Functional MedicineFunctional medicine seeks to determine and address the root cause of a medical problem rather than individually treating the symptoms of a disease. If the traditional medical approach has left many questions unanswered on your health journey, the functional medicine approach may be what you are looking for.
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Patient-Centered ApproachFunctional medicine is an important part of health and wellness. The functional medicine model is a holistic, patient-centered approach to addressing complex health issues. This approach to medicine centers around asking “Why” the issue is occurring rather than focusing on the given diagnosis or symptoms.
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Assessment and TestingAn in-depth history including lifestyle choices, environmental and work exposures, nutrition, stress, allergens, genetics, and past medical history and treatments is key to a functional medicine assessment. Blood and urine tests can also contribute valuable information when seeking the root cause of the disease. These are used on an as-needed basis, specific to each patient.
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More InsightApplied kinesiology is another helpful tool in our functional medicine toolbox, and is an easy, painless testing method. This type of testing works well for children and adults and provides the insight needed to create individualized treatment plans that work well with the individual’s body.
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Nutrition & Supplementation
We have all heard (and likely tried) dozens of diets in order to find the answer to our weight goals. Nutrition means so many different things to each of us. The focus that we offer is to rely on natural, healthy foods that nourish our bodies in order to help us to function optimally.
Small, sustainable changes are the focus as they are often longer lasting solutions and easier to implement. Our best resource for nutrition should be food but there are many situations where we need to look at supplementation to enhance the amount of vitamins and minerals our bodies are receiving. Most American diets are full of refined carbohydrates and sugars and are insufficient in essential vitamins and antioxidants. This can leave you deficient in many key nutrients that are needed to prevent chronic disease and to run all body systems effectively. A balanced diet provides a source of vitamins and minerals, but taking dietary supplements with your healthy diet is beneficial in ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs each day. |
Supplementation can also help meet the higher nutritional needs of a more demanding lifestyle or medical condition. Stresses, diseases and health conditions, as well as strenuous activity can all create a greater need in your body for specific minerals and vitamins. Supplementation can also help correct deficiencies in the food you are eating. Chemicals used in farming, depleted soils, refinement, preservatives, and additives all create less nutrient dense food sources.
As you age, malabsorption can become a problem due to your body’s inability to break down and absorb nutrients as it used to. You may also be taking more medications which typically deplete essential nutrients. Supplementation can help restore this imbalance. At FMW we individualize your supplement regimen to your specific needs. Whether it is poor diet, poor digestion and absorption, stress or a medical condition, we examine how these variables are interacting with your unique body, lifestyle, and environment, and create a supplemental regimen that works for you. |