People often ask me, “What exactly is functional medicine?”. It’s the right question, but there isn’t a straightforward answer. I could simply respond, “Functional Medicine is for everyone, but not everyone can benefit from functional medicine”. At this time, this explanation might lead to more confusion.

According to the Institute for Functional Medicine (Medicine, 2022), “functional medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease”.

But isn’t that what we all think of conventional medicine? When studying medicine, we were taught the etiology, epidemiology, prevention, genetics, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis of diseases. So, what can functional medicine offer that conventional medicine doesn’t?

Longevity. Reversal of disease. Symptom reduction.

In this sense, functional medicine demands an appreciation for how the disease took place in the first place.

According to Bridget’s salivary test results, she is advised to decrease her caffeine intake and begin a supplement at bedtime to help with her elevated cortisol levels, which are behind her new onset of insomnia.

To her surprise, she is advised to discontinue intermittent fasting as it provokes her cortisol to spike, a mechanism that can inhibit weight loss. At the same time, her thyroid function tests suggest that although she was on the appropriate thyroid hormone replacement dosage, she is not getting optimal benefit.

In addition to continuing her thyroid medication, she is asked to increase her vitamin D3, zinc and selenium intake.

The remainder of recommendations are based on Bridget’s stool analysis and are intended to help her holistically.

Bridget’s stool analysis is eye-opening. She learns that a low butyrate level means she lacks short chain fatty acids and root vegetables are the solution. She also becomes aware she has a leaky gut, which is the probable cause for her recent eczema flares and acid reflux.

The level of inflammation in Bridget’s digestive system is impressive enough to aggravate her perimenopausal symptoms. An extended elimination diet of thirty days is recommended to mend her leaky gut and extinguish her gut’s inflammation.

Fast forward to Bridget’s three-month follow-up: her eighty percent improvement in overall symptoms speaks volumes.

Not only does Bridget report a complete resolution of constipation, acid reflux and eczema—avoiding three additional pharmaceutical drugs—but she also notices:

• The best sleep in years

• Increased energy

• Alleviated mood swings

The only persistent symptom? Hot flushes.

Upon further discussion, Bridget decides to embark on epigenetic testing to see whether any SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) indicate an increased risk for cardiovascular disease—important if she ever considers hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Her functional medicine practitioner also advises her to return to her Primary Care Physician for a screening mammogram as an extra precaution since breast cancer runs in her family.

If Bridget’s results prove her to be a less than ideal candidate for HRT, she is assured that there are non-hormonal pharmaceuticals and herbal remedies she can explore to manage her hot flushes.

To return to the origin of this article—“What exactly is functional medicine?”—and taking Bridget’s situation into consideration, one might realize what functional medicine does not entail.

It’s not a one-stop shop. Similarly, it’s not a quick fix nor a band-aid. Above all, it’s not snake oil.

As indicated in Bridget’s case, functional medicine is not an alternative to conventional medicine but rather complementary.

Functional medicine addresses functional conditions (those not fully explained medically) as well as non-functional conditions by restoring the body to its natural homeostasis.

It takes a holistic approach to address the whole body and whole person. It can extend one’s longevity by medicating one’s lifestyle with good quality sleep, nutritious food, a healthy mindset, invigorating movement, and thriving relationships.

Just because someone is born with bad genetics does not mean they are destined to poorer health or shorter lifespans than their “healthier” counterparts.

Functional medicine is for everyone, but not everyone benefits equally. The key is when one dabbles in functional medicine.

For example, a person having a heart attack will not be treated with functional medicine—they need emergency conventional care.

But someone with high cholesterol, borderline hypertension, a family history of heart disease and a stressful lifestyle can benefit from functional medicine when it helps prevent a heart attack in the first place.

Depending on several factors, they might be fortunate enough to eradicate their high cholesterol and achieve optimal blood pressure.

Even patients with a history of heart attack can benefit tremendously from functional medicine by reducing the likelihood of a second event.

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation may also benefit from functional medicine to reduce treatment side effects.

Still, not everyone benefits if they are not willing to go on the journey that entails forming a professional and trusting relationship with their practitioner.

It is imperative to choose a licensed healthcare provider who holds a certification in functional medicine.

Healthcare providers are trained to provide care that is evidence-based. In circumstances where no evidence-based benchmark exists, they are held accountable to provide their patients with the standard of care.

As defined in the Journal of Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience: “the standard of care is the degree of care a prudent and reasonable person would exercise under circumstances” (Vanderpool, 2021).

Another advantage of working with a licensed healthcare provider is collaboration with colleagues, including a patient’s primary care physician, to ensure the patient’s health is addressed 360 degrees.

Many, like Bridget, who are out of hospital and do not necessarily take an endless list of medications, are by conventional standards considered “healthy individuals.”

But the definition of health is dynamic and evolving. Perhaps functional medicine is the methodology of care that meets society’s yearning to function optimally and holistically.