Are You Seeking Illness, or Wellness?

If you are looking for wellness, you won’t find it in your doctor’s office. 

That’s because illness lives there.

The doctor is where you go when you aren’t feeling well, when you are sick, running a fever, have unexplained symptoms that won’t go away. 

And as much as we may think we are going to be better after a doctor visit, you probably won’t. Not if you are dealing with anything chronic or idiopathic. 

In a past life, I dealt with chronic headaches for over a decade.

A DECADE.

That is just under one-third of my life spent dealing with pain. And all I got from a visit to the doctor was medication. And that was great in the moment, but detrimental long run because the reason for the headache was never dealt with.

That is the epitome of our traditional medical system. Symptoms-oriented, disease-based. 

It’s called a medical system for a reason. The practice of medicine is to treat from a symptoms-based approach, NOT from a root-cause approach. Treating symptoms is a Band-Aid, a quick-fix, if you will, of dealing with the surface level issue. 

Conventional Medicine vs. Functional Medicine

What's The Difference?

Treating from a symptoms based approach goes something like this:

You get a headache and after a few days it won’t go away. You decide to go to the doctor. After a brief exam to rule out anything major, you are given medication for the pain. Most likely, a painkiller or anti-inflammatory to help. 

The root cause of the headache is not looked at. The symptom (the headache) is merely dealt with through medication. The root cause (reason for the headache) is not addressed. 

Now, let’s take a root cause approach to that headache. 

A root cause approach starts by asking “Why?”

Why is this symptom here? 

Are you under more stress than normal? Stress can be a major contributor to headache tension. 

Are you eating foods that you are sensitive to? Many people are sensitive to the big 3: dairy, eggs, gluten, and still eat them on a regular basis. If your body mounts an inflammatory response to these foods on a daily basis, this can also lead to headaches.

Are you dealing with gut imbalances? 

Are there hormonal imbalances at play?

By taking a deeper look into the true cause, and addressing the actual cause of the symptom, we are able to truly heal. 

Functional medicine looks at WHY the symptom is there and looks to correct that cause.

Conventional medicine looks to deal solely with the symptom. 

Unfortunately for many people, the medication given often leads to other symptoms, which then lead to more medications, which leads to more symptoms, and so on and so forth. 

Your Doctor Won’t Have All The Answers

We are so quick to trust our doctors for our health needs, that we often forget that we are the experts on ourselves. 

Our conventional medical system is supposed to treat based on symptoms. That is how medical school works. 

When your doctor runs a lab, they are essentially looking for anything abnormal, or anything outside of the normal range. 

Have you ever looked at the NORMAL range on your actual labs? They can vary widely depending on the lab, and even though you may be within the range of NORMAL, you may not be optimal.

If something is within normal levels, there is no state of dis-ease so everything is technically okay. But what if something is trending too high or too low within that normal range? What tips are given, what information is provided to help reduce this trend? 

Oftentimes, the solution is to keep an eye on it, as if that will help.  Next thing you know, it is too late and the body reaches a state of dis-ease, at which point, a drug is prescribed with no intent of ever getting off it. Because the root-cause was never addressed.

Life-Saving, Acute Based Care

Doctors save lives.

By all means, if there is an emergency or someone is in need of acute based care, go to the hospital! Call 911, do whatever you need to save your life or the life of your friends, family, loved ones, whoever is in danger. 

Our conventional system is phenomenal at life-saving procedures. 

Why Should We Look to Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine (FM), as mentioned above, deals with the root-cause of the symptom. Instead of masking it with a medication, lifestyle factors are also considered, along with stress management, exercise, and supplements as needed. 

Functional medicine takes a very individualistic approach, understanding that what might work for one person will not work for every person because everyone is unique. 

Functional medicine also understands the important interconnectedness of systems. What affects one system can affect another and looks at whole body wellness. 

Wellness is the goal. 

As an Integrative Health Practitioner, having the ability to run functional-based lab tests is invaluable. Being able to provide insight into why your body may not be functioning optimally, as well as providing a wellness plan on how to move forward to rebalance your body, well that is life-changing. 

Understanding the root cause imbalances that keep you from the health of your dreams is mind-blowing. Fixing those imbalances is life-changing.

It’s time to take ownership over your health. If you are not at your best, start asking why, and find someone who can help you achieve your wellness goals. 

It’s time to be your own biggest advocate. It’s time to live your best feeling life.

Remember, you deserve to feel great.