Functional Medicine

What is Functional Medicine?

Functional Medicine is a science-based integrative healthcare approach that promotes wellness and treats illness by focusing on the bio-chemically unique aspects of each patient, and then individually adjusts interventions to restore physiological, psychological, and structural balance.

Six basic principles of functional medicine:

1. Patient-centered care rather than disease-focused treatment.
2. Science-based medicine that connects the emerging research base to clinical practice.
3. Biochemical individuality based on genetic and environmental uniqueness.
4. Dynamic balance of complex internal and external factors that affect and control how things function.
5. Health is a positive vitality, not merely the absence of disease.
6. Restoration of optimal cellular functioning and promotion of organ reserve.

The Foundation of Optimal health

• Sleep
• Stress Management
• Good Nutrition
• Adequate Movement

All combine to support a balanced metabolism

Major Highlights

1. Organic Bio-Identical Hormones
   1. Hormones are essential to optimal health.
   2. Balanced hormones do NOT cause cancer.
   3. The risk of death from Heart Disease is 10x the risk of death from Breast Cancer.
   4. Bioidentical Hormones in an organic base do not include many potentially toxic chemicals that are used to enhance absorption in both standard, pharmacy-based hormones, and some common compounded creams or gels.
   5. Bioidentical hormones in organic oils can be easily modified to individually tailor doses.
2. Custom Individualized Medicine:
   Functional Medicine focuses on each person’s biochemical uniqueness in relation to their genetic factors, environmental exposures, nutritional status, sleep patterns, stress levels, support systems, and exercise habits. This comprehensive analysis becomes the basis for individually tailored interventions which are focused on treating the cause of the problems, not just masking the symptoms. Our goal is to help you restore and maintain optimal health. We want you to have a great quality of life, with abundant energy, a sharp mind, no pain, and renewed vitality.

3. Restore and Optimize Cellular Function

We have many alternative treatments but all begin with the foundations, Sleep, Stress Management, Good nutrition and Adequate movement. Our goal is to optimize cellular function. When our cells are happy we are happy. Alternative treatments to optimize cellular function and to slow/reverse cellular senescence can include:

1. Balanced bioidentical hormones
2. Fasting including fasting-mimicking diet and time restricted eating to less than 8-10 hours
3. Peptides
4. PRP
5. PEMF Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields

Our Approach/Specialty areas

1. Systems Biology approach
2. Genetic Directed Treatments
   1. Inflammation – Cellular, GI, and Neuro-psych
   2. Methylation
   3. Detox
   4. Mitochondrial function
3. Fasting Mimicking Diet
   1. Fixes And rejuvenates cell signaling
4. Peptides
5. PEMF – Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field generator
   1. Decreases inflammation
   2. Promotes stem cell growth
6. Sublingual Allergy Rx – No Shots

Cellular Functioning

We can look at everything that goes on in us, at a cellular level, as a balance between the forces that are building us up and the insults that are breaking us down. There is an infinite number of insults that affect us by stressing or injuring some or all of the cells in our body. However, on cellular, subcellular and biochemical levels there are only 3 main responses:

• Oxidative Stress
• Inflammation,
• Immune dysfunction

These responses cause both structural changes, hormonal, and neurotransmitter imbalances.

The path to healing and achieving vital health begins by determining what imbalances are present and prioritizing which ones are primary and which ones are secondary. Taking a systems approach helps to deconstruct complex medical issues and to determine successful treatment plans.

Systems Biology – Unraveling Complex Medical Issues

We are extremely complex organisms and we begin our evaluation of your symptoms and metabolic processes by dividing them into 5 closely related systems.

1. Energy System: (Adrenal / Thyroid / Pancreas / Mitochondria). This system controls energy production and distribution and is important in maintaining normal vitality and wellbeing.
2. Defense System: (Gut / Immune / Brain / Microbiome). This is the body’s primary control, defense, and repair system. It is important in cognition, memory, cellular repair, allergies, and immune functioning.
3. Supply System: (Cardiac / Pulmonary / Neuro / Vascular). The vascular bed is a major biological interface and this system is the central driver of physiology. It is important in the maintenance of activity, normal brain function, and wellbeing.
4. Detox System: (Liver / Lymph / Kidney / Colon). This system controls the body’s detoxification and elimination of toxins. The buildup of toxins can poison energy production, brain function, cardiovascular function, and cancer prevention.
5. Hormones: (Estrogen / Progesterone / Testosterone). This is the potency, self-esteem, and security system. Imbalances may manifest as depression fatigue, weight gain, bone loss, muscle weakness, impotence and increased risk of heart disease.