Integrative / Functional Medicine

 

“Integrative medicine seeks to combine the best ideas and practices of mainstream and alternative medicine into effective treatments that will be in the best interests of patients and that aim to stimulate the body’s own natural healing potentials. It neither rejects mainstream medicine nor embraces alternative practices uncritically. It strives for optimal health and prevention and considers a person’s biochemical individuality.”

    Consider the analogy of the Tree below :                                                                                The top of the tree with the branches is Mainstream Medicine attempting to get a diagnosis ASAP, in order to know what drugs to prescribe or specialists to refer to. Integrative Medicine with the Functional component looks more at the root causes and attempts to balance the body, allowing it to heal itself. It is a longer term approach, beyond the band-aid fix of acute care Mainstream Medicine. It addresses the greater than 90% chronic conditions where Mainstream Medicine falls short.