3 Reasons More People Are Turning to Functional Medicine

If you’re like most people, you may be sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. You go to the doctor and you get a prescription, but you never really feel better.

Traditional modern medicine tends to focus on the symptoms of an illness or disease, rather than the cause. Functional medicine, on the other hand, focuses on finding the root cause of your illness or disease and then alleviating, or significantly reducing, your symptoms. It’s a more patient-centered, holistic approach to health and well-being.

At Weston Medical Health & Wellness, we want our patients to take charge of their health. Our medical director, Dr. Andrea Bretal, partners with other health professionals to help her patients achieve their health and wellness goals, including, Diego Rutenberg, LAc, who provides our functional medicine services.

Here, we want to share with you some of the reasons so many people are turning to functional medicine.

1. The focus is on health

According to the National Cancer Institute, conventional medicine focuses on symptoms and disease, using medications or procedures to treat health problems. Though the evidence-based approach offers many benefits and has saved countless lives, it’s a disease-focused practice.

Many people turn to functional medicine because the focus is on health, not illness or disease. When you come in for a functional medicine evaluation, we not only assess your physical health, but also your emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

All of these factors contribute to your overall health and well-being and may play a significant role in whatever’s causing your symptoms or disease.

2. It’s a patient-centered approach to care

The functional medicine model of care is also a more patient-centered approach. We seek to find out why you’re sick.

We ask detailed questions about your health, diet, exercise routine, work habits, and daily stresses. The information you provide helps us better understand you and your health and the potential factors that may be contributing to your symptoms or sickness.

Functional medicine puts you in charge of your health. We don’t just give you a prescription and send you on your way. We work one on one with you, developing a plan that helps you take control of your health and well-being.

3. It addresses the root cause of the problem

Instead of treating your symptoms or disease with medication or procedures, functional medicine aims to find the source of your health problems. Your diagnosis may have more than one cause, or one health problem may be responsible for multiple symptoms.

In addition to a thorough interview, functional medicine relies on objective data to better understand the root cause of your symptoms or disease.

This includes various lab tests to look for:

Nutrient deficiencies
Hormone imbalances
Disease risk
Food allergies or sensitivities
Environmental allergies or sensitivities

When we have a better understanding of the root cause of your symptoms or disease, we develop a plan that not only alleviates your symptoms, but may eliminate your health problem altogether.

And instead of prescriptions or procedures, treatment may include diet changes, an exercise program, nutritional supplements, or hormone therapy. With functional medicine, we want you to feel better now and in the future.

To schedule your functional medicine appointment, call our office in Weston, Florida, or use our website scheduling tool. For your convenience, we offer in-office and telemedicine appointments.