Functional medicine is a relatively ‘new’ practice which combines scientific processes with ancient traditional wisdom. Over the past 30 years, it’s seen incredible results in treating a host of different conditions – particularly involving gut health problems such as IBS and SIBO.
Functional medicine has a range of benefits over other approaches which is why it has seen a high success rate in terms of long-term patient outcomes and lifestyle improvement.
Here, we outline 3 reasons why functional medicine is beneficial, and why Luke Clarke – Melbourne’s key figure in functional medicine – is looking forward to helping you overcome your health issues.
- Functional medicine treats the cause, not the symptoms
Let’s say you’ve got a sore tummy, and it’s been persistent over the past couple of weeks. A doctor might tell you to take some hyoscine butylbromide tablets, which makes the symptoms go away temporarily. But this doesn’t look at why you’re experiencing stomach pain, so it’s likely that your tummy ache will soon return.That’s one of the big differences with functional medicine – it treats the causes, not the symptoms. A functional medicine practitioner will sit down and look at everything that’s going on in your body, especially investigating your diet and which foods are upsetting your stomach. Through a process of elimination, functional medicine practitioners discover what exactly is causing the problem before implementing treatment plans to restore function to the affected part of the body.
- Functional medicine is personalised, and treats every patient individually
Functional medicine goes by the philosophy that every patient is different and therefore has differing healthcare needs. In other words, what works for one person might not work for the next. Revisiting the example of stomach pain, we can see just how different every individual is. Some people are lactose-intolerant and can’t consume dairy products, while others find gluten to upset their stomachs.Functional medicine takes this into account. Treatment is different for every person, depending on what is causing their problem. Remember – it’s not about the symptoms, it’s about the causes.
- Functional medicine takes a multi-disciplinary approach
Functional medicine is versatile and dynamic, applying a multi-disciplinary approach to finding the right treatment for you. While herbal or botanical supplements may be recommended, functional medicine also involves nutrition and lifestyle changes, as well as modern medicine approaches. By combining science and traditional medicinal philosophies, functional medicine is an open-minded practice.
The benefits of functional medicine are countless and at the end of the day it’s about finding a treatment that works for you. Luke Clarke is confident in being able to help you overcome your health challenges. One of Melbourne’s leading forces in functional medicine and naturopathy, Luke Clarke combines science and naturopathic philosophies to identify what’s causing your condition. Luke Clarke cares about your health and works alongside you to improve it. Contact Luke Clarke for a 10-minute free consultation today.