Time Well Spent
Many of my patients find out what functional medicine is for the first time when they arrive in my office for a Discovery Session. Functional medicine appointments tend to be significantly longer than typical conventional medical consultations and generally last about 90 minutes. This extended duration is fundamental to the functional medicine approach, due to several underlying principles:
Comprehensive Health Assessment: I aim for a thorough understanding of your health history, lifestyle, and environment. I explore multiple aspects such as dietary habits, life stressors, genetic factors, and preceding events that might contribute to the present health condition. During our detailed discussion, you will have the opportunity to go into detail about your symptoms and we will also review any previous testing and current medications and supplements.
Holistic View of Health: By treating the body as an interconnected system, functional medicine requires more time to investigate how different symptoms and health issues may relate to each other. I consider the whole person, rather than just focusing on isolated symptoms.
Root Cause Analysis: Rather than solely addressing the symptoms, I seek to identify and treat the underlying causes of your illness, which can be complex and multifaceted. This investigative process requires time and detailed information gathering. Usually, a condition without known cause is just a condition that has not yet been fully investigated.
A Timeline and a Matrix
As a certified IFM practitioner, I use the Functional Medicine Timeline to map out in detail your health story from preconception to the present moment. It helps me to detect cause-effect relationships, shining the light on things that might be considered predispositions or patterns. Moreover, the timeline is a living document that can be updated as new information emerges or as your condition changes.
Another tool I use is the Functional Medicine Matrix. Because illness does not occur in isolation, I look at the interconnectedness between every body system. An imbalance in one can affect the others and figuring out the root cause is a lot like detective work. This matrix allows me to organize and prioritize seemingly unlinked factors to build a comprehensive picture. It connects all the dots. One condition may have multiple causes, just as one fundamental imbalance may be at the root of many seemingly separate conditions.
Personalized Care: Functional medicine is highly personalized, tailoring treatment plans to each individual's unique situation. This necessitates an in-depth evaluation to determine the most effective interventions based on your specific needs and goals.
Patient Education and Empowerment: A significant portion of the appointment is often dedicated to educating you about your condition and the contributing factors, as well as discussing ways to improve and maintain your health through lifestyle changes. I really want my patients to understand the why behind the recommendations I make as I find people often stick to the plan better when they know why the changes are necessary. This educational exchange is fundamental to empowering you to take an active role in your health.
Comprehensive Testing: Functional medicine may involve a range of advanced diagnostic lab testing, which can include genetic, nutritional, metabolic, and hormonal tests. Discussing these tests, their implications, and how they will inform treatment can add to the length of the appointment.
You will find that functional medicine is a different approach entirely. By allocating more time for your appointment, I can deliver care that is attuned to the individual complexities of each patient, aiming for long-term health outcomes rather than just short-term symptom management.
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The content provided is for informational purposes only and does not intend to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.