Conventional medicine works in a very reactive way. If you notice symptoms of a disease, disorder or other bodily problem, you go to the doctor for an assessment. You may be advised to have some tests taken to confirm the doctor’s suspicions, or you may be prescribed a medication. But at this point, the disease, disorder or other bodily problem has likely already set in and any medication is probably only going to help deal with the symptoms. Wouldn’t it be better to have preventative care which aims to stop issues arising in the first place by achieving optimal overall health? Preventative care is a core part of functional medicine and it is one of the things that makes it so different to conventional medicine. Functional medicine takes a scientific, evidence-based approach to providing patient-centric preventative care and delivering quality overall health.
What is preventative care in functional medicine?
The word ‘Preventative’ is one of what some call the ‘The Four P’s of Functional Medicine’.
They are: Preventative, Precision, Personalised and Partnership. The ‘Preventative’ part of the Four P’s is all about finding treatments which are focused on improving overall health and wellbeing, while at the same time helping to prevent illness in the future. Functional medicine professionals work to proactively seek out and address any underlying health issues and imbalances, which can lead to disease. As the other Four P’s suggest, this work uses a range of precise tests and other tools, is applied with a personalised approach which takes into account a patient’s own medical and family history and is done as a partnership with the patient throughout their health journey.
How could I benefit from functional medicine’s preventative care and overall health?
Anyone facing a chronic condition could benefit from functional medicine and its preventative powers. As we age, the chances of us developing chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and arthritis only increase. Maybe you have a family history of heart disease? Waiting until you develop sharp chest pains to do something about it is not wise, when you could instead take some preventative measures to minimise your risk.
Or maybe it is cancer or diabetes you are looking to avoid? Whether you have a family history or not, functional medicine can help in preventing a whole range diseases and disorders, through assisting to improve your overall health now – before such issues arise.
Functional medicine professionals spend time gathering your medical history and discussing your health with you. They may also conduct necessary testing, before developing plans to improve your overall health. Functional medicine practitioners do this by identifying root causes and treating all of the body’s inter-linked systems, with a more holistic approach than most other medical professionals.
Begin your functional medicine journey today
Luke Clarke is a Functional Medicine Practitioner and Naturopath who is based in Melbourne and has decades of experience in helping patients achieve better overall health and experience the benefits of preventative care.
For a free 10-minute consultation, contact Luke Clarke today by calling 03 8820 0010.