Functional medicine seeks to treat the underlying causes of disease. By shifting the focus from the disease to the patient, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not simply the symptoms. Practitioners spend more time with patients, uncovering genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that may play a role in  long-term health and chronic diseases.

Most medicine practiced in the United States is geared toward acute care, or the treatment of a short, urgent medical need. Acute care does not take into account prevention or complex, chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, mental illness, autoimmune disorders or cancers. Most physicians are not adequately trained to assess the underlying causes of these chronic, complex diseases.

The focus of functional medicine is promoting health as a positive force rather than simply the absence of disease. Practitioners analyze the complex web of interactions between a patient’s history, physiology and lifestyle. Functional medicine integrates traditional Western medical practices with “integrative” medicine, focusing on prevention through nutrition, diet and exercise; the latest lab testing and diagnostic techniques; prescription or botanical medicines and supplements; detoxification programs and stress management techniques.

Learn more about Functional Medicine. Click here to visit The Institute for Functional Medicine website.

Integrative Psychiatry

Integrative Psychiatry utilizes functional medicine in the connection between the brain and the body. Treatment plans work to correct core imbalances, which can cause hormonal imbalance, inflammation, digestive imbalance and psychological imbalances, among others.

Empowering individuals to take charge of their own health creates an active partnership, creating a more dynamic approach to changing the outcome of disease.