Functional Medicine

In the United States, most people tend to practice what is known as reactive medicine. This means that health institutions encourage patients to wait until they have a health problem to then, seek medical attention, treat symptoms with medication, and have surgeries. Here at Restorative Wellness MD, we place an emphasis on the concept of functional medicine. Functional medicine is about wellness. It is a form of preventative medicine, meaning the goal is to get patients to better understand the body and all its connectivity & cooperation between its systems & organs. Functional medicine’s priorities lie in maintaining the body in the most advantageous manner. It is looking at the interaction between genetics, diet, hormone imbalance, toxin exposures, infections, and psychological factors (discovering the root cause of the broken biochemistry). It is possible to overcome problems created by genetic predisposition by using nutritional interventions. Repair, renewal, and rejuvenation of the body are all done by giving its cells the proper foundation they need to heal. In other words, when there is a health issue, it is about realizing there are countless ways in which we can support our bodies.

To illustrate the concept of functional medicine, think of a tree, and keeping it healthy. It is done by supporting the roots and soil, the foundation of the tree. It is not done by spraying it with easy fix solutions or treating it once it is already diseased. This is ineffective because the chances of the tree’s recovery and survival are already stifled from the lack of proper preventative measures. The problem with conventional medicine is that it continues to only treat the “leaves and branches” of the tree. It never gets to the root of the problem or condition that ails it.