots

The concept of Functional Medicine is surprisingly not new. The roots of Modern Scientific Medicine has always had a holistic approach as rightly captured in this statement by Sir William Osler, one of the first professors at John Hopkins University School of Medicine and later its Physician in Chief: “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease” One more important saying by Osler is: “If you listen carefully to the patient, they will tell you the diagnosis.” This captures the importance of taking down history of the patient which is at the core of Functional Medicine.

What will you Experience with Functional Medicine

The first step in a Functional Medicine Practice is always a thorough take down of your History.

A Functional Medicine Practitioner is trained to understand, reveal and connect the dots in a complex story of the patient. The clues in the detailed history of the patient will help pin point the main imbalances. The next step in having a deeper understanding of the patient is the physical examination procedures, some of them are nearly forgotten examination used by many well known physicians (present & past), such as chapman redux points, ankle brachial reflex & nail inspection. The last and final set of cues comes from a advances set of laboratory tests. Which are innovative, cutting edge and help the Functional Medical Practitioner look deeper into the patients physiology to identify the limiting functions and the way forward to restore it. Post diagnosis and treatment a Functional Medicine patient can expect to feel his or her symptoms reduced drastically, along with a new rejuvenated sense of wellbeing and a great rise in health & quality of life. *the author is a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner and is based out of Mumbai , this write up is based on Dr Ron Grisanti’s article on “What is Functional Medicine”.