Want More Than a Band-Aid Fix? Functional Health Is the Answer
Have you ever visited a doctor and felt like your health concerns weren’t heard or listened to? You may have been told your labs came back ‘normal’ or that they couldn’t find any issues.
But your symptoms didn’t go away and there was no explanation why you’ve been feeling anxious, tired or out of balance in the first place.
If this experience sounds familiar to you, you’re not alone and it might be time to explore how functional health works.
A lot of healthcare is centered around efficiency and a Band-Aid fix.
But it can be difficult to get to the bottom of your health issues and uncomfortable symptoms if you don’t dig a little deeper.
That’s where functional health or functional medicine comes in. It isn’t just about treating symptoms or covering symptoms up with medication. Functional health aims to get to the root cause of your health concerns for long term and sustainable results.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:
- What is functional health?
- Why does a root cause approach matter?
- Symptoms that functional health can help with
- Is functional health right for you?
You’ll be able to explore the difference between conventional care and functional health and medicine and choose the right treatment method for you.
What is Functional Health?
Functional health is about looking at your health as a whole. Your body is a system, not separate parts and everything is linked including your gut, hormones, immune system and even emotions.
In conventional medicine, you might see specialists for different issues. A dermatologist for eczema, a cardiologist for heart health and a therapist for mental health.
Functional health brings all of these aspects together and asks the question, ‘could all of these symptoms be connected?’. Often, the answer is yes.
Functional health looks underneath to find the root cause of your discomfort and symptoms and focuses on issues like:
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Hormonal imbalances
- Gut microbiome issues
- Bodily inflammation
- External factors like stress and your environment
Looking at these issues can help get to the root cause of a health problem quickly and ensure your treatment plan is tailor made for you. It also prevents the issue from coming back repeatedly.
Why Does a Root Cause Approach Matter?
It might be easier or simpler to cover health issues with a Band-Aid fix. Got a fever or headache? Just take some Tylenol. But while there may be cases where pain medication is necessary, masking symptoms can often be counterproductive.
For example, fevers are a natural defense mechanism that our body uses to fight off infection. They are part of our immune response and help us to fend off pathogens. By forcing our fever to dissipate, we may lose some of its benefits.
Similarly, a headache may indicate that something deeper is amiss in our bodies. It may be a warning sign that we are dehydrated or lacking sleep or should be avoiding certain foods.
Overall, functional health and listening to our body’s signs can help you:
- Catch early warning signs
- Avoid bigger health issues down the track like heart disease and diabetes
- Strengthen and support your body’s natural defenses
Functional health helps you build a strong foundation and become more resilient to the stressful seasons in your life.
Don’t Ignore These Symptoms
Here are some common symptoms that functional health and Synergy Integrative Health and Wellness can help with:
1. Fatigue
Constantly feeling tired? Feeling fatigued is a very common symptom that we look at in functional health but is it caused by a lack of sleep or something deeper? It can also be linked to hormonal imbalances, thyroid issues or even poor blood sugar regulation.
2. Weight Gain
Weight gain is another common symptom that is often the result of poor hormone regulation or stress. Synergy conducts full lab panels and addresses hormone imbalances as part of its medical weight loss program.
3. Anxiety and Depression
Have you been feeling anxious lately? Are your emotions going up and down more than usual? It may be due to a hormonal imbalance or even the wrong diet for your body. Speaking with our registered dietitian nutritionist can get you the right nutrition and help to balance your blood sugar levels.
4. Autoimmune Issues
Autoimmune issues can be complex. But healing the gut, lowering inflammation with an anti-inflammatory diet and calming your nervous system can help your immune system to thrive both now and in the future.
What Does Functional Health Look At?
Each functional health consultation is focused on your health and the goals you’re working towards. To start your health journey, your functional health provider may ask you about your symptoms but they’ll also inquire about your:
- Sleep habits
- Stress levels
- Diet and nutrition
- Emotional health
- Movement and exercise
- Family history
Synergy Integrative Health and Wellness also offers extensive functional health testing as part of our evaluations. This includes comprehensive lab testing, cardiovascular and inflammation biomarker testing, GI mapping and glucose monitoring. We also offer nutritional counseling and holistic health coaching to ensure that you’re making lifestyle changes to maximize the benefits of your treatment.
Health Benefits of Functional Health
One of the biggest advantages of functional health are its long term advantages. You’ll finally feel like you’re back in control of your health. You’ll know exactly what to do to help your body thrive and to feel completely energized each day.
Through functional health, you’ll learn to:
- Nourish your body with real food
- Calm your nervous system during stress
- Balance your gut microbiome naturally
- Keep your hormones working smoothly
- Listen to your body’s early warning signs
- Reduce inflammation naturally
Long Term Wellness at Our Oak Park Clinic
Looking for a ‘functional health doctor near me’? Synergy Integrative Health and Wellness works with clients virtually but can meet in-person in Oak Park where convenient. Forget about surviving and learn to thrive! If you’re tired of ten minute medical appointments and want a health professional that will take their time and listen to you, functional health is for you.
Testing and healing plans are completely tailored and will help to restore not only your physical health but your mental and emotional health as well.
Forget the quick fixes. You deserve to feel good, listened to, and to get real answers to your health concerns.
Book a consultation or functional health evaluation and get ready to find the root cause of it all.