Luke Clarke

Functional Medicine Practitioner and Naturopath in Melbourne

Call US: 03 8820 0010

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Is a Functional Medicine Practitioner the Same as a Naturopath?

A functional medicine practitioner and a naturopath are similar in many ways, but that’s not to say that they are the same. Those seeking treatment for chronic conditions may find relief from practitioners in either field, but their methods do differ somewhat.

A functional medicine practitioner may use naturopathic techniques, and a naturopath may be trained in the methods of functional medicine too, but the two may still use different methods of treatment. Functional medicine builds on the foundation of conventional medicine and it treats patients holistically relying on some naturopathic concepts. Naturopaths rely solely on a variety of natural treatments.

What Is Naturopathy?

Naturopathy is a practice which is rooted in the belief that the body holds the innate ability to heal itself. A naturopath looks to harness the body’s vital force to enhance and support its ability to heal. The patient’s healing is helped by removing obstacles which may be impeding the body’s ability to heal and balance itself. If the patient’s body is in harmony, it can prevent disease and alleviate chronic conditions. A naturopath will use natural treatments such as nutrition, detoxification, herbal supplements, and homoeopathy to remove the illness.

How Are Functional Medicine Practitioners and Naturopaths Similar?

A functional medicine practitioner and a naturopath are similar in their approach. Both types of healthcare practitioners will begin the process by gathering as much information about the patient as they can. They will take into account their diet, the exercise they do, environmental factors and their genetics. A naturopath is more likely to take this further to gain insight into the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the patient’s life.

Functional medicine and naturopathy both look to prevent chronic illness from developing into a disease by taking the individual into account. They both treat the patient, not merely the illness. Conventional medicine may suppress the symptoms while neglecting the factors causing the illness.

What’s the Difference Between Functional Medicine and a Naturopath?

Based on an in-depth consultation, a functional medicine practitioner will order lab tests to get a clearer picture of the patient’s health status and how their lifestyle and genetics may have affected their overall health. A naturopath may not be able to order such tests or form a diagnosis.

The two practices also differ in their treatment solutions. A naturopath will only utilise natural treatments, but a functional medicine practitioner will use every tool available to them through a multidisciplinary approach. This approach relies on the knowledge and skills of a physician, dietician, health coach, and a behavioural therapist. The functional medicine practitioner will then design an entire programme for the patient to follow in order to recover from their condition. A functional medicine practitioner may also rely on naturopathic treatments, should they consider them appropriate.

Philosophically, functional medicine views the body as a cohesive system, rather than a collection of organs independent of each other. The function or dysfunction of these organs affect each other and may manifest in illness. A naturopath primarily sees the human as self-healing and looks to harness the healing power of nature to help the body in the healing process.

Luke Clarke is unique in that he is both a functional medicine practitioner and a naturopath. This allows him to draw on his skills and experience in both fields to give his patients the right treatment to meet their needs, rather than utilising only one modality.

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What Does a Functional Medicine Practitioner Do?

When you first meet with a functional medicine practitioner, you can expect to have a long and in-depth appointment. But what does a functional practitioner do during that session? They take as much time as necessary to gain a thorough understanding of your overall health. They build a broad picture of who you are, your lifestyle, and what your medical needs are in order to treat your maladies and afflictions before they turn into disease.

Functional Medical Practitioners

After conducting an extensive interview–which will lay the groundwork for your treatment–the functional medicine practitioner will conduct a physical exam, a series of lab tests, and begin to identify areas of your health which can be improved or concerns that need to be treated.

This method is used to identify any imbalances and stem any symptoms in order to prevent disease rather than treat them after they have been detected.

When working with a functional medical practitioner you are likely to also work with a multidisciplinary team that may include a Chiropractor, Osteopath, Health Coach and or a Counsellor.

What Questions Will a Functional Practitioner Ask a Patient?

The trick to really getting a full picture of a patient’s history is to ask a series of targeted questions, which could also reveal the cause of their symptoms. This assessment, however, is not limited to their medical history.

A functional medicine practitioner will ask patients about:

  • Their lifestyle, taking factors such as diet, exercise, and sleeping patterns into account.
  • Environmental factors which include exposure to toxins
  • Genetics which may show a predisposition to certain diseases
  • Psycho-social aspects such as stress and trauma

What Treatments Do Functional Medical Practitioners Recommend?

Following the analysis, a functional practitione will conduct lab tests and blood tests where necessary. The results will inform the practitioner as to what methods can be used to treat the patient’s ailments in order to improve the health of the patient. The treatment is based on the individual needs of the patient; it is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Functional medical practitioners use a combination of treatment plans which include:

  • Dietary plans
  • Exercise plans
  • Detoxification programs
  • Stress management techniques
  • Botanicals
  • Supplements

What Happens After the Initial Treatment?

Treatment is an ongoing process. The patient’s health will continue to be monitored to ensure that their physiological processes are improving, and the holistic wellbeing process is working to the benefit of the patient.

Functional medicine is widely seen as a new approach to medicine which incorporates a broader view of the individual’s health in order to treat their symptoms before they develop into more serious conditions and diseases. If you are ready to try this approach to health management, call us today to schedule your first appointment.

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Vitamin D sufficiency associated with fewer complications among patients hospitalized with respiratory virus

Vitamin D sufficiency associated with fewer complications among patients hospitalized with respiratory virusResearch reported on September 25, 2020 in PLoS One uncovered a lower risk of adverse clinical outcomes among hospitalized COVID-19 patients whose vitamin D levels were sufficient.

The study analyzed data from 235 men and women hospitalized with COVID-19. Blood samples collected upon admission were analyzed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D, C-reactive protein (CRP) and other factors.

Among those whose vitamin D levels were sufficient at 30 nanograms per milliliter or more, risks of illness complications, including loss of consciousness, low oxygen levels or death were significantly lower than the risks experienced by those whose levels were insufficient. Patients over 40 years of age who had sufficient blood levels of vitamin D had less than half the risk of death from COVID-19 compared to those who had insufficient or deficient levels.  White blood cells known as lymphocytes were higher and CRP levels were lower in the vitamin D sufficient group.

“This study provides direct evidence that vitamin D sufficiency can reduce the complications, including the cytokine storm (release of too many proteins into the blood too quickly) and ultimately death from COVID-19,” remarked corresponding author Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, who is a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics and molecular medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.

“Because vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is so widespread in children and adults in the United States and worldwide, especially in the winter months, it is prudent for everyone to take a vitamin D supplement to reduce risk of being infected and having complications from COVID-19.”

 

 

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Is Poor Sleep Putting You at Risk of Diabetes, Heart Disease or Other Chronic Disease?

Experiencing the World Through Bleary Eyes

Have you ever felt the effects of a disrupted or poor night’s sleep? It’s not uncommon for your concentration, alertness, energy, appetite and mood to be affected the next day. In this “fog” you may find yourself driving straight past your turn off, heading to the vending machine for a 3 pm pick me up, forgetting that key item at the shops, or trailing off mid-sentence with your mind going blank…

While these days may be few and far between for some, for others who suffer with insomnia, the negative side effects unfortunately don’t stop there. Beyond reduced concentration, more serious metabolic and cardiovascular health issues can start to develop when insomnia becomes chronic. These conditions are often harder to notice or even attribute to poor sleep, as they are insidious and develop over longer periods of time.

Let’s explore the reasons why quality sleep is an essential factor for your wellbeing, and discuss natural remedies and tools you can employ to get your sleep (and health) back on track.

When Sleep Dips, Blood Sugar Rises

Whilst we can’t necessarily feel it, testing and research shows our blood sugar levels are hugely influenced by our sleep. In fact, adults reporting five hours of sleep or less per night were 2.5 times more likely to have diabetes compared to those who slept the recommended seven to eight hours per night.

Whilst the exact link between poor sleep and diabetes isn’t definitely clear, it’s suggested that sleep deprivation may lead to increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight response), which goes on to negatively influence several hormonal pathways that govern our metabolism.

The Heart Aches for Sleep

This fight or flight response is also a main reason why long term sleep issues are associated with cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and heart attack. Here, due to the physical stress poor sleep creates, the body starts to produce elevated levels of ‘stress’ hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. The corresponding side effects of this are increases in blood pressure, heart rate and contraction, increasing the risk of cardiac diseases.

This was shown in a decade long study, demonstrating five hours of sleep or less per night resulted in a 45% increased risk of heart attack. Another study found that sleep loss can activate inflammatory pathways in the body that are also linked with cardiovascular disease.

A Lack of Zzz’s Cause an Increase in Kg’s

Similarly, when it comes to weight, the more sleep loss you experience, the greater the risk of becoming overweight or obese. It appears a primary reason for this is that dysfunctional sleep increases appetite levels. Specifically, sleep loss was found to decrease levels of our appetite suppressing hormone, leptin, and increase levels of our appetite-stimulating compound, called ghrelin.

This can make us desire more food, and have more difficulty stopping eating, leading us to consume more calories than we need.

Sleep loss was found to decrease levels of our appetite suppressing hormone, leptin, and increase levels of our appetite-stimulating compound, called ghrelin.

Restoring Sleep, Restoring Health

It’s easy to understand why getting a good night’s sleep is so important for a healthy body! Rest assured, if your sleep needs a little TLC, there’s a multitude of natural remedies and lifestyle tools that can help restore a full and restful night’s sleep.

Here are my top four:

  1. Light in the morning and darkness at night. Each of us have an inbuilt body clock, called the circadian rhythm. When you are exposed to the sun each morning, your circadian rhythm triggers the production of the stimulating hormone cortisol, and upon nightfall, triggers the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin.However, when we spend most of our time exposed to the artificial lights in our homes, on public transport, in our workplaces and/or by using electronic devices, our bodies miss these environmental queues; causing our circadian rhythm, and hence our sleep, to become disrupted.In particular, the blue light emitted from digital devices, such as phones, tablets, computers and TVs is especially stimulating to your body. This blue light convinces your brain it’s day time and that it is appropriate to be awake and alert! However, many of us use these devices into the evening, which is the exact time we should be winding down and exposing ourselves to gentler lighting, so we can encourage our melatonin to rise and sleep to come easily.Therefore, increasing your exposure to sunlight in the early morning and throughout your day, using candles or yellow/orange coloured lighting in the evening, and turning off the digital devices at least an hour before bedtime will all help to restore your body’s natural, sleep-promoting circadian rhythm.
  2. Magnesium can reduce muscle tightness, helping the body relax into a more restful sleep, which is especially useful after a busy day. This vital mineral can also reduce cortisol and increase melatonin levels, and has shown to support the onset of deep sleep cycles, which are essential for your sleep to be restorative and healing.
  3. Lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidant nutrients known as carotenoids are found naturally within the eye. Supplementing with these can help the eyes to filter and offset the negative effects of blue light, and further improve your circadian rhythm and sleep quality by increasing the production of melatonin in the eye.
  4. California poppy. This herb has a long history of being used as a sedative in traditional herbal medicine, with modern research confirming it works via increasing the activity of our principle calming neurotransmitter, called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). A great antidote for those times you feel too stimulated or stressed to sleep, this herb can be used to help calm your mind and body heading into bedtime.

Increasing your exposure to sunlight in the early morning and throughout your day, using candles or yellow/orange coloured lighting in the evening, and turning off the digital devices at least an hour before bedtime will all help to restore your body’s natural, sleep-promoting circadian rhythm.

Let’s Get Sleepy

Whilst ongoing sleep dysfunction can increase the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, addressing disruptions to your circadian rhythm will re-establish healthy sleep patterns, having many positive effects on your long-term health. Use the supplemental and lifestyle suggestions shared above to get started, and consider talking to a Practitioner for a holistic plan tailored specifically for getting your sleep back on track. Your blood sugar, heart and waistline will thank you!

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Meta-analysis concludes cardiovascular benefit in association with omega 3 supplementation

Meta-analysis concludes cardiovascular benefit in association with omega 3 supplementationAn updated meta-analysis published  in Mayo Clinic Proceedings supports a cardioprotective role for supplementation with the omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

The current analysis expands on a recent meta-analysis of randomized trials published prior to August 2019 that examined omega 3 supplementation’s associations with cardiovascular outcomes. The newest meta-analysis included 40 randomized, controlled trials with a total of 135,267 participants. Dosages of omega 3 used in the studies ranged from 400 milligrams to 5,500 milligrams per day.

Pooled analysis of the trials’ data revealed a 13% lower risk of heart attack, a 10% lower risk of coronary heart disease events, a 35% lower risk of fatal heart attack and a 9% lower risk of coronary heart disease mortality among participants who received EPA and DHA in comparison with the control subjects.

When the impact of omega 3 dosage was examined, higher doses were more protective against the risk of cardiovascular disease events and heart attack than lower amounts.

“The study supports the notion that EPA and DHA intake contributes to cardioprotection, and that whatever patients are getting through the diet, they likely need more,” stated coauthor Carl J. Lavie, MD. “People should consider the benefits of omega-3 supplements, at doses of 1000 to 2000 mg per day – far higher than what is typical, even among people who regularly eat fish. Given the safety and diminished potential for interaction with other medications, the positive results of this study strongly suggest omega-3 supplements are a relatively low-cost, high impact way to improve heart health with few associated risks and should be considered as part of a standard preventive treatment for most patients with cardiovascular diseases and those recovering from myocardial infarction.”

 

Luke Clarke

Phone: (03) 8820 0010

Clinic Address:
1 Ward Street
Ashburton VIC 3147, Australia
(Parking out the back – use laneway on left)

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