Functional Medicine
Personalized care for chronic and complex health concerns.
At Functional Medicine Collaborative, we take a personalized approach to chronic and complex health concerns. Our practitioners look at each patient’s health history, symptoms, lifestyle, environment, and individual needs to better understand the factors that may be contributing to their health.
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine is a personalized approach to healthcare that looks at the whole person rather than focusing only on individual symptoms. It considers how factors such as medical history, genetics, nutrition, lifestyle, environment, and stress may interact and contribute to a patient’s overall health.
Functional medicine practitioners take time to understand a patient’s health history, symptoms, experiences, and goals. Rather than viewing each concern in isolation, they consider how different systems of the body and contributing factors may be connected. This broader perspective helps guide individualized testing, treatment, and lifestyle recommendations when appropriate.
Core Principles of Functional Medicine
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Personalized Care
Every patient has a unique health history, genetics, environment, lifestyle, and set of circumstances. Functional medicine takes these individual differences into account when evaluating health concerns and developing a care plan.
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Patient-Centered Approach
Care begins with listening to the patient and understanding their symptoms, experiences, concerns, and goals. Patients work collaboratively with their practitioners to make informed decisions about their care.
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Whole-Person Health
Health can be influenced by many interconnected factors, including nutrition, sleep, movement, stress, environment, and emotional well-being. Functional medicine considers these factors together rather than viewing symptoms in isolation.
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Looking at the Bigger Picture
The body's systems do not function independently. Functional medicine considers how different systems and health factors may influence one another to help practitioners develop a more complete understanding of a patient's health.
What to Expect During Your Functional Medicine Visits
Your functional medicine care begins with a comprehensive look at your health history, current concerns, lifestyle, and goals. From there, your practitioner can recommend appropriate testing and develop an individualized care plan based on your needs.
Your First Visit
Comprehensive Health Review: Your practitioner will take time to understand your current concerns, medical history, symptoms, lifestyle, nutrition, and health goals.
Testing Recommendations: When appropriate, your practitioner may recommend laboratory or specialized testing based on your individual health concerns and history.
Follow-Up Visits
Review and Evaluation — Your practitioner will review relevant findings, including test results when applicable, and consider how they relate to your symptoms, history, and overall health.
Personalized Care Plan — Together, you and your practitioner will develop an individualized plan that may include nutrition, lifestyle changes, supplements, and other therapies based on your needs.
Ongoing Follow-Up — Your progress can be monitored over time, with recommendations adjusted as your needs and health goals change.
Common Questions About Functional Medicine
What conditions can functional medicine help address?
Functional medicine may be used as part of the care approach for a wide range of chronic and complex health concerns. At Functional Medicine Collaborative, we work with patients experiencing concerns such as Lyme and tick-borne illness, mold-related illness, PANS/PANDAS, autoimmune conditions, digestive issues, hormone imbalances, fatigue, and metabolic health concerns. Care is individualized based on each patient’s health history, symptoms, and needs.
Can functional medicine help with chronic illness?
Functional medicine is often used to support patients with chronic and complex health concerns by looking at the broader factors that may be influencing their health. This can include medical history, nutrition, lifestyle, environment, stress, and other individual factors. The goal is to develop a personalized care plan based on the patient’s specific needs rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Is functional medicine a safe?
The safety of any treatment or recommendation depends on the individual patient, their health history, medications, and the therapies being considered. Functional medicine care may include nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, supplements, medications, and other therapies when appropriate. Your practitioner will work with you to develop a care plan based on your individual needs and can coordinate with other members of your healthcare team when needed.
Do I need to stop seeing my primary care doctor?
No. Functional medicine can complement the care you receive from your primary care physician and other healthcare providers. We encourage patients to maintain appropriate primary and specialty care and can work alongside other members of your healthcare team when needed.
Ready to Learn More About Functional Medicine?
Schedule a free 20-minute consultation to learn more about our approach, discuss your health concerns, and determine whether Functional Medicine Collaborative may be a good fit for your needs.