Remember that a diagnosis is just a name for something that has developed over many years and is likely the cause of a number of issues that we address.
Functional medicine is not about treating symptoms. We want to identify why those symptoms are present in the first place. With the laboratory assessments we have available to us we are capable of looking deep into the persons system and identify what may be troubling an individual.
An example of this is someone presents to my service with symptoms of hopelessness and helplessness, difficulty sleeping, limited interest in doing things they use to enjoy, and a loss of appetite. Often they have been to a GP who has diagnosed them with depression and likely given a script for an anti-depressant. What I am saying is your depression is not caused by a deficiency in the make up of that anti-depressant.
ROOT CAUSE ILLNESS
Identify the Symptoms
The answer is often never just one thing but with a combination of lifestyle factors that relate to you and your circumstances we can address a number of issues that are creating or leading to a disease state.
Addressing the root cause is a complex analysis and many factors can cause these symptoms but by addressing a number of key areas of the body we almost always see a number of issues resolve, energy and motivation returns, stress and anxiety is reduced, sleep becomes more aligned.
We begin to see positive changes with the way our body looks and feels and overall begin to feel a more positive outlook on life. This is achieved through a number of unique and detailed approaches that give us the answers to tackle the underlying problem.
We look at you as an individual person and your genotype. We prioritise each patients health issues as elicited by a thorough personal, family, social and medical history, identifying triggers and mediators that may contribute towards dysfunction, examining the body systems, symptoms, and risk factors associated with the person and identify clinical imbalances.
MANY CAUSES
Treating the Source
One condition has many causes, but we get to the reason for this current outcome and by addressing the root cause we gradually reduce the symptoms you are experiencing and resolve it altogether plus more.
We asses your:-
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NUTRITION - Creating a personalised nutrition plan with a focus on therapeutic foods, and adjusting throughout to meet our goals
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EXERCISE - Developing an exercise protocol that is achievable and realistic but also maintainable
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STRESS - Now we all have stress but how are we managing this? Helping you identify methods to manage stress and reduce the havoc it can cause on your system. The way we Manage stress not only affects hormonal systems but significantly plays a role in pain and systemic metabolic functioning that can lead to weight gain.
LABORATORY TESTING
Thorough Assessment
We use extensive laboratory testing to identify potential underlying threats to your system for example mould, mycotoxins, bacteria, viral, or parasite markers that all place excessive stress on the system that can make us feel fatigued, anxious and unmotivated.
We look at your gut health and how you are responding to the foods that you are consuming, removing foods that provoke symptoms. We build a more resilient and supportive environment that enables you to absorb all the beneficial nutrients and vitamins from your food. This in turn provides you with an abundance of energy in addition to a healthy and protective environment that keeps your immune system strong and healthy all year around.
