Functional Medicine – A New Approach to Healthcare

  For chronic conditions which are on the rise, we have been crying out for a new form of healthcare for quite some time. No longer should we be taking a pill for an ill and masking symptoms with the potential of multiple pills (polypharmacy) that cause more side effects than the actual condition being treated. The Functional Medicine approach recognizes that each patient has a different set of individual requirements and genetics and will require a bespoke approach looking at upstream and downstream markers. This effectively renders the current approach outdated which we can see year on year with the ever-rising number of chronic diseases. Life expectancy has increased over the past 20 years with the global average increasing 6 years. However, this doesn’t translate into having a better quality of life. What we see at the Dublin Centre for Functional Medicine is that many of our clients have a number of health issues and on a number of different medications with various side effects and want to look at a holistic approach to manage their health going forward. We can see here some of the reasons why functional medicine should become a viable option for anyone considering an alternative route. 1-) Functional Medicine Focuses on the Whole Person We know from the current healthcare system that their current approach is more reactive and focused on when someone has got a disease and are showing progressive symptoms. Unlike Functional Medicine practitioners who look at the whole person and focus on the “why” behind the disease. Conventional medicine focuses on symptom suppression. Whilst this is obviously helpful, it’s not getting to the root of the problem, the chances are, it will mean issues will happen later on down the road. Functional Medicine doctors and practitioners have a wealth of strategies that they can employ to overcome chronic conditions including digestive disorders, autoimmune diseases, mental health and chronic fatigue syndrome. Functional Medicine practitioner’s approach is to look at the mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as the physical state to give more of an overview as to the why behind the dis-ease. There are more tools at their disposal with diet being at the core of any protocol. Any chronic disease that doesn’t have nutrition at its core is probably missing 50% of any recovery. 2-) Functional Medicine Takes a Patient-Centred Approach   Functional medicine is a more patient-centered approach. When you come into the clinic, our functional medicine practitioners will look at your health history in detail as well as explore current symptoms, diet, and lifestyle. We will also inquire about work, your community, exercise habits, and daily stresses because these factors can all be contributing factors. This information helps us determine how we can best treat your ailment by taking the root of the problem into consideration. 3-) Functional Medicine looks at the root cause of your health issues. Functional Medicine practitioners seek to find out the root cause behind your health challenges instead of suppressing a symptom with medications. By finding out the root cause behind any given health challenge, the body reduces the burden that it has to deal with which can include infections, heavy metals, toxins etc. This will mean testing with various labs that can give more accurate data and results on the cause. Tests may include: Gut Microbiome testing which checks for parasites, yeast, bacteria and viruses Food allergies and food intolerance testing Nutrient deficiencies Hormone imbalances Detox Capabilities Heavy Metals   When you test, you get more data as to what could be causing your health challenges and you can use a bespoke protocol that is designed for you only after examining upstream and downstream contributing factors. Although testing can be expensive initially, it will be a lot cheaper in the long run as you will be able to find out the contributing factors. Functional Medicine doctors and practitioners’ protocols often include diet changes, supplements, and lifestyle changes such as optimizing sleep hygiene or increasing exercise  If you have any questions about our services or the consultancy process, we would love to help you out. Please feel free to email us at enquiries@dublincfm.com.