What is a Functional Medicine Doctor or Practitioner?
Have you found yourself wondering ‘What is a functional Medicine Doctor?”
You may have found this page because you’re not finding the answers you need and you’re ready to try something new, or perhaps you have herd the term and are curious about functional medicine and how it works.
Before I got certified as an integrative health coach using functional medicine, I was in the same boat. I had lost all faith in thinking that I could find out why I was sick. Finally, by using a functional medicine doctor I found the answers I needed and that functional medicine was the secret to optimal health. This article will tell you everything you need to know to find the right functional medicine doctor or practitioner for you to get well and stay well.
What is a Functional Medicine Doctor?
A functional medicine doctor will offer treatment options that get you to the root cause of the symptoms you might be experiencing, especially when it comes to chronic disease. Oftentimes this is a holistic approach to healing, however, sometimes integrative medicine and conventional medicine treatments can still be used while rebalancing the body.
What does a Functional Medicine Doctor Do?
A western medical doctor is different from a functional medicine doctor. Western medicine is based on a diagnose-and-treat model, usually prescribing medicine for the symptom you may be experiencing. A functional medicine doctor addresses an array of chronic illnesses with the goal of getting to the root cause.
When Should I see a Functional Medicine Doctor?
If you have any of the following diagnoses in your medical history, or symptoms on the list below it's time to seek out a functional medicine doctor, practitioner, or integrative health coach.
When Your Tests Say Results Are Normal But You Feel Off
This is a great example of when to seek out a functional medicine doctor, practitioner or health coach. In Western medicine, we base test results on a mostly unhealthy population, with only 12% of people being metabolically healthy. Normal test result ranges are based on 95% of the population. You may be getting normal results but, actually be in a dis-ease dynamic, or trending toward one. In this case, you will be working on prevention and healing.
For Your Chronic Health Concerns
Functional medicine aims to get to the root cause of what may be imbalanced in your body, so addressing chronic health issues is the right time to seek treatment.
When traditional Medical Treatments aren't working
If you are going to go an alternative medicine route, you’ll need to approach this with an open mind. Also, understand that in order to make lifelong changes, it may take some time. After all, where you are now did not happen overnight. Healing your body will likely take some time.
Chronic Conditions You Can Treat with Functional Medicine
When it comes to conditions you can treat with functional medicine, the list is quite long. Check below for a few symptoms and chronic conditions you can reverse using functional medicine.
Hormonal Imbalances and Conditions, like Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Skin Conditions, like Eczema and Psoriasis
Diabetes
Autoimmune Disease
Asthma
Allergies
Weight Loss Plateau
How to find a Functional Medicine Doctor
You don't need to choose from only licensed MDs when it comes to using functional medicine to get well. There are many functional medicine practitioners practicing different modalities, from nurse practitioners to health coaches. You can search sites like the institute for functional medicine, parsley health or reach out to the School of Applied Functional Medicine, where I am currently enrolled to find a practitioner near you if you'd like to see someone in person.
Great news! There are plenty of online options to find a good functional medicine doctor and with tele-health, you can go to your nearest lab if you’re wanting blood work or testing done. Your chosen provider can read test results and give you this information over zoom which can be just as effective.
What to Look For in a Functional Medicine Practitioner
To find the best functional medicine practitioner, you want to look for the following things.
Someone who will Customize your Treatment Plan
Functional Medicine is not one size fits all. It is all about bio-individuality. You want to work with a practicioner who looks at you as a unique individual, rathan than giving you a standard protocol.
Someone Who Understands YOu are the Expert of Your Body
You know your body best. When it comes to choosing a functional medicine practitioner, you want to be sure they know that you know your body best.
They Have a Suggested Timeline For You
Don’t sign up to work with someone that does not give you a timeline in case you're getting well. They should have an action plan. Ultimately, it will beep to you how fast or slow you want to go, but the practitioner of your choice should give you some guidance as to how long it may take to work through your health issues and get to your wellness goals.
They Give you more than Supplements
Functional medicine is all about getting to the root cause. And while supplements may be part of the process they should not be the only thing you are doing to get well. And they should not be used forever.
Why You Need a Functional Medicine Health Coach
As you know, doctors have limited time with their patients. And when you work with a functional medicine doctor, they will recommend many lifestyle changes. Changing your lifestyle for the long haul is the hard part of the work. Having an integrative health coach who uses functional medicine to partner with will help you get to your goals. The aim of an integrative health coach is to keep you motivated, share key information to empower you on the symptoms you may have, and to dive more into why you are doing the things you need to do. Because when you know better, you do better.
Also, health coaches using functional medicine will look at many lifestyle factors like sleep, nutrition, hydration, emotional status, and daily movement, assessing where improvements can be made.
What to Expect When You Partner with Mapped Wellness
You'll fill out a health history form and send along any labs you might already have. We’ll then get on a Health Discovery Call to see what might be at play. From here, we will determine the best roadmap for you, because everyone is unique in their healing process.
Start Living Well Today
Book your Health Discovery Session and start your path to healing and living a healthy, long life. Read below for success stories from our past clients, from weight loss to skin issues and IBS.