Functional Medicine 101

Functional medicine is a personalized approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease, pain, and dysfunction. Functional medicine practitioners view the body as an interconnected system, rather than focusing on individual symptoms. It is often more critical to understand the person that has a disease, rather than what disease a person has.

While conventional medicine often focuses on treating symptoms with medications, functional medicine looks for underlying causes of illness. We use a holistic approach that considers genetics, environment, and lifestyle in diagnosis and treatment.

Functional medicine is particularly beneficial for chronic conditions such as autoimmune disorders, digestive issues, hormone imbalances, fatigue, and mental health concerns, though it can be applied to a wide range of health concerns.

Yes, functional medicine looks at the whole body, including how gut health, hormone levels, and nutrient deficiencies may contribute to mental health concerns. Addressing these underlying factors can often improve symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Your first visit involves a comprehensive health assessment. This includes taking vitals and body composition data, reviewing your medical history, lifestyle, diet, environmental exposures, sleep patterns, and stress management techniques, followed by a discussion of any lab tests that may be needed to identify underlying imbalances.

Hopefully one day. Most functional medicine office visits and lab testing fees are not covered by standard health insurance. However, investing in your health to restore your body’s normal function is ultimately more cost effective than paying for all of the costs associated with sickness and disease.

Lab testing is a critical part of a comprehensive functional medicine approach. However, besides using standard lab testing, functional medicine also includes many advanced labs to help get to the root cause of disease. These tests may include hormone testing, nutrient testing, genetic testing, gut microbiome analysis, food sensitivities, mold exposure, and chemical sensitives.

We do encourage you to bring in any recent labs that you have completed. These results will help us understand more about your case and can oftentimes allow us to order fewer labs.

Depending on your condition, high quality supplements may be recommended to specifically address nutrient deficiencies or target systems in your body that need support.

While our goal is always to get you the most results in the shortest amount of time, results vary depending on the individual and the condition(s) being treated. Some patients see improvements within a few weeks, while chronic conditions may require months of treatment to achieve optimal health.  

Yes, functional medicine can complement conventional treatments. It often works alongside medications or treatments you’re already receiving, helping to optimize overall health and support recovery. We are always happy to communicate with any of your other health care practitioners during the process.

Functional medicine takes into account your unique genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environment to create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you. No two treatment plans are the same.

Functional medicine often includes personalized diet and lifestyle recommendations as part of treatment. These changes aim to optimize health by addressing factors such as inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic function. Your participation is essential to your recovery and healing. 

Follow-up frequency varies based on your health needs and the treatment plan. Some patients may require more frequent visits at the beginning of treatment, with fewer visits as their condition improves.

Yes, functional medicine emphasizes preventive care by addressing imbalances before they lead to disease. Through early intervention, diet, lifestyle changes, and supplementation, it can help prevent chronic illnesses.

At Performance Health and Wellness, we engage in continuous learning through advanced certifications, research, and staying updated on the latest medical literature and emerging treatments.