I think of Functional Medicine as a revolution in health because it doesn’t focus only on symptoms but instead looks for what is causing the symptoms, or the root cause. Instead of leaving a doctor’s office with a prescription for, say, acid reflux, a Functional Medicine physician will try to determine what is causing the reflux and will work to eliminate the cause.

Disease is complex and can have many causes. For example, depression may be caused by conditions such as inflammation, thyroid dysfunction, or Vitamin D deficiency. Functional Medicine aims to find the cause and not solely treat the presentation.

Functional Medicine incorporates conventional Western medicine practices and Integrative medicine, so your Functional Medicine physician may prescribe medication but will also likely prescribe diet modifications, stress relief techniques, exercise recommendations and supplements.