With the growing interest in preventative healthcare, let’s take a look at the benefits of functional medicine. We break down why it’s increasing in popularity, who it is good for, the benefits and the downsides to equip you with the knowledge you need to make important decisions about your health.
What is functional medicine?
Functional medicine is an approach to medicine and healthcare that focuses on restoring healthy function by addressing the root cause of disease. This means taking into account all factors that affect your wellbeing. This is different to conventional medicine, where the focus is on treating the symptoms. The two approaches often work well alongside each other and many individuals report improved outcomes and quality of life when functional medicine is used alongside conventional medicine.
The five pillars of functional medicine are:
- Nutrition and gut
- Sleep
- Exercise
- Community and connection
- Stress management
Feeling better is about more than just prescribing medication. Addressing each of these areas with a whole-body approach can lead to significant improvements in wellbeing.
Why is functional medicine increasing in popularity?
Many people are frustrated with their experience of traditional healthcare, especially when it comes to chronic illness and conditions for which there aren’t clear treatment pathways for. Functional medicine can feel more natural and is referred to as lifestyle medicine, because it addresses everything from food to sleep and your environment. Functional medicine uses personalised testing to really drill down into your health and reveal where the issues are. Testing possibilities are endless and highly personalised – you aren’t limited to what’s available with traditional healthcare pathways so are able to really drill down into the underlying issues, whether that’s with SIBO testing, toxicity testing or microbiome testing. However, you should always do your research before paying for any tests and seek advice from a reputable functional medicine expert such as this functional medicine clinic in London.
Who can benefit from functional medicine?
Anyone can benefit from functional medicine and its holistic, whole-body approach to your health. However, individuals with chronic illnesses (think chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), digestive issues (think autoimmune diseases, Chron’s, and ulcerative colitis), and individuals who have so far struggled to resolve their medical issues via other routes may find it a beneficial approach.
The benefits of functional medicine
Holistic and personalised care
Holistic approach: Functional medicine takes a holistic approach to healthcare, looking at the entire body not just the area that is causing problems or the symptoms in isolation. This can involve looking at sleep, nutrition, your environment, how you exercise, social connections and more. Why? Because they all contribute to your overall health in one way or another.
Personalised treatment: Unlike traditional healthcare, where there is a standardised pathway for different conditions, functional medicine is highly personalised meaning that testing and treatment is tailored to you and your body.
Patient empowerment: A large component of functional medicine is that it empowers patients to take control of their own health and wellbeing. This means that you should come away from your appointment feeling educated, in control, and excited about what you can do to improve your health.
Health management and prevention
Prevention: You don’t have to be ill to benefit from functional medicine. Indeed, it is all about prevention and where possible, taking steps to stop you from getting ill in the first place.
Root cause resolution: Rather than taking a band-aid approach to healthcare and targeting the symptoms you are experiencing, functional medicine really gets into the nitty gritty, using testing to uncover the underlying cause of your symptoms so that it can be treated most effectively and restore your quality of life. An example of this might be that traditional healthcare might prescribe hormones to treat unbalanced hormone levels whereas the functional medicine approach would investigate and address the triggers for the imbalance in the first place. For example, stress, nutritional deficiencies or even leaky gut.
Potential long-term advantages of functional medicine
Improved overall health: The majority of individuals using functional medicine notice better overall health, not just relief from their symptoms.
Reduced side effects: Many medications come with a long list of side effects and some people cannot tolerate certain meds as a result of this. Functional medicine can reduce the need for unnecessary medications, and as a result, the side effects associated with them.
The negative aspects of functional medicine
Cost: Functional medicine is usually available privately, which means consultations, tests and treatments are self-funded. For some, the cost can be prohibitive, however, the right clinic will work within your budget to prioritise and tailor testing and treatment to the things that will have the most significant impact for you and achieve the biggest positive changes.
Inconsistent training: Finding the right clinic and specialist can feel a bit like taking a stroll in the wild west. It’s important to do your research on functional medicine practitioners and their qualifications for your own peace of mind. Experience counts for a lot when it comes to this area of medicine but you should also look for credentials, checking if your practitioner has a medical degree (ideally with specialised training from reputable educators such as the Institute for Functional Medicine).
A preventative approach to your health
Functional medicine is a holistic, personalised approach to healthcare that can complement traditional medicine and empower you to take control of your wellbeing. Addressing the root causes of health issues rather than just the symptoms can lead to meaningful, lasting improvements in your quality of life.
That being said, it’s important to go in with realistic expectations. Do your research, and choose a qualified and experienced practitioner. Functional medicine can be a powerful tool in your healthcare journey. If you’re considering a functional medicine consultation, you can begin by speaking with a reputable practitioner to discuss whether this approach is right for you and your health goals.
