Functional Medicine is a holistic approach to healthcare, which is centred around treating the individual, rather than the symptoms. It seeks to identify the root cause of symptoms by addressing the underlying imbalances that are driving the health issues. This is done by looking at the body as an interconnected web of systems which all work together, as opposed to looking at each part in isolation.
Functional Medicine considers how the different bodily systems interact with and influence each other in the context of the individual’s lifestyle, genetics, health history and environment and for this reason, there is a huge emphasis on a personalised approach to treatment. There is no ‘one size fits all’.
Testing may be utilised to understand how an individual may be predisposed to certain conditions (DNA testing) or to provide a snapshot of what is happening in the body at any given time (eg hormone status or gut health testing). These can inform what intervention is likely required in order to achieve optimum health.
Nutritional Therapy is a key component in the practice of Functional Medicine, as it draws particular attention to how diet and lifestyle impact symptoms and how nutritional interventions can be undertaken in order to support health. This highly individualised process involves assessing current and past health status, genetics, environment, diet and lifestyle and designing a bespoke health protocol in order to correct the imbalances facilitating symptoms of ill health. This often includes on-going support, which has been found to provide more effective results.
For more information about how Nutritional Therapy could support your health goals, please book a FREE strategy call with me.