At The Center for Functional Health and Wellness it is our goal to identify the underlying cause of your medical problems. We provide solutions to help you develop a better lifestyle, reduce the need for prescription drugs, and promote lasting weight loss.
Approximately 30 million Americans, 10% of the population have diabetes and another 84 million have pre-diabetes. which will develop into type two diabetes within five years, if left untreated.
The traditional treatment for diabetes usually involves monitoring your blood levels, prescribing medication and making some dietary changes.
We now know that diabetes, especially type one, is an autoimmune condition, which can be managed. Type two diabetes, which is very different, can be managed and in many cases be reversed.
In functional medicine, we encourage lifestyle changes which may involve exercise, proper diet and appropriate supplements to help your body metabolize sugars, more effectively.
Insulin resistance occurs when excess glucose in the blood reduces the ability of the cells to absorb and use blood sugar for energy. The primary cause of insulin resistance is excess body fat. Excess adipose tissue (stored fat) interferes with normal glucose uptake by cells in the liver and muscle, which leads to high blood glucose levels. The pancreatic beta cell responds to this high blood glucose level by secreting more insulin into the blood, causing an increase in circulating insulin levels.
Traditional weight loss approaches usually focus on dietary restriction, counting calories and carbs. In functional medicine we recognize that weight loss and obesity, or the inability to lose weight is generally due to a hormonal imbalance called insulin resistance.
We actually identify the underlying cause of your weight gain issues and address these issues at the root level.
In functional medicine, we recognize that auto immune diseases are a result of inflammation in the gut lining. This leads to a leaky gut. Which means that the immune system is being forced to work unusually hard. When your immune system has been ramped up and working harder than it was designed to do, it sometimes starts to affect or attack other organs in your body. This is what starts the auto immune condition.
In functional medicine we recognize that autoimmune conditions are very, very much related to the health of your intestinal lining and the leaky gut syndrome process. Our approach differs from traditional medicine in that in traditional medicine, uses a band-aid approach using medicines to address only the symptoms of an autoimmune disease.
We actually address the underlying cause of your autoimmune disease, in order to reduce or eliminate your symptoms altogether.
In functional medicine, we recognize that many of the blood tests ranges that are used to determine what is a normal or abnormal range. Your physician reviews these test results to diagnose whether or not you have an underactive or an overactive thyroid gland.
The problem is that oftentimes these ranges are not completely accurate which may lead to misdiagnosis of your condition.
In functional medicine. We recognize that the range that determines normal test results are not always appropriate for everyone. We recognize that underdiagnosed thyroid conditions are extremely common because of the traditional method of testing.
We recognize that the symptoms of an underactive thyroid is sometimes enough to diagnose the disease. We treat you as a person and not a test result.
In functional medicine we recognize that your body's health is directly related to the health of your intestinal wall, gut and gut lining.
We don't just write a prescription if you are showing symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, constipation, bloating, or gas. We look to identify why you have developed those symptoms and what needs to be done to solve those problems.
Our aim to identify the underlying cause of your digestive problems an in so doing may alleviate many, if not most of your digestive concerns.
In functional medicine, we recognize that inflammation is actually a process that develops from multiple sources. Prescribing a pill to treat the symptoms of joint pain is, in our opinion, not the most effective way to achieve long lasting relief of these symptoms.
We look to identify the underlying cause of your joint pain and treat the cause and not the symptom.
Our approach to depression and anxiety within functional medicine is very cutting edge. We recognize that your struggles with depression and or anxiety are, in many cases, directly related to the health of your intestinal lining and the microbiome or the bacteria that comprise the lining of your intestinal wall.
Some of the hormones that help prevent depression and anxiety are actually manufactured in your gut lining and when your gut is functioning at an optimal level then it will help you decrease your need for antidepressants or completely eliminate the need for the prescription medication.
In functional medicine, we recognize that fatigue, low libido and even menopausal issues can be caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body.
We treat the hormonal imbalance instead of giving you prescriptions for the signs and symptoms for hormonal imbalance.
