Are you curious to learn more about conventional vs functional medicine benefits? Conventional medicine (also known as Western medicine) diagnoses and treats health conditions using evidence-based techniques and medications. Functional medicine, on the other hand, takes a more holistic and personalized approach. Its goal is to treat and identify the underlying cause of the disease.
The U.S. healthcare system primarily uses a Western medicine approach. Whether you break a bone or receive cancer treatment, your doctor will likely treat you using conventional medicine. While Western medicine saves many lives, it may not be the most effective form of healthcare for all situations. In some cases, functional medicine may be a better choice. Here are 12 signs you need functional medicine:
1. You Have Frequent Digestive Issues
Occasional digestive issues happen to everyone. They may stem from eating old food, eating a poor diet, or getting a contagious illness. However, if you have chronic digestive issues, you may want to look into functional medicine.
A functional practitioner will attempt to find the underlying cause of your gut complaints. They may test for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), food sensitivities, or leaky gut syndrome. Depending on their diagnosis, they may recommend probiotics, dietary changes, supplements, and other gut-healing interventions.
2. You’re Chronically Fatigued
Chronic fatigue can have many potential causes, from thyroid issues to nutrient deficiencies. One of the benefits of functional medicine is that it explores a variety of possible causes of persistent fatigue. These may include mitochondrial dysfunction, nutrient deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances.
Once they figure out the cause or combination of causes leading to your low energy levels, they can recommend treatments. They may suggest lifestyle changes, exercise, and energy-boosting supplements or vitamins. They will likely also recommend using nutrient-dense foods as medicine to heal your mitochondria and boost your energy.
3. You Get Sick Constantly
If you take sick days more frequently than your colleagues, you may have a weakened immune system. A conventional doctor may offer temporary fixes like antibiotics or steroids. These can help you recover once you’re already sick. They may also run some tests to see if there’s any obvious medical reason for your decreased immune function. However, most conventional doctors won’t seriously consider the role nutrition and lifestyle factors play on immune function.
One of the benefits of functional medicine is that it takes a holistic approach to boosting your immune function. A functional practitioner will analyze your current diet and lifestyle. Then, they’ll suggest changes to ensure you give your immune cells what they need to function optimally.
4. You Keep Developing New Food Allergies
Have you noticed you’re suddenly allergic to foods you used to eat without any negative consequences? This can be a frustrating and perplexing situation. A Western medicine doctor can perform allergy tests to confirm which foods you’re allergic to. However, they most likely won’t even try to figure out why you’re suddenly developing new food allergies. Fortunately, functional medicine really shines in this area.
One of the top functional medicine benefits is that it seeks to identify why the immune system is overreacting to certain foods. A functional provider may use testing, symptom evaluation, and lifestyle analyses to determine the cause of new food allergies. They may also recommend an elimination diet, lifestyle modifications, and nutrient support to help rebalance the body and reduce excess inflammation. Then, they’ll focus on restoring gut microbiome balance and slowly reintroducing foods to help the body respond in a healthier way.
5. You Struggle With Depression, Anxiety, or Brain Fog
Mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and brain fog are linked to hormonal imbalances or chronic inflammatory issues. A conventional doctor may be able to mask your symptoms with prescription medications, but these medications often come with a high risk of adverse side effects. They also don’t address the underlying cause of mental illness.
Functional medicine seeks to identify and heal the physiological issues that often lead to mental health concerns. This deep-dive approach is one of the top benefits of functional medicine. For example, your functional provider may recommend eating certain foods or making lifestyle changes to support optimal hormone balance. They may also advise stress-reduction techniques and improved sleep habits to decrease systemic inflammation and thus reduce brain fog.
6. You Have Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can have a debilitating effect on both the mind and body. It’s often the result of a poor diet, an autoimmune condition, or exposure to environmental toxins. Some people experience chronic pain as a result of an undetected infection somewhere in the body. Conventional treatments typically focus on using pain medications to mask discomfort. While this can provide temporary relief and make life more bearable, it can do more harm than good in the long run.
Simply masking symptoms gives the underlying cause of pain ample time to become even worse. That’s why functional medicine tends to be a far superior option for reducing ongoing discomfort. It seeks to identify and correct the underlying cause of pain and improve overall health and quality of life. This is one of the top functional medicine benefits.
7. You Have Diagnosed or Suspected Autoimmune Conditions
Autoimmune conditions are diseases caused by the body attacking its own organs and tissues by mistake. Some common autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Conventional medicine works to mask symptoms and improve quality of life through prescription medications that temper the immune system’s response. However, this can put people with autoimmune conditions at a higher risk of illness.
If you see a functional practitioner for your autoimmune symptoms (whether suspected or diagnosed), you’ll receive a much more personalized treatment approach. They’ll likely conduct tests to identify triggers for your body’s mistaken attacks on itself. They may look for chronic infections, food sensitivities, and other factors that may contribute to immune dysregulation. Then, they’ll recommend treatments and lifestyle changes to regulate your immune response naturally.
8. Your Hormones Are Imbalanced
Imbalanced hormones are so common these days, and they’re one of the top signs you need functional medicine. Hormone imbalances often come from treatable factors like excess stress, poor diet, and insufficient sleep. Common symptoms of hormonal imbalances include mood swings, fatigue, weight gain, and menstrual irregularities. A conventional doctor may seek to rectify your symptoms by pumping you full of synthetic hormones.
A functional practitioner will seek to restore your hormone balance using less risky, more natural methods. For example, they might recommend dietary changes, supplements, and improved sleep patterns to alleviate your symptoms. They may also explore the possibility of autoimmune thyroid conditions and offer holistic remedies to improve them.
9. You Can’t Seem to Lose Weight Using “Normal” Methods
Weight loss is an uphill battle for millions of people. You may find that no matter how hard you try to eat well and exercise regularly, your body simply doesn’t respond. Conventional medicine focuses almost solely on exercise and calorie restriction. However, some bodies don’t respond well to these interventions alone because there’s an underlying problem blocking their weight loss efforts.
If you’ve tried and failed to lose weight the conventional way, consider the functional medicine approach to weight loss. Easier weight loss is one of the more notable functional medicine benefits. Your practitioner may investigate and address insulin resistance, hormonal imbalances, metabolic issues, or other potential causes for your stubborn weight gain.
10. Your Body Is Slow to Heal
Does it seem like your body takes longer than most to recover from scratches, bruises, and other injuries? If your body is slow to heal, you might have poor circulation, one or more nutritional deficiencies, or an undiagnosed chronic disease.
A functional practitioner will perform tests and analyses to determine why your body struggles to heal itself. They’ll look for natural ways to reduce inflammation and stress so your body can focus properly on recovery and repair.
11. You Experience Sleep Disturbances
The quality of your sleep can have a huge impact on your overall health. Conventional approaches typically recommend sleep medications or aids for poor sleep quality. One of the top benefits of functional medicine, on the other hand, is that it focuses on fixing the underlying reasons for poor sleep. Common underlying causes include stress, anxiety, and lifestyle factors.
12. You Have Skin Issues
The state of your skin reflects the state of your inner health. Therefore, issues like eczema, acne, rashes, and psoriasis may run much deeper than they appear. Traditional approaches often seek to address only the outer symptoms, while functional medicine works from the inside out.
A functional practitioner may treat skin issues in multiple ways. They may optimize your gut health, recommend dietary changes, and identify systemic inflammation triggers. Then, they’ll develop a personalized treatment regimen. Their end goal is to provide long-lasting relief instead of masking your symptoms.
Schedule Your Functional Medicine Consultation in San Francisco
Now that you know some of the top functional medicine benefits, it’s time to see if this approach can help you. Dr. Vinh Ngo is a well-known and highly regarded functional medicine doctor in San Francisco. Call Smart Medicine at (415) 446-1852 to schedule a functional medicine consultation with Dr. Ngo today.
