Functional medicine (FM) addresses core imbalances that are precursors to disease. Practitioners who practice FM look to restore function to the whole body by addressing:

* Hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances
* Oxidation-reduction imbalances and mitochondropathy
* Detoxification and biotransformational imbalances
* Immune imbalances
* Inflammatory imbalances
* Digestive, absorptive, and microbiological imbalances
* Structural imbalances from cellular membrane function to the musculoskeletal system

Imagine having all these systems running smoothly. Imagine a health care system that investigates and accurately treats the underlying causes of disease rather than just medicate the symptoms. I have found the Functional Medicine methodology to be the most accurate means of getting patients well while developing awareness about maintaining optimal health.

Dr. Jeffrey Bland, founder of the Institute of Functional Medicine was called by the Obama administration for discussions on health care reform along with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Andrew Weill. The Functional Medicine Model is definitely gaining steam & it’s  good news  that the tools we need for reversing and preventing disease are available now.

To watch the docs go to:

http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_02_26/2009_02_26.html

To read Dr. Jeffrey Bland’s position paper titled “Reforming the United States Healthcare System: Implementing an Effective Approach to Chronic Disease,” go to: www.jeffreybland.com and scroll down for the pdf.
uploads/2009 Functional Prospective Medicine (2).pdf

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