Have You Explored the Roots?

What is the normal pattern of your visits to the doctor? You notice symptoms and make an appointment. Once the doctor joins you in the exam room, he or she asks what your major complaint is, perhaps asking a few clarifying questions, and then offers a prescription to ease the symptoms.

If you were to equate the process with care of a tree, what part of the tree have you addressed?

Most likely, you are working with the leaves or branches of the tree, so to speak. There are some conditions that may be focused there; but if you were to talk to a horticulturist, they would most likely suggest exploring what is going on in the root system and the soil. It is that foundation that “feeds” the visible part of a tree.

This is what the Functional Medicine approach does – looks at the root causes of symptoms. This approach was founded by Dr Jeffrey Bland in 1991 as a systems-biology approach to the prevention and management of chronic disease by addressing nutrition, lifestyle, exercise and environment.

The Five R’s of Functional Medicine describe what Pursue Wellness aims to accomplish:

1. Remove inflammatory, nutrient-poor foods. The digestive system is one of the primary ways that the outside interacts with your inside.
2. Replace processed foods with real food. Grocery stores offer a lot of food-like substances that do little more than fill your stomach. Whole foods offer true nourishment and can support better digestive secretions.
3. Restore beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Ingesting probiotic supplements and eating foods that feed good bacteria help to produce necessary nutrients and improve your immune system.
4. Repair the lining of the GI tract with healthful foods. Absorption of vital nutrients and protection from invaders is dependent on healthy mucosal lining.
5. Rebalance lifestyle choices to reduce stress. Your body cannot digest when it is in “fight or flight” mode.

I have seen this approach provide lasting resolution for my clients. Would you like to explore the benefits for yourself?

Your symptoms don’t need to be the story of your life. Let’s talk about how I can help you Pursue Wellness.