Functional medicine is an emerging field of medicine and something that is quickly becoming a game-changer when it comes to health and wellness. You may have heard of this widely expanding type of medicine through large functional medicine practitioners like Dr. Mark Hyman or Dr. Andrew Weil. These practitioners would argue that functional medicine is going to be the future of health care. But, what exactly is it, and how can it help improve your health?

Functional medicine is all about focusing on optimizing body functions using a well-rounded and holistic approach. It is different than conventional medicine where instead of putting a band aide on a problem, a functional medicine practitioner will search for an underlying cause.

This type of medicine is much different from the traditional model of health care but something that many people are turning to when conventional medicine may not have worked, or when they may be looking for an alternative to mainstream options.

Let’s take a look at the primary principles of functional medicine…

• Functional Medicine takes a look at each person differently and acknowledges that each person is genetically unique and therefore will require their own unique approach to treating disease.
• Functional Medicine understands that what happens in the body is related to many different factors and relationships, and this field of medicine searched to understand how these factors connect.
• This field of medicine understands that the body is able to heal itself as well as prevent disease if nourished and supported properly.

Functional Medicine is rapidly growing and could become mainstream in the years to come. It is unique in the sense that it seeks to find the root cause and looks at the body as a whole. This approach is much more integrative and can help those suffering from a wide range of health conditions, but also for anyone who just wants a way to promote optimal health.